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STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS · MEDIA · ENGAGEMENT

At the intersection of government, community and the issues that matter most

Vienna Senima Richards(function(){var p=["assets/images/image03.jpg","assets/images/image01.jpg?v=3","assets/images/image05.jpg?v=3"],k="vrPhoto",i=0,l=-1;try{l=+localStorage.getItem(k)}catch(e){}if(p.length>1){do{i=Math.floor(Math.random()*p.length)}while(i===l)}try{localStorage.setItem(k,i)}catch(e){}var m=document.getElementById("vr-photo");if(!m)return;if(i)m.src=p[i];if(p.length<2)return;var r=matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce)").matches;m.tabIndex=0;m.setAttribute("role","button");m.setAttribute("aria-label","Vienna Senima Richards. Tap to see another photo");m.title="Tap to see another photo";m.style.cursor="pointer";if(!r)m.style.transition="opacity .25s";function go(){i=(i+1)%p.length;try{localStorage.setItem(k,i)}catch(e){}if(r){m.src=p[i];return}m.style.opacity=0;setTimeout(function(){m.src=p[i];m.style.opacity=1},250)}m.onclick=go;m.onkeydown=function(e){if(e.key=="Enter"||e.key==" "){e.preventDefault();go()}}})();

As a Samoa-born dual Australian and New Zealand citizen, I bring a unique perspective of navigating different worlds to strategic communications across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. I specialise in translating complex health, science and cross-cultural initiatives into meaningful connection.

SENIOR STRATEGIST AND ADVISER

NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA

Discuss a role or project

01 / EXPERTISE

How I can help

Strategic counsel for organisations navigating complex information, multi-layered stakeholders and high-stakes environments. I bring clear analytical thinking, deep cultural intuition and practical leadership to challenging scenarios.

01

Strategic communications & public affairs

Plans, reports and public information written with scrutiny in mind.

Communications strategyGovernment relationsAdvocacyExecutive and policy adviceSpeechwritingPublic informationAnnual reportsRegulatory documents

02

Media, issues & crisis communication

Prepare before an issue breaks, so you can respond quickly and accurately.

Media relationsEmergency and risk communicationIssues managementTechnical contentEditorial leadership

03

Stakeholder & community engagement

Culturally grounded, two-way engagement that respects Indigenous and local protocols while anticipating strategic risks early.

Cross-cultural engagementGovernment relationsPartnershipsCommunity relationsCapability development

04

Health & science communication

Including work for two medical peak bodies, ACEM and AMSANT.

Public healthHealth promotionPrimary health careEmergency medicineChronic disease and NCDsEnvironmental health

05

Project & event management

End-to-end strategy, deployment and management for high-stakes programs, simulation exercises and international forums.

Program managementTraining rolloutsStakeholder coordinationWorkshops

06

Training & coaching

For leaders, officials, clinicians, lawyers, experts and young people.

Public and media spokesperson trainingScience and health communicationMessage developmentCrisis, risk and emergency communicationCommunity engagementCross-cultural engagement
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02 / BACKGROUND

Experience across sectors and borders

Collage of places I have worked: Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Central Australia

I've lived and worked in Samoa, New Zealand and Australia, and spent time living in Malaysia, China, Thailand and Cambodia. I bring more than two decades of senior experience as an adviser, consultant and communications manager across public health, government, broadcasting and international emergency response. I've headed communications in hospitals, public health and free-to-air television.

GovernmentPublic healthHospitalsAboriginal community controlled healthEducationPublic worksEmergency responseCommunity organisations

Where I started

Freelance writing, then radio and TV news producing. It taught me to verify facts, write under pressure and anticipate how a story will land.

Science and health

Working alongside experts and spokespeople to explain scientific and medical information to the public and other professionals.

Across cultures

Remote Aboriginal, rural Māori and Pacific communities, where English is often a second, third or fourth language.

HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, 2025

As part of the team at Australia's National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.

May 2025 · Nukuʻalofa, Tonga

Project managed Tonga's first Public Health Emergency Operations Centre training and simulation exercise, with officials from health, borders, police and the military. Read more, opens LinkedIn in a new tab

In partnership with WHO Western Pacific Region (Fiji) and WHO Tonga, for the Tonga Ministry of Health

June 2025 · Darwin, Australia

Training, simulation and training-of-trainers workshop for participants from 14 Indo-Pacific countries.

In partnership with the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific

Sep–Oct 2025 · Bangkok, Thailand

Project managed WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) Outbreak Response Leadership Programme for senior public health experts from 16 nations. Read more, opens WHO's report in a new tab

In partnership with the WHO Regional Offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific

OTHER ROLES

Project manager, senior policy adviser, workforce trainer, research manager

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Communication Studies (Journalism), AUT, 2001
TESOL/TEFL Certificate, 2026

MEMBERSHIP

Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST)

A capability statement or role-specific CV (resume) is available on request through the contact form.

