About Kylie

30+ years of leadership. Lived from the inside.

From frontline leadership to the boardroom, Kylie Ward has shaped organisations, influenced national policy, and developed leaders across Australia and beyond.

Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, in a military uniform and Kylie Ward in a blue blazer holding a certificate of Commendation together, standing in front of a portrait of celebrated nurse Vivian Bullwinkel
Black and white portrait of Kylie Ward with shoulder-length hair, wearing a patterned blouse with animal print, sitting at a table, smiling, with her hand resting on the table and her fingers near her chin.
Kylie Ward speaking at a podium during the Outstanding Leadership Awards, wearing a yellow outfit, with a large display screen behind her showing event details.
Two irregularly shaped, yellow dots
Kylie Ward behind a podium with a sign that says 'Telstra Business Women's Awards', smiling and speaking after winning an award, with hanging light bulbs on a red background.
Kylie Ward in a red blazer sitting at a news desk with a cityscape background on a large screen behind her, in a recording studio.
Abstract purple graffiti-style abstract shape
About Kylie

Kylie Ward (she/her) has always been drawn to the intersection of people, leadership, and possibility. Throughout her career, she has worked in environments where decisions matter, leadership is visible, expectations are high, and the impact reaches well beyond the organisation itself.

She has held executive and governance roles at the highest levels of Australian leadership, including CEO and Board Chair positions, and has contributed to national conversations through policy, media, parliamentary inquiries, and public engagement. These experiences have shaped how she thinks about leadership, accountability, and self-determination, not as theory, but as lived responsibility.

Today Kylie works with CEOs, senior executives, Board Chairs, Company Directors, and organisations across the government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, nationally and internationally, bringing the kind of insight that can only come from having led from the inside.

A smiling woman, Kylie Ward, with blonde hair wearing a black blazer, lavender skirt, and an ID badge, standing indoors against a background of a white wall and a light blue wall.
Kylie Ward in a red blazer speaking at a podium in front of a window with black blinds.
Career Highlights

A career at the highest levels of Australian leadership

Kylie Ward, Strategic Advisor
Executive Leadership | Governance | Organisational Performance

2024-Present

Board Director, Ministerial Appointment
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)

2022-2026

Board Director, Ministerial Appointment. Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA)
Committee Chair, ADHA Consumer Advisory Committee

2019-2024

Board Chair, Health Education Services Australia (HESA)

 20232024

Chief Executive Officer, Australian College of Nursing (ACN),
and the Australian College of Nursing Foundation (ACNF) 

2015-2024

Board Chair (2023 - 2024) and Board Director
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)

2015-2024

Committee Member, Ministerial Appointment, NHMRC Health Translation Advisory Committee (HTAC), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

2018-2021

For a full outline of Kylie's career and experience, visit her LinkedIn profile or get in touch to request her resume.

Leadership Philosophy

What Kylie believes about leadership

Effective leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about asking better questions, understanding complexity, having the courage to make decisions, and creating the conditions for people to succeed.

Kylie brings a strategic and deeply human approach to every engagement. She believes that leadership is visible in the moments that matter, under pressure, in uncertainty, in the conversations that shape culture, and those that determine outcomes. It is not something you observe from the sidelines.

Her work is grounded in curiosity, challenge, and care. Every leader and organisation has a unique story and context. Her role is to help leaders see clearly, move forward with confidence, and create impact that lasts.

Kylie Ward with blonde hair, wearing a dark blue dress with a large red flower on her chest, holding a microphone and speaking at a podium.

Courage.
Presence.
Wisdom.

Integrity

Discretion and trust are central to my practice

I have worked with leaders, boards and organisations across sectors throughout my career. While I value those experiences deeply, I do not use client names or organisational affiliations for promotional purposes. I believe trust is earned through the quality of the work and the integrity with which it is undertaken.

Kylie Ward sitting at a desk with glasses wearing a pink blouse with brown polkadots, smiling with authenticity
Two irregularly shaped, yellow dots
Awards & Recognition

Recognition reflects contribution, not destination

Throughout her career, Kylie has been recognised for leadership, professional contribution, and service across executive leadership, governance, advocacy, and the advancement of women in leadership.

2023
  • Commendation from the Chief of the Defence Force, for exceptional devotion to military nurses and for being instrumental in raising the statue of Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel at the Australian War Memorial. The first time this Commendation Medal was granted to a civilian from the Chief of Defence.


2022
  • Overall National Winner, Outstanding Leadership Awards, Leadership HQ

  • National Winner, Executive and Team Leader of the Year, Outstanding Leadership Awards, Leadership HQ

  • ACT Winner, Australian Awards for Excellence in Women's Leadership


2021
  • Finalist, CEO of the Year, CEO Magazine Executive of the Year Awards

  • Finalist, ACT Woman of the Year


2020
  • Ranked 4th, LinkedIn Top 100 Voices Worldwide for Frontline Health Care


2019
  • Honorary Fellowship, Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM)


2017
  • ACT Winner, Business Woman of the Year, For Purpose and Social Enterprise, Telstra Business Women's Awards


2007
  • Recipient of a competitive Wharton Scholarship, Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Kylie Ward stands with General Angus Campbell at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, holding a Certificate of Commendation, with the Hall of Memory and reflection pool in the background.
Kylie Ward with blonde hair, wearing glasses and a white blazer, sitting at a news desk with a large screen behind her displaying the Australian Parliament House with a cloudy sky.
Kylie Ward with blonde hair in an updo, wearing a metallic brown jacket over a black dress, standing in front of a dark backdrop with white text and logos for CEO Magazine
Kylie Ward, wearing a yellow dress, stands with Brendan Nelson at the 2022 Outstanding Leadership Awards, with the event signage behind them.
Kylie Ward shaking hands with a young girl in a classroom full of students dressed in blue school uniforms, with smiling classmates watching
Black and white portrait of Kylie Ward with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing glasses and a blazer with a white shirt, posed with arms crossed and a decorative yellow scribble around her.

The conversation starts here

Whether you are leading through change, building a team, or preparing for the public stage, Kylie welcomes the opportunity to understand your context.