Kathleen Baird

Professor Kathleen Baird is Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), where she holds a Professorial appointment. She leads the School within UTS’s Faculty of Health. With a PhD and Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she specializes in midwifery education and research, focusing on family violence, women’s health, and healthcare policy. Her work bridges clinical practice and policy, addressing structural vulnerabilities in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities.

Key roles include Deputy Chair of the Queensland Death and Homicide Review Board, member of the Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Implementation Council (2016–2023), and leadership positions in national bodies such as the Council of Deans Nursing and Midwifery (CDNM) and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). Internationally, she serves as Co-Assistant Secretary-General of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery.

Her research emphasizes improving maternal health outcomes through innovative midwifery models, domestic violence interventions, and workforce sustainability. Recent projects include studies on midwifery workforce attrition and telehealth integration in education. Awards include recognition for her contributions to midwifery education and policy.