Fiona Ellis-Jones, ARN's head of news and information, has been awarded the 2024 Maureen Kerridge scholarship.
The scholarship is aimed at mid-to senior executive women in advertising, media and television to study an executive-level course of their own choosing, anywhere in the world and named in memory of Maureen Kerridge, the first woman to run an Australian television network, Seven, and the first female CEO of a free-to-air television network in the world.
Ellis-Jones currently leads a large team of journalists across ARN’s network, including KIIS, Gold, Mix, CADA, ARN Regional, and iHeartRadio. She applied for the scholarship to further develop her leadership skills as she navigates the challenges of a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Her career in media spans over 15 years, including as a national newsreader for ABC TV and Radio. She later became the head of ABC’s Radio/Audio News division, overseeing news on Local Radio, NewsRadio, RN, Triple J, and all digital audio platforms. Prior to this, Ellis-Jones worked with Nine News Sydney as a producer and reporter.
As part of the scholarship, she will attend the Executive Leadership Development Program at Stanford University.
She said she is "so grateful" for the chance to study this course at Stanford, honouring Maureen Kerridge’s legacy and empowering more women to excel in leadership roles within the media industry.
"I’m excited to gain new perspectives, discover more about my leadership style, and make a meaningful impact on the future of news media in Australia," she said.
“As a busy mother of four young children, I quite simply wouldn’t have had the opportunity to invest in my own development in this way without the support of CEW and the Kerridge Foundation."
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