Keith Lyons is a communications specialist, author and writer, with 30+ years experience. He studied communications, psychology, journalism, and creative writing, before working as a journalist, media manager and strategic communications professional. On a research scholarship he studied science and environmental communication in the US and UK, and he has been involved in crisis communications in North East and South East Asia, with public outreach to a wide audience on natural disaster hazards, preparedness and resilience.He has worked for a wide range of public and private sector organisations, including Landcare Research, Tourism New Zealand, NZ Institute of Social Research & Development, Antarctica New Zealand, Treasury, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry for the Environment.He has been a consultant and contractor with New Zealand's leading communications agencies including Sweeney Vesty, Presence, Words & Pictures, Senate, Baldwin Boyle Group and WHAM.Clients have included key players in the telecommunication, energy, finance, agriculture and education industries, in both the public and private sectors, as well as NGOs and thought leaders.Keith Lyons is an award-winning writer with articles and photographs published in newspapers and magazines around the world including New Scientist, The Guardian, South China Morning Post, GEO, and BBC. He has won awards and prizes for his writing on travel, business, agriculture and science. His creative writing was nominated for the Pushcart Prize - the best of the small presses and independent publishers worldwide. He is also a teacher of writing, running writing courses and workshops in New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong and China.Outside of New Zealand, he established the Lijiang Earthquake Relief Project in 1996, and set up the Shangri-la Institute in 2006. He has worked in China, Indonesia, Ireland & the UK.