we do co-design training, supervision and facilitation
KA McKercher (say it: kay-ay, mc-ker-cha)
Taking care, taking time and taking accountability
KA (them/they) runs Beyond Sticky Notes and is the author of the book of the same name. They are based on unceded Aboriginal land and:
📚 teach design, co-design and facilitation
🗺️ supervise and coach co-design practitioners and senior leaders
🔬 support medical research and researchers
🛟 help communities and organisations work better together
💬 help to communicate co-design stories, processes and practices
✋ facilitate in-person and virtual co-design
KA is known internationally for their co-design frameworks and tools. Over the past 13 years, they’ve done loads of co-design and service design in health and social care. KA brings all of who they are into their work with extra care for people who have experienced or are experiencing oppression, trauma or minority stress.
View KA’s scope of practice, work history, training, lived experience and memberships below ⬇️
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KA is a designer, facilitator, writer and non-clinical supervisor.
They mainly specialise in co-design within health and social care.
They don’t offer:
Conflict resolution
Mediation
Therapy
They don’t work in prisons or policing.
For specialist work (such as co-design with children) they’ll often partner with others, including the folks listed on this page.
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Head of Innovation and Design at NSW Health Pathology (Government, Australia)
Principal, Participatory Design at The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI)
Design for Social Innovation Lead at Innovate Change New Zealand
Service Design Consultant, Optimal Experience New Zealand.
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🎓 Bachelor of Design Innovation from Victoria University (Wellington)
KA has done additional training in:
professional supervision
coaching
trauma-aware practice (including: safety and stabilisation, working with other LGBTQIA+ folks, managing vicarious trauma)
KA continues to build and maintain their competency in the areas above through regular training, supervision and peer support.
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KA is a victim survivor and queer person. Their lived and living experience connects them with:
Gender affirming care
LGBTQIA+ policy, service design and delivery
Domestic and family violence
Child protection and foster caring
Mental health
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KA has the following memberships:
AusPATH (Australian Professional Association for Trans Health) 🏳️⚧️
Australian Association for Adolescent Health
collaborators
Morgan Cataldo
Morgan (she/her) dedicates her professional life to developing and advocating for participatory practice and peer education as essential levers for creating true, lasting, powershifting systemic change in services for historically excluded communities. Bringing 15 years of experience, Morgan advises, coaches and consults with organisations across Australia and internationally who are seeking to understand the role of power in their everyday work and how they can design and shape more meaningful policies, programs, and services by partnering with people with lived experience relevant to their purpose. Morgan holds a degree in Social Science and serves on the Board of The Constellation Project. Find more about Morgan and her work on LinkedIn.
📍Australia
Sue Muller
Sue (she/her) is the founder of The Better Together Collective and publishes With Us - a celebration of doing with, not for. She has worked in health, mental health and wellbeing for over a decade, in management, leadership, advocacy, and advisory roles. Her experience includes local health services, state bodies, the federal government, national consultancies, private companies, university research projects, and joint ventures.
📍Australia
Emerson Osterberg
Emerson Osterberg (they/them) is a Clinical, Educational and Developmental Psychologist with 15+ years’ experience working with children and young people, and their families. Emerson has worked in educational settings, public health and is the director of HMHK Psychology. Their practice specifically supports neurodivergent young people and the LGBTQIA+ community, with a specific focus on trans youth mental health. Emerson focuses on empowering young people to understand and embrace their identities, and works with families and other systems to create safe and supportive environments where they can thrive.
📍Australia
Rachael Dietkus, LCSW
Rachael (she/her) is a social worker and designer with deep areas of specialized practice in trauma, systems, and social care mentorship, policy, and supervision. She has worked on cause-driven social justice work in the federal government, higher education, and social sector. Rachael is also the founder of Social Workers Who Design, where they work with organizations worldwide to strengthen ethical, responsible, and trauma responsive design research practice. Read more on Rachael’s website (Social Workers Who Design).
📍USA
Lucy Klippan
Lucy (she/her) is a professional image-maker, experienced in the use of design in response to complex problems in a range of areas, from crime prevention to health, to social justice and more. Lucy and KA have partnered to tell stories visually, interpret research outcomes into compelling visual products or translate complex information into accessible and visually appealing formats. Read more about Lucy and her business, Good Point Design.
📍Australia
Dr Emma Blomkamp
Emma (she/her) is a facilitator, researcher and strategic designer, best known for her work in co-design for public and social innovation. Emma and KA have worked together for many years - since working together at Innovate Change (now the Innovation Unit). You can hear more about that work and the evolution of co-design on this podcast. Or, visit Emma’s website.
📍Australia
Nina (she/her) is a textile designer and illustrator. Her work explores layers of motif, pattern shape and colour to create a range of bold and playful products that are locally made and designed. Nina works with KA to bring tools and communications alive and created the artwork for The Model of Care for Co-design and other products. Visit Nina’s website.
📍Australia
our recent work with NSW Health: All of Us
KA, Sue and Lucy worked with a Design Crew, Advisory Group, the Experience Team at NSW Health and hundreds of consumers, carers and staff members to develop NSW Health’s first guide to respectful consumer, carer and community engagement. Here’s how.
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The lands we work on are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. We Pay the Rent and support First Nations Futures. We acknowledge Ancestors and Elders past and present and the many traditions of design, creativity, collective care and innovation that have always been here.