Ms Kelli Owen

NHMRC Grant-Funded Researcher (A)

School of Nursing and Midwifery

College of Health


Kelli Owen is a Kaurna, Narungga & Ngarrindjeri woman who holds a Bachelor of Education (Edith Cowan University) and a Masters of Indigenous Languages Education (University of Sydney). She is the National Community Engagement Coordinator for the National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT), a member of NIKTT Operations Committee, co-chairs the Community Engagement Working Group, Project officer with SA Health overseeing the Kanggawodli renal project with CNARTS (Central Northern Adelaide Renal & Transplantation Service) and is a CI and member of AKction (Aboriginal Kidney Care Improving Outcomes Now) with the University of Adelaide.One of Kelli’s current projects is adapting health education resources and increasing health literacy to meet the needs of her people. In her current role, she yarns up with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities across Australia, focusing on their kidney journeys, local issues and culturally appropriate solutions to increase equity and access to kidney transplantation. Kelli is familiar with Indigenous Governance methods, harnessing the voices of Indigenous people to raise awareness of equity issues and health system barriers to address. Kelli prides herself as an information sharer, helping to grow kidney care knowledge assist her people to make informed decisions. Kelli’s passion to share knowledge and to bridge knowledge systems of understanding to co-design innovative models of kidney care is a vital skill Kelli brings to the project to ensure its success.Kelli is a mother of 5 and Mutha (nanna) of two boys. Kelli has lived with CKD knowing ESKD would eventuate. Her lived experience of the journey, from diagnosis, pre-dialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis, Haemodialysis, transplant workup and assessment, transplantation leading to her current situation of post-transplant care management makes her an invaluable contributor to the study. The challenges Kelli has experienced living in a regional town in South Australia has instilled her with an appreciation of the difficulties faced by rural and remote patients accessing essential health services. Issues pertaining to accessing treatment, transport, medications, allied services and feeling culturally safe in hospital settings are areas she passionately advocates for.

My Research Interest

Aboriginal Health Research, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Kidney Health, Indigenous Governance, Data Sovereignty, Decolonising practices in health care settings, knowledge translation into action, translational approaches, Cultural safety, Cultural Bias in the Health systems, Indigenous methodologies, participatory action research, Pregnancy & CKD, Peer navigation through the kidney journey and community engagement and protocols.

Research Groups:

  • AKction 1 & 2 (Aboriginal Kidney Care Together Improving Outcomes Now)
  • NIKTT – National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce: Equity & Access
  • Kanggawodli (Caring House) – On site dialysis and wrap around service in a medical hostel with CNARTS (CAHLN & NAHLN partnered)
  • The Kidney Mum’s Project: Advancing pregnancy planning and care for women with kidney disease
  • Maximising Oral Health Outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with Chronic Kidney Disease through Culturally Secure Partnerships.

Kelli's work with the AKction Project Teams was featured in a recent Croakey Health Media article, Holding that space: game-changing kidney project has ‘research activism at its core’

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2018 Scholarship Steglick Indigenous Women’s Scholarship The University of Sydney Australia $6,000
2003 Scholarship Indigenous Scholarship Western Australia Department of Education Australia $24,000
2003 Scholarship Eveline Rosina Henty Scholarship Edith Cowen University Australia $2,000
2003 Scholarship Kurongkurl Katitjin Scholarship Edith Cowan University Australia $2,000

Date Institution name Country Title
University of Sydney Australia Master of Indigenous Languages Education
Edith Cowan University Australia Bachelor Of Education

Date Title Institution name Country
Certificate III & IV in Textile Art Nungalinya College Australia

