OVER THE BACK FENCE – Kerrie Thomsen
Kerrie Thomsen enjoys her work
Your name and position
Kerrie Thomsen, Regional Manager, Bendigo Regional Clinical School
Describe your job/role
As the Regional Manager for the Bendigo Regional Clinical School I am responsible for our overall budget, HR management and needs of the School, day to day operations for our building and staff as well as all of our student accommodation, partnership agreements and special projects such as the Loddon Mallee Simulated Learning Education Project.
Why is it important?
Finding and creating ways to ensure Rural Health and Education is the best it can be against metro standards and any other relevant standard. There is a very strong sense that we want to keep on contributing to improving the health of everyone in our community at BRCS and this team includes people who have been here for years and are very committed, so as the new person it is easy to be committed too.
What is the best aspect of your work with the School of Rural Health?
The team of people I work with who have supported and empowered me in my leadership role, our morning teas and projects that you can really sink your teeth into!
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing?
Bush-walking near my home and walking my dog Rocky, or painting birds and animals with acrylic on canvas or having coffee at Apple Annie’s in Castlemaine with a friend or two.
What was your most recent holiday destination and why did you choose it?
Mackay, Queensland for my beautiful niece’s 21st Birthday. I had a couple of extra days with my sister to help prepare for the party at her home, which was just fun “sister time”.
If you were Emperor for a day, what is one thing you would implement?
I would allocate the money and decree the set up of “Rescue Wildlife” with funds big enough to last decades in every regional community.
Surprise us! What is something about you that most of your peers would not know?
I was the first person in my family (from both sides) to go to University. I was 17 years old and moved 380 kilometres away from my home in North Aramara (near Maryborough north of Brisbane) to the University of Queensland in Brisbane.