Kim McKay
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Kim Coral McKay (born 1959) is an Australian environmentalist, author, entrepreneur and business person. Since April 2014, she has been the Director and CEO of the
Australian Museum The Australian Museum is a heritage-listed museum at 1 William Street, Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia. It is the oldest museum in Australia,Design 5, 2016, p.1 and the fifth oldest natural history museum in the ...
, the first woman to hold the position in the museum's 191-year history. She co-founded the
Clean Up Australia Clean Up Australia Limited is a not-for-profit Australian environmental conservation organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. The organisation has sponsored a yearly Clean Up Australia Day since 19 ...
campaign in 1989 and the Clean Up the World campaign in 1992, with the support of the
United Nations Environment Programme The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...
(UNEP). Clean Up the World operates in more than 125 countries. She co-created
The National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and ...
's The Genographic Project, the world's largest DNA population study, and is the co-author of five books.


Early life

McKay was born in Sydney to Francis Gordon McKay and Coral McKay (née Thompson). She attended Mackellar Girls’ High School, in Manly Vale, and The University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), where she graduated with a BA Communications degree majoring in journalism, public relations and sociology, in 1980.


Career

From 1983-87, McKay was a consultant and then partner at Harfield McKay Communications, where she specialised in major events sponsorship and tourism activities, including The BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race in 1982/82 and 1986-87. She also worked on Australian Professional Surfing Association events and Law Week for the
Law Society of New South Wales The Law Society of New South Wales is a professional association which represents over 29,000 solicitors in Australia. The Law Society has statutory powers and regulates the practice of law in New South Wales.http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/law ...
. In 1989, McKay co-founded Clean Up following the voluntary coordination of the historic Clean Up the Harbour Day in Sydney. She worked in partnership for 10 years with 1994 Australian of the Year
Ian Kiernan Ian Bruce Carrick Kiernan (4 October 1940 – 16 October 2018) was an Australian yachtsman, property developer, builder, and environmental campaigner, known for co-founding with Kim McKay the not-for-profit '' Clean Up Australia'' campaign in ...
AO to develop Clean Up into a leading non-profit community environmental organisation. She served as Deputy Chairwoman from 1989 to 2009 and developed the "Rubbish Report" volunteer citizen science program for data collection and analysis, one of the first "citizen science" community initiatives. Clean Up Australia became one of the largest community environmental projects in Australia, operating in more than 900 cities and towns across the country, involving more than half a million volunteers at its peak. In 1992, McKay co-founded Clean Up the World, securing a partnership with UNEP to endorse and support the activity, along with international corporate support. The program operates in more than 125 countries and involves many millions of volunteers. McKay, who was also Deputy Chairwoman of Clean Up the World from 1993-2009, told ABC radio that: "The belief that everyone can make a difference is a driving theme behind my actions." In 1989, McKay established Profile Communications Pty Ltd, a Sydney-based event marketing and communications consultancy. The company focused on special event creation and marketing communications programs, with clients including
Discovery Communications Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Chan ...
and Discovery Channel
Eco-Challenge ''Eco-Challenge: The Expedition Race'' is a multi-day expedition length adventure race in which teams of four (five in the early years) competed. It originally aired on TV from April 1995 to April 2002. Based closely on the Raid Gauloises adventu ...
in Cairns. McKay was Managing Director of Profile Communications until 1998, when she closed the company to move to the United States to work for Discovery Communications. In 1998, McKay joined Discovery Communications, based in Washington D.C., where she oversaw the marketing and communications for Discovery Channel's largest event and documentary production — the Emmy-award-winning Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge, the world's leading adventure sports race. She worked in close collaboration with the Executive Producer and the Race Director
Mark Burnett Mark Burnett (born 17 July 1960) is a television producer who is the former Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group. He is best known for creating and producing the reality shows ''The Apprentice'', '' Survivor'', ''The Voice'', and ''Sh ...
to ensure the successful operation of the extreme sports event, held annually in remote locations around the world including Morocco and Patagonia. In 2000, McKay joined National Geographic Channels International, where she was responsible for the global marketing and communications activities for the world's fastest-growing cable channel. In 2004, McKay returned to Australia to start Momentum2, a Sydney-based marketing and communications agency specialising in major events, corporate sustainability and social responsibility programs. Key clients included National Geographic,
Qantas Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founde ...
and
Harpo Productions Harpo Productions (or Harpo Studios) is an American multimedia production company founded by Oprah Winfrey and based in West Hollywood, California. It is the sole subsidiary of her media and entertainment company Harpo, Inc. The name "Harpo" is ...
(Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure). McKay co-created The Genographic Project with population geneticist Dr
Spencer Wells Spencer Wells (born April 6, 1969) is an American geneticist, anthropologist, author and entrepreneur. He co-hosts The Insight podcast with Razib Khan. Wells led The Genographic Project from 2005 to 2015, as an Explorer-in-Residence at the N ...
for the National Geographic Society, in partnership with IBM. The multiyear research project, the world's largest DNA population study, uses cutting-edge genetic and computational technologies to analyze historical patterns in DNA from around the world, to better understand our shared genetic roots. In February 2014, McKay was appointed as the 17th director/curator of the Australian Museum, succeeding Mr Frank Howarth. She had previously served from 2012-14 as a Trustee of the museum. Since starting in the role as Director and CEO, in April 2014, McKay has initiated a transformation program at the museum, including enshrining free general admission for children into government policy, constructing the new award-winning entrance pavilion, Crystal Hall, establishing the Australian Museum Centre for Citizen Science (part of the Australian Museum Research Institute), creating new galleries and programs, and restoring the Westpac Long Gallery, Australia's first museum gallery, which reopened in October 2017 and now houses the permanent exhibition "200 Treasures of the Australian Museum". In 2008, McKay was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia AO for distinguished service to the environment and the community. In 2011, McKay was included in the book "The Power of 100...One Hundred Women who have Shaped Australia". In 2013, McKay was named in
The Australian Financial Review ''The Australian Financial Review'' (abbreviated to the ''AFR'') is an Australian business-focused, compact daily newspaper covering the current business and economic affairs of Australia and the world. The newspaper is based in Sydney, New Sou ...
's 100 Women of Influence list.