Year Citation
2025 Poirier, B., Hedges, J., Haag, D., Paradies, Y., Mackean, T., Bastos, J., . . . Jamieson, L. (2025). Co-Designing an Anti-Racist Dental Health System: Evidence-Based Strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Oral Health in Australia (Preprint). JMIR Research Protocols, 14, 13 pages.
DOI
2025 Temple, K., Lester, R., Sinclair, N., & Owen, K. (2025). Indigenous spirituality and cultural knowledges provide strength and resilience to Aboriginal people with chronic kidney disease. Kidney International, 108(1), 2-4.
DOI
2024 Cormick, A., Graham, A., Stevenson, T., Owen, K., O’Donnell, K., & Kelly, J. (2024). Co-designing a Health Journey Mapping resource for culturally safe health care with and for First Nations people. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 30(3), PY23172-1-PY23172-12.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2024 Bateman, S., Owen, K., Lester, R., Pearson, O., Lawton, P., McDonald, S., . . . Clayton, P. A. (2024). The survival benefit of deceased donor kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 2006-20: a retrospective national cohort study.. Medical Journal of Australia, 221(2), 111-116.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2023 Hughes, J. T., Cundale, K., Webster, A., Owen, K. J., & McDonald, S. P. (2023). Towards equity in kidney transplantation: the next steps.. The Medical journal of Australia, 219 Suppl 8(S8), S19-S22.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC3
2023 Hughes, J. T., Cundale, K., Owen, K. J., & McDonald, S. P. (2023). Advancing accessible kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: the National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce.. The Medical journal of Australia, 219 Suppl 8(S8), S3-S6.
DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC3
2023 Owen, K. J., Cundale, K., Hughes, J. T., McDonald, S. P., D'Antoine, M., & Jesudason, S. (2023). From talk to action: Indigenous Reference Groups drive practice change in kidney transplantation care. Medical Journal of Australia, 219(Suppl. 8), S15-S18.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2022 Bateman, S., Arnold‐Chamney, M., Jesudason, S., Lester, R., McDonald, S., O'Donnell, K., . . . Kelly, J. (2022). Real Ways of Working Together: co‐creating meaningful Aboriginal community consultations to advance kidney care. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 46(5), 614-621.
DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC7
2021 Hughes, J. T., Owen, K. J., & McDonald, S. P. (2021). Shifting Power to Improve First Nation Peoples’ Access and Outcomes in Kidney Care. Kidney Medicine, 3(6), 881-882.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC3
- DAntoine, M., Owen, K., & McDonald, S. (2021). National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT): an update. Transplant Journal of Australasia, 30(1).
DOI

Year Citation
2021 Kelly, J., Dent, P., Owen, K., Schwartzkopff, K., & O'Donnell, K. (2021). Cultural Bias Indigenous Kidney Care and Kidney Transplantation Report.
  • Guest lecturer, EDU1ISE, Identity, Policy & Equitable Practice: Indigenous Studies, LaTrobe University, 2021
  • Guest lecturer, AMED 3003 Diagnostics & Biomarkers, University of Sydney, 2020
  • Guest lecturer with Dr Kim O’Donnell, PHCA 9504 First Nations Health & Wellbeing, Flinders University, 2020
  • Aboriginal Education Teacher – Murray Bridge North School, Flinders View, Pt Augusta, 2011 - 2019
  • Preposition, Year 1, 2, 4, 5 Teacher at various schools throughout Western Australia – 2003 – 2011
  • Lecturer of Aboriginal Art Appreciation and NOW (New Opportunities for Women), Geraldton, Mingenew TAFE, 1999 - 2003
  • Lecturer of Textile Art, Dubbo, Walgett, Lightening Ridge TAFE, 1998 - 1999
  • Lecturer of Textile Art, Broome TAFE, 1997 - 1998
  • Teacher for the last 25 years in WA, NT, NSW, SA, as per employment

Date Role Committee Institution Country
2021 - ongoing Member Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Working Group Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry (ANZDATA) Australia
2020 - ongoing Member Australian and New Zealand Clinical Guidelines Writing Group for Guideline for the Management of Chronic Kidney Disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Maori Kidney Health Australia Australia
2020 - ongoing Member South Australian Representative First Nations and Métis Organ Donation and Transplantation Network Canada
2020 - ongoing Member NIKTT, Indigenous Reference Group, Leading a Transplant Response Change with the Executive Transplantation Meeting Royal Adelaide Hospital Australia
2020 - ongoing Member Community of Practice Working Group South Australian Health Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Australia
2019 - ongoing Co-Chair Operations Committee - Community Engagement Working Group NIKTT - National Indigenous Kidney Transplant Taskforce Australia

Date Topic Presented at Institution Country
2022 - ongoing Panel: Dr Chan, C. Ting & K. Owen Grand Round Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Australia
2021 - 2021 Consumer Engagement in Indigenous Transplantation Research TSANZ, Annual Scientific Meeting Transplant Society of Australia & New Zealand Australia
2021 - ongoing Driving Change Grand Round Royal Adelaide Hospital Australia
2020 - ongoing Engagement of First Nations peoples with Chronic Health AMED 3003 Diagnostics & Biomarkers Sydney University -
2020 - ongoing Changing the World from a consumer’s perspective. Consumers Views on engagement amongst Fist Nations Peoples,. Beat CKD Conference Beat CKD Australia
2020 - ongoing Kidney Health Report Release - Indigenous Health Info Net Australia
2020 - ongoing National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce – NIKTT, who & What is NIKTT? - Health Translations SA Australia
2019 - ongoing My Journey - Presentation TSANZ, Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Symposium Transplant Society Australia & New Zealand Australia

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