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Kate Gunn is wildly impressive.
She is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Children’s Medical Research Institute and Founder and Director of Balance! Healthcare, a leader in multi-disciplinary integrated primary healthcare, which has practices in NSW and QLD.
Kate was previously the COO of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the COO of the ARC Centre of Excellence in All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), based at the University of Sydney.
In 2015, Kate won a scholarship from Chief Executive Women to attend the Women’s Leadership Program, Harvard Business School, and in 2012 she was named as one of the inaugural 100 Women of Influence in Australia (by Westpac and the Australian Financial Review). Previously a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year, Kate has also been recognised with a number of business entrepreneurship awards over the years.
Kate is a director of the National Foundation for Australian Women, and was previously the Chair of the Government funded National Women’s Alliance Economic Security4Women.
I learned so much throughout this conversation, and loved her stories of a lifetime of advocacy.
In this episode we discuss:
- Kate’s extensive background in healthcare as an entrepreneur. She owns several successful businesses, is committed to medical research, and is driven by having an impact in her career.
- Kate faced bias in her career after having children and was made redundant two days after returning to work from parental leave.
- Prior to that, she had been active in the women’s movement but hadn’t faced any discrimination personally.
- Once you’re aware of unconscious bias you can’t unsee it – it’s everywhere. Kate herself didn’t think bias was an issue until it slapped her in the face.
- In order for things to change for women, men need to get involved and be part of the change, and be involved with their kids and families.
- Kate’s story on being on a board selection committee. She was the only woman on the committee, and when it looked like we were only going to appoint only men she announced that she was not leaving until they appointed a woman as well.
- Kate shared another story of Melbourne Uni advertising two roles for maths professors as female only. They got much better candidates than normally, because all the women who might not normally appy decided to. Women sometimes self-select out of opportunities because they think they won’t be successful.
- She also shared a story of inadvertantly causing a media circus when she asked why there were no women on an efficiency review panel. The MP said there were no women that he knew of who had dealt with big enough budgets.
- The value of networking and women supporting each other.
- The advice she’d give her younger self to work a bit less and enjoy it more.
About Kate Gunn
Kate is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Children’s Medical Research Institute. As the Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary, Kate is responsible for the day to day running of the organisation.
Kate was previously the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the ARC Centre of Excellence in All-sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO), based at the University of Sydney. CAASTRO was led by The University of Sydney, in conjunction with The Australian National University, Curtin University, The University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland, Swinburne University of Technology and The University of Western Australia, complemented by a strong group of Australian and international partner institutions.
Kate has 25 years of business experience and has a strong industry background. Kate is the Founder and Director of Balance! Healthcare, a leader in multi-disciplinary integrated primary healthcare, which has practices in NSW and QLD.
In 2015, Kate won a scholarship from Chief Executive Women to attend the Women’s Leadership Program, Harvard Business School, and in 2012 she was named as one of the inaugural 100 Women of Influence in Australia (by Westpac and the Australian Financial Review). Previously a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year, Kate has also been recognised with a number of business entrepreneurship awards over the years.
Kate holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of South Australia. She is currently a director of the National Foundation for Australian Women, and was previously the Chair of the Government funded National Women’s Alliance Economic Security4Women.