Kim McKay AO

Kim McKay’s career has focussed on public advocacy and community engagement programs around the natural environment and science both in Australia and internationally.

In her role as Director and CEO of the Australian Museum, Kim is responsible for the strategic direction and management of the nation’s first museum, including a collection of over 22 million natural science specimens and cultural objects.

Since being appointed to the Director’s role ten years ago in 2014 (the first woman in the AM’s 190+ year history), Kim has initiated a broad transformation program including overseeing Project Discover, the AM’s $57.5m award-winning renovation of public spaces.

With a background in marketing and communications, Kim has worked in the USA in senior roles in non-fiction television for Discovery Channel and National Geographic; she co-founded the iconic Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World campaigns in the 1990’s working in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The co-author of five True Green books published in Australia and internationally by Nat Geo, Kim has received many awards for her environmental and citizen science work.

She graduated from UTS with a BA Communications in 1980 and currently serves on the UTS Council. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Wollongong in 2022 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to science, including her work on environmental and conservation issues, and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Technology Sydney in 2023 in recognition of her achievements in the community, non-profit, cultural, environmental, communications and business sectors. She has served on many not-for-profit boards and for four years chaired the NSW Government’s Museums and History Art Form Board.

Kim was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2008 for distinguished service to the environment and the community.