Speaker Bio
Kylie Shae is Team Lead, Access to Assistive Technology, at World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. The team is responsible for operationalizing the 71st WorldHealth Assembly resolution on improving access to assistive technology, as well as mobilizing the global assistive technology sector through GATE, the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology.
Kylie has worked in the field of disability and international development since 1991 and has a strong rights-based and equity-focused approach to inclusive and sustainable development. After working with a British-based INGO, which involved living and working on development projects in multiple low-income countries for many years, Kylie founded Motivation Australia. She led this organisation between 2007 - 2020, working alongside Government and Non-Government partners in the Pacific Region to build sustainable rehabilitation and assistive technology services. In 2019 Kylie was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her work in the Pacific.
Kylie is passionate about implementing equitable, practical solutions to enable increased access to inclusive health, rehabilitation and assistive technology for all. She sees this as a fundamental facilitator for many for inclusion and participation and believes it to be a key component of good, global development that leaves no-one behind. An accredited Partnership Broker, Kylie is a strong advocate of collaboration and partnership. Her work with Motivation Australia provided an opportunity to work closely with colleagues from across the Pacific Region including disabled persons representatives, service providers and policy makers, and contribute to a collective approach to strengthening services in the region.
Kylie's previous consultancy roles with the WHO included contributing as co-author to the WHO Wheelchair Guidelines (2008) and co-editor of the basic (2012) and intermediate (2013) level WHO Wheelchair Service Training Packages. Alongside her current role, Kylie is pursuing a Higher Degree in Research at Flinders University, Australia.