With over 20 years’ experience in communications, corporate and political advisory roles and journalism, Jo Scard is one of Australia’s foremost strategic advisers.

Jo is the CEO & Managing Director of Fifty Acres – a market leader in strategic communications and engagement for the not-for-profit sector, representing some of Australia’s premier NFPs, as well as corporates, start-ups, industry associations and government agencies.

Jo played a unique role as a senior adviser to the Rudd and Gillard Governments, managing complex Senate negotiations across all portfolios and ran major campaigns for the British Labour Party in the UK. As a consultant at world-leading public affairs agency Gavin Anderson, she advised domestic and offshore governments and major global corporates on complex strategic communications issues.

Jo is also a respected former journalist in the UK and Australia working with ITV, Associated Press, Seven Network, SBS, ABC and Fairfax. A trained lawyer she is Vice President of the NSW Council of the Public Relations Institute of Australia, Board Chair of human rights law centre the National Justice Project and on the Boards of the Australian Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Hockey ACT.