After decades of service and leadership, Kay has one message she hopes others will carry forward. It’s not about waiting for the perfect moment; it’s about answering the call when it comes.
“Opportunities don’t come easy. But if you’re given one — take it. You might change someone’s life. Maybe even your own,” said Kay.
Kay Morland was raised in a Christian household where service and song were central.
Her grandfather was a minister, and her mother was a choir mistress. Kay spent her youth immersed in church life, attending services, teaching Sunday school, and singing in a vocal group during her late teens and early twenties.
These early influences, deeply rooted in faith, discipline, and community, became the foundation for a lifetime of service.
Though she dreamed of becoming a kindergarten teacher or a flight attendant, financial limitations and age restrictions diverted Kay’s path.
Instead, she joined a bank after leaving school, soon moving into the head office’s IT department — an unconventional path for a woman in the 1960s.
“I’ve worked in IT since 1967,” Kay reflects. “I was the odd one out in the family — my brothers went into sports and plumbing. I found my way in tech.”
Kay remained in IT for decades, holding her own in a heavily male-dominated industry. Alongside her tech career, she also worked in advertising for Star News Group and an independent magazine, bringing creativity and communication into her professional skill set.
These diverse experiences shaped her into a woman who could balance logic with empathy, and strategy with heart.
Despite her professional success, she always sought something deeper — a space for friendship, purpose, and contribution.
In 1991, Kay joined Inner Wheel — a global women’s organisation committed to friendship, service, and international understanding. At the time, eligibility was tied to being the wife of a Rotarian, and Kay joined following her husband Mick Morland’s involvement in Rotary. What began as a social connection became a lifelong passion.
From member to club president, vice president and ultimately International President, Kay’s journey through Inner Wheel has been one of leadership and growth.
She represented the organisation across continents, connecting with women from diverse backgrounds, and lifting up causes close to her heart.
“When I walk into a room full of Inner Wheel women, whether it’s a local meeting or a global conference, I feel instantly accepted. That’s something I never had in my corporate life.”
In 2017, Kay’s husband, Mick, a well-known community leader and former City of Casey mayor, was tragically struck and killed by a car.
During the darkest days of grief, Inner Wheel became more than a passion; it was a lifeline.
“When my husband died, I had women coming from Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, from all over the country just to be with me. That’s the kind of support you don’t find easily,” Kay said.
“And the support I’ve had from women — at local clubs, nationally, and now internationally — it’s incredible. I’ve got friends all over the world I’ve met through Inner Wheel, at conventions and conferences.
“I’m always getting messages: ‘I saw your post on Facebook’ or ‘I read this article about you — great job.’ That sort of support means a lot. It’s not about validation, but it’s deeply appreciated.“
At the time of Mick’s passing, Kay had just been nominated for the international board as president.
“I received an email from the board saying, ‘We understand your circumstances, and it’s okay if you don’t want to go forward. We’ll support you either way.’
“I sat with that for a while. But I knew, if I didn’t take that opportunity, it might never come again. And I knew my husband would have wanted me to keep going. So I did.“
That decision transformed her grief into a global impact. As International President, Kay led with purpose, helping to celebrate Inner Wheel’s 100-year legacy while championing its mission to empower women and strengthen communities worldwide.
One of Kay’s most significant milestones was representing Inner Wheel at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in March 2025. The event, hosted by UN Women, brought together global voices to assess progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment as part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Inner Wheel didn’t just give Kay a platform; it gave her a voice.
“Before Inner Wheel, if I had to present a system at work, I’d be a nervous wreck,” she says.
“But one day I addressed 800 mostly male Rotarians at a conference — and I wasn’t even nervous. I realised, I can do anything.”
Her legacy is one of courage and encouragement: a quiet call to women everywhere to step forward, even if they’re afraid.
“Opportunities don’t come easily. But if you’re given one — take it. You might just change someone’s life. Maybe even your own,” Kay said.
“You’re not going to get a second go at life. If you look at something and think, ‘Oh, I couldn’t do that’ — you’ll never know unless you try.
“Inner Wheel gave me a chance to make a difference in someone’s life — someone I’ll probably never meet or even know about, but something in their life will be better because of what we do. That’s such a powerful reason to stay involved. And I did, even through my grief.“
