Strategic communications and reputation consultancy Sound Story is bolstering its communications capabilities across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with several key hires and an internal promotion.
Joining Sound Story as Strategic Communications Lead is Kate McCabe, who arrives from the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she served as Senior Advisor, Strategic Communications, advising on high-stakes issues and whole-of-government strategy. McCabe brings deep experience in arts and entertainment, with previous stints at Museums Victoria, the ABC and Remote Control Records.
McCabe joins a brains trust of strategists, journalists and future-focussed storytellers partnering with leaders and challengers in the creative industries. She will work across reputation and risk for Sound Story clients, with a focus on government and policy positioning, issues and crisis management, and industry advocacy.
Melbourne-based McCabe said: “I’ve had my eye on Sound Story for some time – what they’re doing feels different. They are providing our local creative sector with proven corporate-inspired strategic comms expertise, and that’s exciting. I’m looking forward to working with Sound Story and sharing my learnings from the issues-rich wheelhouse of government.”Sound Story has further strengthened its team with the appointment of Nick Price as Corporate Communications Specialist. Price brings a decade of experience, having worked at SGC Media, The Red Republic, IVY PR and Bespoken Agency. Based in Brisbane, Price will work closely with Zanda Wilson, who joined the business at launch in 2023 and has been promoted to Head of Corporate Communications.
The addition of McCabe and Price to the Sound Story team follows the recent appointments of Melbourne-based Geoff Cope-Watts as Senior Communications Specialist and Sydney-based Brooke Boland as Consumer Communications Specialist. Both Cope-Watts and Boland will work closely with Jane Elliott, Communications Director, who joined from NOVA Entertainment in 2023.
Cope-Watts brings specialist knowledge and experience to Sound Story, having worked in commercial radio for over 20 years at NOVA Entertainment, ARN, SCA, and Nine, as well as more recent stints at SBS, before transitioning into communications at Thrive PR + Communications. Boland, meanwhile, brings significant expertise in public relations, social media, and influencer marketing, having spent over five years at Sling & Stone, as well as stints at PR agencies Red Havas and Klick X.
Sound Story was founded in 2023 by Managing Partners Jake Challenor and Brian Lawlor, and works with leaders and challengers in the creative industries across music, media, technology, fashion and more.
Challenor said: “The way stories are told — and the way they spread — is always evolving. We built Sound Story to help creative industry leaders and challengers make sense of that complexity and turn it into opportunity. The addition of Kate, Nick, Geoff and Brooke, alongside Zanda stepping up as Head of Corporate Communications, further strengthens our capabilities with the depth and expertise needed to help our clients manage their reputation on the world stage.”