Annie Baxter

How one woman’s ability to tell a good story has led to a career helping others take their message to the world
By Catherine Murray

When Annie Baxter began her studies at Auckland University in 1998 she could never have foreseen the path her career would take for one simple reason – her career path did not yet exist. The 32-year-old is a member of the global communications and public affairs team at YouTube headquarters in Silicon Valley, California. She believes that the world is changing so fast that it’s sometimes difficult to make a definitive plan. “Google was founded in the first year I was at University, and when I started working in communications YouTube didn’t even exist,” recalls Annie. “It would have been very difficult for me to plot my course here! However, if I look backwards from the position I’m in now, I can see a lot of elements that came together to lead to this job. The insight I take from this is that remaining open to opportunity is probably the most important thing you can do in your career.”

One of the elements that led Annie to YouTube was her gift for telling stories. It’s a talent she’s nourished from her childhood days, growing up in Taupaki in the Rodney District. She says a passion during a person’s younger years often gives a clue to their future occupation. “Looking at what you did between the ages of 8 and 12 is often an indicator of what you’re going to love as a job. For me it was writing and language, and now telling stories and communicating is what I do all day and what I feel most comfortable doing.”