Karryn Wheelans joins entertainment sector as Head of Comms

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) has appointed Acuity Communications Advisory and Thrive PR & Communications as its retained communications agencies following a competitive pitch.

Acuity will deliver ongoing strategic corporate communications, managing brand reputation and trust, while Thrive takes on Festival PR. Acuity will also manage corporate, issues and policy communications, along with executive and reputation communications.

Thrive will lead the Festival's creative communications, including media relations, launch events, influencer activity and brand partnerships support. Thrive will also become an official sponsor of the Festival.

Jesse Matheson, CEO of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, said: “We are delighted to partner with Acuity and Thrive, both for the season and more broadly. We remain strong advocates for the power that joy and celebration of our community can bring, and are excited to work closely with the passionate and creative teams at Acuity and Thrive to continuously improve how we tell our amazing stories.”

Kerry Kalcher has joined not-for-profit organisation NextSense, which supports people with vision and hearing loss, as their Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Engagement. She previously led the marketing and communications function at Canteen Australia for 13 years, most recently serving as Acting Executive Director - Marketing and Fundraising. Prior to Canteen, Kerry worked in communications at the National Heart Foundation of Australia and the British Lung Foundation.

Carla Horton has joined the Children's Medical Research Institute as Communications and Media Manager. She was previously Senior Media Advisor at The Smith Family. Prior to this, Carla worked in broadcast journalism at Sky News, the Today Show and 2GB.