Chris Thomas Email & Phone Number

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Position involves:• Undertaking Communications Unit strategies to positively promote the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) to staff, members, stakeholders, general public and media.• Promoting and communicating YMAC’s services, projects, successes and people, both internally and externally.• Curating and producing corporate newsletters and other related documentation.• Designing, producing and project-managing routine internal and external communication publications and compliance deliverables such as the annual report, six-month operational reports, claim updates, newsletters, blog updates, internet, YMAC factsheets and YMAC collateral (such as business cards, reports, merchandise etc).• Maintaining and updating stakeholder and media databases.• Regularly maintaining and updating YMAC’s internet, website and online presence.• Coordinating and assisting with writing, event coordination, event documentation (photographs, videos) and drafting media releases.• Providing communications support to advocacy undertaken by YMAC.• Undertaking media and other stakeholder monitoring and liaison, under direction of the Communications Manager.• Active involvement in community engagement and attendance at events where required.• Contributing to the Communications Unit’s strategic and operational planning and implementation, as well as associated internal and external reporting and review processes.

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

• Managing numerous daily media enquiries via email and phone (an average 300 emails a day), demonstrating an ability to work under extreme timeframes and pressure. • Extensive liaison with appropriate Department of Health staff to respond to this vast array of media enquiries. • Drafting and editing media statement/responses relating to the WA Health system and COVID-19.• Writing ‘holding lines’ for the media as breaking incidents and emergencies occur (re-active media).• Developing media response plans for different COVID-19 scenarios.• Liaising with the Premier and Minister’s media and policy advisers to establish consistent key messaging.• Developing, implementing and writing media releases for the Health Minister and Department of Health for pro-active media opportunities.• Identifying contentious issues and political sensitivities that may impact upon the State Government.• Developing talking points for the Premier, Health Minister and Chief Health Officer on contentious issues as needed.• Consistently reviewing media for themes about current COVID-19 vaccines for the vaccine rollout team.• Developing and implementing successful communication strategies based on research and using best practice methodologies.• Photography as required to accompany media releases or respond to media enquiries.

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Hired on a three-month contract to:• Developed user journeys for the WA.gov.au portal.• Wrote content in accordance with the WA Government’s Digital Services Content Standards.• Reviewed the user-experience and website content to ensure compliance with the WA Government’s Digital Services Policy Framework.• Extensive back-end work on Drupal-based CMS, ensuring content was uploaded to WA Government standards.

Perth, Australia

Full-time role overseeing all communications requirements, including: • Keeping the media up-to-date on the city’s achievements and activities while responding to media enquiries in a timely manner to ensure deadlines are met. • Regular briefings to consult, liaise with and advise the CEO on major media issues and opportunities on corporate matters and to create and seek approval of written material.• Providing corporate communications oversight, ensuring all publications incorporate high-quality written and graphic presentation style.• Producing timely publications that meet the needs of the community, reflect and enhance council’s corporate image and identity and meet written content, style and quality guidelines including the monthly full-page Nedlands News advert, annual Nedlands Now newsletter, annual report; strategic community plan and other publications and brochures.• Overseeing regular updates of social media such as the City's Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.• Assisting with website development and maintenance and providing website content.• Providing broad media and communication advice to staff and service teams, facilitating effective community consultation as required on matters affecting the City.• Preparing and delivering Communications Induction Guide for all new employees to the organisation.• Arrange interviews and photo opportunities and taking photos where appropriate.• Developing, monitoring and reviewing the communication strategy.• Providing direction and supervision of Communications employees in their day-to-day operations.• Preparing media releases and present positive stories on city projects and activities.• Extensive graphic design work on brochures, pamphlets, posters, newsletters, signage and adverts.• Managing advertising bookings and liaising with printers as necessary.

Contracted to write ministerial and Commission media releases, speeches, briefing notes, event summaries, social media posts and internal communications while liaising with Commission directorates on communication matters.

Perth, Australia

Hired on a six-week contract to cover for a staff member on leave, working in a team responsible for issues management, media liaison, stakeholder engagement and internal communications.

Perth, Australia

Hired on an 18-week contract to cover for a staff member on long-service leave from the Communications and Marketing Branch, writing ministerial media releases, speeches, articles for various publications, internal communications and the organisation’s annual report. Also handled media enquiries and media monitoring.The annual report was the recipient of a silver WS Lonnie Award (http://www.wa.ipaa.org.au/Awards-WSLonnieAwards.aspx) for a general government sector agency with under 100 full-time employees.

Perth Wa

Position involved writing an array of communications material for the Liveable Homes project for publication in Commission and housing industry magazines, journals, e-bulletins and websites. Also contracted to work on increasing the profile of the Commission’s Count Me In Ambassadors, writing media strategies and “how to” guides on how to achieve this.

Perth, Australia

Contracted to act in this position, as an extension from my previous role, it involves ongoing media monitoring, writing ministerial and Commission media releases, speeches, briefing notes, event summaries, articles, internal communications, extensive proofing, liaising with Commission directorates on communication matters, photography, media liaison, statistical interpretation of media coverage and a good working knowledge of current issues relating to the disability sector.

