Experience

Southsea Coastal Scheme

• United Kingdom
• Public Safety
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications and Engagement Manager (Major Projects)

  • Jun 2020 - Present

  Communications lead for the UK's largest ever coastal defences project, the £130M Southsea Coastal Scheme. Communications lead for the UK's largest ever coastal defences project, the £130M Southsea Coastal Scheme.


Education Scotland
• Education Administration Programs
• 100 - 200 Employee
• Media Officer

  • Jan 2019 - Sep 2019


Renfrewshire Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Communications Officer

  • Nov 2017 - Dec 2018

  In this role I worked closely with partners and stakeholders across Renfrewshire to develop communications focused on improving opportunities for residents and enhancing the Renfrewshire environment. I developed innovative campaigns and initiatives including: Transformation of the district’s waste collection service; promoting the town of Paisley as the forerunner in the UK City of Culture 2021 competition; Tackling Poverty initiatives across schools and community services to help vulnerable residents; and digital initiatives across the district to bring Renfrewshire in line with the rest of the UK. During this period I also managed all crisis communications during the ‘Beast from the East’ extreme weather conditions, ensuring the community and stakeholders were fully informed about Council services and disruptions while managing media and social media enquiries and updating the Council website. From dealing with complaints on social media and coordinating political and non-poliitcal media responses for local and national media, to organising photo shoots at schools and interviewing councillors about their stance on community concerns, this was a highly diverse and challenging role. Show less



Department of Justice and Attorney General

• Papua New Guinea
• Government Administration
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Principal Media Officer

  • Jan 2017 - Jun 2017

  In this role I provided high-level media and issues management advice to executive staff and ministerial advisors relating to Queensland’s justice system (including judges, magistrates, courts and public prosecutions), community justice services such as victim assistance schemes, Queensland Corrective Services and Youth Justice issues. Issues management was varied and involved developing media strategies and holding statements for events such as the imminent release of high profile prisoners, contentious court cases and the release of reviews into the parole and youth justice systems. I researched and wrote media releases, responses, statements and speeches, as well as undertaking media monitoring and daily liaison with the media on matters affecting the department. Reactive media issues I responded to included prison escapes, riots at corrective services centres, prison overcrowding, criticism of magistrates, alleged court closures, youths accessing detention centre rooftops, parole breaches, contraband in prisons and high profile arrests and court appearances. I also proactively sourced opportunities to promote departmental initiatives and achievements including programs aimed at reducing reoffending, interviews with judges, visits to correctional centres, visits to ‘specialist’ courts such as Domestic and Family Violence Courts and Indigenous Courts, and Law Week promotion via pitching localised stories to media regarding students undertaking work experience placements across the justice and corrective services sectors. View media releases at http://justice.qld.gov.au/corporate/media Show less



ACT Government

• Australia
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Communications Manager - Asbestos Response Taskforce

  • Mar 2016 - Sep 2016

  The Asbestos Response Taskforce provided a coordinated and compassionate response to over 1000 Canberra homeowners whose homes had to be demolished due to extreme asbestos contamination. The requirement for all these homes to be demolished meant communication was vital in responding to a diverse range of issues and needs of affected individuals, households and businesses. As Communications Manager I provided strategic development and implementation of communications and engagement activities to support the Government's Buyback, Demolition and Resale Scheme for houses affected with loose-fill asbestos. This included: • implementing communication strategies for the Taskforce • managing social media and the Taskforce website • producing and editing material for internal and external publications including newsletters, video scripts, surveys, social media posts, web text, briefs, media releases and speeches • collating and preparing information in response to media requests, social media comments and internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the Taskforce • facilitating and participating in community engagement forums, including interaction with community councils. Show less



Queensland Health

• Australia
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• Principal Media Officer

  • Apr 2014 - Jan 2016

  In this role, I was team leader of a professional media team in addition to providing advice on media issues and coordinating media responses for issues of statewide significance. I dealt directly with the Minister’s office and the Director-General’s office on a regular basis, as well as other senior staff throughout the department. I also prepared proactive media releases, holding statements, speeches, ministerial statements, news stories for the Queensland Health website and copy for publications. I supported the major public health priorities of the department by providing expert advice and developing effective communication strategies around issues of statewide significance such as major outbreaks and increasing incidences of communicable diseases. I also managed media and communication during major statewide incidents, such as disease epidemics and disasters such as the Ravenshoe café explosion which resulted in Queensland's largest aeromedical rescue effort. Show less

• Media Manager - Metro North Hospital and Health Service

  • Oct 2013 - Apr 2014

  In this role, I oversaw media and communications activity for five major hospitals in the Brisbane North area: the Royal Brisbane & Women’s; Prince Charles; Redcliffe; Caboolture and Kilcoy. I was responsible for daily liaison with communications officers at all hospitals, generating proactive media, media monitoring and providing guidance to hospitals on handling media issues. Dealing with day-to-day media enquiries was a major part of this role, including preparing holding statements for controversial issues such as patient deaths and disciplinary actions against staff.Some major issues I dealt with over this time included the proposed closure of nursing homes; the Melbourne Cup Salmonella epidemic which affected over 200 people in Brisbane’s north and caused a death and the state government enforced lockdown of all Queensland Mental Health Units. Show less



Master Builders Queensland

• Australia
• Construction
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Media and PR Advisor

  • Feb 2013 - Oct 2013

  Responsibility for managing strategic media and PR activities including implementation of the annual media plan (and media and PR components of other communication plans); identifying media opportunities; writing and distributing media releases; liaising with media outlets and contacts; coordinating launches and interviews; developing organisational key messages; implementing a media training program for key spokespeople, and ensuring timely media monitoring. I also coordinated the production and promotion of Master Builders’ industry reports and publications. I contributed to publications such as the annual report and Master Builder magazine, and wrote and edited submissions, speeches, feature articles, newspaper columns, and website and email content. I ensured that corporate identity and style guidelines were adhered to in all media and PR material. Show less



Department of Public Works and Housing

• Principal Public Affairs Officer

  • 2003 - 2012

  I worked in a high pressure environment and prepared regular media releases for distribution by the Minister and Premier of Queensland. I coordinated urgent responses to contentious issues queries (e.g. asbestos), as well as proactively sourcing good news stories. I prepared communication plans for projects including the $9 million Kangaroo Point Park; the $63.5 million Kurilpa Bridge; the $16.5 million Rockhampton Riverbank development; and the $135 million Brisbane Magistrates Court. I worked in a high pressure environment and prepared regular media releases for distribution by the Minister and Premier of Queensland. I coordinated urgent responses to contentious issues queries (e.g. asbestos), as well as proactively sourcing good news stories. I prepared communication plans for projects including the $9 million Kangaroo Point Park; the $63.5 million Kurilpa Bridge; the $16.5 million Rockhampton Riverbank development; and the $135 million Brisbane Magistrates Court.



Princess Alexandra Hospital

• Anguilla
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Public Relations Officer

  • May 2003 - Oct 2003

  I worked collaboratively with Channel 9 to develop a series of weekend news ‘fillers’ which highlighted the (previously unacknowledged) ground-breaking research that was taking place in the hospital such as stem cell research. I dealt with journalists from around Queensland to ensure enquiries were handled appropriately. I coordinated media conferences for up to 100 media, and briefed staff to prepare them for media interviews on controversial topics such as hospital bed shortages and long waiting lists for surgery. Show less