About Kylie30+ 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.
About KylieKylie 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.
Career HighlightsA career at the highest levels of Australian leadership
Kylie Ward, Strategic Advisor
Executive Leadership | Governance | Organisational Performance
2024-PresentBoard Director, Ministerial Appointment
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC)
2022-2026Board Director, Ministerial Appointment. Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA)
Committee Chair, ADHA Consumer Advisory Committee
2019-2024Board Chair, Health Education Services Australia (HESA)
20232024Chief Executive Officer, Australian College of Nursing (ACN),
and the Australian College of Nursing Foundation (ACNF)
2015-2024Board Chair (2023 - 2024) and Board Director
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC)
2015-2024Committee Member, Ministerial Appointment, NHMRC Health Translation Advisory Committee (HTAC), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2018-2021For a full outline of Kylie's career and experience, visit her LinkedIn profile or get in touch to request her resume.
Leadership PhilosophyWhat 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.
Courage.
Presence.
Wisdom.
IntegrityDiscretion 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.
Awards & RecognitionRecognition 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.
2023Commendation 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.
2022Overall 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
2021Finalist, CEO of the Year, CEO Magazine Executive of the Year Awards
Finalist, ACT Woman of the Year
2020Ranked 4th, LinkedIn Top 100 Voices Worldwide for Frontline Health Care
2019Honorary Fellowship, Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM)
2017ACT Winner, Business Woman of the Year, For Purpose and Social Enterprise, Telstra Business Women's Awards
2007Recipient of a competitive Wharton Scholarship, Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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.