Jo Scard

Founder + Chief Executive Officer

As the Founder and CEO, Jo leads our team at Fifty Acres and is involved with all projects. She offers 20 years’ experience in communications and a wealth of knowledge in public relations and project management.
Standing as one of Australia’s most highly sought-after strategic advisors, Jo has a proven reputation in the field across corporate and political advisory and journalism.

A respected former journalist in the UK and Australia, Jo has worked with ITV, Associated Press, Seven Network, SBS, ABC and Fairfax, and previously acted as a senior adviser in the Rudd and Gillard governments as well as the British Labour Party. Jo is a trained lawyer and is also a member of the NSW Council of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and acts as a board member for Fitted for Work and Hockey ACT.

Jo started Fifty Acres in 2010 because she wanted to create an agency motivated by strong values and work in the for-purpose sectors, in addition to supporting flexible work. Since then, Fifty Acres has grown into one of Australia’s leading completely remote, full-service communications agencies.

A leader in the for-purpose and social impact sector, Jo runs regular webinars for not-for-profit and community-based organisations, and is available to speak at public events.

Outside of work, you can find Jo baking banana bread, walking her dogs or dreaming up an ending for her final creative writing piece for her Master’s degree at the University of Hull.

Alexandra La Sala

Account Director

A natural communicator and lover of words, Lex comes with varied and diverse experience across media planning, buying, outreach and implementation.

As an Account Director, Lex collaborates closely with a range of clients in the not-for-profit sector and is passionate about crafting communications strategies. With a proven history of working on a broad range of government and awareness-based projects, Lex is a skilled writer, project manager and strategist.

Currently working towards a Master of Global Media Communication at the University of Melbourne, Lex is highly passionate about strategic communications, politics and social change.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media from RMIT University and has previously worked as a hybrid media buyer for UM Worldwide and Wavemaker Global. Lex is always looking to collaborate with grassroots organisations across Australia in a volunteer capacity.

Outside of work, you can find Lex teaching an Irish dance class, finding a new running track  (ideally one with lots of dogs) or penning an op-ed.

Jemimah Taylor

Account Director

A communications professional based in Sydney, Jem brings years of vital agency experience to our team at Fifty Acres. With impressive strengths in creative ideation, campaign strategy and media relations, Jem has established solid networks across the Australian media landscape, and finds newsworthy hooks in every story.

Passionate about working in the NFP and for-purpose sector, she has contributed to a range of integrated campaigns including Lifeblood Australia, parkrun and Smiling Mind, as well as aiding with the development of a public relations plan regarding the refugee crisis in Australia.

Jem grew up in England and studied at Bournemouth University, where she gained a Bachelor’s Degree (with Honours) studying English. Exploring literature, language and communications, she became fascinated with the power of words and storytelling and quickly landed herself a PR role in London after study.

Since arriving in Australia, Jem has been passionate about protecting Australia’s wildlife and joined conservation group The Wilderness Society. She works on both community-based projects, and larger national campaigns that call on change to current systems failing Australia’s natural world.

Outside of work, you’ll find Jem at her nearest crag, wildlife spotting (including dog swooning), or practising yoga.

Dasha Romanowski

Account Director

Creative and naturally innovative, Dasha is a communications professional based in Melbourne. She brings a wealth of project management knowledge and expertise to our team at Fifty Acres and wears multiple hats.

With a diverse background in journalism, copywriting and digital marketing, she’s well-versed in creating and implementing effective communications strategies that resonate with their audiences.

Dasha has previously worked as a communications adviser and content producer, and has a breadth of experience in brand storytelling, social media management and campaign planning. She’s a freelance contributor for a number of music and culture publications and has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Adelaide.

Passionate about environmentalism and social change, Dasha loves using communications as a way to engage audiences, build meaningful stakeholder relationships and make a positive impact. With a special interest in animal rights, she spends her free time volunteering with animal rescue and advocacy organisations.

Outside of work, you’ll find Dasha doting on her four cats and two dogs, checking out some live music or hunting down the perfect vegan doughnut.

Mobinah Ahmad

Account Director

Mobinah is a passionate academic, writer, mentor, public speaker, and media personality based on the Gold Coast. With a suite of talents, Mobinah brings invaluable project management skills to the team at Fifty Acres. 

Previously, Mobinah acted as the executive at the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry and a Project Manager at the Australian Human Rights Commission, alongside the Race Discrimination Commissioner. 

Her fields of interest are in business, media, communication, digital culture, psychology and Islam, and currently acts as Managing Editor for national community news platform, AMUST News. 

Mobinah holds a Bachelor in Science (Psychology) & Arts (Digital Media) and a Masters in Digital Communication & Culture, where she completed a thesis on Facebook privacy, user vulnerability, and Australian law from the University of Sydney. Mobinah has also completed a Masters in Islamic Studies at Charles Sturt University through the Islamic Science and Research Academy.

Mobinah is highly passionate about Islam and social media and has always strived to eradicate racism and Islamophobia. She has served the multicultural interfaith community for fifteen years with her engagement in community work.

Outside of work, you’ll find Mobinah boxing, cooking, teaching, and writing.

Zoe Bennett

Operations Manager

As our Operations Manager, Zoe oversees our agency’s day-to-day operations, human resources, budgets and reporting. She also brings to the team a wealth of experience in government engagement, with her previous role seeing her working for a Member of Parliament. Zoe has a deep understanding of the importance of multi-partisan support and collaboration for organisations, especially in the not-for-profit sector.

Backed by her years of experience in customer-facing roles, Zoe is passionate about building meaningful relationships between for-good organisations and government stakeholders, and facilitates opportunities for our clients to engage politicians to support charitable causes.

Zoe has a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University, majoring in English Literature. She is currently studying online at Charles Sturt University, working towards a Masters in Information Studies. Zoe is currently based in Canberra.

Outside of work, you’ll find Zoe cosying up with a book and a cuppa, exploring cafes for the perfect soy latte, and hanging out with her much-loved cats.

Ethan Wales

Executive Assistant

As Executive Assistant to the CEO, Ethan works closely with Jo and the rest of the team to ensure the agency runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. With a rich history in customer service and team management, Ethan brings a wealth of skills in communication, information technology and project management to the Fifty Acres team. He values professionalism and organisation and strives to make each client, stakeholder and team interaction as valuable and efficient as possible.

Above all else, Ethan loves talking to and meeting new people, and works to bring joy to as many people around him as he can.

When he’s not at work, you’ll find Ethan sitting by a window reading a comic book or enjoying some delicious new foods.