Suzy Cooper smiles and waves at the camera

about me.

Hi, I’m Suzy Cooper. I’m a communicator.

I devise unusual, effective ways to get messages about scientific, technical or tricky subjects into peoples heads so they know, feel and do something different.

my background.

I started my career as a geologist with a keen interest in geographic information systems, before realising I was most interested in helping people solve problems than hitting rocks with a hammer.

When I realised subsequent roles as a business process analyst, trainer and technical writer for companies putting in the SAP computer system, while challenging, didn’t give me the variety I needed, I went out on my own.

Starting my own business as a communications consultant allowed me to expand my services into strategy, writing, editing, coaching, training and presenting. I also added image consultancy and drawing, because those are both powerful visual ways of communicating.

My voracious appetite for learning and an unremitting drive to make the world fairer led me to successfully run for election as an alderman with the City of Hobart. In order to run my own campaign, I studied graphic design and applied what I’d learned in decades of communications work to creating my own novel ways to reach my voters.

My book, Thank goodness you’re here!, lays out my cringe-free relationship-based campaign strategy, if you’re interested.

I studied to become an image consultant so I could not only enjoy the creativity involved in dressing myself, but also help clients who need to develop personal presence and style so they’re taken seriously and their messages are. heard.

my side projects.

In 2007 I did a comedy workshop with the amazing Gavin Baskerville, which led me into performing stand-up comedy. I still perform on occasion. That’s given me the skills to write about serious subjects in a funny (when appropriate), pithy, memorable way and coach others to improve their presentation skills.

Learning to type and transcribe Braille and volunteering as a phone counsellor for a crisis line gave me a keen awareness of the very different ways people take in information.

Serving as an alderman on a capital city council, and on the boards of Sustainable Living Tasmania and the Ten Lives Cat Centre (yep, I’m a cat person) honed my governance skills.

Learning to sketch so I could keep a travel journal led to teaching sketching to people who didn’t think they can draw. Drawing is fast and powerful way to communicate.

Writing and self-publishing books is not only challenging, it also gives me valuable skills I use when ghost-writing or coaching others to write in their own voice.