Ellie Laing-Southwood is a communications executive and board member with leadership experience across government, sport, public affairs, advocacy and the media.
Ellie has served on the Executive Leadership Team at the Australian Olympic Committee, where she worked as Chief of Communications and Media, and prior to that was also on the executive at the Property Council of Australia – the peak advocacy body representing the largest employer of people – as Head of Communications, Media & Marketing.
She is also serving her second term on the Board of Sport NSW, the peak representing the state’s sport and active recreation sector.
Ellie previously worked as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker of NSW Parliament, Director of Communications for the Deputy Premier of NSW, and in the Ministerial Communications team within the state’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Prior to her time across government, Ellie worked as a journalist and presenter for the best part of a decade across commercial, public and multicultural broadcasters, lectured in journalism at Macleay College and was invited to deliver a Tedx Talk in 2015.
Ellie is also the co-author of a series of children’s books with former Australian of the Year Adam Goodes. The award-winning and best-selling series celebrate and educate families about First Nations culture and history.
Ellie lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with her husband and two sons, is a supporter of the Sydney Swans, and loves spending time in her garden.