Paralympian Katie Kelly is helping workplaces be more inclusive – ABC Life

My first ever job interview after university didn’t go as planned.

The interviewer had a strong Irish accent with a flowing musical intonation, and a moustache (a bit like Charlie Chaplin’s).

At the same time as he said to me: “Katie, top of the morning to you!”, my hearing aid battery went flat.

I spent the rest of the interview trying to lip read and despite muddling my way through, I still got the job!

Living with profound hearing loss and gradual eyesight loss, due to a condition known as Usher syndrome, has bought me colourful moments of spontaneity and I truly do live by the “flying by the seat of your pants” motto.

Katie currently works as a social inclusion officer with a multinational construction company.(Supplied)

I was first diagnosed with moderate hearing loss when I was five-years old.

It wasn’t until I was 22, when I was struggling to see at night time, that I was then diagnosed with Usher syndrome — a combination of Retinitis pigmentosa and hearing loss. Both will go slowly over time.

When I heard the word Usher syndrome, I thought: “that explains why I was a terrible usher at the Queensland Performing Arts complex in Brisbane where I worked as a casual during my university days!”

I would always use the torch for myself rather than the patrons when the lights went out.

Since then, I have worked for leading sporting organisations and my work has taken me across Australia and overseas including two Paralympic Games as a para-triathlete in the vision impaired class.

These days I work in social inclusion for a large construction manufacturer.

Katie was the first Para triathlete to win a gold medal for Australia at the Rio Paralympics(Supplied)

Everyday is like a jigsaw, picking up all the non-verbal pieces of what people are saying or doing around you to try and put the masterpiece together.

I have had a diverse range of experiences of disability in work, sport and high-performance.

Here’s what I have learnt about supporting those with a disability and how you can improve your …….

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/katie-kelly-paralympian-workplace-inclusivity/100679244