Jean Kittson AM

Jean Kittson AM is an acclaimed author, actor, and comedian whose career has spanned decades across television, stage, radio, and publishing. She first rose to national prominence on ABC TV’s The Big Gig, and went on to appear in shows including Let the Blood Run Free, Kittson Fahey, Good News Week, The Glasshouse, Flat Chat, and The Einstein Factor. Known for her sharp wit, Jean has also delivered memorable comedy debates for ABC, Channel 9, and Channel 10.

She recently featured in the ABC’s Mother and Son (series one and two) alongside Denise Scott and Matt Okine, and appeared in the 2024 Australian film Seriously Red with Krew Boylan, Rose Byrne, and Celeste Barber. Her stage work includes Wellmania, performing with Celeste Barber.

Jean is a long-standing media presence, appearing twice on Andy Lee’s The One Hundred, as a participant on Celebrity Apprentice, and regularly contributing to ABC 702’s drive program Thank God It’s Friday. She has twice been featured on Conversations with Richard Fidler, presented for Women of Letters, and addressed menopause at the National Press Club.

As a writer, Jean has contributed columns to New Weekly, Sunday Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald – Sydney Magazine, Inspire Magazine, Readers Digest Health Smart Magazine, and is a long-time columnist for the Australian Carers Guide. She is the author of three books: Tongue Lashing, and the bestsellers You’re Still Hot to Me: The Joys of Menopause and We Need to Talk About Mum and Dad, the latter used in modules supporting carers navigating ageing and the aged care system.

Jean has been a dedicated advocate for health and social causes. She was a founding Director of the National Cord Blood Bank, inaugural chair of the Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation (AGCF), and a founding Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia. She currently serves as Patron of Palliative Care Nurses Australia, and as an Ambassador for the Macular Disease Foundation, the Raise Foundation (Youth Mentoring), and Taldumande Youth Services. In 2023, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her outstanding service to the community and the arts.

Topics

Jean presents on diverse topics that range from finance, free trade and the global economy, to leadership, innovation, construction, transport, cars, agriculture, wining, dining, mining, science, technology, communications, tourism, HR, police, defence, health, medical research, education, mentoring, training, equal opportunity, diversity, inclusion, social responsibility, women and work and motherhood and menopause, and aged care.

She draws on her life experience to provide a connection between city and regional, rural and remote Australia and regularly works outside the city limits including Tennant Creek, Mt Newman, Emerald, Groote Eylandt to Charters Towers, Gulargambone, Mt Isa.

Jean addresses issues including how to attract more women to industries, sustaining women in leadership roles, the gender pay gap, motherhood and work, the role of mentoring and training and education and in particular, women’s health. She has opened the conversation and encouraged the conversation about the role of women in rail and mining, and construction and finance and science.