We’re not here to tick boxes. We’re here to shift culture — for real.
We’re a strategy and research studio that helps organisations do the deep, relational work real change requires — grounded in community, culture, and context.
KŌTA exists because the people most affected by change are too often the last to be heard.
We believe lasting change starts with relationships, empathy and deep listening.
No parachuting in. No one-size-fits-all solutions. We work alongside communities and organisations to create change that is evidence-led, locally grounded and built to last.
Who We Work With
We work with people building better futures:
→ Social impact orgs
→ Government leaders
→ First Nations communities
→ Research institutions
→ Brave teams tired of doing things the old way
National reach. Local understanding.
From first conversation to lasting impact — this is KŌTA.
Meet Renée Gardiner
The archaeologist and systems thinker behind KŌTA
Some people collect stamps. Renée collects stories — and the occasional plot twist.
An archaeologist, systems thinker and founder of KŌTA, she has spent two decades working across social research, strategy and community leadership. From unearthing a Bronze Age ceremonial axe in Bulgaria to navigating open-heart surgery, she has learned that the most valuable things often sit just beneath the surface.
Growing up in Queensland shaped her connection to land, culture and the relationships that hold communities together. Today, she brings social science, cultural insight and systems thinking together to help organisations create change that lasts.
Her work has been recognised in the Australian Parliament, and she was named a 40Under40 Business News Award winner for social enterprise leadership.
Her belief is simple:
Real change is human. And people need more than data — they need to be seen.