Dr Robyn Keast

Robyn Keast (PhD) is a Professor at Southern Cross University and a leading authority on networks, networking, and collaborative practice across government, industry, and the community sector. Her work focuses on how organisations build and sustain effective relationships, how networks create value, and what it takes to collaborate well in complex environments.

Robyn’s academic contributions have shaped contemporary thinking on network design, network performance, and cross sector collaboration. Her research spans the full spectrum of network theory, governance, and practice, and has been featured in several landmark collections that guide practitioners and policymakers in understanding and working with networks today.

A defining feature of Robyn’s contribution is her commitment to translating research into practical tools that organisations can use immediately. She has produced a suite of widely adopted resources, including Participatory Network Mapping, a Collaboration Decision Support Tool,15 Collaborative Practice Fact Sheets, and theInter organisational Network Capability Maturity Model — all designed to help people diagnose, strengthen, and strategically manage their networks.

Before entering academia, Robyn spent more than 30 years in senior roles across the Queensland government and the not for profit sectors in Australia and New Zealand. This deep practice background shapes her approach: grounded, pragmatic, and focused on what works.

Today, she works closely with government agencies, industry partners, and community organisations to build collaboration capabilities, strengthen network performance, and support leaders in engaging more effectively across boundaries.