A
lthough Christie had
often contemplated
pursuing a uni degree,
the timing never seemed quite right.
In 2009, after a highly successful
career spanning over 20 years,
Christie was made redundant. The
time had come!
management consultancy, my focus
was more on the people, change and
leadership side of the business than
ever before’. With help from USQ
staff, Christie researched her study
options and switched to a Masters
of Management degree, majoring in
Leadership.
Given her age, years of experience
as an executive leader in a highprofile, international business and her
areas of expertise, Christie decided
an MBA would be the most suitable
degree. Due to the fact she hadn’t
already completed an undergraduate
degree, one of USQ’s student support
officers recommended she study a
Postgraduate Certificate in Business
(PCBS) and then articulate into the
MBA program.
For this, and many other reasons,
Christie attributes her success to
the support she has received from
USQ staff, who never made her
feel like just another number and
encouraged her study journey in ‘a
very personal way.’ She says, ‘What
I am most proud of having achieved
was using my study journey in a way
to help me learn more about myself. I
learned what I am capable of and the
importance of challenging the ‘why’
in things, especially around my career
goals and passions. It’s only then that
you can really embrace the learning
experience and grow through the
journey to where you should be.’
Having never studied at uni before,
Christie had to ‘learn how to be a
student at the same time as being
a student’. After she successfully
completed her PCBS, Christie realised
her career goals had changed and
didn’t think the MBA was still the
best option for her. ‘With a longterm goal for starting my own
Within months of graduating,
Christie set up her own Management
Consultancy – Proactive Partnering,
which allows her to help corporate
clients as well as individuals with a
wide range of support, training and
development. After reading Sheryl
Sandberg’s book, ‘Lean In’, Christie
was inspired to ‘pay it forward’ and
share her experiences with other
women, especially those in leadership
and executive positions. In partnership
with a colleague, Christie has also
started a project to develop Women
in Business, in support of this evolving
movement. Though in its infancy
stages, this co-initiative affords
Christie the opportunity to motivate,
inspire and challenge women to
discover what their calling is and
embrace it, despite the ‘interferences’
at play. She says, ‘If I can be a part of
seeing real change in women’s lives
by helping them see how easy it is to
reach their full potential and develop
their confidence, I will have felt like it
was all worthwhile.’
Christie’s top study tips:
• Don’t be afraid of asking for career or study advice from your supervisor or other
USQ staff – ‘They are there to help and really are willing to: there is no ivory
tower of lecturers or snobbery culture at USQ’.
• Try to attend at least one session at The Learning Centre area and Library, even if
you study online, because ‘It is worth so much to get the lay of the land and ask
as many questions as you can and feel connected to the uni’.
• Attend intensive workshops, which Christie says ‘are a great opportunity to meet
amazing people, squeeze in some networking and significantly accelerate your
knowledge base in a booster-style session’.