Our speakers

Kirsty is a National Policy and Strategy Advisor at Dementia Australia. Traditionally from a health and behavioural science background, Kirsty started her career in the Federal Department of Health and Ageing where her portfolio encompassed population health, palliative care and ageing and diversity. She went on to work internationally in the Not-for-Profit sector in the realms of cancer, health system redesign and human rights policy, before coming back to work specifically in the diversity sector and moving onto Dementia Australia.

She has been responsible for multiple policy developments in Australia and internationally such as the Ageing and Aged Care Strategies for people from CALD Backgrounds and LGBTIQ people; The UK’s National Cancer Strategy; NSW Police Community Engagement Framework; Autism Australia’s Multicultural Engagement Strategy; and human rights policy development in Afghanistan.

Kirsty has a passion for social justice and advocating for people who don’t always have a voice themselves. She is constantly focused on how to develop more inclusive and person-centred policy through collaborative consumer engagement.