Expert Profile
I manage a niche communications consultancy specialising in health, and social & behavioural change communication. I have over 25 years of experience in these fields. My qualifications include a B. Journalism degree (Rhodes University) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree (cum laude) from the School of Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand. My clients include Wits University, the Centre for Health Policy, WHO, the World Bank, Wellcome Trust. My skills include writing, interviewing, reporting, editing; social and behaviour change communication; conference coverage/rapporteuring; website management, qualitative research.
Owner/manager of ***** consulting services, a specialised health communications consultancy offering writing, editing and reporting services; media engagement (training and liaison) qualitative and quantitative research on public health; social and behavioural change communication strategies, programmes and research.
Health Professions Council of SA, national regulator of health professionals. Manager: public relations & service delivery. 1 year;
World Health Organisation, health information and communication programme official, 6 years;
Meropa Communications, large communications consultancy - head of healthcare division, 1 year;
Medical Research Council, national medical and health research organisation, media liaison and communication official, 12 years;
SWABC, national broadcaster in Namibia (formerly South West Africa), radio reporter, 18 months
Master of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (cum laude), *****. Majored in Social and Behavioural Change Communication.
B. Journalism, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, *****. Majored in Journalism and Linguistics.
Member of SA Science Journalists' Association; Nursing Education Association; SA Freelancers' Association
International clients have included WHO, World Bank, Wellcome Trust, Ohio University, the Atlantic Philanthropies; Realhealthnews; local clients have included the Centre for Health Policy and the School of Public Health at Wits University; the Adelaide Tambo School of Nursing at Tshwane University of Technology; the Medical Research Council; the Health Professions Council of SA; the Pharmacy Council of SA; Meropa Communications; Medical Chronicle; Pedmed.
The work included real-time website conference coverage; writing/editing of annual and technical reports; communications consulting (strategies, branding, media liaison, news and website writing); research; medical news reporting.
I have published 17 articles and presented at local and international conferences on issues relating to health promotion, advocacy and public health.