Anna Kirk
Senior Consultant
Frank Engagement senior consultant, Anna Kirk, has more than 30 years’ experience in executive leadership roles, communications and marketing management, crisis communications and journalism, across both the public and private sector in New Zealand and Australia.
As former Executive Director – Communications for Hawke’s Bay District Health Board (DHB), Anna is a strategic thinker who is highly experienced at leading and delivering under pressure.
She has contributed to the health communication response for the Christchurch earthquake, the Christchurch mosque shootings and Napier Siege, as well as leading the DHB’s response to the Havelock North Campylobacter Water Crisis and Hawke’s Bay’s Covid19 response.
The communications response from the Hawke’s Bay DHB, during the campylobacter outbreak, was commended for its work by the Inquiry into the outbreak.
Integrity and the ability to build strong working relationships is a key focus for Anna, which guides her approach to supporting organisations to achieve strategic success.
She is experienced at advising governance and executive teams on communication responses both at district, regional and national level.
Project Highlights
Prior to Frank Engagement:
- Christchurch earthquake health response
- Christchurch Mosque shooting health response
- Napier Siege health response
- Havelock North Campylobacter Water Crisis health response
- Hawke’s Bay’s Covid19 response
Previous roles:
- Technical Advisory Service consultant, DHBs and Health NZ
- Executive Director Communications, HBDHB
- Communications and Media Manager, HBDHB
- Communications + Marketing Manager, StockCo Strategic Agrifinance
- New Zealand Manager, Labelmakers
- Qantas Award winning journalist, Hawke’s Bay Today
Qualifications:
Anna is accredited to Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (APR), she has also completed a number of leadership programmes, including a year-long transformational leadership programme, and is a trained Public Information Manager (PIM) for civil defence emergencies.
