The Associate Edition: From Data Insights to Doula Care

Beyond the job title, who are you? We want to know the person behind the Associate! 

I am a proud mother of two boys (aged nine and six) and wife to an incredibly supportive partner and co-parent.  

I identify as an extroverted introvert. I draw energy from my colleagues at Quantium, friends and community, but also cherishing quiet weekends at home with my family.  

Exercise is a priority for my wellbeing and I am also passionate about supporting the transition to parenthood and working parenthood.

As a certified birth and postnatal doula, I have assisted many families during this special period. Empowering women is more than a passion or side hustle for me – it’s inherent in everything I do. You can ask my boys! 

Can you share your journey to becoming an Associate actuary? 

My journey began at a school career fair during Year 11. I noticed the actuaries table had no queue. When I asked, “What is an actuary?” and received the reply, “Do you do maths?”, I felt both slightly offended – by the tone of a reasonable question – and excited.  

As a 16-year-old, the prospect of doing maths and the potential financial outcomes were compelling reasons to consider this pathway. While I had other ideas, the allure of a defined path and a profession with increasing demand was compelling. 

What is the most rewarding aspect of being an Associate? 

The most rewarding aspect is the formal recognition for the hard challenge I set for myself and the outcome at the end of it. Although I don’t practice in core actuarial areas, I always feel a sense of pride and personal satisfaction from achieving the Associate title. 

What advice would you give to those who are contemplating qualifying as an Associate? 

While I initially saw a huge benefit in studying actuarial studies, I didn’t fully appreciate the value and impact of these roles for the future until I began working and continued to evolve my career. Actuaries are complex problem solvers, critical thinkers and risk assessors; these skills are invaluable for our future. You don’t need to envision yourself as an actuary working in insurance and super to take the leap to study. 

How does being an Associate enhance your professional practice and development? 

Being an Associate has been a marker of my aptitude for learning and is highly respected by those I work with. It serves as a constant reminder of what I have already achieved, boosting my confidence to tackle the next challenging task. I am fortunate to have had many opportunities for personal and professional development during my career at Quantium.  

Quantium’s legacy is built on strong actuarial foundations and a deep appreciation for the capability of the profession to solve the biggest problems that matter to our clients and partners. I particularly enjoy that my executive cohort has many Associate actuaries who are technically strong.  

We collaborate and challenge each other, but we also work with other cross-functional roles and skillsets, including management, strategy, product specialists, engineers, and more.  

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned or the biggest influence on your career and why? 

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to invest heavily in self-understanding. Understand your core values, principles, strengths, interests and areas for development. Aligning roles or stretch objectives with this knowledge has allowed me to make a notable impact and derive energy and enjoyment from my role.  

Also, think differently about your career and don’t limit yourself to what you can only see in front of you. The world is changing, and I feel very confident that the role I want in five years does not exist yet, but I am taking good steps to get there. 

What specific trends or technologies do you believe will shape the future of the actuarial profession in the next decade? 

Technology is continually evolving, and it’s less about pinpointing specific trends or technologies that will shape the future of the actuarial profession. Instead, professionals should anticipate constant disruption and change and focus on how to effectively embrace these advancements. If you or your teams are not leveraging cloud computing for managing data, performing advanced analytics, or accessing tools and services to implement and scale, or utilising AI, you are already at a disadvantage. I believe that by embracing these technologies and capabilities, actuaries will be well-positioned to lead and navigate the changes ahead.

If you could pick any superpower that would enhance your abilities as an actuary, what would it be and why? 

I already feel like I do not fit the standard mould of an actuary, and I have many unique superpowers. However, I would love greater superpowers to encourage more women into the field, or a technical field generally, to transform gender and other diversity within the industry and at the most senior tables of the companies that are changing the world. 

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