Meet Kate

• Tell us about a moment when you stepped out of your comfort zone at work that resulted in a memorable achievement.
• • Taking on a broader leadership role within our workers’ compensation team pushed me outside my comfort zone. Moving from managing my own claims to overseeing service delivery and supporting others required a different mindset. It’s been rewarding to help shape a strong, collaborative team and see the impact that structure and clarity can have on outcomes.

• In the spirit of “Balancing the Scales,” what is one unwritten barrier you encountered and how did you navigate it?
• • In the Workers Compensation industry, there’s often a tension between empathy and commercial responsibility. I’ve learned that you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. Clear communication, consistency, and fairness go a long way in balancing both.

• What’s an interesting challenge or ‘puzzle’ you get to solve in your role?
• • Every Worker’s claim has layers. The real challenge is identifying what’s genuinely preventing return to work, it’s not always the injury itself. Working through those factors with all stakeholders is what makes the role interesting.

• If you could go back to your first day in your career, what three words of encouragement would you give yourself?
• • Early on, I think many women second-guess themselves, waiting until they feel 100% ready before speaking up or stepping forward. With experience, I’ve learned that capability often grows through the opportunity, not before it. International Women’s Day is a reminder that confidence isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about trusting your judgement, using your voice, and knowing you belong at the table.

• What is an underrated skill essential for long-term success in this industry?
• • Collaboration and empathy, taking the time to listen, understand different perspectives, and work together ensures better outcomes for injured workers and their employers.

• Name a woman you admire and take inspiration from, and why.
• • This one is close to home. I really admire Rebecca Harris from WorkCover WA. When we first met a few years ago, she had relatively limited exposure to workers’ compensation. Today, she’s effectively the face of the scheme in WA. Her leadership through significant reform has modernised and strengthened the system, and she’s inspired many of us working in the industry through her clarity, courage, and commitment!

_{Image: Kate with Rebecca Harris from WorkCover WA}

• What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
• • It’s a reminder to recognise progress, but also to keep creating workplaces where opportunity and support are genuinely accessible to everyone.