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Welcome to the Women in PR Speakers Directory, in partnership with the PRCA.

Research commissioned by Women in PR and Opinium has revealed that half (49%) of people in the communications industry feel there is a lack of diversity amongst speakers at public events. Women and those from BAME backgrounds were felt to be particularly under-represented with only 24% of women in communications having spoken at an event versus 35% of men.

This directory aims to help close this gap in public visibility by providing event organisers and media with a list of female PR and communications leaders and experts, from all ethnicities and backgrounds, who are open to public speaking opportunities. The directory is a free resource open to anyone to join or to use.

Women in PR is calling on female PR professionals from agency, in-house or consultants, of all ethnicities and backgrounds, to sign up.

If you would like to be included in the directory please complete the following form below.

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Farzana Baduel Title/position:
CEO, Curzon PR

Location:
London

Biography:
She set up Curzon PR in 2009. Former Vice Chair of Business Relations for the Conservative Party. Farzana is also the resident public relations expert for the Foundry, at the University of Oxford. She is a Chartered PR practitioner & a Fellow of CIM.

Topics of expertise:
Strategy, Storytelling, Personal Branding, Country Branding

Contact:
farzana@curzonpr.com

Angela Balakrishnan Title/position:
Head of Media Planning Unit, Department for International Development

Location:
London

Biography:
I love creatively telling stories. I also thrive working on breaking news. Luckily I do both in my career which has taken me from Cancer Research UK health campaigns, launching Shared Parental Leave to responding to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone.

Topics of expertise:
Media handling, strategic communications and campaigns, visits and high level events planning and communications, stakeholder engagement and crisis communications.

Contact:
a-balakrishnan@dfid.gov.uk

Barbara Bates Title/position:
Global CEO, Hotwire Global

Location:
San Francisco, NYC, London

Biography:
Barbara is Global CEO of Hotwire and former founder & CEO of Eastwick – acquired by Hotwire in 2016. She has more than 25 years’ experience working with brands to tell their stories, accelerate growth and build value in the Silicon Valley and beyond.

Topics of expertise:
Why every company is a tech company, scaling company growth through comms, why mid-size is the right size for agencies, bridging international and silicon valley enterprises.

Contact:
veronica.herico@hotwireglobal.com

George Blizzard Title/position:
Co-founder, The PR Network

Location:
London

Biography:
George has worked in PR for 20+ years for international brands. After starting her career in Paris with international campaigns for brands including Mars, McDonalds,and IBM, she joined Bite in London in 2000 working in their international division. Whilst there, she worked for Apple, Samsung, Sun Microsystems, Toshiba and Openwave. George is co-founder of The PR Network, alongside Nicky Regazzoni, a role they have successfully run as a job share since 2005. George runs the Women in PR mentoring scheme with Nicky and is involved with the PRCA and the PR Council.

Topics of expertise:
flexible working; new agency models; female entrepreneurship; work and wellbeing; growing a business

Contact:
george@thepr.network

Eleanor Bradford Title/position:
Associate Partner,

Location:
North East Scotland

Biography:
Eleanor handles PR for a range of clients. She was formerly Head of Comms at a Scottish university and, prior to that, was a correspondent with the BBC. She has spoken out about equal pay issues and has a regular column in a Scottish newspaper.

Topics of expertise:
Engaging with the media, media trends, crisis management, equality issues and equal pay for women, NHS comms and communication issues relating to the health and science sectors.

Contact:
eleanor@spey.scot

Claire Bridges Title/position:
Chief Spark & Founder, Now Go Create

Location:
London, UK

Biography:
Best-selling author & Founder of Now Go Create, with 25 years experience as a former WPP MD & Creative Director, & 1 of only 100 people with an MSc in creativity & innovation. Claire believes in Creative Democracy and unleashing creative potential.

