Rita Reitano
Community Engagement and Education Officer at Department for Environment and Water- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Laura Wolfe
Working alongside a professional such as Rita has been a wonderful and refreshing experience. She welcomed me into the team and provided me with clear and concise information and direction so that I could hit the ground running. She is an excellent communicator who knows her stuff. She writes beautifully and has a genuine manner with stakeholders. She is enthusiastic, driven and shows passion for what she does. I would recommend Rita to any organisation seeking a senior communications team member.
Jodie Smith
Rita is an outstanding writer, manager, leader and editor. Her ability to streamline the communications process, which can often be complex, whilst managing multiple players with varying agendas, is admirable. I would recommend Rita in a heart beat to anyone requiring a wordsmith and editor with an eagle eye for detail and professional standards that consistently exceed the norm. Her process driven approach to communications and infectious personality make working with her a delight.
Laura Wolfe
Working alongside a professional such as Rita has been a wonderful and refreshing experience. She welcomed me into the team and provided me with clear and concise information and direction so that I could hit the ground running. She is an excellent communicator who knows her stuff. She writes beautifully and has a genuine manner with stakeholders. She is enthusiastic, driven and shows passion for what she does. I would recommend Rita to any organisation seeking a senior communications team member.
Jodie Smith
Rita is an outstanding writer, manager, leader and editor. Her ability to streamline the communications process, which can often be complex, whilst managing multiple players with varying agendas, is admirable. I would recommend Rita in a heart beat to anyone requiring a wordsmith and editor with an eagle eye for detail and professional standards that consistently exceed the norm. Her process driven approach to communications and infectious personality make working with her a delight.
Laura Wolfe
Working alongside a professional such as Rita has been a wonderful and refreshing experience. She welcomed me into the team and provided me with clear and concise information and direction so that I could hit the ground running. She is an excellent communicator who knows her stuff. She writes beautifully and has a genuine manner with stakeholders. She is enthusiastic, driven and shows passion for what she does. I would recommend Rita to any organisation seeking a senior communications team member.
Jodie Smith
Rita is an outstanding writer, manager, leader and editor. Her ability to streamline the communications process, which can often be complex, whilst managing multiple players with varying agendas, is admirable. I would recommend Rita in a heart beat to anyone requiring a wordsmith and editor with an eagle eye for detail and professional standards that consistently exceed the norm. Her process driven approach to communications and infectious personality make working with her a delight.
Laura Wolfe
Working alongside a professional such as Rita has been a wonderful and refreshing experience. She welcomed me into the team and provided me with clear and concise information and direction so that I could hit the ground running. She is an excellent communicator who knows her stuff. She writes beautifully and has a genuine manner with stakeholders. She is enthusiastic, driven and shows passion for what she does. I would recommend Rita to any organisation seeking a senior communications team member.
Jodie Smith
Rita is an outstanding writer, manager, leader and editor. Her ability to streamline the communications process, which can often be complex, whilst managing multiple players with varying agendas, is admirable. I would recommend Rita in a heart beat to anyone requiring a wordsmith and editor with an eagle eye for detail and professional standards that consistently exceed the norm. Her process driven approach to communications and infectious personality make working with her a delight.
Credentials
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New and Emerging Managers' Series
IPAA SADec, 2019- Nov, 2024 -
Certificate in Engagement
International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) AustralasiaNov, 2018- Nov, 2024 -
Analysing and presenting data
Institute of Public Administration AustraliaDec, 2017- Nov, 2024 -
Strategic Thinking
IPAA SA (Institute of Public Administration Australia SA Division)Jan, 2017- Nov, 2024 -
3-week course with Triple J, which was offered nationally by AFTRS, with only 10 places available
Australian Film Television and Radio SchoolJan, 1995- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Department for Environment and Water
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Australia
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Renewable Energy Semiconductor Manufacturing
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300 - 400 Employee
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Community Engagement and Education Officer
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Dec 2021 - Present
I'm back with National Parks and Wildlife Service's Fire Management Branch for another maternity leave back fill role. It's good to be back with this great team.
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Communications Coordinator
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Feb 2021 - Dec 2021
Promoting Green Adelaide, and the collective efforts of stakeholders and the community, to make Adelaide cooler, greener, wilder and climate-resilient.
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Community Engagement and Education Officer
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May 2020 - Feb 2021
Excited to have just started a maternity leave back fill position with the Fire and Flood Branch, National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia
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Communications Coordinator
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May 2011 - May 2020
Development of communication strategies and plans, writing and preparing reports, promotional materials including newsletters, fact sheets, publications, articles and media releases. In addition I keep the website updated, fresh and dynamic and manage the YouTube page and Facebook profile.
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Acting Communications Coordinator
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Feb 2011 - May 2011
Short-term contract as Communications Coordinator whilst one staff memeber had resigned and another was on annual leave. Duties included website and facebook review and maintenance, writing media releases, editing papers, publications production and other general communications responsibilities.
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Contract communications
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Jul 2009 - Feb 2011
Writing media releases, including interviewing AMLRNRMB clients and staff, editing articles on request, and overseeing the production of Small Talk a newsletter for landholders.
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Director
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Mar 2009 - May 2011
Writer: media releases, articles, science factsheets, websites etc Editor: science papers, newsletters, websites etc Websites: review, edit and update websites with links and photos, making each page more dynamic, rework main menus and sub menus to reduce the length for ease of use, etc. Establish style guides Writer: media releases, articles, science factsheets, websites etc Editor: science papers, newsletters, websites etc Websites: review, edit and update websites with links and photos, making each page more dynamic, rework main menus and sub menus to reduce the length for ease of use, etc. Establish style guides
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Cellar door
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2010 - 2011
Sales/marketing Sales/marketing
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Contract PR
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Jun 2010 - Oct 2010
Writing press releases to promote Integrated Weed Management workshops across the country, modified to different regions and media, and distributed to media and networks. Writing press releases to promote Integrated Weed Management workshops across the country, modified to different regions and media, and distributed to media and networks.
