Steve has a decade of experience leading communications for not-for-profit organisations and joined GSA in 2022. At Citizen he led an award-winning transformation of the communications function, the organisation’s rebrand from WM Housing and its establishment as a trusted voice in the sector.

Steve previously led communications at the housing sector’s professional body, the Chartered Institute of Housing, where he served as the organisation’s chief speechwriter and devised the Make a Stand campaign – a pledge to support people affected by domestic abuse which has since been signed by 400 housing associations across the UK.

He is a thought leader in communications and has delivered keynote sessions at the Inside Housing Communications Conference and Institute of Internal Communications Conference. He is a judge for the UK Housing Awards, the Housing Heroes Awards and the Internal Communication and Engagement Awards.

Steve is a former news editor and worked on newspapers across the West Midlands and Warwickshire for four years before moving into communications and PR. In his spare time Steve enjoys sport, theatre and is a semi-professional voice artist.

Comms Hero has grown into a lively and friendly community of professionals. As communications professionals we so often deal with the same challenges, regardless of the sector we work in, and finding opportunities to share this burden and learn from one another is extremely valuable. It’s this kind of collaboration and learning that Comms Hero enables and supports, and it is my honour to be an ambassador and help to grow this excellent work.

Josephine Graham is a CIPR qualified and accredited marketing and communications professional working at Bradford Council.

Professional learning and connection are hugely important to me – they help me keep on top of my game and they bring joy and friendship into work. I have a huge affection for CommsHero, being based in my home town of Leeds, and I love the combination of positivity and professionalism that the team bring to everything they do. Agreeing to be a CommsHero ambassador was a no-brainer for me and I’m looking forward to working with a team of amazing peers to help shape this year’s agenda.

Sara Thornhurst Chart.PR is a disabled PR practitioner and trainer who ran her own agency for several years. She has been speaking out about disability in PR since 2016 and has run workshops on disability inclusion, accessibility and diversity issues at multiple industry events, and is an experienced public speaker and activist. She offers PR consultancy with an EDI focus and runs regular training sessions and workshops for agencies and PR events to help them overcome issues around ableism, and employing and retaining disabled talent. She is also the Chair of the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire CIPR Committee and a member of the CIPR’s Diversity Inclusion Network.

Aside from the fact it’s a home-grown phenomenon and I’m super proud it’s in Leeds? Comms Hero is real gem as far as the PR and comms community goes. It’s supportive, inclusive and offers brilliant learning opportunities from all the many niches and areas of communication. Comms Hero is a committed cheerleader of all things comms and I’ve learned so much being involved in the annual #CommsHero conference and I’m honoured and excited play a small part in shaping the coming year.

Ruqaiyah is a public sector Marketing and Communications professional with seven years experience in NHS communications. She decided the #CommsHero life was for her after completing work experience in a Communications Team at just 15 years-old.

A first-class Advertising and Marketing graduate from Lancaster University Management School, Ruqaiyah has a keen interest in social media and new digital communications, but also enjoys the ‘old school’ joy of seeing her press releases, interviews and features published in print media. She loves facing new creative tasks and being pushed to use her initiative to find new ways of sharing important messaging and keeping a captive audience through brand image, reputation and design.

Having worked within mental health, acute, community and specialist NHS services, as well as NHS charities, she has a broad understanding of the health sector and is a self-proclaimed ‘NHS geek’. She also has a keen interest in increasing the diversity of the Marketing and Communications industry, particularly in the public sector, as is a champion of the work of women from ethnic minority backgrounds in the field.

As #CommsHeroes, so much of our role is behind the scenes, highlighting the achievements and singing the praises of our colleagues and the organisations we work for. The #CommsHero movement is a way to shine a light on the work we do, provide a network for us to support and share ideas, and spread positive vibes – why wouldn’t I want to be involved in something as special as that? I am very proud to be a #CommsHero ambassador, and can’t wait to see what new, exciting experiences this opportunity will bring!

Lisa’s a public sector comms pro who has recently returned to local government after a couple of years in a membership organisation. Contrary to rumours she had no insight into the upcoming pandemic when she jumped ship in 2019. Currently working as Communications and Performance Manager for Perth and Kinross Council in Scotland and blogs book reviews on the side.

I self-fund my CPD learning and often it’s the cost of travel and accommodation (and time away from family) on top of the ticket price that makes attending in-person conferences prohibitive. The reimagining of CommsHero day into a week prompted by the pandemic was perfect for me. And, the range of speakers and topics – all soaked in the genuine affection for the world of comms that CommsHero embodies – meant the ticket was the best learning investment I ever made. As CommsHero Week now moves into a hybrid model I’m excited to play a part in supporting what this unsurpassed week of learning looks like in 2023.

Ed has held a number of communications and public affairs roles in business associations, renewable energy, higher education and now housing. He leads the communications and marketing function at The Wrekin Housing Group, a social housing and care provider that drives social value and makes a difference to people’s lives across Shropshire and Staffordshire.

Away from his laptop Ed spends time with his young family, reads history, writes about food and drink. He also tries to keep fit – which isn’t helped by his passion for sweet treats.

I’ve got some much out of the #CommsHero community, the sense of camaraderie, the support network, the expertise, hints and tips it’s all so valuable, so being able to give a little back is an absolute no brainer. Plus when we deliver the plans that are being discussed its going to be epic, and I don’t want FOMO.

After graduating with a Masters in marketing 10 years ago John has worked in marketing positions within the publishing and legal sectors. For the majority of the previous decade John has worked within the housing sector heading up the marketing and PR function for RHP Group, a South West London based housing group that is the sector leader for innovation (having topped the ‘Housing Innovation Index’ every year since its inception in 2015) and a certified ‘Top Employer in the UK and Ireland’ organisation. A Chartered Marketer, John has delivered projects that have gone onto be seen in the Guardian, the Drum and the New Statesman. This standout work led to him being invited to become a founding member of the first cross-sector marketing committee. John is also a published academic writer with book chapters written on the various impacts on consumer behaviour.

 Outside his role at RHP John acts as a Team Lead within the marketing team of the Global Diaspora Confederation. This UN-backed project, supporting people who have been displaced, with a particular emphasis this year on helping those affected by the crisis in the Ukraine, and matches them with appropriate medical, emotional and financial support.

 Outside work, John is a wild swimming fanatic so he can often be found in the sea, lakes and rivers at all times of the year!

I’m absolutely stoked to be a Comms Hero ambassador. I said/yelled(!) ‘YES’ to this opportunity as it’s an amazing chance to showcase and celebrate the exceptional and tireless work that our profession delivers every day. Comms Hero is both a brand and community I massively respect and love being part of, so I’m excited to play a role in more people finding out about it. Inclusion is something that is very important to me so I’m stepping up to this position with a lens of thinking about how we can inspire the next generation of Comms Heroes, from all walks of life. I want them to know how great a career in comms is and how they can steer their studies to make it happen.