Innovative

Respected

Professional

Spectrum Comms began in November 2018, born from a shared vision between founders Angela Felton and Melissa Maurer. After collaborating on the award-winning Newcastle Light Rail project, their strong partnership and mutual passion for community engagement sparked the creation of a boutique Hunter-based consultancy.

Driven by a commitment to delivering exceptional results, we've grown steadily. With a vibrant team of communication and engagement professionals located across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Sydney, the Central Coast and Central West NSW, Spectrum Comms has made its mark as a leading force in community engagement, communications, crisis management, stakeholder and project consultation.

Our team are IAP2 accredited and experts at seamlessly integrating into client and multi-disciplinary teams to deliver project success.

explore our projects

Who we are

Our success is built on our core values: people, trust, excellence and creativity. These values underpin everything we do, driving us to give our all every day and to help our clients succeed.

At its heart, Spectrum Comms is about empowering change. Mel and Ang’s leadership has cultivated an environment where collaboration, creativity and excellence thrive. We're dedicated to delivering innovative, people-first solutions for the communities and projects we serve.

director

Melissa Maurer

20 years’ experience specialising in community and stakeholder engagement for major infrastructure projects throughout New South Wales with values up to $21.6 billion.

Loves… delivering genuine and results-driven engagement for major infrastructure projects.

Superpowers…

balancing complex stakeholder issues with program delivery and budget requirements to deliver effective communication campaigns

coordinating and facilitating community and stakeholder engagement forums

media relations, issues and crisis management

leading teams.

Proud to have been part of… New England Renewable Energy Zone, Sydney Metro City and Southwest, Transport Access Program, Parramatta Light Rail, Newcastle Light Rail, Lake Mac 100 Voices.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card | Rail Industry Worker Accreditation

Awards… Finalist Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards (Year 2022 and 2024) | Finalist Australian Women Small Business Champion Awards (2023)

Reach out to Melissa on LinkedIn

director

Angela Felton

30 years’ experience in community engagement, communications, media and government relations and academia.

Loves… advocating for the community in organisational planning and decision making.

Superpowers…

planning, managing and implementing community engagement and communications programs

finding and using the best engagement tools to reach and engage effectively

Seeing the big picture – identifying challenges early and finding creative solutions

Working with project teams and the communities where they operate

Proud to have been part of… Wollombi Road Upgrade, Lake Mac 100 Voices, Walka Water Works Community Liaison Group, Snowy Hydro Hunter Power Project, Kangy Angy Maintenance Facility, Chichester Truck Gravity Main – Duckenfield to Tarro, Newcastle Light Rail.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card | Rail Industry Worker Accreditation

Awards… IAP2 Award (Environment) (2015) - Local Adaptation Planning for Lake Macquarie City Council | Finalist Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards (Year 2022 2024) | Finalist Australian Women Small Business Champion Awards (2023).

Reach out to Angela on LinkedIn

GENERAL MANAGER

Laurie D'Angelo-Edmonds

25 years’ experience in community and stakeholder relations and business management across public and private sectors.

Loves… achieving mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders with strategic and authentic engagement.

Superpowers…

strategy development, delivery and reporting on high-risk/high-profile projects

facilitating stakeholder discussions and forums to solve complex problems

risk mitigation, issues management and executive and project advisor

grassroots engagement to understand community and stakeholder needs and aspirations.

Proud to have been part of… Lismore City Council Flood Recovery Portfolio, Muswellbrook Shire Council Community Strategic Plan, Chichester Dam Risk Assessment Report, Newcastle Ocean Baths (Stage 1 and Stage 2), Seaham Weir Erosion Management Plan - Development, New England Renewable Energy Zone.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | Intensive Mediation workshop LEADR Association of Dispute Resolvers | Community Conferencing Monash University.

Awards… NSW Local Government Excellence Awards (2021) - Community Partnerships for population under 100,000 (Maitland Food Assistance Network in response to COVID-19).

Reach out to Laurie on LinkedIn

associate director

Natalie D'Arcy

24 years’ experience in community engagement, communications and market and social research.

Loves… advocating for the community in organisational planning and decision making.

Superpowers…

distilling complex information into easy-to-understand materials for community and key stakeholders

issues management and providing advice to senior management

effortlessly integrating into project teams and leading the communication and engagement function

using data to support decision making.

Proud to have been part of… Newcastle Light Rail, Lower Hunter Water Security Plan, Newcastle Ocean Baths (Stage 1), Chichester Trunk Gravity Main – Brookfield to Burmi Creek, M1 Pacific Motorway upgrades, Belmont Desalination Plant, Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Masterplan.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card | Rail Industry Worker Accreditation

Awards… NSW Premier's Award (2019) - Building a Strong Economy (Revitalising Newcastle)

Reach out to Natalie on LinkedIn

senior communication and engagement consultant

Paul Jackson

30 years’ experience in strategy and execution, community engagement, communications, media and public relations.

