Cara Ellickson
Director, Gender Consortium
College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Cara has experience designing and facilitating international development initiatives, including collaborative and participatory action learning and action research projects and communication for development campaigns on gender equity, disability inclusion, women’s health and safety, women's leadership and culturally respectful service delivery. Cara's work is informed by her a) international development experience in Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia, Kiribati, PNG, Vanuatu and Samoa; b) facilitation of aid project partnerships with Solomon Islands, Mongolian, Chinese and African women’s and gender organisations and with participants from Bhutan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh; and c) public sector experience working in senior health equity policy and planning roles with the South Australian Department of Human Services, South Australian Health Commission and National Public Health Information Development Unit. Cara's clients have included DFAT, AusAID, NZAID, WHO, UN Women, SA Department of Health, Women's Health Statewide, SA Government, the Australian Government Office for Women and numerous Australian State Government women's policy offices.
Completed and current projects and collaborative activities with partners and colleagues include:
"I am beautiful. You too!" in Sapa, Vietnam
Vietnam Graduates in Election Spotlight
Disability in the Eye of Beholder
Countering Gender-Based Violence
Taking on violence against women transnationally
Women with Disabilities Leading Loud and Proud
Online Community for Female Entrepreneurs
Tackling sexual harassment on campus in Vietnam's northern mountainous region
Transformative Women's Economic Empowerment in Bhutan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh
BA (Hons) (University of Adelaide)
Master in International and Community Development (Deakin University)
Doctor of Education candidate (Flinders University) (currently studying)
Flinders University, Social Sciences Faculty Award for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching
DEEWR Endeavour Executive Award
Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning "For creating innovative learning spaces which promote the critical application of knowledge to ‘real world’ gender equity issues and inspire students to become change agents"
SA Women's Honour Roll for Gender, Disability and Cultural Inclusion
Vietnam Women's Union Merit Medal for the Development of Women in Vietnam for "Significant Contribution to the Equality and Development of Vietnamese Women"
Vietnam Women's Union Certificate of Merit for the Development of Women in Vietnam in recognition of "Contributions to the Vietnamese Women's Movement"
As the Director of the Gender Consortium, Centre for Development Studies, Cara's responsibilities include the management, coordination and delivery of gender equity initiatives and applied research projects under programs such as the Government Partnerships for Development Program and Australia Awards. She is also responsible for teaching core topics in the Graduate Certificate in Gender Mainstreaming Policy and Analysis and Masters of Women's and Gender Studies courses. Cara also works as a technical advisor in Asia and the Pacific providing gender, disability and social inclusion support and advice to mainstream aid programs.
- Gender and development
- Gender mainstreaming and gender analysis
- Gender and health
- Women's leadership and leadership for gender equity
- Inspiring change agents for gender and social equity
- Collaborative and participatory methodologies
- Intersectionality in practice
- Disability inclusion and cultural safety
Facilitation of Challenging Racism: Cultural Safety Workshops with Sharon Gollan and Associates (16 years)
Vietnamese Women's Association of SA various roles including Board Member, Secretary (2003 to 2010)
Two overseas assignments with Australian Volunteers for International Development (1999 and 2000)
Member of Hen House Coop and Chooks SA network working to close the gender investment gap (2019 to current)
Coralus Activator (formally SheEO): Working with fellow Activators on the world's to-do list with women + non-bianry folks all over the world, creating a $1B perpetual fund through radical generosity and systems change-making initiatives (2019 to current)
Advisory Board Member, The Will to Live's (WTL) social enterprise initiative with the private sector to benefit people with disabilities in Vietnam (2022 to current)
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
Global | Online
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