Michelle Ainsworth has dedicated her professional life to the pursuit of quality journalism. She understands the vital role played by the fourth estate in preserving the integrity of our democracy.

Michelle is an innovator in thought and action and has 30 years’ experience as a journalist, producer and news executive with commercial networks and public broadcasters.

In June 2022 Michelle was awarded a Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding service in promoting reconciliation by promoting the respectful use of the Ngunnawal language across ABC Canberra.

Michelle is a former political editor who led the ABC’s federal election coverage in 2019 and 2022 and has observed the decline in trust in both the media and democratic institutions.

In 2023 Michelle was given a Churchill Fellowship where she travelled to the US, UK and Finland to explore the global decline in trust in democracy and look at how international media organisations are exposing political misinformation to help citizens restore trust in their democratic institutions.