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Hello, I'm Karen

I'm a journalist and business writer with more than 25 years of experience. I have worked across newspapers, lifestyle and industry magazines, and in PR and communications roles. I welcome work on most subjects and specialise in researching and writing features, people and business profiles, impact stories, blog posts and media releases. Come on in, explore what I do and reach out if you would like to work with me.

ABOUT ME


As a journalist, I've worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia and the UK. Publications include Gippslandia, The Mirror, The Sunday Times, Leader Community Newspapers, Sunday Herald Sun, Melbourne's Child, Inspire (an Education Department publication), Golf Magazine, Australian Country, The Saturday Paper and more. As a business writer, I've worked with small, medium and large corporate organisations in the not-for-profit, sustainability, recruitment, financial, travel and health sectors. I've prepared media releases and pitches, annual reports, award submissions and I have ghostwritten blogs, thought-leadership articles, advertorials and impact stories. I provide mentoring and editing for business books and have written and independently published my own family travel memoir and a children's book series for charity purposes. In another life, I worked on sheep and cattle stations, and did a short but adventurous stint goat trapping with a weathered outback character named Tom Pepper. Examples of my work are below, though this is only a snippet of what I do. Some articles are only available in print, while other work is done on behalf of agencies under a non-disclosure agreement. Please get in touch if you would like to see more.

Articles

The leap. | Gippslandia

Profile: Artist and small business owner.

During the lockdowns, Nicola’s work at Myuna Farm in Doveton, shifted focus from public engagement to the physical chores of caring for the animals and property. The change allowed her the headspace to seriously consider an artistic future.

“I came to know what I wanted to do,” Nicola said. “I’d been working on a lot of projects during 2020 and really defined my style. I became aware of what my strengths were. By the end of the year, when I resigned, I’d thought it over for eight to nine months
Mountain Views Star Mail •

Energy hub wraps up without funding support

Yarra Valley Community Power Hub (YV-CPHub) is celebrating progress on seven significant renewable energy projects as the organisation comes to a close.

Healesville CoRe President and former YV-CPHub Executive Officer, Jeff Barlow, said while he was proud of what had been achieved, so much more could have been done had YV-CPHub been able to continue.

“Projects such as solar farms, community batteries, solar car parks and other small to medium projects often take two to three years to complete
Upper Yarra Star Mail •

Air conditioning community offer launch

A new Yarra Valley Community Power Hub partnership promises to keep residents warm this winter at less cost to the hip pocket and the environment.

YV-CPHub has teamed up with Air Fusion to launch its latest community bulk buy offer, this time on reverse cycle air conditioning (RC/AC). This form of heating and cooling is one of the most efficient systems in terms of running costs and a low carbon footprint.

YV-CPHub Executive Officer Jeff Barlow said the organisation took a broad range of needs
Gippslandia •

The Hart of Hope Street. | Gippslandia

Suffering terminal brain tumours and with difficulty speaking and walking, Gary has something simple to offer during a difficult time around the world: joy.

Parked appropriately at the Hope Street roundabout in busy Drouin, West Gippsland, Gary has his arm in the air, up high so he is seen, and he waves to passing cars. Come Christmas, Gary will do this in a Santa suit. He’ll string tinsel over his scooter and call it Rudolph for a while. Given he sports a wispy, white beard, children have alwa
Gippslandia •

Amy Hood. | Gippslandia

Amy recalls many stories from the area that her grandfather, who she calls Pop, used to tell. She had a special bond with him and remembers taking a great interest in what he had to say when she was a child.

“He was born and hunted on the land around here,” Amy says. “There are few people that sit down and talk with their grandparents, but I took the time to stay with him and listen to his stories. I came from the man himself.

“Pop showed me places where he used to camp and hunt and everything

Going natural. | Gippslandia

The Ideas Man rips back the bedroom blinds and I’m smashed awake by the sun. Toast in hand, he grins out at the water.

This awakening is the tail end of the five-year project that is The Ideas Man’s most epic idea to date: a 15m x 15m natural swimming pool that has been plumbed and pimped within an inch of its life.

It began as a fleeting desire to install a pool, a desire that quickly waned as summer passed. Living in the unpredictable Victorian climate, we decided not to invest in a pool tha

The Misadventures of the Travelling Quirkus. | Gippslandia

When author Karen Casey and her family set off on an outback road trip, she never expected it would become a story worthy of a book. But the trials faced by this Gippsland family, and the everyday interactions between five personalities living in the confines of a caravan, quickly made it a tale worth sharing.

—

The following is an excerpt from The Misadventures of the Travelling Quirkus. Karen’s husband is known as ‘The Ideas Man’.

The Ideas Man is holding up his hand, fingers spread.

He i
Inside Ageing •

SilVR Adventures brings virtual reality to seniors in Singapore

St Luke’s ElderCare (SLEC), Singapore’s largest eldercare provider, will bring virtual reality to older adults with the purchase of VR equipment from SilVR Adventures.

SilVR Adventures is a Melbourne-based company offering turnkey virtual reality solutions for care centres and community-based facilities. Their VR technology can connect up to 30 care recipients at once, allowing them to transport themselves to iconic locations, relive their past, and engage in social settings. By sharing memorie

Low unemployment: what does it mean for you?

​Australia’s unemployment rate is at an all time low but what does this actually mean for employers and job seekers?

In August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) reported a 3.4% unemployment rate, the lowest recorded since 1974. This means job seekers now have the advantage and, for those considering a change of career, there is no better time to transition. For employers, it’s time to adjust your expectations and play a greater part in creating the employees you want.

In the year pre

Kicking Goals | Monash Business Awards

Amazing teams flow with each other, says St Kilda Mums CEO Ruth Holdaway.

Speaking at the Monash Business Awards breakfast, Ruth recounted lessons she learnt from her leadership roles in the sporting industry, saying the same methodology could be applied to any business. Her top advice included using real evidence to elicit change, breaking down long-term goals into manageable phases and instilling the mindset that leaders don’t win, but teams do.

‘Think about the people you work with and pick

Talking property with the MBA.

Swimming pools, fireplaces and restaurant-to-desk food deliveries are among incentives being incorporated into office spaces to draw workers back.

Such developments were among several topics discussed when CBRE Research Director, Kate Bailey, took the stage at the MBA’s April networking breakfast.

Ms Bailey delved into all aspects of the property market, explaining how both the commercial and residential sectors had changed during the pandemic. Lockdowns, and local and international border clo
Upper Yarra Star Mail - Advertorial for YVC-Hub •

How to build an energy resilient home. All your questions answered!

Imagine retaining power in a storm or cutting your electricity bill in half. Imagine a home that is not only comfortable but cheaper to run with minimal carbon footprint.

Yarra Valley Community Power Hub (YV-CPHub) can help you achieve this, one step at a time.

Supported by Sustainability Victoria and funded by the Victorian Government, YV-CPHub is your first point of call for understanding the services, discounts, rebates and free upgrades available in your area. Six community energy groups i

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