Topics of expertise:
Applied creativity, innovation, creativity in PR, leadership, talent development

Contact:
claire@nowgocreate.co.uk

Antoinette Dale Henderson Title/position:
Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach & Author,

Location:
London

Biography:
Founder of The Gravitas Programme with 25+ years’ experience in leadership development & communications. Published author (Leading with Gravitas) & regular keynote speaker on gravitas, confidence & female leadership. Chair of girls charity, BelEve

Topics of expertise:
Leading with Gravitas, Accelerating Female Potential, The Confidence Kitbag

Contact:
antoinette@gravitasprogramme.com

Linkedin

Jenny Davey Title/position:
Partner,

Location:
London

Biography:
Strategic communications adviser, specialising in consumer facing companies and crisis communications.

Topics of expertise:
Crisis communications, Property

Contact:
Jenny.davey@finsbury.com

Heather Delaney Title/position:
Founder,

Location:
London

Biography:
World’s most influential crowdfunding & Startup specialist who takes a full-on approach across early stage startups to large listed behemoths. Trusted experience in everything from product development & packaging design to PR and marketing.

Topics of expertise:
Mentoring women in the work environment, Startups, Crowdfunding, Global Strategy, Building an agency internationally

Contact:
heather@galliumventures.com

Charlotte Dimond Title/position:
Director,

Location:
Yorkshire

Topics of expertise:
Crisis communication, social media, running an agency, communication strategy

Contact:
Charlotte@sidekickpr.com

Elisabeth Earl Title/position:
Founder,

Location:
London Fields, Hackney

Biography:
Lizzie Earl is the founder of Munch, a PR company that offers big agency thinking with a boutique approach. Munch’s clients range from large household names right through to innovative challenger brands, Munch won PRWeek’s ‘New Consultancy of 2018.

Topics of expertise:
Female entrepreneurship and building an agency Efficiency, How to work smarter, Working with start-ups PR with impact

Contact:
lizzieearl@munchpr.com

Jayjay Epega Title/position:
Executive Director, EpegaMedia

Location:
London/Los Angeles

Biography:
20+ years experience UK/US. Extensive background in Celebrity PR/Media Relations – clients have included Hollywood A list , TV Personalities & global brands. In-House work for companies including MTV Europe, Sony Music, Universal Music and CNN.

Topics of expertise:
Celebrity PR, Crisis Management, Talent Development, Diversity in Media, Brand Management

Contact:
info@epegamedia.com

@Dgirljay

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/epegamedia

Jo Field Title/position:
Founder & Managing Director, JFG Communications

Location:
London

Biography:
Award-winning gender diversity expert & agency founder. Advises transport & infrastructure clients on stakeholder engagement, public affairs & workforce gender balance. Board Member of Women in Transport. Vice-chair of CIPR Construction Property Grp

Topics of expertise:
Stakeholder engagement; women in transport; women in leadership; transport; construction

Contact:
jo@jfgcomms.co.uk 

Claire Foster Chart.PR, MCIPR, MPRCA Title/position:
Senior Manager External Affairs (Corporate and Financial),

Location:
London

Biography:
Having spent over 14 years working as a communication professional in consumer, personal finance, insurance and roadside assistance, Claire currently works in external affairs for FTSE 100 insurer Direct Line Group. With both agency and in house experience, Claire has won Headline Money’s and PRCA’s PR Professional of the Year, she is part of the PRCA’s and CIPR’s In-House Team of the year, PRWeek’s Issues and Crisis Management, CorpComms Private Sector Communication and most recently, PR Moment’s Financial Services Campaign of the Year. She was named by journalists in the Press Choice personal finance report as ‘best in industry’ due to knowledge, reliability and approachability.

Claire is the Vice President of Women in PR and also sits on the Corporate Engagement Board of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Topics of expertise:
Personal finance/financial services, crisis management, consumer, corporate, in-house, integrated campaigns

Contact:
claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk

www.linkedin.com/in/claireleonefoster/

@claireleonepr

Addy Frederick Title/position:
Senior Corporate Communications Manager,

Location:
London

Biography:
Addy is an award-winning corporate communications specialist with over 10 years of reputation management experience who has worked for various well-known global organisations including Bupa.