Loves… bringing people together through effective communication and engagement.

Superpowers…

initiating and maintaining meaningful relationships between clients, community and stakeholders

seamlessly adapting to roles between executive advisor to front-line engagement

connecting with regional communities and stakeholders to deliver project outcomes

presenting to and facilitating community forums on complex and sensitive projects.

Proud to have been part of… New England Renewable Energy Zone, Wattle Creek Energy Hub, SA Resource Extraction Protection Area Overlay Project, Boral Sydney Aggregates Project (Peppertree Quarry / Maldon Rail), Boral Berrima Cement Solid Waste-Derived Fuels, Planning Consents and Tenure Extensions – Boral NSW / VIC / SA / QLD / WA

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card

Awards… Inaugural National Award for Community Leadership – Cement Concrete Aggregates Australia (2018) | State Awards for Community Leadership – Cement Concrete Aggregates Australia: Victoria/Tasmania (2016); NSW/ACT (2017 and 2018).

Reach out to Paul on LinkedIn

senior communication and engagement consultant

Alexis McLaren

12 years’ experience in community and stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, public and media relations, copywriting and editing.

Loves… storytelling, copywriting and finding new ways to engage with communities and stakeholders.

Superpowers…

extensive experience in engaging communities in the water utilities industry

identifying and mitigating project risks through comprehensive engagement planning and delivery

exceptional copywriting and editing skills

identifying creative tools and techniques to deliver engagement and project outcomes

Proud to have been part of… Wollombi Road Upgrade, Hunter Water Stormwater Amenity Improvements, Tuggerah Lakes Foreshore Redevelopment Works, Terrigal Lagoon Trail, North Avoca flying-foxes, Pearl Beach Lagoon Coastal Zone Management Plan.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card | Rail Industry Worker Accreditation | Certificate in Professional Editing and Proof Reading.

Reach out to Alexis on LinkedIn

senior communication and engagement consultant

Claire Bailey

15 years’ experience in corporate communications, public and media relations, internal communications, change management and event management.

Loves… engaging with local communities through well planned, straight forward and meaningful communications and engagement.

Superpowers…

extensive experience on complex infrastructure projects across multiple project delivery sectors including rail, road, maritime. active transport and integrated precincts.

engaging with communities and key stakeholders to successfully deliver major projects

navigating government departments to deliver engagement project results.

Proud to have been part of… Wollombi Road Upgrade, Transport Access Program Newcastle Light Rail, Newcastle Interchange, Broadmeadow Station Upgrade, Lismore City Council Flood Recovery Portfolio.

Certifications… IAP2 accredited | NSW Construction White Card | Rail Industry Worker Accreditation | Adobe InDesign

Awards… NSW Premier's Award (2019), for Building a Strong Economy (Revitalising Newcastle)

senior communication and engagement consultant

Tommy Griffiths

10+ years’ experience in stakeholder and community engagement, communications, and project delivery across government, higher education, and local business.

Loves… building strong, genuine relationships with communities and stakeholders to create positive project outcomes.

Superpowers…

developing and delivering engagement strategies for complex infrastructure projects

handling sensitive issues and stakeholders with empathy and professionalism

creating engagement tools and resources that make best practice simple and practical

building safe environments for underrepresented voices to be included in decision-making

bringing a dynamic facilitation style and thoughtful mediation to workshops and community conversations

Proud to have been part of… EnergyCo Hunter Transmission Project, Kurri Kurri Town Centre Upgrade, Wollombi Road Upgrade Project, Cessnock City Council Community Engagement Strategy, Charles Sturt University Future Moves program

Certifications… IAP2 Certificate of Engagement | Remote Pilots Licence (RePL)

Communication and Engagement Consultant

Meredith Whitworth

15 years’ experience in communications client service, customer relationship and administration.

Loves… connecting and liaising with people, taking time to understand their needs and concerns and managing them through to resolution.

Superpowers…

managing the interface and first point of contact between Project teams, the community and stakeholders

building rapport with community and stakeholders during sensitive and challenging projects

planning, coordinating and delivering successful engagement forums and events

managing and maintaining engagement data in CRMs.

Proud to have been part of… New England Renewable Energy Zone, Parramatta Light Rail, City of Newcastle Access Inclusion Advisory Committee Workshop, Lake Mac 100 Voices, King Georges Rd, and Georges River Rd Intersection Upgrades, Muswellbrook Shire Council Community Strategic Plan

Certifications… Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice