Gem Spotlight - Emma Padgett at Ovarian Cancer Australia
Emma was recruited into her new position of Appeals and Direct Marketing Specialist when Ovarian Cancer Australia and Gembridge partnered together. She’s been in this role for about 8 months now. Here, she tells us a little bit about herself and her new career.
Emma is the Appeals and Direct Marketing Specialist at Ovarian Cancer Australia
What’s the best thing about your current role?
Working for a smaller organisation at Ovarian Cancer Australia means my role is so diverse – there’s always an opportunity to put your hand up for an exciting project or learn a new skill. The core focus of my role is also what I love most about fundraising – the ability to enable change through creating data-driven and audience-centric campaigns.
What is your proudest accomplishment or career highlight? (Can be personal, professional or both)
I’m proud to say that I arrived in Australia on my own as a backpacker in 2018 and can now call Australia my permanent home. During my time here I’ve built a lifestyle that I love - from a career that keeps me motivated, a strong circle of friends around me and created a homely space to share with my partner.
On a professional note, my career highlight to date would be working with the talented team at Berry Street to create their Tax 2020 campaign during Victoria’s first lockdown. The campaign went on to achieve record results and win the FIA national award for impact through creativity.
What is the best career advice you've received?
Work for organisations where the vision is inspiring, the purpose motivating and the values are genuinely reflected in day-to-day work.
Fundraising can be hard. How do you stay focussed, motivated, and driven?
As cliché as it sounds, working for a cause that you’re passionate about and where you can see the impact the organisation is making really helps. I’d also say celebrate the wins! It’s so easy to move from campaign to campaign without acknowledging all the effort that went into it – I’m a huge advocate for holding a retrospective to detail the learnings and focus on what we achieved.
What is your favourite holiday destination?
I always try to visit new places (and I’m a huge foodie!) so anywhere with good restaurants, scenic walking routes and preferably warm weather suits me perfectly.
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
Start with an early morning row down the Yarra, drive to a winery with my partner, Tom, for lunch followed by a stroll around the vineyards and then back to the city for dinner with friends. Nothing too spectacular, just a mix of my favourite things.
What is your favourite movie or book?
There’s nothing like curling up on the sofa with a good book! It would be impossible to pick a favourite, but my current top authors are Kate Atkinson, Sally Rooney, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Liane Moriarty.
If you could invite 3 guests to dinner, who would they be?
It would be an incredibly difficult choice of 3 friends / family members living over in the UK! There are so many people I miss, but I’m incredibly lucky that I can go back to visit, and a few have plans to come here in the next year.
Thanks for sharing with us, Emma!