Addy is a mentor on the BME PROs 2019 mentoring scheme

Topics of expertise:
Personal finance/financial services; healthcare; crisis and issues management; integrated campaigns; brand reputation; PR for SMEs

Contact:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/addy-frederick-99a14926/ 

Tricia Fox Title/position:
CEO, Volpa

Location:
Perth & Dundee

Biography:
Entrepreneur Tricia founded Volpa, now one of Scotland’s top independent marketing and PR agencies, at just 26. In 2018 she participated in the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses scale up course and opened up a second office in Dundee.

Topics:
Female entrepreneurship; growing a business; crisis communications; integrated campaigns; consumer

Contact: 
t.fox@volpa.co.uk

Claire Gamble Title/position:
Managing director, Unhooked Communications | Founder, The Northern Creative Collective | Founder, PR Unlocked,

Location:
Manchester

Biography:
A trained broadcast journalist, Claire has worked in PR for 12 years, working with large international organisations through to fast growth startups. Founder of PR Unlocked and The Northern Creative Collective, Claire supports startups and SMEs.

Topics:
PR and SEO, women in business, PR for startups and SMEs, creative integrated campaigns, how PR can unlock exciting business opportunities.

Contact: 
claire@weareunhooked.com

Ebony Gayle Title/position:
Author, independent consultant and founder of Ebonygaylecommunications.com & 9to5workrebels.com,

Biography:
Ebony Gayle is an author, speaker and advocate for independence, entrepreneurship and helping others to escape the rat race and follow their dreams. She is an accredited PR and communications specialist, with well over a 14 year’s experience advising, overseeing and implementing PR and marketing communication campaigns and strategies.  She has worked across a variety of industries including, entrepreneurs, new start-ups, health and social care, fitness & leisure, education and entertainment.

Ebony previously worked in-house where she headed up a PR team, before starting her own business and founded Ebony Gayle Communications working as an independent consultant with clients in the UK and abroad. Ebony is the author of the no-nonsense self help guide – How to become a consultant: a guide to free yourself from the 9-5 and recently set up 9to5workrebels.com a platform to help unhappy professionals escape the 9-5 and follow their passion.

Topics:
Escaping the 9-5; being independent; Starting your own business & wellbeing at work. 

Anna Geffert Title/position:
Founder and Managing Director, Hera Communication Strategies London,

Location:
London

Biography:

Anna has worked agency side in corporate and financial communications for over ten years specialising in Property/Construction, Financial Services, Energy, FMCG and Retail and has extensive experience in thought leadership research.

Topics of expertise: Corporate and Financial Stakeholder Engagement; Thought Leadership Research; Property and Financial Services

Contact:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-geffert-662044b/ 

Jessica Gosling Title/position:
Senior International Policy Adviser I Founder & CEO I Brand Strategist I Speaker,

Location:
London

Biography:
Senior policy advisor & creative strategist with experience working developing and building international partnerships under the lens of government, NGO & private firms in 10+ countries. Focusing on brand, identity, digital & cultural diplomacy.

Topics:
International affairs/foreign policy, international business, branding & identity, cultural diplomacy, digital marketing

Contact:
j.k.gosling@gmail.com

Sherawaye Hagger Title/position:
Consumer Brand Director,

Location:
London

Biography:
Shera is a senior communications expert with over 15 years’ experience in consumer PR. She is the luxury lead at FleishmanHillard. Shera believes that the future of luxe is in inclusion and diversification. Experience: Diageo, LVMH, Bacardi, D&G

Topics:
Luxe, Inclusion, Culture, Consumer Brand

Contact:
sherawaye.hagger@fhf.london.co.uk

Sarah Hall Title/position:
President of CIPR, Founder of #FuturePRoof and MD Sarah Hall Consulting Ltd,

Location:
North East / London

Biography:
Sarah Hall is a pioneer of best practice in the PR industry and has a reputation as a diversity and inclusivity champion. A strong advocate of accountable leadership and women in business, Sarah believes in helping young talent break through

Topics of expertise:
Industry trends; women in business (including diversity and inclusivity); organisational purpose; agencies of the future; social mobility

Contact:
sarah@sarahhallconsulting.co.uk

Bibi Hilton Title/position:
Managing Director, Golin and President of Women in PR,

Location:
London

Biography:
Under her tenure as managing director of award-winning PR and digital agency, Golin, Bibi has championed flexible working, returnships and progressive parental policies and is proud Golin is the only large agency with a reverse gender pay gap in favour of women. She has been included on Management Today’s Power Part-Time List and named one of the most influential women in PR by PR Week.

