This week on Women in Crypto, we speak to blockchain extraordinaire and advocate Kimberley Winter.
We talk all things blockchain and how this new technology can redefine business models, promote a global economy and provide opportunities for the not-for-profit sector.
An operations consultant for BlockX Enterprises, a member of Melbourne’s Blockchain Centre and a partner alliance manager for the Blockchain Philanthropy Foundation, Kimberley is an active member in Australia’s blockchain scene.
What gets you up in the morning?
It’s a wonderfully sunny spring afternoon in Melbourne’s Collins Street and we’re meeting with Kimberley Winter.
Hosting me in one of her many workspaces around Melbourne, Kimberley proves immediately to be a vibrant individual who is incredibly excited to be apart of the blockchain space.
Peeking over my laptop to see what the next Bitcoin Australia may be, Kimberley is a wonderfully curious character whose commitment-to-the-cause attitude really shines through.
One of her first questions to me was “What gets you out of bed in the morning? What are you passionate about?”
Among other things, what both Kimberley and myself shared is a passion for the world of the blockchain.
I started learning about how Ethereum was created – how Vitalik saw the technology [the blockchain] was useful and you could build business applications on top of the blockchain. And I thought “Wow, this could really change everything that we’re trying to do.
Beaming with excitement and pride, it was clear that working in blockchain is more than a job for Kimberley and is a project she is wholeheartedly committing her time towards.
Blockchain as a place for all
Kimberley celebrates blockchain as a space for all, one where gender diversity is on the “forefront” of industry conversation.
She sees an enormous potential in blockchain to promote gender diversity and inclusion no matter an individual’s background. And this seems to only fuel her passion further.
Out of any industry in the world, it’s the one that speaks about gender equality the most. It’s really nice to be a part of.
Challenging the power of advertisers
With her creative problem-solving mindset, Kimberley is also showing the world how blockchain can be applied to previously unsolvable problems.
“Because my background is in advertising and marketing I was thinking about how that could apply to that industry and thinking about the problem that needed solving.”
Kimberley is currently developing a Global Advertising Technology that integrates blockchain with the advertising industry. This involves reversing the power dynamic between advertisers and consumers, giving consumers control like never before.
All of this will be done by harnessing the power of blockchain through a standalone dApp
We’re putting the power back into the consumers hands and the consumers can tell advertisers what they want. Causing advertisers to be more responsible with their ads as they realise the impact the ads are having on society. Advertisers are learning from their consumers and having access to info they’ve never had before.
Sounds pretty amazing right? Her work has the potential to totally disrupt the ad world as so many know it.
Working towards a better tomorrow
Now a passionate advocate for blockchain and the technology around it, Kimberley never really expected to work in this industry.
Instead, like so many others, her entrance into blockchain was a logical step from what she was already doing. As a former marketing and business student, she developed a passion to make a global economy a reality.
“My dream was to be apart of a global economy where there weren’t international barriers. I knew what I was working towards but I didn’t really know the technology I would use – or how I was going to get there.”
Taking inspiration from Vitalik’s mission with Ethereum, Kimberley saw the potential that blockchain held to make her dream a reality.
“I started learning about how Ethereum was created – how Vitalik saw the technology [the blockchain] was useful and you could build business applications on top of the blockchain. And I thought “Wow, this could really change everything that we’re trying to do”.
Turning a dream into a reality
Dreaming is one thing but actually doing is another. And Kimberley is working hard to make this global economy a reality for everyone.
So how is Kimberley making this happen?
She volunteers as a partner alliance manager at the Blockchain Philanthropy Foundation, an organisation dedicated to education and research.
As a leading non-profit group, the foundation has found new and innovative ways to use blockchain technology in support of charities and humanitarian initiatives as well.
The Blockchain Philanthropy Foundation is made up entirely of volunteers. Their work shows how blockchain technology can be used for long-term good. Above everything else, Kimberley emphasised how she wanted to be a part of something for the betterment of our world.
I hope we look back and think we are apart of something.
A role model for anyone wanting to change the world, Kimberley is proving how technology can truly change the world.
You can follow Kimberley on LinkedIn or even get involved with the Blockchain Philanthropy Foundation.
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