Hills, Sandra

Degree

Masters in Business Management

Graduation year

2000

Current position

Chief Executive Officer

Employer

Benetas

What are some of your career highlights?

1. Leading a team that closed down and institution for people with intellectual disabilities
2. Turning an organisation around both from a strategic and financial perspective
3. Establishing a research, practice and advocacy arm of an aged care business that has significantly grown and is now recognised as a respected contributor in the industry

Describe the most enjoyable and challenging aspects of your job

1. Influencing government regarding policy directions
2. Seeing staff at various levels grow and develop and achieve things they never thought they would have been able to
3. Taking concepts / ideas and shaping them for implementation as a project and experiencing how the outcomes can improve the lives of older people

What are your strongest memories while you were studying at Federation University Australia?

I studied in block mode as a I had a senior full time position.  I would travel to and from Ballarat from Melbourne every eight weeks on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and sometimes during the week for two days at a time.  It was also great to meet and study with so many overseas students

Do you have any advice about life after study to pass on to current students?

Your qualification is important to show that you have a certain level of knowledge and you have the capacity to 'stick' to something, but you need to make sure that you continually refresh your skills, challenge your thinking, write, read, present at conferences and reflect.  You need to be a student for life.

In one sentence what words of wisdom would you pass on to students

You need to combine thinking and action, otherwise you are just dreaming.