Topics of expertise:
gender pay gap; flexible working; returnships; parent-friendly workplaces; integrated communications

Contact:
bhilton@golin.com

Laurian Hubbard Title/position:
Brexit Audience-led Campaign lead in Cabinet Office, UK Government,

Location:
Cardiff

Biography:
CIPR Council member
CIPR Cymru committee member
GCS Wales and South West committee member
CIPR 2016 Outstanding Young Communicator
Head Judge for CIPR Cymru PRide awards
A Chartered PR professional & senior communications leader. Experience working in private & public sector organisations. Highly skilled in communication, marketing & PR disciplines & mentor to others. Extremely passionate about the value of CPD.

Topics of expertise:
CPD, Change Communications, strategy, crisis Comms and Brexit

Contact:
Laurianhubbard@gmail.com
07989186103

Emily Keogh Title/position:
Founder,

Location:
London

Biography:
Emily started life in international agencies, working on global accounts for big brands. She set up Palm in 2010 with a clear objective: to create an agile, dynamic agency that specialised in the food and drink sector, working with disruptor brands.

Topics of expertise:
Food, Drink, Disruptors, Start Ups, Hospitality

Contact:
emily@palm-pr.com 

Heather Kernahan Title/position:
President, North America, Hotwire Global,

Location:
SF & NYC

Biography:
Heather is a global marketing expert and business leader featured in Fast Company, Fortune & Adweek. She is President, North America, at Hotwire, leading offices in SF, NY, Minneapolis and Mexico City.

Topics of expertise:
How to grow, innovation thinking, unlocking authentic leadership, comms that drives the bottom line

Contact:
veronica.herico@hotwireglobal.com

Ruth Kieran Title/position:
Managing Director,

Location:
London

Biography:
With over 20+ years of consumer and corporate reputation experience, Ruth was Managing Partner at Kindred and Deputy MD of Lexis. A passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion she sits on the MAAG’s Advisory Board and chairs its diversity group.

Topics of expertise:
Diversity, talent retention, employee engagement, women in business

Contact:
ruth.kieran@cirkle.com

Amanda Kamin Title/position:
Director Marketing, Communications and Events,

Location:
London

Biography:
Leads Digital Catapult’s marketing, communications and events department having previously been part of VisionFund International’s Senior Executive Team, supporting World Vision’s microfinance arm across 30 markets.

Topics of expertise:
Crisis communication, corporate reputation, international networks, flexible working, financial inclusion

Contact:
hamanda.kamin@gmail.com

Gabriela Lungu Title/position:
Founder WINGS Creative Leadership Lab,

Location:
Europe

Biography:
Awarded creative leader & entrepreneur, with 20+ years of integrated experience in the MarCom sector, in different countries & cultures. I now use my expertise to help companies elevate their creativity through training, workshops, public speaking.

Topics of expertise:
Creativity, Creative Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Integrated Communications, Storytelling.

Contact:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielalungutp

Shayoni Lynn Title/position:
Communications Manager, Cardiff University,

Location:
Cardiff

Biography:
Strategic higher education communicator specialising in data-driven communications, harnessing audience insights and behavioural psychology to deliver successful campaigns that support business priorities.

Topics of expertise:
Strategic communications, behavioural psychology, segmentation, measurement and evaluation, campaigns

Contact:
lynns2@cardiff.ac.uk

Ronke Lawal Title/position:
Founder,

Location:
London

Biography:
Ronke Lawal is the founder of Ariatu PR, a boutique PR consultancy which represents a variety of clients in the lifestyle & beauty, food and luxury goods sectors.

