Professor Kylie O'Brien, PhD (Chin Med), MPH, BAppSc (Chin Med), BSc (Optometry)
Trained originally as an optometrist, after 15 years in clinical practice Kylie career-changed to Chinese medicine, developing a career as an academic in Chinese medicine. She created three Master degrees in Chinese medicine, coordinated Victoria University’s undergraduate and Western Sydney University Masters courses in Chinese medicine. Subsequent roles as Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) at Victoria University, Director of Assessment and Learning Design (Deakin University), National Academic Director (AIAS), Director of Education at the National Institute of Integrative Medicine and Director of Education at ACNEM equipped her with a deep understanding of higher education, including curricula development, as well as strong leadership skills in education.
She entered the medicinal cannabis field in 2018 and became one of Australia’s leading educators in this field. She is actively involved in clinical research into medicinal cannabis, has authored a book on integrative oncology and another on mental health and medicinal cannabis with a third to be published in 2025 (women’s health and medicinal cannabis). She is an Adjunct Professor at Torrens University and an Adjunct Fellow at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, and a member of the Australian government’s TEQSA Expert Panel.