Kirra Pendergast

Speaker, Thought Leader, Writer, Start Up Mentor, Consultant & Advisor

Online Safety, Cyber Bullying, GenAI & Social Media Risk Management

Kirra Pendergast is the founder of www.safeonsocial.com and a leading international expert in online safety, with a career spanning over three decades.

Her extensive experience includes leading groundbreaking projects such as whole of government cybersecurity initiatives and post 9/11 counter terrorism strategies. Kirra has been a pioneer of cybersecurity since1995, social media risk management since 2008, and her development of industry-first policies and training programs in the social media risk management sector highlight her deep expertise and innovative approach.

Kirra's career is rooted in her personal experience as a victim of relentless online bullying at the age of 43, which inspired her to found Safe on Social in late 2013 from her spare room in Lennox Head, just outside Byron Bay, NSW, Australia. She had already been consulting to governments and a keynote speaker on the topic since 2009 but the experience was life changing. Since the start of Safe on Social, she has grown the organisation internationally with offices in Sydney, Florence, London, and New York.

Kirra has built a diverse client base that includes international brands, governments, police commands, and educational institutions from schools in remote Australia with only nine students through to elite private and international schools, universities, and professional sporting teams.

Kirra has conducted over 300 pioneering e-risk reviews and social media audits, authored innovative policies, and created transformative training programs for schools, government departments with over 12,000 employees, and Top 100 companies employing more than 30,000 staff.

Her trailblazing work began with a landmark e-risk review for Metro South Health in Queensland in 2011, which set a new standard and inspired widespread implementation across government agencies.

Leveraging over a decade of evidence-based data analysis, Kirra continues to drive groundbreaking advancements, ensuring her recommendations are cutting-edge, effective, and set the benchmark for online safety practices.

Based in Florence, Italy, and when in Australia her home town of Byron Bay, Kirra works with businesses internationally but remains dedicated to her Australian roots. She spends at least two six-week blocks each year speaking in schools to students K-12, their parents, and educators across Australia.

Kirra's proactive and compassionate approach to online safety education emphasises practical safety without fear-mongering, making her the go-to authority. Her ability to turn personal adversity into a mission to help others, combined with her extensive expertise and global reach, truly sets her apart.

Collaborating with Kirra means accessing unparalleled knowledge and a genuine commitment to creating safer online worlds.

Services

Areas of Expertise

Founder of www.safeonsocial.com the global leading privately-owned cyber safety education and consulting provider.

Renowned expert in online safety with deep, nuanced understanding shaped by personal and professional experience.

Firsthand survivor of cyberbullying, offering a unique, empathetic perspective on online harm.

Trusted advisor to global brands, blending discretion and expertise to guide youth online safety initiatives.

Specialist in social media platform dynamics and their impact. Special interest in child safety in the Metaverse and Fediverse.

Decades of IT, business consulting, and cybersecurity experience, shaping industry best practices.

Influential member of committees that shaped cybersecurity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Presented compelling evidence on child safety and law enforcement at high-profile inquiries.

Respected international keynote speaker and media commentator, renowned for thought leadership.

Understands complex technology, translating how it works to empower individuals and organisations to use it confidently and safely.

Trusted partner to diverse organisations, from tech startups to multinational corporations, delivering tailored solutions that safeguard young lives.

Advocate for making child safety in online worlds a shared responsibility across industries and communities.

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

Contact

Contact Me

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!