Kylie Tarleton
Kylie is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Orange, NSW, whose life and career are deeply rooted in her heritage and a commitment to her community. Central to everything she does is her family; as a wife and mother to two young men.
With over 30 years at TAFE NSW, Kylie has dedicated the last decade to dismantling the barriers of adversity, discrimination and racism. Her career has evolved from beauty therapy into strategic leadership in Aboriginal education strategy and diversity and Inclusion. From coordinating community consultations and developing Aboriginal-based curricula, she has facilitated self-determination and created pathways for people who experience disadvantage, to access transformative vocational training as well as supporting employee's to bring their wholes selves to work.
Presently, as the Senior Manager of Diversity and Inclusion at TAFE NSW, Kylie champions equitable opportunities and cultural safety. Her leadership ensures that cultural sensitivity is not just a policy or strategy, but a lived practice, fostering an environment where all individuals can thrive.
Kylie extends her professional expertise to the board of the Cooper Rice Brading Sarcoma Foundation. As the Director of Cultural Advocacy, she bridges the gap between clinical care and cultural needs, offering invaluable guidance to health professionals and patients based on her unique perspective as an Indigenous mother of a son in survivorship, and advocate.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Kylie is an accomplished artist. Her art serves as a visual language to depict the strength, values, and interconnectedness of her Wiradjuri heritage. Her work is a celebration of kinship and country, with notable contributions including:
- Permanent installations at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Orange Base Hospital.
- Award-winning collaborations such as the Mulaa Giilang – Wiradjuri Night Sky exhibition.
- Cultural designs for local sporting clubs and schools.
Through both her strategic work and her creative practice, Kylie works tirelessly toward a future of reconciliation and an Australia free from racism and discrimination.
Abstracts this author is presenting: