About us
Let’s get Straight to our story
Passionate about the growing power of the PR industry, Hannah O’Donnell founded Straight Up PR in 2013. The business was created to fill a gap in the market for a PR agency that specialised in health & wellness, both inside & outside of work. Then in 2015 after working with so many health Influencers, a need for talent management was realised & Straight Up People was born.
We are proud to work with much-loved brands, businesses, products & people of influence in the Health, Lifestyle, Fitness & Better-For-You industries in Australia & New Zealand.
​ "We strive to be the best we can be & do our best work for clients, in an authentic & Straight Up way. We’re not perfect, but we’re better," says Hannah O'Donnell.
In 2019, we recognised a need for a PR agency that could help New Zealand brands cross the Tasman to reach a new audience. We are known as the tried & tested Australian PR agency of choice, who will successfully launch your brand into this market.
​
Our culture exudes authenticity & prioritises the fostering of relationships & building of communities - the essence of what PR is all about.
Not conforming to traditional PR ways of working, & after noticing the emerging need for 'New PR' practices, Straight Up PR has founded their very own New PR Playbook & consistently delivers impactful integrative communication campaigns via new & traditional Media avenues. The four pillars of the Playbook include New & Traditional Media, Creative Mailers, Brand Collaborations & Influencer Campaigns.
​
Our Straight Up Approach
We are straight talking & passionate people who always deliver the results that matter most to our clients. We are all about understanding people, building & maintaining relationships, cutting the spin & being real. Remaining knowledgeable & trustworthy to our clients, Media & Influencers is key to our success. We love what we do, we love the people we work with & we will only take on your business if we believe in you & what you're trying to achieve.
Hannah O'Donnell
Founder & Managing Director
With her infectious energy, strong industry knowledge & unique business attributes, Hannah loves building positive relationships with all kinds of people – Media, Influencers, clients & her team.
​Equipped with a bachelor of Communications majoring in Marketing & PR, & boasting over 15 years experience in the industry, Hannah has delivered a number of successful integrated communications campaigns for leading brands in Australia & New Zealand, including Soulfresh, Whittaker's, Woolworths, Vegepod, Vicks, Almo, Freedom Foods, Dr Bronner's, Australian Dental Association: Dental Health Week, SkyZone, Pic’s Peanut Butter, Johnson & Johnson, Destination NSW, Fairfax Media & Events, Nikon, Moet Hennessy & Fitbit.
​
Practicing what she preaches, Hannah believes in work/life integration & trusts that especially working in PR, you should be 'on' all the time - consuming Media & always finding it a joy to think of the next opportunity you're going to secure your client. With this mindset, Hannah also encourages her team to put their own health first, & even when life gets 'full' to keep up with their daily wellbeing practices, as she's seen first hand how this results in a more productive & happy team, who produce outstanding work everyone is proud of.
​
In her first year of business at Straight Up PR, Hannah was awarded B&T’s 30 Under 30 Award, & she continues to inspire people with her powerful leadership skills & positive attitude to work & life.
Hannah is not only a proud businessowner but a delighted Mum & Wife to two fun loving kids, Frankie & Beau, husband Craig & fur baby Piper. In Hannah’s down time, you’ll find her enjoying a mat Pilates class, at the beach, going for nature walks, watching reality TV on catch up, entertaining friends with a killer platter & organic wine in hand or hatching their next reno plan.
Nastasia Marjanovic
General Manager
Nastasia has a passion for delivering integrated & impactful campaigns that get people talking.
Always knowing that PR was for her, Nastasia studied a Bachelor of Media, specialising in Public Relations & Advertising at the University of New South Wales, before interning to gain industry knowledge & experience. Landing her dream job at Straight Up PR in 2014, Nastasia instantly fell in love with the fact that she could combine her two passions – health & PR.
Highly organised, straight-talking, with a flair for creative thinking, Nastasia gets a real kick from delivering tangible results for clients. Having worked on campaigns across Australia & New Zealand, with clients including the likes of Pic’s Peanut Butter, Whittaker's, Proper Crisps, Life Education’s Ocsober campaign, Changing Habits & Melrose Health, Nastasia draws from her authentic relationships she’s built in the industry & drives real conversations about her clients through bold campaigns.
Feeling lucky enough to love what she does for work, when Nastasia isn’t chatting away to a client on the phone, or typing energetically at her laptop, you’ll find her at a Reformer Pilates class, wholefoods café or cooking (most likely a pasta) with her partner for their family & friends with an organic Pinot Noir in hand.
Ashleigh Pollock
Senior Account Manager
Ash brings a wealth of experience & a genuine passion for health & wellness to our team. With a background in working with renowned wellness brands like JSHealth & Bodylove Pilates, Ash has discovered her next calling in sharing her expertise with the Better For You brands serviced by Straight Up PR.