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Contract media coordinator for national conference
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Sep 2010 - Sep 2010
Wrote press releases and distributed them to national media outlets and journalists. Also sent to over 1,000 as part of 2 email/professional groups. Obtained and coordinated ABC Radio broadcasting live from the conference. Wrote press releases and distributed them to national media outlets and journalists. Also sent to over 1,000 as part of 2 email/professional groups. Obtained and coordinated ABC Radio broadcasting live from the conference.
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Contract Communications / Writer / Researcher
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Mar 2010 - Aug 2010
South Australian Biological Control web portal: • Researched and wrote 2 case studies and 7 factsheets • Oversaw design of weed biocontrol factsheet template • Wrote content for general information web page and for 'SA Biocontrol News' web page • Reviewed and updated the draft SA biocontrol status spreadsheet for web publication. South Australian Biological Control web portal: • Researched and wrote 2 case studies and 7 factsheets • Oversaw design of weed biocontrol factsheet template • Wrote content for general information web page and for 'SA Biocontrol News' web page • Reviewed and updated the draft SA biocontrol status spreadsheet for web publication.
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Contract writer / editor / website manager
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Apr 2009 - Aug 2010
• Interviewed over 100 farmers and food producers and wrote profiles for the ASFM website. • Edited and uploaded files on the website using a content management system. • Edited the website including adding links and photos to make each page more dynamic and reworked the main menu to reduce its length for ease of use. • Assisted with marketing when the Manager was on leave. • Interviewed over 100 farmers and food producers and wrote profiles for the ASFM website. • Edited and uploaded files on the website using a content management system. • Edited the website including adding links and photos to make each page more dynamic and reworked the main menu to reduce its length for ease of use. • Assisted with marketing when the Manager was on leave.
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Contract writer / editor
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Mar 2009 - Mar 2010
• Interviewed over 60 farmers and food producers to write profiles for the WFM website. • Established a style guide for their documents. • Edited stories as sent to me by the Committee; wrote and proofed newsletter; wrote press releases and distributed them. • Interviewed over 60 farmers and food producers to write profiles for the WFM website. • Established a style guide for their documents. • Edited stories as sent to me by the Committee; wrote and proofed newsletter; wrote press releases and distributed them.
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Contract website manager / editor / writer
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Feb 2010 - Feb 2010
• Revamped the ‘Home’, ‘Membership’ and ‘Sponsors’ web pages to assist the Market develop a more professional profile. • Edited and wrote documents and press releases. • Revamped the ‘Home’, ‘Membership’ and ‘Sponsors’ web pages to assist the Market develop a more professional profile. • Edited and wrote documents and press releases.
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Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
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Australia
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Government Administration
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400 - 500 Employee
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Contract science editor
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Oct 2009 - Oct 2009
Edited and liaised with the client to “strip excess verbiage and shape into a nice paper for a Weed Science Journal”: Hawker, V., Baker, J. and Preston, C. (2009). Genetic variation within and among silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cavinelles) populations in South Australia. Unpublished. Edited and liaised with the client to “strip excess verbiage and shape into a nice paper for a Weed Science Journal”: Hawker, V., Baker, J. and Preston, C. (2009). Genetic variation within and among silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium Cavinelles) populations in South Australia. Unpublished.
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Land & Water Australia
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Government Administration
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1 - 100 Employee
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Contract science editor
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Mar 2009 - Apr 2009
Edited, and liaised with the client, a Defeating the Weed Menace policy paper which needed simplification and a reduction in size: R.L. Miles, S. Kinnear, M. Friedel, A.C. Grice, R.D. van Klinken, S. Setterfield and M. Herpich (2009). Policy, institutional and managerial considerations in managing weeds with a commercial value. Land & Water Australia, Canberra. Edited, and liaised with the client, a Defeating the Weed Menace policy paper which needed simplification and a reduction in size: R.L. Miles, S. Kinnear, M. Friedel, A.C. Grice, R.D. van Klinken, S. Setterfield and M. Herpich (2009). Policy, institutional and managerial considerations in managing weeds with a commercial value. Land & Water Australia, Canberra.
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Science Communications Officer
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Apr 2006 - Nov 2008
• Edited and coordinated a range of Weeds CRC publications. • Identified and engaged with national, state and community-based weed networks around Australia and developed relationships with key individuals. • Disseminated Weeds CRC information through newsletters, press releases, email lists, conferences, festivals and display booths. • Fostered internal communications across all Weeds CRC programs and partners. • Developed a communication plan for over 30 research projects, in consultation with the research team. • Planned activities and materials around the needs of end users, so the science was always there but the language and format changed to accommodate their ability. • Ran media workshops. Show less
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Media and Communications Manager
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Dec 1999 - Apr 2006
• Established strong media coverage. • Produced quarterly newsletter and other materials including posters and fliers. • Conducted public presentations to diverse audience eg rural field days, metropolitan community groups, state government conferences and NRM staff. • Reviewed correspondence and created standard templates and wording ensuring clear and consistent messages for variety of targeted audiences. • Reworked the website. • Developed excellent working relationships with key government agencies. • Coordinated public events. Show less
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Education
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1995 - 1995
Murdoch University
Graduate Diploma, Journalism -
1990 - 1992
University of South Australia
Communications, major
Community
