Who We Are
CEO
Kandie Allen-Kelly
The AASW Board recently announced the appointment of Kandie Allen-Kelly as CEO of the Australian Association of Social Workers. Kandie has a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Philosophy and is an accredited member of the AASW.
Prior to her roles with the AASW, Kandie was a former Head of School of Social Work (ACU) and an academic for many years, a research and project officer, executive coach and organisational consultant. She is a past Treasurer of the Australian Association for Social Work and Welfare Education. Kandie has presented at many National and International conferences and her most recent publication reflects many years of practice with adult survivors of Child Sexual abuse in rural communities: Steel Magnolias Healing Journeys: Rural Women’s constructions of transforming their lives after the experience of childhood sexual assault.
Kandie has awards for community service and teaching excellence.
Throughout her years as an academic, Kandie stayed grounded in practice by providing clinical supervision to a range of social workers and contributing through community engagement activities. For example she coordinated and led the debriefing strategy for the welfare staff after the 2003 Canberra Bushfires as well as volunteering as an outreach worker taking fresh water and supplies to those with no electricity, gas or water. Before entering academia Kandie practiced social work in rural and remote parts of North Queensland for 10 years. Her practice extended across all areas of health, domestic and sexual violence, with victims of crime, with people suffering from mental illnesses and she worked with indigenous communities. Kandie is passionate about social work and about improving the world and making it a better place for particularly the most dispossessed and marginalised.
Her vision for the AASW is for a happy confident organisation that provides exemplary services to our members, provides high quality advice to government about the work of our members and insightful advice about improving the world of our members’ clients, and that is an organisation which showcases the quality of Social Workers to the Australian community and internationally.
“In her first year at the helm, Kandie has built a more sustainable and robust infrastructure, that positions us well, to meet our members’ changing needs, and represent the interests of social work on the broader stage” - Vittorio Cintio, National Vice President.
Contact the CEO by clicking here.
Prior to her roles with the AASW, Kandie was a former Head of School of Social Work (ACU) and an academic for many years, a research and project officer, executive coach and organisational consultant. She is a past Treasurer of the Australian Association for Social Work and Welfare Education. Kandie has presented at many National and International conferences and her most recent publication reflects many years of practice with adult survivors of Child Sexual abuse in rural communities: Steel Magnolias Healing Journeys: Rural Women’s constructions of transforming their lives after the experience of childhood sexual assault.
Kandie has awards for community service and teaching excellence.
Throughout her years as an academic, Kandie stayed grounded in practice by providing clinical supervision to a range of social workers and contributing through community engagement activities. For example she coordinated and led the debriefing strategy for the welfare staff after the 2003 Canberra Bushfires as well as volunteering as an outreach worker taking fresh water and supplies to those with no electricity, gas or water. Before entering academia Kandie practiced social work in rural and remote parts of North Queensland for 10 years. Her practice extended across all areas of health, domestic and sexual violence, with victims of crime, with people suffering from mental illnesses and she worked with indigenous communities. Kandie is passionate about social work and about improving the world and making it a better place for particularly the most dispossessed and marginalised.
Her vision for the AASW is for a happy confident organisation that provides exemplary services to our members, provides high quality advice to government about the work of our members and insightful advice about improving the world of our members’ clients, and that is an organisation which showcases the quality of Social Workers to the Australian community and internationally.
“In her first year at the helm, Kandie has built a more sustainable and robust infrastructure, that positions us well, to meet our members’ changing needs, and represent the interests of social work on the broader stage” - Vittorio Cintio, National Vice President.
Contact the CEO by clicking here.