Gretel Van Lane

With over 15 years of experience, I have partnered with purpose-led organisations, government teams, and not-for-profits to engage communities and tackle complex social issues.

I have collaborated with a diverse range of people including senior executives, entrepreneurs, business managers, front-line staff, and community members, bringing a practical, relational approach to every project.

By day I am Communications and Engagement Manager at ACSO, a not-for-profit working across Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales to support people in, or at risk of entering, the justice system.

Outside of ACSO, I take on freelance work as a facilitator, event conversation partner, and Career Conversations host for communications and engagement professionals. I also run Dinners with a Difference, a monthly conversation-based event that brings people together over shared meals and meaningful discussion.

I live in Wollongong, NSW, and work with clients in Melbourne, Sydney, and across Australia.

Past Projects

• Successfully developed and implemented a national digital marketing strategy for the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Local Health District, resulting in attracting more candidates for nursing and midwifery roles.

• Presented "Creating Clickable Content" for the School of Social Entrepreneurs, teaching entrepreneurs the skills needed to create social change through social media platforms, analytics, content creation, and marketing strategy.

• Delivered a presentation on "Social Media for Early Intervention" to over 100 clinical specialists online for the Renal Society of Australasia.

• Launched the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Local Health District Facebook page within 48-hours of commencing my role and successfully grew the following to 20,000+ within an 18-month period.

• Led the development and execution of the marketing and communications strategy for an internal innovation challenge, resulting in successful engagement and participation.

• Developed and delivered in-house social media training for CUFA, an Australian-based charity, for local and international staff, resulting in a better understanding of social media for the organisation.

• Successfully developed and implemented content creation strategies with limited budgets for multiple organisations, resulting in effective communications and engagement campaigns.

• Conducted various research activities such as focus groups, workshops, and interviews to capture feedback and insights from industry professionals, resulting in valuable information for clients.

• Co-wrote and facilitated a program supporting young people to develop the skills to successfully keep a job, resulting in increased attendance and positive outcomes for program participants.