Collette Parker
Independent Author Book Festival Engagement Lead
Collette is an experienced writer, sub editor, PR and community engagement specialist.
After finishing her training with the National Council for Training Journalists (NCTJ) she worked as a reporter on the Hunts Post and Oxford Daily Mail and as a sub editor on the Cambridge Evening News and TVTimes Magazine for 10 years. She freelanced during this time on Daily Express Features, Guardian Education and Elle Magazine.
During the noughties she was the arts writer on Cambridgeshire Life and food critic on the platform Local Secrets. Collette then went on to write property features for Fine & Country, edited the Guild of Professional Estate Agents quarterly magazine, and provided editorial and PR for numerous companies.
Her roles in PR included Communications Manager at Luminus Group (now Chorus Homes) and Media Manager/Community Engagement Manager at Anglian Water.
She freelanced for Cambridgeshire Probation Services Internal Coms, marketing and PR Papworth Trust, Peterborough City Council Media Team and Care UK Internal Communications.
Collette graduated with a degree in English and Drama from the University of Cambridge, in her 30s ran workshops for various community education establishments, was artistic director of Ocras Theatre Group and is currently Associate Freelance Director (Projects) for The Chronicle Theatre Company.