Kirsty Thompson

Dr Kirsty Thompson is a Strategic Advisor on Disability Inclusion and Lead for the CBM Federation Advisory program. Originally qualified as an occupational therapist, Kirsty has worked for 20 years in a range of disability related advocacy, program, policy and research areas in Australia and across various countries throughout Asia, Middle East, East Africa and the Pacific. She has established and led a team providing disability inclusion advice with development actors including donor and partner governments, multilaterals and civil society across a range of sectors including for example, health and rehabilitation, education, and WASH. She has an interest in the power of cross-sectoral partnerships to realise the challenge for the Sustainable Development Goals to ‘Leave no one behind’. Partnerships, which must include the voice of the most marginalised – for example, people with disabilities, women, girls and indigenous people – to ensure they meaningfully contribute to and benefit from development investment and programs.