Kim Ryan trained as a general nurse and then went on to complete her mental health nursing qualifications. Kim has been working in mental health for over 20 years in a variety of settings, these include acute, community, corrections health, recovery, and over the last 10 years she has held numerous administrative positions.

Kim was the first salaried Chief Executive Officer for the Australian College of Mental health Nurses, commencing in this position in 2004. Currently Kim also holds the positions of the Chair of the Coalition of National Nursing Organizations (CoNNO) and the Chair of the Mental Health Professionals Association (MHPA), and is a Board Member of the Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN).

Kim has a passion to see mental health and mental health nursing hold a more prominent position on health agendas at local, state, national and international levels, and believes that this can only be achieved with a strong united professional voice.

Kim was awarded the position of Adjunct Associate Professor by Sydney University in 2009 in recognition of her contribution the nursing profession.