Innovator, Entrepreneur, and Global Change-Maker

Kathryn began her journey at Brisbane Girls Grammar in 2006 after moving from New Zealand with her family. During her time at the school, she received numerous accolades, including the Professor Dorothy Hill Prize, the Hilda Florence Neville Grant Prize for Physics, the Nil Sine Labore Prize, and the Fathers’ Group Perpetual Trophy.

Kathryn was also involved with the International Young Physicists Tournament (IYPT) while at Grammar, helping the BGGS team win the national tournament two years in a row, then leading the Australian team to be World Champions for the first time in 2007.

Her academic accomplishments are as extraordinary as her professional achievements. At the University of Queensland (UQ), Kathryn completed her undergraduate degree in just 18 months, undertaking up to 10 subjects each semester while also finishing Year 12 and earning an OP 1.

'I felt so lucky that BGGS encouraged me to follow my dreams, and were flexible to help me pursue University while staying connected to my classmates at Girls Grammar.

'My favourite memory from BGGS was working after school in the physics lab on a research project for IYPT, involving making tubes "sing" using heat. When I got stuck I asked Mr Allison my Physics teacher for help, and he simply said "I don't know, how could you find out". He was so great at not just telling us the answer but helping us learn how to learn.'

This determination and drive set the foundation for her future successes. Kathryn holds advanced degrees that blend technology and policy: a Master of Busines Administration from Stanford University and an Mater of Public Administration from Harvard University. These qualifications, combined with her background in theoretical physics, have equipped her to tackle some of the world’s most complex issues in health, climate, and economic development.

After her studies, Kathryn was appointed as a Special Assistant to the Secretary-General of No Peace Without Justice, working in Uganda and Belgium. She then joined McKinsey & Company, where she led public projects aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of hospitals across Australia, including helping run the largest randomised controlled trial for diabetes care. Kathryn later served as a Manager for dilligencing and developing commercially viable self-sustaining solutions to poverty in sub-Saharan Africa with an offshoot of the Clinton Foundation. Her focus was on creating agribusinesses that could thrive independently of continual charitable support, empowering communities with long-term, meaningful change.

Kathryn’s career has been characterised by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a proven track record of applying innovative solutions to significant problems. Over the years, she has contributed her unique perspective to multiple groundbreaking projects, ultimately becoming a General Manager of Google X, The Moonshot Factory, which aims to invent and launch technologies that can radically improve the world. Her ability to bridge disciplines—integrating technology, business, and social impact—has been fundamental to her career, enabling her to create lasting, scalable change.

In 2019, motivated by a personal desire to assist her grandmother, Kathryn began developing a wearable robotics project designed to enhance mobility for people worldwide. After years of research and product development, this project evolved into Skip, where as Founder and CEO, Kathryn now leads a team focused on incorporating exoskeleton technology into consumer products to help people move effortlessly and confidently. Kathryn’s achievements, which have global significance, underscore the power of cross-disciplinary thinking and the ability to create solutions with meaningful and lasting impacts on the world.