Kristy McKellar OAM

Renowned in Australia and internationally, Kristy McKellar OAM is uniquely positioned to ignite meaningful change through her work, combining professional expertise as a clinician with powerful survivor advocacy grounded in lived experience of domestic and family violence.

Kristy was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her outstanding contributions to the community services sector. She has been recognised as one of Australia’s Top 100 Women of Influence, named Agenda Setter of the Year, and inducted into the Honour Roll of Women.

Through her work with governments, lawmakers, not-for-profits, corporates, clubs and sporting codes, Kristy has driven critical systemic change. She has addressed Members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council and played a significant role in the Australian Royal Commission into family violence.

By exposing the complexities and failures within existing systems, Kristy influenced the implementation of new legislation across Australia to better protect and validate victim-survivors, prioritise their rights, and hold perpetrators to account. As a result, victim-survivors of family violence are now able to live safer, healthier and happier lives, with the safety and wellbeing of children more clearly recognised and protected.

Kristy is the youngest person appointed to the Adult Parole Board, where her expertise informs statutory decision-making regarding the reintegration of eligible prisoners into the community in a manner that prioritises community safety. Her role includes determining whether parole should be granted, denied, deferred or cancelled.

Influenced by Kristy’s advocacy, her work with the Australian Football League (AFL) and other sporting codes has led to the implementation of measures aimed at advancing gender equality. Kristy also shaped the first Male Champions of Change model, successfully engaging male-dominated workplaces in understanding and responding to domestic and family violence.

Kristy continues to work with the Champions of Change Coalition nationally and globally, leading courageous and sensitive conversations that drive real social and cultural change. She has partnered with major corporations across Australia to embed practical workplace responses to domestic and family violence, including paid leave policies, survivor workforce reintegration, and appropriate support pathways for individuals who use violence or abuse in the workplace. This work has broadened global understanding of family violence and workplace responsibility.

Kristy has also contributed to reforming police education by developing a mandated family violence dynamics e-learning module, which has successfully trained more than 15,000 police members at all levels, highlighting critical gaps in policing responses. She was appointed a member of the Royal Commission Chief Magistrates Taskforce and the Social Services Taskforce with the Special Minister of State, and served as a delegate to the Australian Royal Commission into Family Violence Steering Committee.

Kristy McKellar OAM has made outstanding contributions on both national and global stages, challenging individuals, organisations and institutions to play their role in preventing family violence. Her work continues to empower people to speak out, access support, and restore hope for lives free from fear and violence, while advancing equality and justice for all.