Her journey began in the dynamic realm of PR agencies, notably at Eleven PR, where she honed her skills managing consumer & corporate accounts for a diverse array of brands including Campari Group, Australian Turf Club, Steggles, Krispy Kreme, Mastercard & many more.
Transitioning into the startup scene, Ash took on a pivotal role at JSHealth Vitamins as Head of PR & Influencer Marketing, before switching gears to the fitness side of the industry where she seamlessly integrated herself into the world of Pilates. Working with one of Sydney's leading studios, Ash not only marketed the services but also completed her reformer & mat Pilates instructor training along the way.
Continuously seeking to enhance her skills, Ash has pursued additional education in marketing & events management, alongside delving into the field of nutrition.
Outside of work, you’ll often find Ash enjoying the sun at the beach after attending a morning boxing or Pilates class, with a smoothie or açai bowl in hand! With a deep passion for travel & an adventurous spirit, Ash has explored 32 countries & eagerly looks forward to ticking off many more destinations on her bucket list.
Hannah Singleton
Senior Account Manager
Photographer
Highly skilled in design, communications & all things digital media, Hannah has a genuine passion for working with brands in the health & lifestyle space. Driven by the desire to help brands grow their businesses & reach their goals, Hannah combines her expertise in social media, marketing, PR, photography & innovative brand collaborations to deliver impactful results. Her clients include the likes of MOJO, Ārepa, She SUPs, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Fem21, Regal Salmon, Tropeaka & Kolorex.
While studying a Bachelor of Media & Communications at the University of Sydney, Hannah started Healthy Luxe, a health, food & lifestyle platform which was a cultivation of everything she loved – cooking, writing, social media, health, styling & photography. Her zest for elevating brands through communication tactics & collaboration is what consolidated Hannah’s interest for the new-PR space & led her to join the team at Straight Up PR. Hannah’s suite of skills complements Straight Up PR’s portfolio & offering & she is a true asset to the team.
On the weekend you’ll find Hannah at the beach, a Pilates class, checking out the best new cafes in Sydney (sharing her experience on her socials) or enjoying the occasional chilli margarita with friends.
Julia Leon
Account Manager
Resident Nutritionist
Passionate about all things health & nutrition, Julia holds a Bachelor of Media (Communications & Journalism) from the University of New South Wales & has recently completed a Bachelor of Health Science (Food & Nutrition) through Charles Sturt University.
Alongside her formal education, Julia comes equipped with almost 10 years’ industry experience, starting her editorial career in magazines where she has written for a number of women’s lifestyle titles in both Sydney & New York.
Having since worked across various sectors in the health & wellness space including content creation, copywriting, strategic marketing & brand partnerships, Julia feels right at home at StraightUp PR where she gets to express her creativity to drive results for clients. From conception to execution, she absolutely loves a good brainstorming session & seeing ideas come to life.
As a proud mother & wife, Julia’s favourite moments involve spending time with her little family. On the weekend, you’ll find them somewhere outdoors, grabbing a coffee (& babycino), catching up with friends & enjoying Sunday lunches where food comas are the norm in an Italian household.
Georgia Tonnet
Senior Account Executive
Introducing Georgia, a bright dynamic PR professional with a passion for communication. With a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Newcastle, where she majored in Public Relations, Georgia brings over three years’ experience to the Straight Up PR team. Specialising in social media management, creative writing, campaign management & event organisation, Georgia has worked with some of Australia’s biggest international and national clients such as LA Tourism, Sony, Bacardi-Martini, SEEK, Hootsuite, Xero & HMD Nokia.
In her down time, you’ll find Georgia at Sydney’s hottest new restaurant openings with friends, in the park journaling & patting the local dogs or out on the tennis court, channelling her inner Ash Barty.
Gina Seligsohn
Content Creator
Communications Gina is a multifaceted professional passionate about health & wellness. As an Accredited Practising Dietitian & Nutritionist, Pilates Instructor, & Content Creator, she brings a holistic & integrative approach to the evolving health & wellness industry.
​
Her mission is to make health & wellness accessible through engaging & informative content, emphasising a balanced lifestyle that prioritises well-being over numbers. Gina believes in non-restrictive habits that allow individuals to listen to their bodies & enjoy what they need, whether it's movement, a nutritious smoothie, a comforting bowl of pasta, or a glass of wine - finding the perfect harmony between health & wellness.
​
With experience spanning various media avenues including social media management, talent management, content creation, copywriting, food styling, photography, & brand partnerships, Gina is well-versed in effectively communicating health concepts to diverse audiences. ​
​
Outside of work, you'll find Gina leading Pilates sessions, enjoying long outdoor walks & ocean swims, crafting delicious meals & exploring the best weekend spots.
​
Gina's dedicated to promoting wellness & her diverse skill set make her a valuable addition to the Straight Up PR team, working with clients Pic's Peanut Butter & Proper Crisps - going above & beyond to create delicious recipes for her followers & showcasing her expertise & creativity.
.
