Kirsten grew up in a small peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland where she achieved many successes in Championship Highland Dancing, Performing Arts and Public Speaking, before moving to Glasgow to study for her Masters in International Business with Modern Languages.

Kirsten took part in several initiatives during her time at university, joining societies throughout her studies, working as a youth worker for the Iona Community in her spare time and volunteering for the Glasgow Women’s Library – the only accredited museum of women’s history in the UK. At the age of 19, Kirsten was offered the opportunity to join the Board of Directors for Glasgow Women’s Library, as a representative voice for young women. Kirsten has been an active board member for the past 4 years and continued to commit time to the organisation even throughout her year of study in Lyon, France. In 2017, Kirsten was selected as one of Entrepreneurial Scotland’s Saltire Scholars, through which she undertook a 12 week placement with the Cultural Enterprise Office in Glasgow, where she researched and reported on the Diversity & Inclusivity of the Creative Industries in Scotland. Kirsten was also named UK Management Undergraduate of the Year in 2017, which gave her the opportunity to work for the UK’s largest car rental firm in London as a Diversity & Inclusion Talent Acquisition Intern. Kirsten was inspired by the Women’s Network which she worked alongside at this organisation and so, during her Masters year at the University of Strathclyde, she founded and led the Strathclyde Women in Leadership Network. The network that she created built a community of over 60 young women in its first year and was named Overall University Society of the Year, Community Society of the Year and also won Campaign of the Year for the #NominateHER campaign which Kirsten launched and led. The #NominateHER campaign was part of the wider International Women’s Day celebrations for the University, which Kirsten revolutionised, creating an awards process and ceremony celebrating the past, present and future women leaders from the University of Strathclyde – the first event of its kind at the University.

Kirsten joined EY in September 2019, following her graduation from the University of Strathclyde with a Masters in International Business with Modern Languages. Since joining the firm, Kirsten has worked with some of their largest clients on Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, primarily in the area of Women’s Empowerment. Within her first six months at EY, Kirsten has already been awarded the International Women’s Day 2020 Rising Star Award – a UK wide recognition of her continued dedication to gender parity. Kirsten is a committee member for the Scotland Central Belt EY Women’s Network and continues to give back to her community more widely through youth work, mentoring and her position on the board at Glasgow Women’s Library.