Amanda Ralph
Ms Amanda Ralph
Save the Children
Amanda's interest in the Asia Pacific and Australian-Asia relations began in earnest in 1985 when she lived in Japan for one year as an AFS Exchange Student. Upon her return to Australia, Amanda completed her VCE and began a Bachelor of Economics at Monash University. To supplement her meager student income, she worked for 4 years as an inbound Japanese Tour Guide for Japan Creative Tours, a subsidiary company of Japan Airlines. Upon completion of her degree, Amanda embarked upon a Graduate Diploma of Arts in Asian Studies at the Monash Asia Institute, at the same time working as a sessional tutor in the Department of Japanese Studies. She went on to complete a Masters in Asian Studies, completing her thesis on postwar Japanese Economic Development.
Amanda worked until 1995 as an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Japanese Studies at Monash University and later at the Australian Catholic University as a Lecturer in Japanese Language, a profession which heightened her facination with Japan. Since leaving academia, Amanda has retained an intense interest in all things Japanese, in particular Japanese anime (animation) and cooking.
In 1996, Amanda left Australia and moved to Fiji where she married her Fijian husband and began a new career in marketing, working for the domestic telecommunications provider, Telecom Fiji and later for the Colonial Group (a subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank Group of Australia). As the Colonial Group Marketing Manager, Amanda managed the marketing and product development program for the entire Group in the Fiji Islands, Tonga, Western Samoa and Tuvalu.
With the exception of a brief coup-related interlude, Amanda called Fiji home for the better part of 8 years, during which time, in addition to working, she had 2 daughters and was an active member of the Fiji community, working on a range of community development initiatives. From 1999 to 2003 Amanda worked on a volunteer basis as the PR and Media Manager for Operation Open Heart Fiji, an Australian Cardiac Team project which delivers vital open heart surgery to Fiji patients each year.
In November 2003, Amanda and her family permanently migrated to Australia in order to give their daughters better educational opportunities and to be close to their Australian family.
Amanda is currently working as the National Corporate Marketing Executive for Save the Children Australia, a member of the International Save the Children Alliance. Her passion and interest in Australian-Asia relations continues and in her present role, Amanda is actively involved in the marketing program for Save the Children's work in the Asia Pacific region.