However, it was water and sustainability that sparked her interest, and her perception of the quality of Hawke’s Bay’s stormwater, wastewater and drinking water had her wanting solutions.
“Instead of complaining about it, I went and got a degree so that I can do something about it.”
Life wasn’t always easy for Kearns-Steed, who grew up in Maraenui and left school when she was 15.
In an effort not to tarnish her love for learning due to the unsupportive school environment, mental health challenges and whānau responsibilities, the then-schoolgirl decided to take on fulltime work with the retailer Cotton On.
She worked hard and eventually gained more managerial responsibility as second in charge and travelled between Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.
It was on a work trip in 2019 that she was offered a job in Italy by a woman in Gisborne who owned an Italian clothing business.
A month later her spontaneous decision took her to Sardinia, and for two months she worked for Marina Grimani selling clothing to clients on the beach.
“I always doubted myself as a kid ... I wish I could go back and visit little Ashleigh and say ‘don’t worry, ride it out. It’s going to be perfect’.”
Her next stop is a master’s degree, with the ultimate goal being a PhD.
Kearns-Steed now works as a research assistant for Te Kura i Awarua EIT’s Māori research unit and spends her days working on projects to help Hawke’s Bay.
She described her job as “satisfying” and loves to be a connector and give back to the community.
Kearns-Steed encouraged anyone considering study to “just do it”, and wanted others to know they didn’t have to follow a conventional path to be successful.
- EIT Hawke’s Bay graduation ceremonies take place on Friday, April 12, at Napier Municipal Theatre at 10.30am and 2.30pm. The parade begins at 1pm.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
