Kassy first got into communications, quite by accident, after studying journalism and being asked to join a child protection agency's challenging work programme. She has since worked across many sectors of society, driven by the idea that her work can have value and impact. 

Kassy lived in Paris, France from 2010-2016, providing her communications expertise to international companies, including a four-year tenure with an NGO focused on reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions. After returning, she became a consultant with a stable of special clients that she loved working with. Mitra, however, offers her a welcoming home for both her brain and heart, and she's delighted to be working with Julia again, after first crossing paths with her back in 2008 on a social housing project.

Alongside her work in communications, Kassy has also been a designer, writer and literary translator. She has written for various magazines over time, with the oh-so-laborious task of sitting runway-side at Paris fashion weeks. Her translation of Treatise on Modern Stimulants, a philosophical work by French nineteenth-century writer, Honoré de Balzac, was published in the US in 2018, gaining critical acclaim from literary press.  She was also the director and designer of menswear fashion label, Hubert & Rhymes, from 2007-2010 and continues to keep her hand in creative projects. In 2010, Kassy was also selected to represent New Zealand as an Asia 21 Young Leader. This initiative brings together a critical mass of dynamic individuals whom the Asia Society believes can positively impact global affairs over the coming decades. Having these diverse experiences brings a wealth of creative tools to the work we do at Mitra.
Outside of her busy work life, Kassy relishes the time she spends with her family and working on her house, tucked into a tree-covered hill in Wellington. 

Kassy has a Graduate Diploma of Applied Journalism from Massey University and a Master of Arts in Literary Translation (Distinction) from Victoria University of Wellington. 
Kassy Hayden
