Becoming a Positive Peace Activator

On September 11, 2001, Kerrie was a recruit in the Victoria Police Academy when the militant Islamist extremist network al-Qaeda carried out the coordinated and deadliest 9/11 terrorist attack against the United States. Watching the reports of hijacked passenger planes fly into the New York Twin Towers and the subsequent global impact of the attack had a profound impact on Kerrie’s determination to ensuring the community not only are safe… but that they feel safe.
Kerrie had a highly successful career in Victoria Police, serving the community and evolving her leadership style over time to one of Leader as Coach. Her policing career included various senior leadership roles eventually leading to the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team Officer in Charge. The combination of community engagement, investigation, and emergency, management experience led to an opportunity to work for UNITAD, leading an international criminal investigation into atrocity crimes committed by ISIL/Daesh against the Iraqi Christian community.
In August 2021, whilst working for the UN in Iraq, Kerrie watched the coverage from neighbouring Afghanistan of people desperately clinging onto and falling from evacuating passenger planes at Kabul airport as the Taliban leaders declared victory, bringing an end to America’s longest war and a new era of security challenges.
It was these two catastrophic global events that led Kerrie to exploring what other contributions she could make to increasing community safety and building peace in the world.
Inspired by the grit and resilience of the communities Kerrie had served in various roles and her passion for developing human potential, she established Gritential Coaching in May 2022.
She works with emerging and executive leaders and their teams in organisations to be even better humans and leaders by empowering them to harness their grit, realise their potential and live their lives well. Kerrie’s coaching counterparts describe her as “Safe. Gentle and strong. Impactful”.
Kerrie is an Accredited Organisational Coach and International Coaching Federation Associate Certified Coach (ICF-ACC). She provides leadership coaching for individuals and teams, conducts evidence-based leadership development workshops, and delivers inspiring keynote presentations. She shares stories from her path to peace that have developed her personal resilience model and inspiration for her audiences to create their own.
Kerrie finds joy in serving the community with her vision for building peace in the world, one coaching dialogue at a time.