Topics of expertise:
Media Relations, Crisis, Personal Branding, Digital PR, Global strategy

Contact:
info@ariatupr.com

Ali Marsland Title/position:
Founder/Director, The Effective English Company,

Location:
Nottingham, UK

Biography:
Ali has 19 years’ experience including 15 in the public sector. She founded The Effective English Company to give communications leads extra capacity for writing, editing and proofreading. The team works remotely with organisations nationwide.

Topics of expertise:
Clear and accurate communication; working remotely; running a remote business; freelancing

Contact:
ali@effectiveenglishcompany.com

Claire Mason Title/position:
CEO and Founder,

Location:
London (also Brighton) 

Biography:
Claire is the Founder and CEO of Man Bites Dog, the strategic ideas company. With more than twenty years’ experience leading global strategic marketing programmes, Claire is an expert in global business branding, thought leadership and marketing communications. Man Bites Dog has won more than 60 consultancy and campaign awards and Claire was recently named Female Marketing Leader of the Year by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Topics of expertise:
Thought leadership, B2B marketing communications, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Diversity (including The Gender Say Gap)

Contact:
Claire.mason@manbitesdog.com

linkedin.com/in/clairemasonpr

@womanbitesdog

Lesley McLeod Title/position:
Chief executive,

Location:
Edinburgh/ London

Biography:
Lesley McLeod is a talented and experienced communication expert now fronting a national membership association having made the leap from board-level PR/ PA to head honcho. Lesley is currently the chief executive of the Association for Project Safety

Topics of expertise:
Crisis and reputation; media relations; change management; finance; government

Contact:
LinkedIn.com/in/lesleymcleodpr

Emily Morgan Title/position:
MD Consumer, Red Consultancy,

Location:
London

Biography:
In a communications career spanning 20 years Emily has worked in most sectors – consumer, healthcare, public & third sector. She thrives on creating wildly ambitious campaigns and convincing clients to follow her artistic vision.

Topics of expertise:
PR & Communications, Brands, Work Life Balance, authentic leadership

Contact:
emily.morgan@redconsultancy.com

Gemma Moroney Title/position:
Head of Strategy & Insight,

Location:
London

Biography:
Award winning strategist. Speaker at PRCA, PR Week and AMEC conferences on creativity, strategy, effectiveness. Recently co-authored a measurement guide for ISBA. Studied behaviour design with Stanford professor BJ Fogg. Mum of 3.

Topics of expertise:
Strategy, planning, behaviour design, creativity, measurement/effectiveness

Contact:
gemma.moroney@mischiefpr.com

Anyika Onuora Title/position:
Team GB Olympic Medallist,

Location:
Loughborough/Liverpool

Biography:
I am a multiple World, Commonwealth, European and Olympic medalist who would love the opportunity to speak on my journey through track and field as well as demonstrating ways in which to motivate others in their field of work.

Topics of expertise:
Sport, Health, Winning Mentality, Overcoming fear,

Contact:
anyika_onuora@hotmail.co.uk

Carmel O’Toole Title/position:
Senior Lecturer, Course Leader in Public Realtions,

Location:
Sheffield Hallam University

Biography:
After 25 years working in journalism and PR, I now teach students at Sheffield Hallam University. I cover content from crisis management, media relations, corporate and social. My first book re local media, PR and democracy is published early 2019

Topics of expertise:
Crisis communications, public sector PR, media and community relations, CSR

Contact:
c.o’toole@shu.ac.uk

Cheryl Overton Title/position:
President,

Location:
New York

Biography:
Cheryl Overton is a creative instigator with a passion for brands, an instinct for insights, a commitment to inclusivity and a knack for integrating digital solutions that leverage culture to drive awareness and fandom.

Topics of expertise:
Creativity. Personal Brand. Multicultural Marketing. Brands. Diversity & Inclusion.