03 / PRESENTATIONS

Conference and webinar presentations

  1. 6 June 2024Novotel Surfers Paradise, Queensland

    National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) National Yarning Circle for Elder Care Support Program.

    Presentation: Northern Territory Training in Action.

  2. 11 November 2021Online

    International Association for Public Participation (IAP2A) Webinar, Keep on Engaging: Learnings from the Pandemic Part 1.

    Panel of engagement leads from the Australian health sector, with Nina Fromhold (Victorian Public Service), Amanda Stephinson (NSW Health) and Vienna Richards (Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of Northern Territory).

  3. 7 June 2017Hotel Melia, Sevilla, Spain

    5th International Conference on Disaster Management and Human Health: Reducing Risk, Improving Outcomes.

    Case Study Presentation, Emergency Risk Communication: Lessons from New Zealand's Major Earthquakes 2011–2016.

  4. 22–23 May 2017Jupiter Hotel, Gold Coast, Queensland

    2017 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference.

    Presentation: Practical Lessons in Emergency and Risk Communications Post-Kaikoura and Other NZ Earthquakes.

    Session Chair: Children and Trauma.

Writing

  1. 19 January 2017Online

    “Late Recognition for Medical Pioneer”, for my former website, Unsung Science.

    A biographical article on 18th-century Aberdeen doctor Alexander Gordon, an unsung figure in medical history. I documented how his groundbreaking insights met fierce resistance, and how recognition of his pioneering role in epidemiology and medical hygiene came late. His work came about 50 years before the famous findings of Ignaz Semmelweis, and before germ theory was widely accepted.

    A copy is kept by the James Lind Library, opens in a new tab.

BEYOND WORK

Singing through the pandemic

Growing up in my family, at church and across Pacific culture, we sang to welcome, to celebrate, to farewell, to grieve and to give thanks. To this day, that remains an enduring tradition across many Pacific nations. It's one way that we come together, in good times and in hard times.

During my two years in Australia's COVID-19 emergency response, I sang with the ED Musos, a virtual choir of emergency department health care workers from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, joined on some songs by staff from the UK and USA. We never sang in the same room. Each of us recorded at home, alone or with family, outside our shifts, and the production wove our voices together. It brought real joy, and a way to sing through the sadness and loss felt around the world.

Credit: This joy project was the brainchild of the ever-thoughtful Dr Clare Skinner, specialist emergency physician and former President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

ED Jingle Bells2021 · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Better Be Home Soon2021 · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Whole New ED2020 · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Te Aroha2020 · Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

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04 / PROFESSIONAL ENQUIRIES

Get in touch

Open to selected senior communications roles, short-term contracts, defined projects and independent consulting engagements.

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I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands across Australia
and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

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VIENNA SENIMA RICHARDS Back to home

Terms of Service

Last updated: 31 October 2026

These terms apply to viennarichards.com and viennarichards.com.au. By using this website, you agree to them. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

1. Who I am

This website is run by Vienna Senima Richards, an independent communications, media and engagement professional based in the Northern Territory, Australia. In these terms, "I", "me" and "my" refer to Vienna Senima Richards.

2. Using this website

You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not affect the rights of others or their use of the site. You must not:

  • try to disrupt or interfere with the website’s security or performance

  • send spam, misleading information or harmful material through the contact form

  • copy, distribute or exploit the website’s content except as allowed below.

3. Content and intellectual property

Unless stated otherwise, all content on this website, including text, photographs, design and graphics, is owned by me. You may not copy, reproduce, adapt or share any part of this website or my content without written permission, except as allowed under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). My Copyright page has more detail.

Search engines and AI tools, including those used to train AI models, may index this site. Apart from that, you must not copy this website’s content using automated tools, such as scrapers, without my written permission.

4. Contacting me

When you send a message through the contact form, please make sure the information you provide is accurate and yours to share. Please do not include confidential, sensitive or personal information about other people.

Sending a message does not create a working relationship or an obligation for me to provide services. Any role, contract or project will be agreed separately and in writing.

5. Products and services

I do not currently sell products or services through this website. If I do in future, I will publish the terms that apply to them before you buy.

6. General information only

The information on this website is general in nature. It is not legal, financial or medical advice.

I share communications advice and educational content here and on any other platforms I build. It is based on my professional experience, but it is general and may not suit your situation. If you would like advice tailored to your organisation, we can agree on the work in writing.

7. Results

Communications, media and engagement outcomes depend on many things outside my control. These include your organisation's decisions, resources, response times, relationships and follow-through, as well as how the people you are trying to reach respond, and events around you. For this reason, I do not guarantee outcomes that depend on these factors.

What I do guarantee is that the work we agree on is done with care and skill. I will also be honest with you about what is possible, what is uncertain and what is unknown.

8. Links to other websites

This website may link to other websites. I am not responsible for their content, security or practices, and visiting them is at your own risk.

9. Limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by law, I do not guarantee that this website will be error-free, uninterrupted or always secure, and I am not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of the site or reliance on its content. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits any rights you have under the Australian Consumer Law.

10. Access from outside Australia

This website can be viewed worldwide. It is run from Australia, and you are responsible for complying with the laws that apply where you are.

11. Privacy

My Privacy Policy explains how I handle personal information collected through this website, including messages sent through the contact form and the use of Google Analytics.

12. Changes to these terms

I may update these terms from time to time. Changes take effect when they are posted on this page, and the effective date above will be updated.

13. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the Northern Territory, Australia. Any disputes will be dealt with by the courts of Australia.

14. Contact

If you have questions about these terms, please use the contact form at viennarichards.com.

Back to home

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands across Australia
and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

VIENNA SENIMA RICHARDS Back to home

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 30 October 2026

This policy explains how I, Vienna Senima Richards, collect, use and protect personal information through viennarichards.com and viennarichards.com.au. I aim to handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, where they apply.

What I collect

When you use the contact form, I collect:

  • your name and email address

  • your organisation, phone or WhatsApp number and website, if you choose to provide them

  • the content of your message.

When you visit the website, Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information about how the site is used, such as the pages viewed, time spent on the site, your approximate location (city or country), the type of device and browser you use, and how you found the site. I see this information only as summary reports and do not use it to identify you.

My website provider may also automatically record basic technical information, such as your IP address and browser type, to keep the site running and secure.

Please do not send sensitive information, such as health details, or personal information about other people.

How I use it

I use the information you send me to:

  • read and reply to your enquiry

  • discuss roles, contracts or projects you have contacted me about

  • keep a record of our correspondence

  • understand how visitors use the website, so I can improve it

  • protect the website from spam and misuse.

I will not add you to a mailing list without your consent, and I will not sell or rent your personal information.

Who I share it with

I only share personal information when needed to run this website and respond to you, or when required by law. This includes:

  • my website and contact form provider, which hosts the site and delivers form messages to my email

  • Google, which provides Google Analytics

  • my email provider, which stores the messages I receive

  • regulators, law enforcement or legal advisers, where required or authorised by law.

Cookies and analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, which places cookies (such as _ga) on your device to measure how the site is used. It does not use advertising cookies.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, or install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on from tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. The website will still work if you do.

You can read how Google uses this information at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

Storage outside Australia

My website and contact form provider is based in the United States. Google may process analytics information in the United States and other countries. My email provider may also store information on servers outside Australia. I choose providers with appropriate privacy and security safeguards.

How long I keep it

I keep enquiries as a record of our correspondence.

Security

Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal information and the website uses an encrypted (https) connection.

Access and correction

You can ask to see the personal information I hold about you, or ask me to correct or delete it. Please use the contact form at viennarichards.com.

Complaints

If you think I have mishandled your personal information, please contact me through the contact form and I will look into it and respond. If you are not satisfied with my response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a new effective date.

Contact

For privacy questions or requests, please use the contact form at viennarichards.com.

Back to home

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands across Australia
and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

VIENNA SENIMA RICHARDS Back to home

Accessibility

Last updated: 28 October 2026

I want everyone to be able to use this website, including people who use screen readers, keyboards or other assistive technology.

What I've built in

Moving around the site

  • A "Skip to main content" link for people who use a keyboard instead of a mouse. It stays hidden until you press the Tab key, then appears at the top left of the page so you can go straight to the content without tabbing through the menu
  • A visible outline showing where you are when moving through the site with a keyboard
  • A labelled main menu and clear headings, so the page is easy to scan and navigate
  • A "Back to top" link at the bottom of the page

Reading the site

  • Text and background colours with strong contrast
  • Underlined links, so they don't rely on colour alone
  • Text descriptions for meaningful images, and decorative images hidden from screen readers
  • Links that open in a new tab say so
  • The page language set to English so screen readers pronounce text correctly
  • Zoom works on phones and tablets
  • Reduced animation if you've turned on reduced motion on your device

Using the contact form

  • Labelled form fields, with required fields marked
  • Fields and the send button highlighted with a clear outline when you move to them
  • Your browser can fill in your name, organisation, email and phone for you
  • Form messages announced to screen readers

Feedback

I'm always looking for ways to add to and improve the accessibility of this site. If you have trouble using any part of it, or have a suggestion, please let me know through the contact form.

Back to home

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands across Australia
and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

Vienna Senima Richards
Collage of places I have worked: Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Central Australia
Vienna Senima Richards
Vienna Senima Richards