Meet Natalie Runko – Ginninderry’s Marketing and Communications Manager. A brand new addition to the team, we find out what makes her tick!

Tell us a bit about yourself?       

Having grown up within the region, albeit with a short stint at the South Coast when I was one (as if that even counts!), I’m a born and bred Canberran.

I started my career as a marketing coordinator in the property industry, too long ago than I care to remember. After developing my skills in this area, I developed an interest in graphic design and my role evolved to allow me to take on this challenge. It was a great opportunity to have the capacity to learn on the job while also studying through various short courses and alongside other professionals. As my skills grew so did my role, and while I was utilising my skills in graphic design and leading various projects, I was also overseeing and growing the team.

I finished my time within that organisation as a Studio Manager, and after around 10 years of working in Canberra, my partner and I decided to make the move to Melbourne for a lifestyle change.

My first role in Melbourne was as a Creative Manager at a local 3D and interactive property studio, bringing the brand and marketing side of their projects to life. The projects ranged from multi-unit dwellings to residential and commercial towers, retail precincts and major projects such as stadiums and infrastructure.

After a few life-changing months in South America, I started a new role in Melbourne as a Studio Manager at another agency with a strong digital focus, which was a fantastic opportunity to fill some gaps in my knowledge at the time.

Fast forward to 2016, my partner and I had our first child who, believe it or not, started to cramp our happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Who knew?! Since we could no longer get out to the gigs and sporting events that drew us to Melbourne in the first place (thankfully the timing had been perfect to see our AFL team dominate over the preceding years), we made the move back to Canberra to be with family, old friends and more open space.

Since then, and with the exception of another maternity leave break when our second child was born, I have been back in the Canberra property marketing world as a strategic end-to-end marketer working across a range of functions including content production, campaign management, social media and marketing automation, to name a few.

I am now excited to be part of the Ginninderry team as Marketing & Communications Manager, working on such a unique project in a beautiful part of the world!

A little more about me personally… I’d say I’m a bit of a foodie, but honestly, I’m happiest when a restaurant just brings out their best dishes. I’m often plagued with food envy when the menu is packed with too many tempting options. I’m also a big fan of a well-crafted drink; whether it’s wine, beer, or a cocktail at any hour.

But what I love more than anything is getting outside with my family. Our two boys aged 5 and 7, are super energetic – so we’re always up for an adventure. Kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, mountain biking, surfing, swimming – we’re up for anything. Beaches, rainforests, rivers – you name it, we’re there!

What does your role bring to the Ginninderry project?   

Due to my previous roles within the marketing & comms space in the property industry, I have a unique perspective which I hope to draw on to assist with getting the right message out at the right time, to help potential purchasers connect and engage, and showcase the amazing community that is growing at Ginninderry.

You’re new to the Ginninderry family – what are you enjoying most so far, and what are you most looking forward to?

Since starting in this role, I’ve really enjoyed getting an understating of the depth of projects happening within Ginninderry, the history of the local area, and the extent the team goes to in order to do the right thing.

I’m looking forward to working with the team to bring the vision to life.

A Fun Fact?

I’ve been holding onto my youthful spirit by recently taking up freestyle BMX – which is proving great for fitness, facing my fears, and getting a good dose of adrenalin.

I’ve quickly learned that I don’t quite bounce back the same way as I used to. But so far, so good… no major injuries. Touch wood!