Natalee Ward has more than two decades’ experience as an award-winning journalist, starting in rural newspapers and at NewsCorp where she spent a decade as a senior executive at The Weekly Times. She’s held positions including magazines editor, business operations manager, deputy editor and editor, running a 24/7 news site, a weekly newspaper, a fleet of magazines plus the country’s premier farming awards The Weekly Times Coles Farmer of the Year.

As editor of The Weekly Times, she created the Shine Awards to recognise the contribution of women to rural and regional Australia.

Natalee has worked closely with global companies helping them to share their brand stories with rural and regional Australians. Her experience covers agribusiness, education, health and finance, from leadership change to data breaches.

As a strategic communications and media advisor, she has supported organisations including Yumbah Aquaculture, Pact Group, LandMarkWhite, OneFortyOne Plantations, VicForest, Elders, Australian Pork Ltd, as well as State and Commonwealth governments.

Natalee has provided support for the Victorian Government in Emergency Recovery, leading communications between government, the agriculture industry and rural and regional communities recovering from bushfire, floods, storms, drought and the recent coronavirus pandemic.

She was born and raised on a farm, has an MBA from the Melbourne Business School, is married to journalist and bike tour magnate Murray, has two sons and runs marathons for fun.