Keith Jackson AM

Keith, chairman of Sydney-based public relations firm Jackson Wells, trained at the Australian School of Pacific Administration (ASOPA), arriving in PNG in 1963 at age 18. His first teaching post was at Kundiawa, where he also established a local newsletter and was a correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, South Pacific Post and Pacific Islands Monthly.

He transferred to Port Moresby as editor of school publications, later joining the ABC to write and produce educational broadcasts and moved to the Government Broadcasting Service in 1970, managing radio stations in New Britain and Bougainville. Around the time of PNG's independence in 1975, he was appointed head of policy and planning of the new National Broadcasting Commission.

After leaving PNG in 1976, Keith worked in a range of communications development roles in Indonesia, Maldives, India, the Philippines and Fiji. Back in Australia, he established and managed radio stations 2ARM-FM Armidale and 2SER-FM Sydney.

He lectured in mass communication at ASOPA's successor, the International Training Institute, before rejoining the ABC as General Manager Corporate Relations, responsible for relationships with government, media and community as well as publications.

After working with public relations firm Mojo in the late eighties, Keith started his own operation in 1991. Jackson Wells, which he established with John Wells in May 1992, is one of Australia's longest established independent public relations firms.

Keith has a BA in economics and political science from the University of Papua New Guinea and a Graduate Diploma in Management from the University of New England.

He received the PNG Independence Medal in 1976 and, in 2004, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to management and training in media, communications and public relations .

He served as President of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia from 2008-09 and as President of the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Society from 2009-11. He is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Queensland and a Member of the Australian Society of Authors.