Irene grew up in a loving Christian home in New Zealand. She grew significantly in faith during her university years and had friends come to faith during that time. These experiences combined with the great need for ministry workers in her homeland led her to work for 10 years with Engage Otago (Campus Outreach) in Dunedin, NZ before moving to Edinburgh, Scotland to help minister to women in a local church plant.

In 2021, Irene returned to work part-time with Campus Outreach SERVE in the Indigenous Resourcing department helping to serve, empower and resource non-American staff around the world. She is excited to work again with dear friends and use her past experience as an indigenous staff herself to bless the global ministry and serve the Kingdom. She continues to live and work part-time for her church in Edinburgh.