I turn research, data and stories into communications that people want to read, watch and share.
I have more than 15 years’ experience leading communications, marketing, media and digital work at Kantar NZ (formerly Colmar Brunton), NZ Football and two regional football federations, reporting to the Chief Executive each time. I am also a trained historian, so I know how to find the story in complex material and tell it clearly.
What I do
- Strategy and planning. Communications and marketing plans, audience insight, campaign design and evaluation, brand and tone of voice.
- Writing and storytelling. Media releases, web content, campaign copy, op-eds, reports and executive communications.
- Media relations. Proactive media and high-pressure enquiries, including the 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton political poll during the 2017 General Election.
- Digital channels. Website redesigns, social media strategy, email newsletters, video and infographics.
- Events. Thought-leadership events, fan engagement and national tournaments, from concept to run-sheet.
Where I have done it
- Women in Sport Aotearoa, Social Media Manager (contract), current
- YWCA Auckland, Gender at Work Engagement Manager, 2022 to 2023
- Kantar NZ (formerly Colmar Brunton), Marketing and Communications Director, 2017 to 2019
- NZ Football, Commercial and Marketing Manager, 2015 to 2016
- Northern Football, Communications and Marketing Manager, 2014 to 2015
- Capital Football, Communications Manager, 2012 to 2014
- Wellington Phoenix FC, Community Engagement, 2012 to 2013
Campaigns and fan engagement
FIFA U-20 World Cup #NZWhiteOut
In 2015 Aotearoa hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup. I developed and delivered NZ Football’s national social media campaign, including a video asking fans to wear white to match our national team. I brought in Olympic swimmers, the Black Sticks, the Vodafone Warriors, Auckland Mayor Len Brown and the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Jonathan Coleman. Video by Shane Wenzlick at Phototek.
Wellington Phoenix March to the Match
For the opening match of the 2013 A-League season, I organised a march for more than 1,000 fans from Queen’s Wharf to the stadium. It brought together most of Wellington’s junior football clubs, the Wellington Brass Band, Brazilian dance and music group Batucada, acrobats, local band Uncle Monkey and commercial partners including The Hits. Video by Hayley Smith.
At NZ Football I also developed the campaign for the men’s national league, including social content, stories, infographics and the slogan, and designed and launched new websites for all seven regional federations.
Making research public
At Kantar NZ I turned the company’s research into stories for clients, media and the public. I led media relations, rebuilt the website, grew social media, and ran six thought-leadership events a year, each with its own infographic, media release and digital campaign. I also led a national study of attitudes to gender diversity in New Zealand businesses, and partnered with M2Woman to present the results to a forum of more than 250 people.
Infographics: women coaches in Aotearoa
In 2019 I analysed a national survey of women coaches for High Performance Sport NZ. In 2021 I designed a set of infographics to tell the story of that data. See them on the HPSNZ website.
Digital publications
Digitising content makes it easier to find and share. I created the concept and most of the content for football programmes, tournament guides and a quarterly Kantar NZ publication, working with great designers: the Colmar Brunton Creative team (Kantar NZ), Holly Dillon (NRFL programme) and Sauce (Capital Football programmes). Read the Kantar NZ publication.
Social media and newsletters
I manage social media for Women in Sport Aotearoa, a national advocacy charity, and write its monthly newsletter for around 900 subscribers. At YWCA Auckland I led engagement and communications for the Gender at Work Community, a national membership programme for organisations committed to gender equity. Earlier, I launched Capital Football’s social media channels and led its website content.
Writing for the public
- Toolkit helping sports clubs create a place for all, with Judy O’Brien. LockerRoom, 2026.
- More than numbers: The equity gap in sport and recreation, with Louisa Wall. LockerRoom, 2026. Republished in the NZ Herald.
- Chloe Knott’s sudden resignation from Wellington Phoenix highlights problems with women’s sport in New Zealand. Stuff, 2023.
- Women’s football timeline. NZHistory, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2023.
- The Black Ferns review shows, again, why real change in women’s high performance sport is urgently overdue, with Holly Thorpe. The Conversation, 2022.
More on the Writing page. For talks, panels and media interviews, see Speaking and media.
Work with me
To talk about a communications role, project or campaign, get in touch.