Dr Aastha Malhotra

Senior Lecturer (Social Work and Human Services) | Accredited Mental Health First Aider | School of Psychology and Wellbeing | Faculty of Health, Engineering & Sciences UniSQ

Dr Aastha Malhotra specialises in supporting social sector organisations and social enterprises through complex strategic change while enhancing their ability to achieve sustainable social impact. Motivated by listening to dinner table debates between her social worker mother and a management executive father, she developed a passion for social change with a focus on organisational sustainability.

Aastha considers herself to be a multidisciplinary pracademic (an individual who bridges the worlds of academia and practice) and has over 15 years of experience partnering with organisations on several strategic readiness and capacity building initiatives across Australia, Canada and India. Examples of projects include a number of capacity building projects, including international fellowship programs for women entrepreneurs from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka funded by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, digital skill building for migrant and refugee women entrepreneurs funded by Advance Queensland, and resilience building for social enterprise founders in Regional Australia funded by Department of Employment, Small Business and Training that is currently underway.

Aastha’s educational background includes a Masters in Human Services and a PhD in Management from UQ Business School for which she received a Social Innovation Scholarship. Previously the Program Director for Human Services, she is an experienced management executive and brings expertise in transformational leadership, strategic planning, impact measurement and community engagement. She is passionate about facilitating practical outcomes from research, and continues to be actively involved in the industry through management seminars, and serving on panels and advisory committees to help organisations enhance health and socio-economic wellbeing outcomes.