LIMESTONE Coast designer and entrepreneur Ashlee Kalantarian has been announced as one of 40 South Australians aged under 40 to advise Premier Steven Marshall on how to attract and retain young global talent to the state.
Ms Kalantarian will join Mr Marshall’s ForceForty program after receiving an unexpected invite from the state leader.
She will join other young entrepreneurs from across the state including Penola’s Simone Kain to help develop a strategy to promote South Australia to young talent aged 40 and under, building on the state’s broader population blueprint.
While her selection came as a surprise, Ms Kalantarian is grateful for the opportunity to share her knowledge, success and challenges gained from being a Mount Gambier-based entrepreneur.
Founder of Ashlee Lauren Designs, M s Kalantarian plans to draw from her own experiences, including growing up in the Limestone Coast, leaving Mount
Gambier to study in Adelaide and eventually working abroad, to attract future talent to the region.
Ms Kalantarian said she was initially hesitant to leave Mount Gambier and knew unique challenges would be presented from establishing her business upon returning to the city.
“It was quite interesting to think about why I left and whether I would have stayed if something was more available.
“I do think it says a lot for the region that I have travelled and experienced a lot of places, but have ended back up in Mount Gambier.”
She said a large focus on her radar during the ForceForty process was to close the gap between country and metropolitan opportunities and promote regional communities.
“I can see the advantages and opportunities that our region has to offer and it will be great to share these while also researching ways to become an innovative, creative and sustainable micro-city,” she said.
“It is now an opportunity for myself and Simone to share our industry knowledge and also discuss the ideas of locals and young people on what we can do moving forward to excite, support and encourage people to stay or move the region.”
With a strong passion for sustainability, Ms Kalantarian said she would also like to promote artists and creativity, but also explore ways we can advance in making positive contributions to sustainability and the environment.
“I just think South Australia has such a great opportunity to become a sustainable state and I think that is where we should be heading,” she said.
“We are definitely on our way if we want more people to move to regional areas and to South Australia, but we do have work to do.”
