School sports captain and dux of Human Development, CEO of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision — (outgoing November 2020), CEO of Expression Australia — (incoming November 2020), and Telstra Business Women’s Award Finalist VIC 2020, graduated from Ruyton Girls’ School in 1989.
Nicky (Beesey, 1989) grew up believing that women could do anything. Ruyton encouraged her to try everything, take risks, participate and be competitive. This laid the foundations for Nicky to take advantage of opportunities as they unfolded throughout her life and career.
Nicky graduated from Ruyton in 1989 and continued onto tertiary education. She studied nursing while working at Georges, a combination that gave her an invaluable insight into the sales and health industries, leading her on a path to where she is today.
As a mid-sized school, Ruyton fosters personal interaction and learning for students, which in turn develops a strong sense of self. Nicky notes that her education emphasised individualisation to meet her needs and challenge her as an individual. Ruyton instils a sense of drive and self-belief, and Nicky comments that she was always encouraged to develop and extend herself including in the high-performance sports program. This sense of self-belief has been evident throughout her career, and she went back to further education a number of times, including completing an MBA.
Motivation was a core strength of her Ruyton education, along with the challenge to be an agile thinker. Ruyton teachers share their wisdom in a way that inspires you to be your best. Nicky believes that it was this philosophy that helped lay the foundations; enriching her with purpose and strength, it gave her the courage and ability to take on leadership opportunities throughout her career.
Nicky has run her own business, worked in healthcare and retail, and also in brand management at several pharmaceutical organisations. It was a natural progression for her to join the board of the Snowdome Foundation and later become the CEO of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision.
In this position, Nicky has raised nearly $10 million. She manages a number of staff and more than 200 volunteers. The sense of purpose and passion that Ruyton instilled has contributed to her success, including as a finalist in this year’s Telstra Business Women’s Awards and holding several board positions.
Nicky has learnt many things in her education and life, including the importance of good mentors, developing relationships, maintaining networks and friendships and always being open to new ideas. Above all, she believes that the diversity at Ruyton helps to create strong, community-minded women, who can achieve anything. Women who believe in themselves.
As an independent, forward thinking girls’ school, Ruyton is committed to preparing girls for a lifetime of learning, leadership and […]