Richard Mills is a communications professional with over 25 years’ experience in the public sector helping mission driven governmental and not for profit organizations achieve their objectives with smart, innovative and effective communications. Throughout his professional life, Rich has been animated by a desire to help improve the lives of others and sees the public and policy arena as the prime agent for doing so. Mission driven organizations are what truly inspire him. Driven to harness effective storytelling, shape compelling narratives, and lead high performing teams, Rich has built a career moving across sectors from trade and economics to climate change to non-communicable diseases. After 20 years in DC handling high profile communications on Capitol Hill, for a White House Administration, and at the World Bank, and after watching far too many “House Hunters International” television shows, Rich sought a life change and new challenges. When a globally ranked Sydney-based medical research institute offered him the chance to help their mission of improving people’s health, particularly in resource poor settings around the world, Rich jumped at the chance to be a communicator “Down Under.” As a consultant, Rich’s particular communications skills are helping to set strategic priorities around basic “positioning/calendarizing” linked to external events; setting up realistic media strategies to achieve clear objectives; exploring ways to develop and amplify thought leadership; advising on internal communications and change management; and, in helping organizations manage reputational risk. Indeed, Rich sees the role of an independent communicator to be a prime characteristic of successful organizations because they can give unvarnished real-world advice to management, unencumbered by internal divisional priorities. Given the hundreds of interviews he’s helped staff, he’s pretty good at media training, too. Rich and his family live on Sydney’s famous Northern Beaches, where Rich is a volunteer surf life saver and rescue boat driver.