Contact:
cheryl@egamigroup.com

Sneha Patel Title/position:
Senior Advisor for External and International Affairs – Mayor of London’s office.,

Location:
London

Biography:
Sneha is the Senior Advisor for External and International Affairs in the Mayor of London’s office. She has over 8 years of experience in communications. Her prior experience includes working for a senior Labour MP, on the 2012 US elections, and in central government press offices, where most recently she was the Head of Tax Communications at the HM Treasury.

Topics of expertise:
Crisis communications; Communications in central and local government; Integrated campaigning; Political communications; Diversity and inclusion

Contact:
patel.sneha06@gmail.com

Mandy Pearse Title/position:
Director,

Location: Devon

Biography: Over 25 years experience in public relations and marketing working both in-house in large, complex public sector organisations and also as an independent consultant working in private and voluntary sectors.

Topics of expertise: Engagement, Market Research, Social Media, Stakeholder Relations, Public Sector PR

Contact:
Mandy@seashellcommunications.com

Sarah Pinch Title/position:
Managing Director,

Location:
Mainly on a train

Biography:
Sarah’ s worked in corporate communications for nearly two decades, previously working for the BBC. She’s a CIPR Past President, Chair of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, NED for the HSE and MD of Pinch Point Communications
@ms_organised

Topics of expertise:
Reputation Management; Issues and Crisis Management; Diversity; Gender Pay Gap and Women in Business

Contact:
sarah@pinchpointcommunications.co.uk

Vanessa Pine Title/position:
Director, Atlas Partners,

Location:
London

Biography:
Vanessa has worked in integrated agencies and client side at Carbon Trust and Coca-Cola. Before founding Atlas, she was a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Business, helping to bring in shared parental leave & gender pay gap regulations.

Topics of expertise:
Starting an integrated communications agency, female entrepreneurship, gender equality, diversity and personal development.

Contact:
bethan.phillips@atlas-partners.co.uk

Amanda Powell-Smith Title/position:
Chief Executive, Forster Communications,

Location:
London

Biography:
Working at the forefront of the sustainability movement for over 20 years helping progressive organisations from all sectors to successfully combine commercial, sustainability and social change agendas and tackle complex communications challenges.

Topics of expertise:
Sustainability communications, combining commercial and social agendas, cross sector partnerships and the Sustainable Development Goals

Contact:
amanda@forster.co.uk

Christine Quigley Title/position:
Associate Director and Head of Transport, Newington Communications,

Location:
London

Biography:
Christine advises clients in the transport and infrastructure sectors on public affairs strategy and campaigns. Previously she led public affairs at Rail Delivery Group and was a Labour adviser. She is chair of the CIPR’s public affairs committee.

Topics of expertise:
Public affairs; strategic communications; transport policy; political communications.

Contact:
christinequigley@newingtoncomms.co.uk

Nicola Regazzoni Title/position:
Co-Founder, PR Network,

Location:
London

Biography:
Nicola has worked in PR for 20+ years for b2b, corporate and b2c clients. She was an associate director at Citigate for five years before joining Brands2Life and Bite. Nicola set up The PR Network with George Blizzard in 2005 after working as a freelancer and together they have built a successful international PR agency. Nicola also sits on the UK Women in PR Committee where she co-runs the WIPR / PR Week mentoring scheme, and the PRCA UK PR Council.

Topics of expertise: Flexible Working; New Agency Models; Female Entrepreneurship; Work And Wellbeing; Growing A Business

Contact:
nicky@thepr.network

Sarah Samee Title/position:
Head of Communications, Cifas,

Location: London

Biography: Over 18 years’ strategic communications experience across public and private sector, in-house and consultancy; internal, external, stakeholder engagement and crisis communications. In my current role at Cifas, the UK’s leading fraud prevention service I oversee marketing, brand, PR, events, public affairs, digital and member engagement.