Perth, Australia

Ongoing media monitoring, writing ministerial and Commission media releases, speeches, briefing notes, event summaries, articles, internal communications, extensive proofing, liaising with Commission directorates on communication matters, photography, media liaison, statistical interpretation of media coverage and a good working knowledge of current issues relating to the disability sector.

Perth, Australia

Hired on a seven-week contract to cover for various staff members on leave in the Communications Access and Information Branch, writing ministerial media releases, speeches, articles for various publications and internal communications. Was called in for another 10-day contract in November for various writing assignments in relation to the 2011 Count Me In Awards.

Perth, Australia

Hired on a temporary, part-time basis to assist the council’s communications department, fulfilling a role similar to my previous employment June–November 2009: • Liaising with the media on key local issues and initiating media releases to promote the activities of council to the broader community.• Arranging and managing photoshoots.• Writing and coordinating articles in the bi-monthly Cockburn Soundings newsletter and other publications/media as required.• Developing and maintaining a media contact database.• Assisting the Communications Manager with the writing and production of information and promotional materials.• Attending council meetings and functions as necessary to help generate media interest.• Maintaining information on the city’s website, to ensure content was current and correct.• Developing media liaison arrangements to complement marketing and promotional strategies.• Providing advice and direction to the council on the management of issues that would interest the media and the community.• Liaising with staff to ensure the integrity of media releases, media materials, responses, publications and other material made available to the public.

Perth, Australia

• Theatre Bits, TAZ Entertainment, A lad in sane productions, Blak Yak Theatre, Playlovers, Roleystone Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Melville Theatre, The Actors’ Hub, ARENAarts and the Old Mill Theatre engaged me for marketing and publicity, following my strategy of localising media releases so they are tailored to individual actors and specific areas, casting the net wider on potential areas of coverage in different media (matched with on-the-ground leg work, such as putting up posters, handing out flyers and so on, and using social media networks, text messaging and email to also promote these events). • Cicerello’s Restaurant engaged me to write media releases, take photographs and create a Twitter presence to create greater brand awareness where possible in the marketplace.• Perth boxer Mark de Mori and Perth businesses Hit Nitz 4 6, Freedom Couture, Rawsome and The York Mill hired me to write media releases and pitch stories to help increase their profile.• Hired to write freelance articles for Science Network WA at www.sciencewa.net.au on topics such as Paget’s disease, sleep apnoea, entomology, Australian water rats, Huntington’s disease, research into appetite and exercise and computer reading programs for the visually-impaired. Contributed more than 150 stories in the over four years.

Perth, Australia

Responsible for the editorial content of this weekly newspaper. The paper covers the City of Swan, Town of Bassendean and Shires of Kalamunda, Mundaring, Toodyay, York and Northam. Duties included:• Supervising one full-time and one part-time journalist, delegating stories as appropriate to them.• Sourcing stories and writing front-page leads, news stories, features, entertainment and sport.• Conducting weekly editorial meetings to decide on story placement and news items that needed to be covered.• Taking photographs as required to accompany stories.• Liaising with advertising staff on advertorial matters.• Introducing new columns to the newspaper to add more variety.• Sub-editing all copy to ensure a consistency of style across the paper.• Liaising with local politicians, councils, government ministers, shadow ministers and other members of Parliament, CEOs, the local business community, community groups and various associations in relation to stories.• Working with production on the layout of the paper.• Proofing the paper and making adjustments and corrections via Adobe InDesign.• Mentoring work experience students so they could learn journalistic techniques in a real newsroom.• Maintaining the newspaper’s website, adding editorial content via the content management system.

Perth, Australia

Hired to assist with the promotion of the council’s many and varied facilities, services, events, functions, brochures, projects, corporate reports, newsletters, bulletins and speeches to the community in an informative and positive light. Tasks included:• Preparing speech notes for the Mayor, Councillors and Chief Executive Officer.• Writing the weekly mayoral column for Community Newspapers.• Developing and writing media releases as required.• Researching media enquiries and preparing responses for the media.• Sourcing material, writing and completing graphic design (using Adobe InDesign) of full-page advertorials for Perth Voice, Eastern Reporter and Guardian Express.• Researching issues as required for the Mayor and Chief Executive Officer.• Assisting with the promotion of large events as required, such as the Autumn River Festival.• Updating and maintaining the news sections of the City of Bayswater’s website.• Taking photographs as necessary, keeping a record of events, functions and council operations.

Perth, Australia

The City of Cockburn hired me on a part-time, job-share arrangement as media liaison officer four days a week to:• Liaise with the media on key local issues and initiate media releases to promote the activities of council to the broader community.• Arrange and manage photoshoots.• Write and coordinate articles in the bi-monthly Cockburn Soundings newsletter and other publications/media as required.• Develop and maintain a media contact database.• Assist the Communications Manager with the writing and production of information and promotional materials.• Attend council meetings and functions as necessary to help generate media interest.• Maintain information on the city’s website, to ensure content was current and correct.• Develop media liaison arrangements to complement marketing and promotional strategies.• Provide advice and direction to the council on the management of issues that would interest the media and the community.• Liaise with staff to ensure the integrity of media releases, media materials, responses, publications and other material made available to the public.

