Written by James Fitzpatrick
At Banksia Strategic Partners, we are proud to have worked with many corporate, government, and for purpose clients over the course of the year so far, but collectively we are also proud of the team that we have developed and the exceptional innovation and skill they bring to our various campaigns and projects.
One of the reasons behind our firm’s decision to rebrand at the beginning of the year, was to move to a whole-of-team focus, and our most recent hires are proof of another milestone achieved in that development.
Introducing Banksia Strategic Partners’
Newest Team Members
Michelle Edmunds – Director
Banksia is thrilled to announce the appointment of our third Director, Michelle Edmunds. As a Director, Michelle will help lead the continued development of the firm and support our team’s sustainable growth and long-term mission of results driven social impact.
Michelle specialises in the design and implementation of integrated communications campaigns and joins Banksia after a decade tenure as Managing Director at CPR Communications & Public Relations.
With 20 years of experience as a communications consultant, Michelle has led high-profile campaigns across the nexus of government, not-for-profits, industry organisations and corporations.
Her experience includes working for industry peak groups, health sector NFPs, international member-based organisations, superannuation funds, regulators and cultural institutions.
From media campaigns and advocacy programs, through to product recalls, budget submissions, Royal Commissions and critical incident management, Michelle has worked with clients to develop and implement effective communications strategies for a broad range of situations and issues.
Michelle has also led high-profile media and PR campaigns for government, statutory authorities and peak groups, including in the arts, tourism and childcare sectors.
Prior to her consultancy career, Michelle was a senior journalist with News Ltd where she covered the rounds of industrial relations, education and politics.
Laura Wood – Special Adviser
As we look to expand our strategic partnership offerings, Banksia is excited to announce the arrival of our new Special Adviser, Laura Wood.
Laura joins our team with more than 15 years’ experience at both state and federal government levels. As a public policy professional, Laura has worked in senior and executive level roles in government across the public service and political offices, covering a range of policy portfolios, most notably in Health, Defence and Veterans’ Affairs.
Laura has acquired both knowledge and skills that are highly transferable across corporate, government, and not-for-profit sectors. Laura joins Banksia after a three-year tenure at the Victorian Department of Health where she held roles as both a Principal Adviser, and Director of Public Events.
Laura’s blend of communications and policy experience will enable her to advocate effectively and navigate government decision making processes to implement change for her clients.
Melanie Pritchard – Executive Assistant and Team Co-Ordinator
Part of Banksia’s rebrand ambitions was to strengthen our systems and procedural operations for enhanced consistency and reliability. This commitment began with the hiring of our General Manager, Camilla Bale in December 2023 and Camilla’s team now expands with the arrival of Melanie.
Melanie has a plethora of experience working in administration and support roles for a range of organisations, having most recently worked as the National Support Manager with Michael Page Recruitment, co-ordinating national board meetings, company wide conferences, as well as organising national events and awards nights.
Melanie is excited to work in a space across a variety of complex topics and with clients that aim to have strong social impact.
A fond farewell, as well…
Just like our floral namesake the Banksia team is always in a state of growth and development, and as such, it’s with a tinge of sadness that we say farewell and good luck to one of our Senior Associates, Nelson Savanh.
Nelson has been instrumental in executing a variety of positive outcomes for their clients during their time at Banksia, and has helped our business expand across state borders and throughout the renewable energy, micromobility, education, and disability support sectors.
Nelson will be greatly missed by the Banksia team, and we hope they remain a close friend of the firm in the future.
And finally, a new opportunity…
To round out our team updates, we are currently looking for a forward-thinking and enthusiastic Marketing and Design Specialist to join our team.
This role combines the art of graphic design with the science of marketing to uphold and expand the reach of our firm’s brand and create compelling, visually engaging campaigns. The ideal candidate will be adept at both graphic design and marketing strategy, ensuring cohesive and impactful brand messaging across all platforms.
If you or someone you know is interested and meets the criteria in the position description here – we would love to hear from you!
Here at Banksia Strategic Partners, we are looking forward to the start of the new financial year and taking on some new social impact projects with our growing team and expanding skillset. As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can be of assistance.
