WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Bronnie Taylor (Washington, 1986)

Year Nine at Pymble was actually my first in an Australian school. The academic standard was so much higher than the American ones I had previously attended, so I found that a real challenge. I was not near the top of the class in many subjects, but I did learn a great work ethic as well as the importance of staying focused and the value of being part of a community.

I remember my time there fondly and know it shaped me into the woman I am today. As a boarder, many of the friendships I made have stayed with me to this day, something which I value so much. I even met my husband, Duncan, whilst still at school and I’m happy to report that my date for the Year 12 PLC formal is still quite the catch.

After school, I started nursing, and found my niche caring for people affected by cancer. I spent eight years as a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care, both in the city and the Monaro, where we raised two beautiful girls of our own, Hannah and Holly, on the plains.

I spent three years as a clinical nurse consultant in cancer care, and four as one of the original Breast Care Nurses for the McGrath Foundation. The privilege of being allowed into the lives of patients and their families at an incredibly difficult time is an honour which I will never forget.

Working in the regions, it became glaringly obvious to me that patients in the country didn’t have the health services that they needed or should have had, and what was really distressing was that they were choosing surgeries and treatments that were going to give them worse outcomes because they didn’t want to be so far from home.

So, with the help of my peers, I set about taking on the health service to get a local oncology clinic. This meant extensive fundraising – but the day we opened the doors was an incredibly proud one for our community.

Without meaning to, I had suddenly become an accidental activist and my political journey began in earnest as the Deputy Mayor of the Cooma-Monaro Shire. After becoming involved in the National Party, I had the privilege of being elected to the Legislative Council in 2015 and after several appointments, I was honoured to be named NSW Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women.

One thing that my time at PLC really taught me is that you have to stand up for what’s right and you have to try and make things better for people who don’t feel they have the voice or the confidence to speak up.

Remembering who I am and where I came from is a huge part of how I carry myself, and I owe PLC a debt of gratitude for playing a vital role in helping me set off on this exciting ride.