What has your journey into Edelman looked like and how did you get into the communications industry?
A career in communications chose me rather than the other way around. My kindergarten teacher told my mom, ‘She’s quite the talker’! I was constantly getting in trouble for chatting too much. My late aunt’s advertising and PR agency made me aware of comms from a young age, which I also think is a rarity. I begged to intern with her – you’ve never seen anyone more excited to laminate coverage books for clients and help with pitch research! I went on to study Communications and PR at university and tried related areas (like advertising, journalism, radio etc.) along the way. But nothing felt as right to me as PR did, and still does.
As for Edelman, I’m what we like to call a ‘boomerang’. I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia where I landed an internship with Edelman there – and I loved every second. I then spent six years with a specialised healthcare agency in Australia after graduating, working on everything from new cancer medicine to early intervention support for children with hearing loss. In 2018, I made the leap to London in search of global work and ‘boomeranged’ back to Edelman. It felt a bit like coming home!
What achievement are you most proud of?
There’s so many I would classify as ‘pinch-me moments’. I’ll preface by saying these were only possible with help from my amazing teams, but some of my favourites:
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The announcement of the public health system reimbursement of a new medicine for lung and kidney cancer worth $1.1 billion AUD – one of the largest ever government listings.
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Helping a global health consortium bring the TB Innovation Summit to life at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2018 and 2019 – I met Tony Fauci before the pandemic made him a global ‘celebrity’!
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Supporting another key global health NGO with their 2020 replenishment bringing life-saving vaccination for children to low and middle-income countries, which ensured donor countries exceeded the US$7.4 billion funding target.
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Edelman’s Global Women's Equality Network. Our efforts as a UK team created a platform for important intersectional conversations with those like BBC legend Gemma Cairney on mental health and spoken word poet Sophia Thakur on gender, creativity and everything in-between.
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Working with the PRCA Equity Inclusion Advisory Council (EIAC) to create a more inclusive PR industry for all.
What do you find most rewarding about the job?
Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do. In my current role I’m focused on driving change around D&I, and storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have. There’s nothing more rewarding than giving voice to someone who has never been given a platform or opportunity to share. Helping people – and ultimately businesses – to build trust through impactful storytelling never gets old.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced throughout your time at Edelman?
The pandemic was tough on everyone – individuals and teams. But in healthcare it was magnified – suddenly health was everyone’s business. We were faced with clients’ incredibly fast-moving business challenges, stuck at home without reprieve and dealing with sudden loss, sickness and myriad mental health challenges. Better mental health support across our industry is something I’ve long advocated for, and the pandemic revealed just how critically we need to change. Stepping into my role as a leader, amidst all that, has been the biggest challenge I’ve ever dealt with – and not something I’ve ‘solved’ by any means! But I’m lucky to learn from and be surrounded by incredible leaders and role models both in and outside of Edelman.
How do you stay motivated?
Maintaining a work-life sway that works for me, helps keep my ‘sparkle’. Personally, that means prioritising time for regular exercise, travel and volunteer work outside my day-to-day (with orgs like PRCA and MediaTrust).
What do you do outside work to relax?
My team knows, I’m happiest when travelling. With Europe on London’s doorstep, I try visit new places (and beaches) whenever possible. I also used to be a personal stylist, so getting lost in a vintage store or finding something unique in a new local market brings me a lot of joy!
Where have you been able to travel with Edelman, and where is the coolest place you’ve worked remotely from?
I have been lucky enough to work with many of our other offices and when I have the opportunity to visit in person, I rarely say no. I must have been to 6-7 offices now! The Berlin rooftop is stellar and the Madrid team has the best local tips. I love taking advantage of our flexible working policies and the coolest places I’ve worked outside of an office are probably Lake Como, Italy or Marseille, France. Both have killer views.
In your opinion, what’s the most exciting thing on the horizon for healthcare communications?
I’m excited by the critical role communications can and will play in helping guide businesses in tackling some of society’s biggest health and wellbeing challenges. Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health showed trust is a key determinant of health and we know from recent PRCA research that business leaders’ perception of communications - particularly in protecting and maintaining corporate reputation - has soared since the pandemic.
As we edge towards uncertain global economic times, strategic communications will play a critical role in building trust and driving behaviour change. I also think our role in tackling the intersectionality of global climate and health presents and incredible challenge and opportunity.
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