Topics of expertise: Integrated campaigns; stakeholder engagement; public sector communications; young people; mental health at work

Contact:
sarah.samee@cifas.org.uk
@sarahsamee
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sarah-samee-59187129

Abbie Sampson Title/position:
Director of External Affairs, Energy UK,

Location:
London

Biography:
A strategic communications, corporate reputation and public affairs specialist with extensive experience in the private, public and charitable sectors including at the highest level of government. Abbie has spoken at conferences and been on panels on a diverse range of topics from strategic communications to electric vehicles; consumer campaigns to analysing the general election results.

Topics of expertise:
Public affairs; corporate reputation; crisis management; strategic communications; consumer and energy PR

Contact:
@abbie_sampson
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbie-sampson

Jo Simmons Title/position:
Head of UK Press Office,

Location:
London, Kings Cross

Biography:
Jo has worked in external relations for 10+ years, spanning PR and CR&S campaigns through to issues management and managing a press office. After starting her career in an agency, Jo has worked in various in-house roles for leading brand names.

Topics of expertise:
PR campaigns, issues management / brand reputation, stakeholder management, budget management

Contact:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephine-simmons

Laura Sutherland Title/position:
Founder and Director,

Location:
Glasgow

Biography:
Laura Sutherland is a Chartered PR practitioner and was awarded a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). She is also a member of the PRCA.

She runs PR and communication consultancy, Aura, based in Glasgow, and works across the UK and internationally. With over 18 years’ experience in integrated public relations and communication, Laura is a former Board Director of the CIPR and currently sits on its Council and Chairs the Fellows’ Forum.

Now in its fourth year, Laura founded and organises the world’s only festival dedicated to professional development and the modernisation of public relations, PRFest. A hugely passionate and collaborative practitioner, well networked and someone who gets the job done!

Topics of expertise:
Public  Building communities, crisis communication, team structures, adopting the PESO model, professional development

Contact:
Laura@aura-pr.com

Emma Thwaites Title/position:
Founder/CEO,

Location:
London

Biography:
Emma has nearly 30 years’ experience. She worked at the heart of Whitehall, leading the strategic comms team at Cabinet Office and was previously a BBC journalist. Emma set up her company in 2012 where specialisms include emerging technology and data

Topics of expertise:
AI, data and tech in PR and PR/comms for AI, data and tech. Starting a business in your 40s, being a woman CEO/founder, politics/public affairs

Contact:
emma@thwaitescommunications.co.uk 

Celina Bond Title/position:
Dating and Relationship Coach and Entrepreneur,

Location:
Chelsea, London

Biography:
Celina Bond has built a successful online business helping men and women strengthen the communication within the self and their relationships.

Topics of expertise:
Emotional Intelligence, Online dating, enlightened communication, masculine and feminine energy work, communicating from energies.

Contact:
07721032944

Laura Bates Title/position:
Assistant Head of Communications,

Location:
London

Biography:
I have over 10 years of comms experience across the heritage, culture, arts and fashion sectors. Currently I lead on PR and Corporate Comms for the Museum of London’s two sites, and it’s ambitious project to create a new museum in the coming years.

Topics of expertise:
PR, crisis, corporate comms, strategic planning and culture comms

Contact:
N/A

Elizabeth Laidler Title/position:
Director,

Location:
Worcestershire

Biography:
Classical musician turned founder & MD of virtual marketing communications consultancy Encore Communications. Over 15 years in the industry, covering sectors from the Arts to engineering. Flexible working practices for a 24:7 global marcomms world.

Topics of expertise:
Media relations beyond the press release / Making flexible working work for all / Turning crisis into opportunity / Navigating the changing media landscape.

Contact:

N/A

Nicola Koronka Title/position:
Co Founder and Managing Partner,

Location:
City of London

Biography:
With over a decade of hands-on experience in fintech PR and comms, Nicola works with established financial services providers, startups and challenger brands to improve their performance and grow their reputation through comms. Missive won Best Place.

Topics of expertise:
Fintech, Business impact comms, founding and scaling a business, Influencer engagement, building an award-winning business culturE.

