Tracey’s story

“When little ears start hearing, everything changes”: Tracey McKenzie’s joy is watching kids bloom

A career built on people

Tracey’s strength in her role comes from years of customer-facing work and a genuine love of connecting with people. She started out as a hairdresser, then spent 17 years as an optical dispenser before moving into hearing health. The change was sparked by a desire to try something new, but also by a long-standing interest in allied health and a belief in the difference it can make in everyday life.

“For me, allied health is about helping people,” Tracey says. “It can genuinely change someone’s life.”

That passion shows up in the way she talks about hearing as much more than a device or an appointment. For Tracey, hearing support helps people stay connected, especially older clients who can start to withdraw when following conversation becomes difficult.

“When people can’t hear properly, they can begin to isolate,” she says. “They avoid social situations and stop doing things they love like catching up with friends or meeting new people. Supporting their hearing can help them feel included again.”

What customer service means to Tracey

Tracey brings to the role customer service grounded in listening, warmth and trust.

“I try to really listen so I understand exactly what someone needs and how we can help,” she says. “And a smile goes a long way. People really need to feel comfortable and cared for.”

In practice, that means being the steady, welcoming first point of contact and meeting and greeting every person with care, no matter what kind of day they’re having. It also means staying calm when someone is frustrated and remembering there’s often more going on beneath the surface.

“Sometimes people arrive stressed or upset, and you don’t know what their day has been like,” Tracey explains. “If you slow down, listen, and help them feel heard, it can make a big difference.”

Proud to work somewhere that cares

After years in private businesses, Tracey says what stands out about Hearing Australia is how genuinely client focused the organisation is as well as how it looks after its people.

“I really like working for a company where care is so clearly at the centre of what we do,” she says. “And it’s also a workplace where staff feel supported.”

That commitment is something she helps champion as the Work Health and Safety Representative for North West Victoria, attending quarterly meetings and escalating issues when needed, especially when it helps a colleague feel heard and backed by the organisation.

A collaborative team environment

Tracey has been with Hearing Australia for four years, and she still remembers the feeling she had after her interview.

“I walked out thinking, ‘I really want to work here,’” she says. “I could tell it had a really strong team of lovely people and I left with a really good feeling about it.”

Now, she gets to live that culture day-to-day as part of a close-knit team across several sites. It’s the kind of team that shares lunch, celebrates life moments, and genuinely enjoys one another’s company.

Local community, lasting impact

Born and raised in Warrnambool, Tracey loves working in the community that helped shape her. There’s a familiarity and continuity that comes with seeing people she knows and reconnecting with familiar faces over time.

And in a role that’s built on relationships, that continuity matters.

Because for Tracey, the best part of the job isn’t just helping people hear better. It’s what better hearing makes possible. Things like connection, confidence, learning, and those moments when a quiet child becomes a chatterbox.

“That’s why I love it,” she says. “I really do.”