Alumni Profile: Kitty Chiller
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Degree: Arts 1985 Current Position: Project Manager, Upper-Secondary Vocational Reform Initiative, Bahrain Kitty Chiller has had a long and distinguished international career in the tough, multi-disciplinary sport of Modern Pentathlon, beginning during her student days as a member of the Melbourne University Fencing Club. In 2000 Kitty represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Sydney, where the women's Modern Pentathlon event gained Olympic status for the first time. Now working as a project manager in the education and training field, Kitty has been a key player behind the scenes at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Doha. She spoke to GradNet about the rewards of pursuing diverse interests, both in sport and in professional life. |
My propensity for doing many things at once started while studying criminology and Latin at the University of Melbourne. During my three years there, I expanded my participation in sport from a national to an international level – attending and winning the World Aquathon Championship (running and swimming) in New Zealand; training with the legendary Franz Stampfl at the University running track; and starting what would be a long-term international career in the sport of Modern Pentathlon after joining the University fencing club. I also started a career in journalism when I was offered a freelance position with Channel 9 as an on-air sports reporter.
After leaving the University, Modern Pentathlon became my great passion. It involves running, swimming, fencing, shooting and horse riding. I went on to compete in 15 world championships and attend three Olympic Games (one each as athlete, manager/coach and executive management). During my competitive career, I was ranked world number one, held the world record for pentathlon shooting, won 12 Australian championships and was elected by the International Federation onto their Media and Athletes’ Commissions. I also continued to work as a journalist, reporting for 3MP Radio, ABC Television and Eurosport Television, and developed a strong interest in education.
After the Sydney Olympics, I retired from competition and started work at Holmesglen Institute of TAFE in Melbourne. This position allowed me to combine my interests in education, sport, management and travel.
Holmesglen was the official training provider for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and I was appointed Project Manager of Training. This position involved training the 15,000 members of the Games workforce, including both volunteers and staff. Holmesglen’s success in Melbourne led to us being appointed to deliver the workforce training at the Asian Games, held in Doha, Qatar in 2006. I spent 20 months living and working in Doha, an experience which could never be captured in this brief précis!
My Middle Eastern adventures looked set to continue when Holmesglen, through the Victorian Department of Education, was awarded another contract in the Gulf – this time moving away from sport to implement a reform of the upper-secondary vocational system. I have been living in Bahrain for two months now, overseeing this project on-site.
My time at the University of Melbourne certainly set me up well for the different experiences that lay ahead. It helped me develop curiosity, a sense of adventure and desire for achievement in many fields.
