SHARNI Campbell never knew Kristen Keegan, the Hunter's first female business chamber chief executive who, at 46, succumbed to brain cancer just over three years ago.
But Ms Campbell, 24, hopes that in receiving the Kristen Keegan Future Leaders Scholarship she can honour Keegan's legacy.
"People speak about her and the more you learn, it's like, 'Wow,", she says. "Her achievements for our region and what she did for young people, she really paved the way ... and if I can be seen as a leader that does similar things to what Kristen achieved, that would be the ultimate goal."
The scholarship and its tuition cost is part of peak manufacturing body HunterNet's annual Future Leaders program, which selects the best of the region's young leaders in teams to solve a regional problem. The 2020 program launch is on April 2.
Raised in Newcastle, after school Ms Campbell began a Social Sciences degree at the University of Newcastle before dropping out when it was not for her. She did an administration traineeship with Master Builders then worked in real estate.
With an interest in organisational psychology and the impact a workplace has on an individual's wellbeing, she began a psychology degree.
She is now a recruitment consultant specialist at Chandler Macleod, founded by organisational psychologists and which uses psychometric assessment of employees and candidates.
Ms Campbell enjoys working many Hunter businesses in her role filling temporary or contract positions.
"It comes back to being connected to different companies - I have the opportunity to affect so many people and when you place a role that you know either the client has struggled to fill or you get the feedback that the person you placed is making meaningful change in their life, and the best fit, it's just awesome," she says.
Ms Campbell, whose father worked at BHP, is passionate about Newcastle: "We've done well to be resilient when things have changed but...we need to be more proactive to create a sustainable future and make sure we stay on that path."
