Founder.
Educator.
Strategist.
Working at the intersection of rural economic development and global talent mobility, across borders, across sectors, always for impact.
Working at the intersection of rural economic development and global talent mobility, across borders, across sectors, always for impact.
I am a founder, educator and strategist working at the intersection of rural economic development and global talent mobility. I wear many hats across my portfolio career, leading ventures, advocating, driving change and working with organisations committed to impact.
With roots firmly planted in rural Australia, but my head hitting the pillow in Bangkok, Thailand, my work spans borders, supporting individuals, businesses and institutions to unlock opportunity, build capacity and drive inclusive growth.
My work is deeply rooted in impact, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal 8, promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
As an educator and teacher, I believe access to knowledge is as important as access to opportunity. Recognised as a national leader in rural economic development, I have been honoured with the COSBOA National Small Business Champion award and the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award.
Through my ventures, I am dedicated to creating real change:
A portfolio of ventures spanning rural advocacy, talent mobility, investment access and digital infrastructure for rural communities.
Launched in 2022 with Julia Spicer, The Connection Table was created from the undeniable need for rural Australians to have a voice where decisions are being made. Too many times, the room lacked rural perspectives. This network exists to change that, ensuring rural leaders have a platform to influence the policies and initiatives that shape their communities.
→ Visit siteEstablished in 2022 as The Trailing Spouse Co and relaunched as ellora. in 2025 with Emma Humann. Born from both Jo and Emma's own experience relocating, ellora. supports highly capable professionals who move for a partner's career and risk losing their professional identity in the process. Through virtual and in-person events, training and workshops, ellora. helps members connect, upskill and find meaningful opportunities, ensuring no one has to sacrifice their career due to a relocation.
→ Visit siteInspired by the need to support brilliant rural businesses in accessing the funding required to scale, Invest Rural bridges the investment gap for rural entrepreneurs. Co-founders Claire Bull and Dave Lillo-Trynes bring deep experience and networks to the initiative, delivering workshops, investor events and strategic guidance, ensuring rural businesses are not just sustainable but thriving, growing and creating long-term economic impact.
→ Visit siteStemming from an unwavering commitment to breaking down employment barriers in rural Australia, this initiative white-labels Pointer Remote's technology to enable organisations to build customised, niche job boards for sectors like agriculture and rural development. The goal is simple: remove roadblocks to employment and help businesses tap into incredible rural talent.
Born from the belief that talent lives everywhere, Pointer Remote was built to remove the barriers faced by people building careers from rural and remote Australia. What began as a small advocacy project grew into a national movement, connecting businesses with skilled professionals outside major cities and championing remote work long before it became mainstream. Pointer Remote helped rural Australians access meaningful roles, shifted how employers think about hiring and drove a lasting change in how Australia thinks about work.
Whether you're looking to collaborate, partner, speak or simply connect, I'd love to hear from you.
