Kirra Pendergast

With over 34 years at the intersection of technology, online safety and risk management, I’ve built a career on staying ahead of the curve in online trust and safety. From advising governments on counter-terrorism post-9/11 and crafting whole-of-government social media safe-use policies to guiding a Fortune 500 board on social media safety for 30,000+ staff.

My passion has always been clear: to make the online world a safer, more inclusive space for everyone. Since 1991, I’ve led transformational projects that combine deep technical expertise with a people-first approach.

Having faced the harsh realities of online harm as the target of a relentless cyberbullying campaign in my 40s, I bring both personal and professional insight to my work. That experience drives my commitment to creating solutions that not only protect but empower.

Over the years, I’ve worked with more than 1,000 schools and hundreds of businesses, equipping them with the tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of online safety with confidence. I advise multiple NFP's and NGO's, mentor Tech Start-Ups and I am a Member of the Advisory Board for the Australian Age Assurance Technology Trial.

Whether shaping online safety frameworks, advising or developing policy, ghostwriting content for organizations in the online safety sector, or helping brands safeguard their audiences and reputations, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise, creative problem-solving, and empathetic insight to every challenge.

Based in Florence Italy, I have offices in Sydney, London and New York to service my global client list.

Services

Contact

Please contact me by filling in the form below.

Please note if this is a personal online safety matter, due to high demand, I do charge for my time if we speak about my work and how I can help you whether in-person, via zoom or phone. Thank you for your understanding!

Testimonials

We’ve recently had Kirra work across our system of 56 schools with school leaders who specialise in Child Protection. Kirra's comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the field has been of huge benefit to growing the capability of our staff to help better tailor the supports we’re providing to students and families in our schools to manage social media.

Kirra's presentations were interactive and engaging and the flexibility of delivery has enabled us to deliver high quality professional learning across our whole organisation.

Lachlan Ellis

Child Protection Manager - Catholic Education, Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

Kirra's practical advice resonated strongly with our people, who were eager to know how to better understand the emerging risks and challenges of keeping themselves and their loved ones safe online.

Kirra's straight-talking approach, practical examples and advice, plus their willingness to address sensitive issues kept the audience fully engaged.

We received wonderful feedback about the presentation from our team, which in turn has sparked further conversations on how we can improve cyber safety at home and at work.

Andrew Cresp

Chief Information Officer

Bendigo Bank

Unlike some of the talking heads who tend to dominate the conversation around young people and the online world, Kirra works tirelessly at the coal face - she doesn't just talk about kids, or at them, she works WITH them.

In fact, she talks to tens of thousands of teens every year across Australia (and, might I add, she makes a point of also visiting the smaller rural towns who usually can't access quality presentations).She's my go-to cyber advisor. I just love sharing the work of those who truly champion our kids.

Dannielle Miller

Parenting author, media commentator and

CEO - Enlighten Education