Ulton Connect

People and Culture News July 2026

Written by Ulton Team | Jul 10, 2026 5:29:52 AM

Welcome to your people and culture update.👋 Meet our newest team members, Mikayla Halse, Kirsty Picking, Jack Kindelan, Adrienne Price, Brittany Doherty and Renee Wells and learn more about them as they share three interesting facts about themselves.

Plus, check out our latest blog where we chat about the PDPs Reflection, to Leadership Development and leadership team. 

We also have some current vacancies, so check out the exciting career opportunities at Ulton Careers. 🌟

Are you new here?

Welcome to the team...


Mikayla Halse

Client Service Assistant,
Bundaberg Office

Values: Integrity, Fairness, Competence, Quality, Lifelong Learning

  1. What’s something you’re proud of?
    I am proud of being a mum, I have a 3 year old son and 11 year old daughter who are my world.
  2. Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
    I used to be a Rally Navigator/Co-driver and won the Qld Junior Championship in 2017 as well as numerous other individual races throughout 2015 - 2018, looking to get back into Rallying in the next year or so, hopefully, after having some time off to focus on career, getting married and having my son. 
  3. What show are you currently binge-watching?

    Anything crime related, I am binge-watching the new season of The Rookie now but find myself re-watching Law and Order: SVU and Criminal Minds when I can’t find anything else.

Kirsty Picking

Client Manager
Bundaberg Office

Values: Trust, Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Adaptable to change, Integrity

  1. What’s your favourite food?  
    Definitely Italian but it has to be very good!! I’m new to Bundaberg so any recommendations are welcome.
  2. Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
    Fashion is my passion. I attend our Australian fashion weeks in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. I love reading Vogue and Harpers’ magazines and much to my husband’s dismay spend my paycheck on my wardrobe!
  3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
    A lawyer. I did a Commerce/Law degree at Uni and was dux of Law but my sister had an Accounting practice and roped me in to join her!!

Jack Kindelan

Accountant,
Bundaberg Office

Values: Career Development, Achievement, Health, Fun, Open

  1. What’s the best place you’ve travelled to?
    Last year, I travelled to Dubai and Greece with my wife. We were blown away with Dubai. The locals were extremely welcoming and accommodating, and the architecture was incredible. The highlight for me was the Burj Khalifa. We were able to go to the 154th floor and look over the city, which forced me to quickly overcome my fear of heights.
  2. Do you play any sports?
    I am an avid golfer. I have played on and off since I was about 10. I am currently playing off a handicap of 9.
  3. Are you a morning person or a night owl, and why?

    I’m a morning person. Both of my hobbies – fishing and golf – are quieter in the mornings. I can get up and go for a fish or go play a round of golf and be home by 9 or 10am, giving me the rest of the day to spend time with my wife, family, or friends.

Adrienne Price

Accountant,
Fraser Coast Office

Values: Honesty, Integrity, Trust, Consistency, Teamwork

  1. What’s the best place you’ve travelled to?
    New York City (last year 2025 – bucket list trip).
  2. What’s your favourite movie?
    Thelma and Louise.
  3. Are you a coffee or tea person, and what is your favourite order?
    Coffee – flat white (us Kiiws love our flat whites!), oat milk, hazelnut flavour.

Brittany Doherty

Senior Tax Advisor,
Brisbane Office

Values: Integrity, Openness, Lifelong Learning, Competence, Maintaining Balance

  1. What’s your most-used productivity hack?
    Definitely Brian Tracy’s ‘Eat the Frog!’ - starting your day by completing your most challenging or daunting task first.
  2. Have you ever met anyone famous?
    Yes, Margot Robbie at Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast! This was pre-Hollywood when she was starring as Donna Freedman on Neighbours.
  3. What show are you currently binge-watching?
    The Real Housewives of Atlanta. I’m a huge fan of all the Real Housewives franchises.

Renee Wells

Senior Payroll and Accounts Officer,
Bundaberg Office

Values: Family, Health, Maintaining Balance, Finances, Family Sports

  1. What’s the best place you’ve travelled to?
    Vanuatu, we did a 10 days cruise over Christmas last year with my family and my mum, as we lost my Dad 8 months ago. So we were trying to make Christmas very different from the normal. 
  2. What’s something you’re proud of?
    Producing a baby product that’s new to the market.
  3. What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekends?
    Watch my children’s sports and having a Saturday nights at home with the family! Our weeks are always so rushed.

To all our new starters, we hope you settle in nicely and wish you every success in your new role. If you’re an “old hand” and see these new faces around the office, introduce yourself and make them feel at home.

 

 

Movers and Shakers!

