by Gina Strausa, Employee Engagement Officer
Early in 2026, MacIntyre decided to invest in a new role to promote employee engagement and focus on our equity and diversity work. The role was filled by Gina Strausa, and we asked her to introduce herself, and to reflect on her first few months.
A serendipitous job advert
Ostensibly, my journey to MacIntyre began when I focused my online job hunt on the charity sector, and came across an advert for an Employee Engagement Officer.
This role got me truly excited the moment I read the description. It comprised knowledge and skills I'd showcased and developed in previous jobs, and appealed to the joy I derive from learning, improving things for other people, and absorbing new and different perspectives. Much like my joint honours in English Literature and Creative Writing offered the right balance of creative and logical work, employee engagement allows me to think and do: I collect the experiences of others, generate ideas, and apply my background and knowledge towards solutions, awareness, and positive action that benefits everyone involved.
Growing my skillsets
After graduating, I spent two years in a people-focused position at a mental health hospital, and then moved on to a financial services firm where I stayed for six years. Beginning there in administration, I soon grew into Continuous Improvement and spent three years focused on process improvement projects. I loved the problem solving. Alongside my job, I volunteered for various inclusion, wellbeing, and diversity initiatives within the firm and undertook relevant training to broaden my knowledge. When a role in the Inclusion and Diversity team became available, I knew it was a chance to try something different and explore my interest full time. The highlight of my time in that position was coordinating different employee networks. I had the pleasure of meeting diverse groups of people who were all passionate and knowledgeable about something important to them. While I was there to support them, they ended up teaching me so much.
The importance of making a difference
As I reflect on my professional life, I realise now I first started on the path to MacIntyre a long time ago. In the decade since I left education, every success and lesson learned led me to a place and group of people who truly make a difference in the world, care about the impact they have on others, and push themselves and everyone around them to fulfil their potential. I can't help but think back to my time at the hospital after university, how little insight into the sector I had then and how grateful I am now to be learning something new every day.
So why was I drawn to MacIntyre? My professional answer would be to utilise my skills and add value to an organisation who do amazing work. Very true. But my more personal answer draws on my beliefs and values as a Catholic - I want to help those who carry out this amazing work. I want all my efforts and the energy which goes into every aspect of the role to benefit some of the most hard-working people in society, and in turn, some of society's most uniquely inspiring people who draw on MacIntyre's support.
Focusing and football
When I'm not at work, I'll be practicing what I preach about wellbeing and walking through some woodlands. There are few things I love more than focusing in (both with my mind set and my camera) on the moment, and capturing snippets of the beauty of nature. This contrasts quite well with Sunday morning after Mass, when I help run a men's football team with my other half, and indulge in some lunch, pints and premier league football or rugby at the pub after playing our own fixture.
In my first three months at MacIntyre, I have felt these beautiful waves of emotion at the amount of good I’ve witnessed. It is a privilege to see how our staff contribute to the gloriously ordinary lives of the people who draw on our support, and I look forward to everything that is to come.
