Katrien Pickles

Royal Life Saving Society - Australia

Born in the Netherlands and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, Katrien moved to Australia in 2005 to begin her university studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and the University of Newcastle in 2016. She now lives on Wiradjuri country in regional NSW. Katrien was awarded a PhD in Family Studies through the University of Newcastle in 2021. Her research explores how families with primary-school aged children use playgrounds to support their social networking needs and development of social competency in regional NSW.  Katrien is passionate about advocating for a child's right to design and shape the world they live in and contribute to. In her role with Royal Life Saving Society- Australia, she combines a decade of swim teaching with her passion for supporting families through advocacy, structural change and programs designed for a diversity of families.