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Alumnae stories
28 the Star Alumnae STORIES
Alison Ashford (1995)
After leaving MLC, Alison studied commerce/law at the University of Melbourne before beginning her career in private practice at a large law firm. She specialises in infrastructure and energy law.
After having lived and worked in the Asia Pacific region for a period, Alison landed in New York City, where she has lived for the last eight years. She remains in private practice and is chair of her firm’s infrastructure and energy practice group. She is also in the firm’s leadership group for the support and development of female lawyers within the firm, which gives her a great deal of satisfaction. Kirsten received an Order of Australia medal in the field of audiology for her involvement in collaboration, lobbying and implementation of universal newborn hearing screening in Australia. After leaving MLC, Kirsten completed a Bachelor of Science and Audiology at the University of Melbourne, and later integrated her clinical work with a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. Kirsten specialises in electrophysiology and her research involved the development of objective clinical tests that could be used to measure the effectiveness of hearing aids fitted to babies. Suzi Taylor (1997) With a diverse career spanning filmmaking, social justice, journalism and education, Suzi credits MLC with teaching her the importance of community and activism. The College’s creative resources and passionate staff gave her early opportunities to write, direct and perform. Suzi followed her MLC education with a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education and Advanced Diploma in Professional Screenwriting. She has produced more than 30 short documentaries for television broadcast. Her longer-form doco, Love in Full Colour followed the lives of LGBT young people over four years and was televised on SBS. Alison relishes the opportunities that such a big city holds for a lawyer, as well as the dazzling lifestyle that the Big Apple offers. She loves the ‘work hard play hard’ experience. Alison believes that her days at MLC – where embracing challenges and reaching for the stars were pillars of student development –
Dr Kirsten Gardner-Berry OAM (1989)
have held her in good stead. She currently works as an audiologist at the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre undertaking diagnostic testing on babies undergoing cochlear implantation, and as a consultant delivering training and support for newborn hearing screening programs around Australia.
Kirsten believes MLC gave her valuable opportunities to develop leadership and teamwork skills.
The College’s wide range of co-curricular options also promoted diversity in the student population, and an open mind to trying new activities and seeking
new opportunities. Working with the Victorian union movement, Suzi produced TV ads, film and communication campaigns around education funding, aged care ratios and wage theft. She has also lived and worked on remote Indigenous communities in NT, including running a small school and working as a media trainer. She is currently a video journalist for the State Library Victoria while also developing her own television scripts. Suzi’s family includes her partner Sara, two (grown-up) step-sons, two goats and a big-boned cat named Sharon.
