The Comms Collective – Conversations in Purposeful Communications

From Newsrooms to Strategic Leadership with Hasan Patel What happens when you stop pitching stories and start thinking like a News Editor? In this episode of The Comms Collective, we’re joined by Hasan Patel, a veteran communicator whose career spans the BBC, Al Jazeera, and high-level Higher Education leadership. Hasan pulls back the curtain on how he transitioned from a digital journalist to a strategic leader, sharing why "authenticity" isn't just a buzzword, it's a recruitment strategy. We discuss his "Real Life, Real Stories" campaign at Birmingham Newman University, which swapped polished models for the raw, inspiring stories of taxi drivers and single mothers, thereby driving the university up the social mobility rankings. From managing 35-person news teams to the high-stakes "Journalism is Not a Crime" campaign that reached the White House, Hasan offers a masterclass in relational leadership and the "marathon" of a long-term career. In this episode, we discuss: The "Newsroom" Press Office: Why Hasan moved away from planned campaigns to focus on reactive, expert-led storytelling. The Authenticity Filter: Why asking "Why would a journalist care?" is the most important step in any PR strategy. Case Study: Social Mobility in Action: How representing the "Global Majority" through real student stories (like first-gen Bangladeshi students and mature learners) transformed university recruitment. High-Stakes Crisis Comms: The "Free AJ Staff" campaign and the power of a global tagline. The Leadership Pivot: Moving from "ego management" to a collaborative, relational style. The "Pay Packet" Trap: An honest discussion on taking a role before you’re ready and why "fit" matters more than a job title.

What happens when a corporate law path feels "soulless"? For Sascha Gill-Chugh, it led to a career pivot that is now reshaping how we talk about international development. In this episode, Vishnee sits down with Sascha, Communications Manager at CAMFED, to discuss the urgent need to decolonise the aid sector, the strategy behind reaching 20 million people with a single campaign, and why your "introvert" qualities might actually be your greatest leadership strength. In this episode, we discuss: The Big Pivot: Why Sascha left a law degree behind to pursue a Master’s at SOAS and a career in social impact. Decolonising the Aid Sector: Moving away from "helplessness" tropes (the "flies in eyes" imagery) toward stories of community-led empowerment. Award-Winning Campaigns: A behind-the-scenes look at the "Refugees Are Changemakers" (IRC) and "Crime Not Compliment" (Plan International UK) campaigns. Strategic Creativity: Why using graphic illustrations instead of photography was the key to passing the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment Bill. The "Smile File": A practical tool for women of colour and introverts to advocate for their worth and track their wins in a competitive industry. The Future of Comms: How AI will handle the "busy work" of PR, freeing us up for ethical storytelling and reputational risk management.

Is public apathy an insurmountable barrier, or a self-fulfilling prophecy? In this episode, Antonia May Cross, Director of Communications and Campaigns at Revolving Doors, challenges the "Cinderella Cause" mindset that plagues the charity sector. From her unconventional start - entering the sector after being expelled from school - to winning a national Times Christmas Appeal, Antonia shares how data, optimism, and strategic humility can transform "difficult" social issues into high-impact movements. Whether you are an aspiring comms lead or a seasoned Director, this is a masterclass in moving from functional outputs to strategic outcomes. In this episode, we cover: The Untraditional Path: Navigating a career in comms without a degree and the power of lived experience. Modernising the Sector: Moving from physical Rolodexes to a digital-first strategy.  "The Little City That Can": Why optimistic, hyper-local campaigns beat national stigmatising tropes. The Data-Led Pitch: How to partner with national news desks (The Times & Sunday Times) to drive systemic change. Defeating the "Cinderella Cause": Why comms leaders must be proactive, not reactive, to media narratives. Leadership & Empowerment: How to build autonomous teams and create space for "crazy ideas."

Episode 9 features Helen Crumley, exploring her 20-year career, NHS insights, and impactful mental health advocacy with Kids Inspire. Discover how she balances high-stakes strategy with heart-led advocacy at Kids Inspire, supporting youth mental health. A must-listen for anyone looking to communicate with clarity, purpose, and real-world impact.

Trailer for the start of season 2. If you've enjoyed the episodes so far, please follow, like and comment - I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you haven't listened to the podcast yet, then what are you waiting for? Go on, have a listen.

Episode 8 features Purvy Patel, who originally started her career in the corporate world and moved to the charity sector, leveraging her transferable skills. She discusses the challenges of sector transitions, including budget constraints and the need for more creative communications. Purvy tells us about working for Age UK and Age UK Hillingdon, Harrow and Brent, highlighting the differences in managing comms for a local charity versus a national one, including the need to balance the books, secure funding and tailor services to the local community. 

Episode 7 of the Comms Collective features another international colleague, Mary Ann Llanza, with 30 years of experience. Mary Ann talks about the satisfaction of seeing direct community impact and how successful campaigns require authentic, community-led communication. Mary Ann’s journey began as a writer and journalist, then led to impactful campaigns on violence against women and disaster risk reduction in disaster-prone countries, and now to a climate movement to protect our forests. She tells us how she has changed her leadership style to empower her team, learned to say no, and protected her team from non-critical pressure. It was wonderful to chat with Mary Ann and hear about her calm approach to stressful situations.

Episode 6 of the Comms Collective Podcast delves into the humanitarian world with Ka Man Parkinson, Communications and Marketing Lead for the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, with host Vishnee Sauntoo.    Ka Man explains how she works hard to understand her audience, the humanitarian field teams who are time-poor, lack good Wi-Fi, and work in very stressful conditions. The HLA brings learning to the sector through their digital platform, Kaya.  Ka Man tells us about a brilliant piece of research she conducted on the use of AI and the report and lessons learned from it. She also manages a podcast, so she could definitely have some learnings I can use.

Episode 5 - Claire Quigley, Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and Fundraising, joins Vishnee for a conversation about charity growth, rebrands and how to manage a hybrid team.   Claire discusses the importance of progress over perfection and how developing relationships is crucial when working with external individuals, emphasising the value of tackling the harder tasks instead of the easier ones. And how to ensure her team has a good work-life balance.

Björn Ólafsson, Research-Writer working for many organisations, including the Better Food Foundation, joins Vishnee from Barcelona, Spain— so we are going international today! Björn talks about his background in animal welfare and advocacy, why good communication needs strong research, and how strong research needs good communication to explain it. He tells us about the challenges of talking about sensitive topics like food and climate, and about his approach to reducing meat consumption.

Guy Abraham, Strategic Comms Lead for Haringey Council and Founder of BrandGuy consultancy, talks to Vishnee about how work in local government can lead to real impact on communities.  He shares his experience working on charity brands and why we should focus on the strengths of the team rather than their weaknesses.

Our host, Vishnee Sauntoo, sits down with Jenny Legg, Head of Comms of Scottish not-for-profit organisation Flexibility Works. Jenny discusses what truly flexible working means, the limited part-time opportunities, especially at senior levels, and her journey from being a journalist to moving into comms. She provides insight into successful remote working and what it is like to drive change with limited resources.

In the first full episode of The Comms Collective Podcast, Vishnee Sauntoo sits down with Adeela Warley, CEO of CharityComms - a membership organisation for charity communications professionals. Adeela discusses the future of communications and her role at CharityComms, as well as what leadership means to her. She talks about the evolution of leadership and the impact of AI on the sector.

Welcome to the Comms Collective podcast, where Vishnee Sauntoo explores the highs, lows and hard-won lessons of comms in the mission-led world. Each episode features candid conversations with charity and public sector comms leaders — on everything from budget squeezes to breakthrough campaigns, comms in crisis to finding your voice as a leader.