About me: award-winning Chartered PR specialist
Hi. I’m Leonie.
I’m an award-winning strategic Chartered PR professional based in south Wales near to Bristol.
I launched Northlight Communications with a listening ear, to find out what the kind of values- and purpose-led organisations that I work with needed most.
And I found that my skills are most needed in fixing trust and reputational issues from the inside out.
I make things work when they matter most.
My career has been shaped inside complex systems: Welsh and UK Government, public services, charities and mission-driven organisations, where decisions are rarely simple, scrutiny is constant, and trust is hard-won and easily lost.
The public are always your harshest critic – but the public is also us.
I’ve worked at senior levels in high-pressure environments, helping leaders navigate reputational risk, organisational change, and moments when values are tested, not just talked about.
Over time, I recognised the pattern that guides me.
When organisations struggle publicly, the root cause is rarely just the press release.
The cause is culture, leadership, fragmented teams working in siloes. It’s the decisions that happen behind closed doors.
Too often, organisations don’t understand that impact isn’t what they do – it’s how people feel about it.
Communication should always be ethical, purposeful, and human – that’s what I believe, and that’s what I focus on.
PR works by building trust, reputation, and impact consistently over time from the inside out.
Why me? What will I bring?
Like many people, my life hasn’t followed a straight line.
I’ve rebuilt, personally as well as professionally.
I’ve learned to read the undercurrents in a room, to spot patterns that look out of place, and to understand the human impact of organisational decisions.
I also have experience of neurodivergence, which means that I think deeply, connect patterns quickly, and notice what others sometimes miss. In reputation and crisis work, that perspective is an advantage.
I founded Northlight Communications to bring all that together
The name Northlight Communications reflects how I work: helping organisations find clarity in uncertain conditions, to set a steady course, and lead with integrity when visibility is highest and margins for error are smallest.
I don’t believe in superficial fixes, and I very rarely recommend paid advertising or paid advertorials.
Instead, I work from the inside out, aligning values, behaviours and decisions so that communication becomes credible, not cosmetic – the natural, impactful outcome of dedicated, authentic and committed teams.
I work with leaders who care about doing the right thing, not just saying the right thing. Organisations which understand that trust is built through consistency, courage and accountability. And teams who want communications that are strategic, ethical and rooted in reality.
Northlight Communications exists because reputation isn’t something to polish.
It’s something that’s earned, day by day, decision by decision.
Northlight Communications values
Appreciation
I notice, value and elevate people.
For me and Northlight Communications, appreciation means recognising the contribution, dignity and potential of everyone I work with. I don’t treat people as roles or resources – they are humans whose insight, effort and experience matter.
In practice, appreciation looks like:
- Listening before advising
- Acknowledging expertise wherever it sits
- Creating space for different voices
- Valuing care, skill, and thoughtfulness, because reputation grows when people feel seen.
Loyalty
I stand with my clients and my principles.
Loyalty at Northlight is earned trust, mutual respect, and long term commitment.
I am loyal to my clients, to their purpose, and to the people they serve, and I’m committed to doing the right thing.
In practice, loyalty looks like:
- Being dependable under pressure
- Telling the truth when it’s uncomfortable
- Protecting trust and confidentiality
- Staying present when things get hard.
Justice
I act for fairness, lived experience, and accountability.
Justice for me means using communication as a force for fairness and responsibility.
I help to challenge systems, behaviours and narratives that silence people, distort truth or excuse harm.
In practice, justice looks like:
- Making space for lived experience
- Questioning power when it’s misused
- Standing for transparency and ethical decision-making
- Designing communications that don’t exclude or manipulate.
Integrity
I align values, behaviour and communication.
Integrity is at the core of my being, and of Northlight Communications.
It means making sure that what we say and do is consistent, whether or not anyone is watching.
In practice, integrity looks like:
- Honest advice, not convenient spin
- Clear boundaries and ethical lines
- Accountability for impact, not just intent
- Choosing long-term trust over short-term gain.
Without integrity, reputation is just performance.
My experience
I’ve led campaigns and communication in some of the UK’s most sensitive, high-pressure environments.
Welsh Government
- I launched the Welsh Government’s Race Equality Action Plan.
- I sourced and told stories about the communities and individuals who were inspiring their communities through volunteering and third sector support during Covid.
- I led media handling of violence against women and domestic abuse policy during Covid.
- I supported Brexit transition communications for Wales.
UK Government Dept for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
- I advised on proactive and reactive media handling at the start of the cost of living crisis.
Office for National Statistics
- I managed internal and external change communication curing a major transformation of economic statistics.
Charity sector
- I advised on and launched nationally important communication plans affecting communities and individuals right across the UK.
Police force
- I led public safety campaigns for a Welsh police force.
- I helped build trust in policing teams.
- I developed plans to manage practical and reputational crises, and managed media handling of breaking news stories sensitively.
Social enterprise development
- I rebuilt teams from the inside out, and showed them how to demonstrate impact through storytelling.
- I managed the Social Business Wales awards programme in 2024 and 2025, and increased entries by 500% in 2025.
- I planned and led events, including Cwmpas’s team presence at the Wrexham National Eisteddfod.
- I planned and led the Social Business Wales conference and awards celebration in 2024 and 2025
Alongside this, I have substantial experience as a committee chair, trustee, and leader.
This blend makes me an expert in trust-building, storytelling, and crisis planning, especially for purpose-led organisations whose work is complex, technical, or emotionally-charged.
What you’ll get
- One-to-one advice and support from a highly experienced PR specialist.
- Clarity on where you are now.
- A clear strategy for where you’re going.
- Confident key messages.
- An actionable plan.
- Real life impact.
- Stronger reputation.
- Business growth.
If your organisation wants to build reputation from the inside out, and fix the problems not just the symptoms, I’m here to help.
Let’s work together to build understanding and trust, and build your reputation from the inside out.