Ryan Sheales

Ryan is a communications, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement specialist with extensive experience in the community sector and media.

For nearly a decade, he led communications at the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS), Victoria’s peak body for social and community services. In that role, Ryan shaped the organisation’s voice, built public and political support for key reforms, and raised awareness of issues affecting vulnerable Victorians.

His work included message development, campaign design, coalition building, media engagement, and policy positioning. Ryan played a key role in public advocacy efforts, working with diverse stakeholders across government, non-profits, and the wider community to build consensus and drive change.

Ryan supports clients with a range of strategic communications challenges, from reputation management and crisis response to media relations and government-facing advocacy. He brings a thoughtful, experienced approach to connecting with audiences in meaningful and persuasive ways.

Before moving into advocacy, Ryan held senior roles in journalism and media, including at ABC News and Network Ten’s The Project. He also worked at the University of Melbourne in research promotion, helping academics communicate complex ideas to broader audiences. These experiences strengthened his skills in storytelling, strategic messaging, and audience engagement.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) with Distinction from RMIT University.