Academic career

McKay holds a BA Communications from University of Technology, Sydney (formerly NSWIT) and was awarded the UTS Chancellor's Award for Excellence in 2010. She is an honorary Adjunct Professor at the
Macquarie Graduate School of Management Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) is a graduate school of management established in 1969, associated with Macquarie University, Australia. MGSM has campuses in North Ryde (located on Macquarie University campus), Sydney's CBD and H ...
.


Publications

McKay is the co-author with Jenny Bonnin of the "True Green" series of books, published in Australia by ABC Books and by National Geographic Books in the United States. * True Green: 100 Everyday Ways You Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet (2007) * True Green @ Work: 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business (with Tim Wallace) (2008) * True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet (2008) * True Green Home: 100 Inspirational Ideas for Creating a Green Environment at Home (2009) * True Green Life: In 100 Everyday Ways (2010) True Green Kids won the AAAS/Subaru Book Prize for Best Hands On Science Book in 2009 and was featured in the journal
Science Magazine ''Science'', also widely referred to as ''Science Magazine'', is the peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and one of the world's top academic journals. It was first published in 1880, ...
.


Media

McKay is a media commentator on practical environmental action and is a public speaker addressing business and not-for-profit conferences, as well as schools and community groups. She presented a series of on-camera "True Green Tips" for Sky News in Australia (as part of the weekly Eco Report in 2009), co-authored a weekly "True Green" column for
The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) ''The Sunday Telegraph'' is an Australian tabloid newspaper, the separately published Sunday edition of ''The Daily Telegraph''. It is available throughout Sydney, across most of regional and remote New South Wales, the Australian Capital Terr ...
Body and Soul section in 2007 and was named one of G Magazine's Top 20 Australian Eco Heroes in November 2009. McKay has also presented a weekly "True Green" radio spot for ABC regional radio in NSW. She was the master of ceremonies at the media conference for "Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure" at the Sydney Opera House, in December 2010.


Not-for-profit roles

* Australian Museum Trust Secretary and Board Member * Australian Museum Foundation Board Member * One Million Women Advisory Board * Sydney Institute of Marine Science Foundation Board * UNSW Sydney Science Advisory Council * MGSM Reference Panel * Somerville Museum Board Member * Chief Executive Women (CEW) Member * Public Relations Institute of Australia (NSW) Fellow * Sydney Salon Co-creator and Advisory Board Member * Lizard Island Reef Research Foundation Board \ * Council of Australasian Museum Directors(CAMD) McKay's previous roles have included: Clean Up Australia/World Deputy Chairwoman; Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand Board Member; RANZCO Eye Foundation Board Member; National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development Steering Committee; CSIRO's ECOS Magazine Chairwoman of the Advisory Board; Center for Australian and New Zealand Studies, Georgetown University, Board Member; National Breast Cancer Foundation Marketing Advisory Committee; Sydney Olympic Games Bid Community Relations Committee; Short-handed Sailing Association of Australia Co-founder. In 2008, she travelled to Antarctica as part of the Expedition Team, lecturing on board the Australian-based cruise ship ORION.


Awards and honors

* Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the environment and the community – awarded by the Australian Government — 2008 *Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 2021 * Australian Geographic's Lifetime of Conservation Award for Excellence “for a life dedicated to the protection of Australia’s environment” – 2013 * Australian Financial Review/Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards (Social Enterprise/Not-for-profit sector) – 2013 * Awarded AICD Board Director's women's leadership scholarship – 2013 * Inducted as a UTS “Luminary” – 2011 * Inclusion in The Power of 100...One Hundred Women Who Have Shaped Australia book for 100th Anniversary of International Women's Day — 2011 * UTS Chancellor's Award for Excellence (UTS Alumni top award) — 2010 * Co-creator, The Genographic Project for National Geographic and IBM – global DNA study focusing on population migratory history, 2005-2011 * Co-founder Clean Up the World, a project held in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program operating in 120+ countries – 1993; Deputy Chairwoman – 1993-2009 * G Magazine top 20 Australian Eco Heroes – published 2009 * International Panel Judge for the MacArthur Foundation 100 and Change Grant, awarding US$100 million to a project that will change the world — 2017 * Appointed Fellow, Public Relations Institute of Australia (NSW) — 1997 * Winner, Environment Category, Avon Spirit of Achievement Award — 1994 * Winner, International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Award for Excellence in Environmental Communication — 1994 (presented in Uruguay) * Member, Community Relations Committee, Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid — 1995 * United Nations Honorary Mention for Excellence in Communication for Clean Up the World — 1994 (presented at the UN, New York) * Public Relations Institute of Australia — Golden Target Awards: Winner — Special Event (NSW) – 1998; Winner — Community Event (NSW) – 1994; Highly Commended — Program Category — 1992; Winner — Project of the Year — 1990


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Kim Australian environmentalists Australian women environmentalists 1959 births Living people Environmental communication University of Technology Sydney alumni Directors of museums in Australia Women museum directors Officers of the Order of Australia Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales