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Say ‘yes’ to life’s experiences! This is one piece of advice alumnus, Kristina West (Duncraig, Class of 1988), offers to current students … and she’s the living embodiment of the fascinating paths that can open up when you do just that.

Kristina was in the first graduating class of St Stephen’s School and went on to study journalism, politics and business law at Curtin University.

After time as a radio journalist in Karratha, Kristina had the incredible opportunity to work as a speech writer for Federal Parliament. She then went on to travel to the northern hemisphere to work first for Natwest in London and then for Barclays Bank in the Gulf, Malta, South Africa and the Channel Islands before moving to Singapore to take up a Change Management role for BHP Technology.

“After my time with BHP Technology I took a year off to study Arabic in Beirut and to travel around Jordan which I absolutely loved. Sadly, my home and school in Beirut would both be later destroyed by the Beirut Port explosion in 2020”.

Today Kristina is Change Management and Communications Lead on a digital automation project with Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO).

“I’m working on a number of new IT applications that support RTIO’s production planning, scheduling and simulation.  I am also involved in the pilot of RTIO’s very first autism internship program to ensure our teams are well prepared to receive the first interns, and that the interns themselves have everything they need to succeed in their placement”. 

 I’ve always had a passion for sharing stories and helping to make complex business strategies easy to understand, but I sort of ended up in technology by accident.  I was hired into Natwest Bank’s technology area and saw all the preparations for Y2K and found it fascinating so I have stayed in roles that are very system based since then”.

One aspect of her time at St Stephen’s school that Kristina has carried throughout her career is the importance of service and giving back.

“The ‘serve one another’ element of the school motto is definitely something I live by.  In all that I do I try to incorporate acts of service.  I volunteer widely across my community.  I am currently in the process of becoming a Justice of the Peace so I can be of further service to my community”. 

Kristina is a board member of West Australian Music (WAM) and is always out and about at live gigs supporting local, original music.

“During COVID I set up Scarborough Live Music Fans on Facebook to keep local fans, venues, promoters and artists connected during an incredibly difficult time for them, and that group continues to thrive with over 1300 members”. 

“My best advice to current St Stephen’s students? Be a volunteer! Be generous with your time and knowledge!”

You can connect with Kristina on LinkedIn or if you’re a music fan, too, join the Scarborough Live Music Fans Facebook group.