Kate Benson
Mullengandra,NSW
Summary
Creative storyteller with years of experience growing audiences via strategic communications. Works collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver impactful, engaging products with a clear message.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Communications Officer
NSW Government (DCCEEW)
08.2022 - Current
• Prepare NSW Government media releases for publication.
• Review of the Water for the Environment website, monitoring traffic and implementing change.
• Project-managed a Water for the Environment podcast, organising talent, identifying topics, and coordinating production.
• Created a Water for the Environment newsletter using the Mailchimp platform for distribution in 2024.
• Fostered excellent team relationships with regional, policy, and science teams, ensuring a consistent flow of information and sharing of ideas.
• Generated content for new web pages for the Water for the Environment website.
• Navigated a challenging approvals process to ensure the program's message reached the wider community.
• Scripted video products for the Water for the Environment program.
• Advised public affairs on sensitive issues relating to water use in regional communities. Conducted risk assessments of content and timing.
• Promoted the positive outcomes of the Water for the Environment program via different platforms - social media channels and traditional media.
• Sub-edited formal reports and promotional products.
• Provided advice to a small team on communication techniques.
• Engaged effectively with stakeholders to build knowledge of the Water for the Environment program.
• Transformed stakeholders into advocates through innovative storytelling.
• Generated content for a bi-weekly internal news email.
• Coordinated and delivered activities for a youth engagement event aimed to increase environmental awareness in primary-aged children – Sunray Warrior.
• Edited annual reports and storyboarded accompanying video product.
• Created web stories highlighting the positive benefits of Water for the Environment.
• Worked collaboratively with other government agencies, striving for unity and efficiency.
Senior Journalist
Australian Community Media
10.2016 - 08.2022
- Managed a team of six journalists, providing guidance and mentorship.
- Ensured all staff were working within their scope of practice and introduced new policy when required, confirming all staff were aware of and understood the new policy.
- Fostered excellent team relationships, encouraging staff to work together to achieve daily objectives, inspiring a strong team spirit where knowledge and information sharing was supported for the benefit of the team.
- Devised and implemented communications and community engagement strategies across all media platforms.
- Advocated for diversity in content produced by actively sourcing voices from a diverse range of backgrounds.
- Ensured all staff abided by Work Health and Safety rules and regulations, keeping the office environment clean and free from any hazards.
Journalist/Digital Journalist
Australian Community Media
03.2020 - 03.2021
- Key contributor as part of a national news team established to cover Australia's COVID-19 pandemic.
- Developed and produced digital content and rolling coverage on all aspects of the pandemic.
- Engaged subscribers through their email inbox by creating daily newsletters and curating news from the Australian-wide network.
- Published work in numerous newspapers, including The Canberra Times, Newcastle Herald, Illawarra Mercury, The Examiner, The Border Mail, The Courier, The Daily Advertiser, and their platforms.
- Generated shared content, supplementing local news and ensuring fresh content was available for mastheads when staff had been stood down due to the pandemic.
- Adapted and responded quickly to a rapidly changing situation, producing relevant content in a timely manner, satisfying a hungry audience who were eager for updates on the effect of the pandemic, in the context of a 24-hour news cycle.
Contributed Content Journalist
Australian Community Media
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Coordinated contributed content for major regional dailies across Australia, including the Newcastle Herald, Border Mail and Canberra Times.
- Built relationships with contributors and sourced content for the publications, ensuring it arrived in the desired format and on time.
- Project managed the rollout of a new sports detail collection system using Google form across Victoria and Australia-wide.
- Liaised with sporting groups, organisations, and older members of the community, demonstrating how the new system works and ensuring they felt comfortable with its use.
- Contributors were all using the new system which resulted in increased productivity, time-saving and the meeting of deadlines.
- Layout pages for print and sub-edit pages, ensuring the accuracy of information and all work was grammatically correct, with no spelling mistakes.
- Uploaded articles and photographs to all publication websites and items to social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (now X).
- Worked in a large environment with over 100 staff members, building relationships with other sections and assisting others wherever possible.
Senior Journalist
Cootamundra Herald
01.2002 - 01.2014
- Determined news content published by journalists sometimes suggesting a different angle.
- Allocated duties in meetings between all staff ensuring the allocation was equitable.
- Acted as editor when required.
- Mentored and trained new and existing staff members by reading and correcting work in a manner that was constructive, ensuring they felt valued as employees.
- Handled customer complaints and identified a solution which provided customer satisfaction.
- Attended events both within and outside of business hours to gather information and represent the organisation.
- Created a cohesive, organised newsroom by keeping communication lines open, offering assistance whenever a problem arose and kept everyone on track working towards the same goal.
- Built and maintained relationships with external stakeholders, including court prosecutors, local government representatives and politicians.
- Ensured publishing laws were adhered to.
- Sourced feedback from audience on content.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
Charles Sturt University
Bathurst, NSWSkills
- Training and mentoring
- Publishing
- Customer service
- Proofreading and editing
- Multitasking
- Content writing
- High level communication
- Print and online expertise
- Microsoft suite: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
- Pages and NewsNow publishing programs
- MYOB
- Adobe Photoshop
- Google Sheets, Docs and Analytics
- Internet
- Social media management
- Storytelling
Employer
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Personal Information
Title: Communications Officer
References
- Natasha Childs, Manager, Communications and Community Engagement, 0472 877 344
- Julie Coe, The Border Mail, 0414 183 327
Timeline
Communications Officer
NSW Government (DCCEEW)
08.2022 - Current
Journalist/Digital Journalist
Australian Community Media
03.2020 - 03.2021
Senior Journalist
Australian Community Media
10.2016 - 08.2022
Contributed Content Journalist
Australian Community Media
01.2015 - 01.2016
Senior Journalist
Cootamundra Herald
01.2002 - 01.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
Charles Sturt University
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