As always it is a great pleasure to hear from one of our own and the member speaker this week was Dr Sue Walbran. Sue is the Director of the Academic Office at Victoria University - this role includes but is not limited to regulation, resourcing, assurance, academic policy and governance support. Sounds like a major role for someone that admitted she is an introvert by nature and was really interested to see what she might say today!
Well to put it mildly those that attended were entertained and amazed by the life Sue has led. Sue is a 2nd generation Kiwi with her Grandfather (mother’s side) having come to NZ from Scotland in 1926 and Grandmother around the time of Flock House being established for the Sons of Sailors from WW1. Sue’s father’s family came from Wales.
Sue describes herself as coming from the bottom of the North Island and top of the South Island having living all over this region. Sue was born in Waipawa, lived in Woodville for the first few years of her life and had developed a love of transport – trains with her Grandparents during this time. The move to Nelson incorporated School years and living at the back of the family dairy before supermarkets took hold of their customers. Sue’s first tertiary experience was to train as a radiographer in Blenhiem and subsequently married an air force engineer and moved to Bulls to be near Ohakea. Unfortunately Sue’s first husband had a diving accident and they have to move to a house with wheelchair access.
Sue later remarried and moved to Nelson and has a blended family which includes children with physical and mental challenges; plus Sue’s mother lives with her. These life experiences have certainly provided Sue with a strong understanding of the needs of people generally and with special circumstances. Sue quite eloquently described her life with a beautiful picture of ripples and regards the ripples as stages of life. Gosh what a positive attitude to such a challenging but yet rewarding life.
Sue has her doctorate in Education but has in fact walked in two worlds health and education. The health sector by being a radiographer, teaching, managing research and consulting to education buy running a program office, regional director of training at DHB and Ministry level and working at NZQA with quality assurance work. Sue also has governance experience at the polytechnic and DHB levels and is looking forward to doing more work in this area following her recent Institute of Directors achievement.
Sue describes herself as hardworking and has been a lifelong volunteer from Girl Guides to Special Olympics and accident simulation for Fire Service educational events. Roller-skating was Sue’s sporting specialty which sounds thrilling enough to most of us but she also has a pilot’s licence, has flown solo and been in a Catalina! Sue does not describe herself as a thriller seeker but her face light up when she talked about the Highland Park car ride she was gifted for a birthday present from her husband.
The dabbling in photography was an understatement with pictures of her roses which she loves being amazing. If it is too wet to garden Sue enjoys embroidery; it seems there is never a dull moment in Dr Sue’s life!
Thank you for sharing your life with us and we look forward to enjoying your fellowship over the years to come.
Anne Hare