Perth, Australia

• As part of this consultancy’s integrated team, I was involved in a diverse range of marketing and communication strategies, stakeholder engagement, community consultation, campaign and issues management, media liaison and publicity, copywriting and sub-editing for clients across many industries including mining, engineering, human resources, health, local government and State Government agencies.• Duties included writing, subbing and editing content for websites, newsletters, media releases and e-zines, photography, maintaining and uploading copy to websites, liaising with staff and advising clients on strategies and communications plans, drawing on my extensive media experience.

Perth, Australia

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and Mayor, major activities included:• Receiving, researching and responding up to 50 media enquiries a week—ongoing issues relating to the council and affairs of the city, liaising with staff as appropriate.• Preparing written information for the media (including media releases, statements and background information) and taking photographs, distributing where appropriate.• Providing advice to the CEO, Mayor, directors, managers and staff on various media issues and developing media strategies, media tracking, relevant policies and media monitoring.• Developing media strategies, media tracking, relevant policies and media monitoring.• Promoting positive media for the organisation, promoting major council activities and issues through various outlets, seeking out potential opportunities.• Liaising with a broad range of private and public sector stakeholders on media-related matters.• Coordinating, writing, managing, editing and proofing the bi-monthly FREO Splash newsletter, annual report, monthly InTouch corporate newsletter and other publications as required, liaising with various business units, staff, Mayor, Chief Executive Officer, external graphic designer and printer.• Writing speeches for the Mayor, Chief Executive Officer and councillors and assisting with written material for other internal publications and documents.• Managing the media relations section of the city’s website and assisting with filming requests, advertising requests and other projects as required.• Providing occasional administrative support to City Management Unit (eg. answering phones, booking apointments etc).

Perth, Australia

• Commissioned to write features and articles for Have-A-Go News, Box Magazine, Homes & Living Magazine, Homes & Living Kitchens, Homes & Living Renovations, People, The Picture, RALPH, National Building News Monthly, Inside Magazine, Australian Women’s Forum, The West Australian, Perth Weekly, Country Update, Sunday Times, Zig Zag Graphics & Print, Falls Retreat Bed & Breakfast, Jostek Industrial, Choice (Saudi Arabia) and Starburst (UK science-fiction).• Wrote media releases for Both Barrels Music (Kevin Bloody Wilson’s label), Worldwidefm.net and Corporate Writing Services.• Hired for four weeks to fill in on the Gosnells Examiner and Armadale & Serpentine-Jarrahdale Examiner. Duties included sourcing stories (including front pages), taking photographs and checking page proofs.

Perth, Australia

Responsible for managing and organising content for each weekly issue, liaising with columnists, sourcing stories and pictures, subbing copy, writing headlines, contributing stories, working with sub-editor on layouts, managing deadlines and liaising with the general manager on issues such as marketing and advertising. Also worked on the industry magazine Transport & Machinery in a similar capacity.

Perth, Australia

Hired to write, sub-edit and proof for various titles including:• Monthly and annual hospitality/tourism magazines such as All about town, West Coast Magazine, WA Food & Beverage News, Broome Time, The Good Nosh Guide and Pearl Coast Magazine, working as a senior journalist on lifestyle and hospitality pieces, industry issues, editorials, product features, advertorials and personality profiles.• Department of Commerce and Trade publications Regions Western Australia, Commerce And Trade News and Australia’s West, focusing on the department’s initiatives and successes in these areas.• Office of Youth Affairs publications YAC Chat and Cadet Lines covering the activities of Youth Advisory Councils across the State.• Kids In Perth, a monthly newspaper for parents with information on child-raising and the City of Stirling’s The Stirling Community, inserted in suburban newspapers. • Often liaised with editor on one-off projects, such as annual reports, brochures and other special publications such as the newspaper-style menus The Rottnest Tearooms Times.

Perth, Australia

Filled in for five weeks, preparing media releases, opinion pieces and letters to the editor on behalf of the Senator, liaising with media to set up interviews and monitoring media relevant to the Senator’s portfolios, issuing responses where required.

Perth, Australia

• Completed three-year cadetship and covered many topics including general news, universities, war history, police rounds, human interest, features, road safety, entertainment, offbeat news, home cuisine, television and theatre reviews. Several stories made the front page.• Became music editor in 1995, responsible for Rock On, featuring interviews with international, national and local acts across the spectrum, album reviews, gig guides and other music news. Also filled in as nightclub writer for After Dark.• In an extension of my role as music editor, ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) selected me to be one of more than 400 industry people to vote in the 1996, 1997 and 1998 ARIA Awards.• Made film coordinator in 1995, responsible for reviewing films and movie interviews each week, and often became acting arts editor in emergencies, required to fill pages close to deadline.• Flown to Melbourne and Sydney to cover stories for the television magazine TV Extra, interviewing actors on set. Also became TV Extra’s regular science-fiction contributor.

Perth, Australia

• Covered a diverse range of areas including entertainment (theatre, music, film and art), politics, general news, small business, charities, human interest and local features for this weekly CBD publication.