Our Purpose


Empowering organisations to lead the change they want to see in the region.

Background

Fishbowl PR was founded in 2010 by Birgit Schonafinger. It has been built on Birgit’s commitment to good relationships as the basis for business and community prosperity.

Birgit’s clients benefit from her extensive local knowledge and networks. She contributes to many community, not-for-profit and start-up projects in a pro bono capacity.

Give 500

Border North East Communicators’ Network

In 2017 Birgit started convening a quarterly, informal group where regional communications, PR and marketing professionals come together to network and undertake professional development. The Border North East Communicators’ Network events provide an opportunity for peers to share their challenges and expertise. If you would like to be added to this emailing list to receive advice of the latest events, please send Birgit an email. Come and spend some time with your tribe.

Birgit is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and serves on the IABC Asia Pacific board.

IABC-Asia-Pacific-Region

Birgit Schonafinger

Birgit Schonafinger

MA (Org Comm) FPRIA

I grew up in the family business – a bakery in north east Victoria - where I learnt early the value of good customer service.

As a child, writing captured my imagination and my first job was as a print journalist. There I enjoyed telling the stories of people in their communities. It was also a good fit for my fascination with issues and my need for variety.

I travelled through Egypt and Europe and lived and worked in the UK for five years before moving to Melbourne where I worked as a newspaper sub-editor.

Returning to north east Victoria in 1996 led me into local government public relations roles, strong connections to community, old and new networks and eventually to starting Fishbowl PR in 2010.

I love the variety of work and am energised by the interesting projects and the people I get to work with – both clients and collaborators. The results our projects have delivered in raising awareness, improving understanding, strengthening community connections and delivering new initiatives in the region really make the work rewarding.

I look forward to your call to see if Fishbowl PR is a good fit for your project.

- Birgit

Who’s Inside the Fishbowl?

We’re pleased to collaborate with other specialists to provide benefits to our clients.

What has a fishbowl got to do with PR?

At Fishbowl PR, we understand the importance of having people on the outside looking in, to give fresh, new insights on your business.

We also understand that businesses and organisations are heavily scrutinised by the public and other external stakeholders. Being so open to public view is like operating in a fish bowl - a potentially daunting prospect, we can turn into an exciting opportunity.

The business name 'Fishbowl PR'

It's about getting an outsider's perspective on your business.

It's a reference to the contemporary expression: "Fishbowl....a place, job, or condition in which one's activities are open to public view or scrutiny"

It highlights the link between the culture of an organisation (the inside) being visible to external stakeholders and affecting how they interact with the organisation.

"A fishbowl is an engagement tool which allows people to hear the perspectives of others on a particular issue or project."

- dictionary.com

Newsletter