Contact:

N/A

Jasmine Title/position:
Digital PR Executive,

Location:
Milton Keynes (can travel)

Biography:
After working in traditional PR for a year, I moved to an award winning digital agency, Aira 9 months ago. I work across the full campign process from ideation to delivery and link building and love everything PR!

Topics of expertise:
Outreach/media relations, language in pitches and press releases, how to create a media list, how to rescue a failing campaign.

Contact:

N/A

Zaiba Malik Title/position:
Founder/Director,

Location:
London

Biography:
Specialises in crisis, reputation and litigation comms and media training. Advises UK, European and global clients, often at Board level. Works with in-house and agency teams. Award-winning former BBC and Channel 4 journalist. Regular events chair.

Topics of expertise:
Crisis, reputation, litigation, media training, purpose strategies

Contact:

zaiba@coppergateconsultancy.com

Anna Price Title/position:
Managing Director, Firstlight

Location:
London

Biography:
A specialist in corporate reputation management, Anna has worked with Lloyds Banking Group, Chicago Booth Business School, Klarna, Addison Lee & Ferrero. As MD of firstlight she uses comms to help fast-growth businesses achieve their growth ambitions

Topics of expertise:
Reputation and crisis management; corporate comms; fintech and FS; scale-ups

Contact:

anna.price@firstlightgroup.io

Evadney Campbell Title/position:
Co-founder, Shiloh PR

Location:
London

Biography:
Evadney Campbell MBE an award winning successful, lecturer, broadcast journalist, trainer and public relations consultant with over thirty years of experience in education, consultancy and media, having worked with the BBC a for over 20 yrs.

Topics of expertise:
Overcoming challenges to succeed, Importance Diversity & Inclusion in business, Challenges for Black Women in PR

Contact:

evadney@shilohpr.com

Sarah Lloyd Title/position:
Owner, IndigoSoulPR

Location:
Hampshire

Biography:
In the media and PR business for 24 years, Sarah Lloyd quit her global corporate role in 2017, in a bid to be a master of her own and to bring a better balance to her life, which led her to setting up her own PR and Brand Consultancy – IndigoSoulPR.

Topics of expertise:
How to create a business that works with your rhythm; How to navigate corporate life; Author Publicity; Storytelling for Brands; Understanding what is the clients why?

Contact:

sarah@indigosoulpr.com

Francesca O’Connor Title/position:
Partner, global head of brand, Milk & Honey PR

Location:
London

Biography:
Francesca is Partner, Global Head of brand and board member at Milk & Honey PR. She has held a number of senior positions in global agencies designing and delivering high impact integrated campaigns across a variety of consumer lifestyle brands.

Topics of expertise:
Leadership, empathetic leadership, flexible working / the juggle, consumer PR / client servicing, parents returning to work

Contact:

Franrich00@gmail.com

Jaz Ampaw-Farr Title/position:
CEO, Keynote Speaker & Broadcaster,

Location:
UK

Biography:
As a world-class reframer, I open the door to people becoming 10% braver. My superpower is empowering individuals and teams to upgrade limiting narratives and bring transformation in their work, life and community.

Topics of expertise:
Human-First Leadership, Change & Reinvention, Ambitious Resilience, Belonging & Diversity

Contact:

Franrich00@gmail.com

caraline brown Title/position:
, Midnight Communications

Location:
Brighton

Biography:
In 1995 I set up Midnight Communications, the UK’s first PR company to specialise in the Internet. Turnover doubled each year and I sold at its peak, but bought it back two years later, growing the company once more. In 2017 is sold to my team.

Topics of expertise:
Managing a fast growing business; handling the downturn; the lonely boss; the importance of teaching graduates business etiquette

Contact:

caraline@karibrown.uk

Lesley Woods Title/position:
,

Location:
London

Biography:
Lesley Woods is a dynamic communications practitioner with 15+ years’ experience of delivering compelling campaigns. As a media operations officer in the Royal Air Force Reserves, Lesley has created and curated stories from around the world.

Topics of expertise:
Leadership, Adaptability, Resilience

Contact:

lesleywoods01@gmail.com

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