Anni Fordham

Anni Fordham is a communication specialist with a passion for emergency public information. Since joining Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in 2014, she has held a number of leadership roles across media, public information and strategic communications.

With extensive experience in emergency response, as well as an early career as a journalist, Anni has great insight into the complex communication challenges that come with responding to natural disasters.

Through her dedication and expertise, Anni has shone a spotlight on the critical importance of keeping communities informed during emergencies and accelerated a major shift in the way public information is understood at DFES, empowering all personnel to play their part.

As manager of the DFES Public Information Branch, Anni has helped shape the agency’s approach to public information as an evidence-based discipline driven by community need. Underpinning these efforts is her strong belief that arming people with the right information at the right time empowers them to make lifesaving decisions.

For nearly a decade, Anni has led public information efforts during natural disasters in her home state and beyond – including the Wooroloo Bushfire and Tropical Cyclone Seroja in 2021. During the New South Wales floods crisis in 2022, Anni served as a Public Information Officer in Lismore, supporting affected communities through the provision of warnings and information.

Anni represents Western Australia on a number of national committees, including as Co-Chair of the AFAC Public Information and Warnings Group. This group provides practitioners, who are responsible for issuing warnings, an opportunity to share jurisdictional knowledge and research to achieve greater consistency in the communication of warnings across the country.

Anni holds a Bachelor of Communications with Honours from the University of Notre Dame Australia and a Graduate Diploma of Creative Industries from Edith Cowan University.