Jo-Ann Fowler, MSocSci, qualified as a counselling psychologist in South Africa. She held an academic position as a researcher and lecturer at the University of Natal,  Durban, with a specialism of social psychology. She moved to the UK in 1998 where she worked for The Blue Cross animal welfare charity for over 14 years. During this time, she developed the Pet Bereavement Support Service in partnership with the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS) and was also responsible for producing training materials for volunteers and for people working within the veterinary profession who support pet owners through pet loss.

In 2003 she took up the position of Director of SCAS, managing all aspects of the charity – strategy, financial, PR and media, service delivery and editorial – she was editor of the SCAS Journal for over 10 years.

Since 2013, Jo-Ann has been working as an independent consultant, offering project management in an online research trial; strategic and management advice to charities as well as support to IAHAIO in a number of areas, including conference and event management, administration, website management and development and other miscellaneous tasks where needed. She is currently Director of IAHAIO and also main editor for the practice section of the IAHAIO online journal, People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice.