Jenna Waite-Leonard has been appointed to the newly created position of Head of Communications for Whare PR and Village PR communication agencies.
She will lead and build the team of communication and creative consultants and help drive the rapidly growing client base. The senior appointment is part of the agency’s expansion due to the increased demand for its public relations, cultural advisory, creative, digital and experimental services.
Waite-Leonard joins from Toi Ohomai and Te Kuratini o Waikato (Wintec), where she spent close to four years overseeing the communication and digital functions and teams of the two large institutes.
Spanning her 15-year career in the industry, Waite-Leonard has held senior roles across various agency, corporate, and not-for-profits sectors in Australia and Aotearoa. She has spearheaded multiple award-winning, integrated communication campaigns while bringing experience in strategic external and internal public relations, creative campaigning, crisis management, digital, and project management.
Founder and Managing Director of Whare PR and Village PR, Bridgette Tapsell, says Waite-Leonard’s appointment will allow the firm to expand in line with their values, of Taumatatanga (Excellence), Whakatumatuma (Challenging the narrative) and Pūhoro (Speed and agility).
“Jenna has exceptional skills within the communication world; she is a fantastic leader for our consultants and is committed to giving our clients the utmost professional service. She is able to work across the two brands with confidence,” says Tapsell.
Regarding her appointment, Waite-Leonard said she was drawn to the impact-driven, authentic vision of the agencies.
“I’m delighted to join the Whare and Village team to work on inclusive and purposeful kaupapa-driven mahi with passionate and talented consultants. The opportunity to mahi alongside Bridgette Tapsell, who is a pioneer in Māori comms, is an incredible privilege and the clear alignment in our values and vision will continue to drive the thriving agencies. I look forward to meeting and working to tell the stories of our impressive clients, which consists of some of our most iconic brands and organisations.”
Discussion about this post