Recent Position changes: 

Ishanie Arachchige | Bookkeeper | Bookkeeping, Bundaberg  

Brooke Eather | Accountant | Business Services, Fraser Coast

Congratulations to everyone on your recent role changes! It’s great to see your hard work and dedication recognised. Wishing you all the best as you settle into your new positions over the next few months and continue kicking goals. 

 

 

People & Culture Update       

PDPs – Reflecting on the Year and Looking Ahead   

A big thank you to everyone who has already completed their PDP conversations this year. It has been fantastic to catch up with so many of you to celebrate successes, recognise the contribution each team member makes to Ulton, discuss career aspirations, and identify opportunities for continued development.  

The level of thought and preparation that many team members have brought to their PDPs has been great to see, and we appreciate the time and effort invested by both team members and managers. 

The next stage of the process will take place in early August, with Senior Partner PDP meetings. These meetings provide team members with the opportunity to meet directly with Mark McLean and Daryl Corpe to discuss their development, career goals and future opportunities at Ulton. 

The PDP process will conclude on 14 August at our Annual Dinner, where we will come together to celebrate the achievements of our teams, the successes of the past year, and an incredible milestone for Ulton as we mark 100 years as an organisation. 

Looking beyond this year's PDP cycle, we will then move into the final stages of our broader Performance Project. While further information will be shared later this year, you will already be familiar with the introduction of Objectives and Success Signals, which have been incorporated into the Future Focus section of this year's PDP process. These concepts will play an important role in the future performance framework and are designed to provide greater clarity about what success looks like, while supporting meaningful development conversations. 

Objectives define what we are looking to achieve, while Success Signals provide context and evidence of progress. Importantly, Success Signals are intended to inform conversations and judgement rather than act as scorecards or pass/fail measures. 

For now, our focus remains on completing this year's PDP process. Thank you again to everyone who has engaged openly and thoughtfully throughout the conversations so far. We look forward to continuing the discussions over the coming weeks. 

Leadership Development at Ulton – 2027 Update 

At Ulton, we're committed to investing in the growth and development of our people, and we're excited to share an update on our development opportunities for 2027. 

As part of our final year of partnership with Dale Carnegie, we'll be offering two programs: 

Emerging Leaders – 8–9 February 2027 
For team members who are building strong leadership foundations and consistently demonstrating Ulton's SHAPED values. 

Impact Leaders – 12–13 April 2027 
For senior team members who are not currently in a formal leadership role but are already making a positive impact through mentoring, coaching, supporting and developing others, while preparing for future leadership opportunities. 

Team members selected for these programs will be identified through discussions between Partners and Managers in late 2026 and early 2027. Team members may be considered for different development programs as they progress and new team members may also be identified as part of the selection process. 

Leadership Team   

As part of our broader development approach, Managers will also participate in a 360-degree feedback and coaching process using the Life Styles Inventory (LSI). This initiative forms part of our People & Culture Strategy and is designed to strengthen self-awareness and people leadership capability across the business. Partners have already completed this process during 2025/2026. 

What is 360 Feedback? 
A development process where participants receive confidential feedback from people they work closely with, helping them build self-awareness and identify opportunities for growth. 

What is LSI? 
LSI (Life Styles Inventory) is a research-based tool that helps participants better understand their thinking and behavioural styles, how they are perceived by others, and where they can focus their development. 

We'll share more information about both the Dale Carnegie programs and the LSI process as we get closer to each stage of the rollout. 

We're excited to continue building capability across Ulton and supporting team members at every stage of their career journey. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to the People & Culture team.  

Hannah Murchie | People & Culture Manager 

 

 

Wanted: Awesome people

We’re currently looking for talented, skilled and enthusiastic people to become part of the next chapter in Ulton’s success in the following roles:

  • Senior Accountant | Business Advisory | Bundaberg
  • Senior Accountant | Business Services | Bundaberg | Brisbane | Fraser Coast
  • Intermediate Accountant |  Business Services | Bundaberg | Brisbane

Remember, internal applications are most welcome.

If you are interested personally or have an excellent recommendation, please contact me, Hannah, at hmurchie@ulton.net 

And don’t forget to check our Team Handbook for more information about our Team Member Referral Bonus policy. You may be eligible for a $7,500 bonus. 

To share a specific job advertisement, go to:
1.    https://ulton.elmotalent.com.au/careers/careers/jobs
2.    Scroll to our vacancies (bottom of page)
3.    Click on the job you wish to share
4.    Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Facebook or LinkedIn share buttons (see picture below)

For the complete list of career opportunities, go to: https://ulton.elmotalent.com.au/careers/careers/jobs