- Posted on 27 Aug 2026
- 5-minute read
The Faculty of Design and Society has strengthened its ambition and commitment to centring Indigenous innovation, creativity and culture to its education, research and partnerships with the appointment of respected creative industries leader Kyas Hepworth.
Professor Kyas Hepworth, a highly regarded screen and creative industries leader and respected advocate has been appointed Associate Dean Indigenous Leadership and Engagement at UTS’s Faculty of Design and Society.
A Bundjalung woman from Tweed Heads, Professor Hepworth joins UTS at an important time, following the recent launch of the Indigenous Institute for Designing with Country, a major initiative placing First Nations knowledge, storytelling and connections to Country at the forefront of design.
In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership to strengthen Indigenous engagement, building relationships and creating opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, industry, government and other partners.
“UTS is based in the creative precinct of Sydney’s CBD and sits on Gadigal land. Place holds story, and I’m passionate about creative practice and storytelling to influence, engage and advocate for culture. By maintaining and extending collaboration with broad industry partners and embedding long lasting connections with Indigenous communities, we will deliver compelling and grounded experiences for our students,” Professor Hepworth said.
Her appointment will support work in partnership with Australia’s world-leading creative sector, within the vibrant tech Central precinct, bringing together her extensive creative industry experience with the faculty’s strengths in design, creativity, research and education.
Professor Hepworth brings a wealth of experience across Australia’s screen and creative industries, with a career spanning creative development, production, government funding and commercial broadcasting.
She has held senior roles with national organisations including SBS/NITV, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and Screen Australia, giving her a broad understanding of Australia’s media and creative landscape.
Across these roles and during her tenure as the Head of Screen NSW, Professor Hepworth has worked to develop and promote screen and digital games talent, content creation and award-winning Australian productions, while building partnerships across industry and government. In so doing she has successfully created opportunities for diverse and under-represented voices with a focus on First Nations Peoples.
She has also held a range of board and advisory positions across the creative sector, including the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC), AusFilm International, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA academic board), the Screen Diversity Inclusion Network and currently on Bus Stop Films board.
By maintaining and extending collaboration with broad industry partners and embedding long lasting connections with Indigenous communities, we will deliver compelling and grounded experiences for our students.
Professor Hepworth is passionate about storytelling in all its forms as a way to influence, engage and design the cultural landscape we want to see., She has championed inclusive storytelling that ensures all communities especially Indigenous peoples and under-represented voices have a strong place across content and productions.
Her appointment comes as UTS continues to strengthen its focus on Indigenous-led approaches to design, education, research and engagement.
Dean of the UTS Faculty of Design and Society Professor James Bennett said the appointment demonstrated UTS’s ambition for Indigenous leadership while bringing significant opportunities for its research, teaching, learning and partnerships.
“Kyas’s appointment demonstrates our ambition and commitment to strengthening Indigenous leadership. It also reflects our strategic priority to build meaningful partnerships with Australia’s world-leading creative sector.
“Kyas brings an exceptional combination of creative industry expertise, strategic leadership and cultural knowledge. Her experience will bring significant benefits to our research, teaching and learning culture, creating opportunities not only for our Indigenous staff and students, but through our partnerships with industry, government and the broader community.”
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