Kiah Evans

Dr Kiah Evans is a Senior Lecturer in Health Professions Education at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and a Research Fellow with the CliniKids team at Telethon Kids Institute. She holds qualifications including a PhD in Occupational Therapy (ECU 2016), Graduate Certificates in Health Professions Education (UWA 2022) and Research Commercialisation (Curtin 2012), and a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (Curtin 2000). Her expertise spans clinical practice, education, and research in allied health, with a focus on health professions education, neurodevelopmental disorders, and wellbeing interventions.

Dr Evans serves as Honorary Secretary of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators and contributes to national initiatives like the Autism Assessment and Diagnosis Guidelines. Her research employs mixed-methods approaches to address challenges in clinical education, diagnostic practices, and functional assessment for individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. She has led projects funded by organizations such as the Waterloo Foundation and has editorial roles in journals like International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

• Education:
  • PhD in Occupational Therapy (Edith Cowan University, 2016)
  • Graduate Certificate in Health Professions Education (UWA, 2022)
  • Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation (Curtin University, 2012)
  • BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy (Curtin University, 2000)

Her research interests center on enhancing clinical education, improving diagnostic processes for autism and neurodevelopmental disorders, and advancing functional assessment tools aligned with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Recent work includes validating ICF core sets for autism in Australian contexts and evaluating faculty development programs.

Dr Evans has received accolades including the UWA Excellence in Teaching Award (2025) and the Award for Research Mentorship (2023). She actively collaborates with clinicians, educators, and policymakers to bridge gaps between research, education, and clinical practice.