ABOUT US
The Beyond the Break team has years of experience in sporting and not-for-profit sectors, helping to drive organisations to achieve real and measurable outcomes.
We pride ourselves on assisting brands to get through the uncertainty – to get past the white water, through the channel, and negotiate the break to where the water is clear. From communications and commercialisation to business development and strategy, we help groups to answer the hardest question: where are we going? It is our passion to help organisations take maximum advantage once they have negotiated the break and reached clear water, then return to shore having successfully cracked the perfect wave. It’s all about providing our knowledge and experience so clients’ actions can be perfectly chosen – and timed – to respond to the situation at hand. After building careers working on the client side, in 2015 we decided to ‘have a crack’ and take on the ocean of our own business. We know that conditions and wind direction could change at any time, and we are fortunate to work with so many great brands on the journey so far as we negotiate our own break.
Our Team
Grant Baldock
Director
With more than 20 years experience in sports administration and membership-based organisations, Grant has the ability to look at the big picture while delivering practical solutions.
Heading up the events and commercial portfolios for Beyond the Break, Grant brings extensive experience and knowledge having served as a CEO and Senior Manager for some of the country’s leading national sporting organisations including Swimming Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia and Equestrian Australia.
Grant recently spent for more than 12 months working with the sport competition managers at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games on sport readiness. He worked with the team across risk management, upskilling of personnel, getting games time ready as well as support throughout the Games.
Having worked on major sponsorship and broadcast deals across brands such as the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series, Australian Surf Life Saving Championships and FINA World Swimming Championships, Grant now focuses on working with sports and not-for-profits to look at ways to diversify revenue streams, attract new revenue and leverage assets.
His strong leadership skills has also seen Grant mentor and educate key industry leaders on presentation and communications skills when dealing with a variety of stakeholders. Having worked with international, national and grassroots stakeholders at all stages of his career, Grant understands the importance of tailoring messages and presentation of ideas to the different audiences.
Grant has developed strong relationships with major State events corporations nationally and has brokered major domestic and international event deals. His sports marketing experience covers sponsorship acquisition and leveraging, international broadcast negotiation, and media management.
Before Beyond the Break… Grant worked for brands including…
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- Equestrian Australia
- Swimming Australia
- Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games
- FINA World Championships Melbourne 2007
Lauren Ryan
Director
Lauren has extensive media, communications and marketing experience working across charity, sport and government agencies.
Responsible for the communications division of Beyond the Break, Lauren has a strong understanding of developing practical communications strategy as well as first hand experience in implementing communications tactics to drive strong results.
A coordinated and strategic marketing and communications strategy that not only delivers media results but also drives social media engagement is what Lauren brings to the table, working in particular with Olympic clients such as Water Polo Australia and Ski and Snowboard Australia on cost effective solutions.
With social media a key driver for how brands connect to fans, Lauren works with clients to either develop or enhance their social media footprint and help to drive organisational objectives.
Working with clients including NSW Waratahs, Rugby League World Cup, NSW Origin Teams and Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Lauren has first hand experience in developing and implementing international media and PR campaigns.
Her media management experience also extends to the Olympic games where she has worked as part of the Australian Olympic Committee team as a media liaison at the London and Rio Games.
Lauren’s background working for high profile brands as well as in emergency service based organisations such as Surf Life Saving Australia, has offered her with extensive issues management experience and crisis communications planning.
Before Beyond the Break… Lauren worked for brands including…
- Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- Department of Energy and Climate Change (UK)
- Equestrian Australia
- Surf Life Saving Queensland
Phoebe Maher
Senior Account Manager
Phoebe brings a strong understanding of sport to the team from her personal and professional experience.
Phoebe has a keen passion for sport PR with a Bachelor degree in Public Relations and Communication from Griffith University. At Beyond the Break, Phoebe is assists in the development and delivery of client digital media plans, helps clients to grow their digital footprint, creates content and manages media and public relations for key campaigns. Phoebe has previously worked for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (GC2018) in the press operations team and Cricket Queensland.
Brett Moore
Senior Account Manager
Brett has more than two decades experience working both sides of the media fence
Commencing his career as a sports journalist particularly focused on rugby in the lead up to the 2003 World Cup, he has gone on to forge a career in the media and communications field in Sydney with Surf Life Saving NSW and NSW Rugby, and in London with GB Snowsport. Brett also brings experience in stakeholder and government relations following his time with Transport for NSW.
Michelle Cook
Senior Account Manager
Michelle is a qualified journalist with over a decade’s experience in sport.
Michelle has over 15 years’ experience working with national and state sporting organisations and domestic and international sporting events.
She is now an established marketing and communications manager in sport and has worked for the national sporting organisations of tennis, rowing and equestrian, as well as the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and Australian Olympic Team where she has been a media liaison officer at three Olympics.
Michelle was the senior manager marketing at Invictus Games Sydney 2018 and managed the PR and publicity for the inaugural ATP Cup tennis event held in Sydney in 2020. More recently, Michelle completed a graduate diploma in education, specialising in digital technology.
Stacey Mair
Senior Communications Manager
Stacey has a vast background working across both sides of the media and communications fence originally working as a sport and news journalist before joining the English of Sport to lead their media and communications function in the UK.
Keilee Perren
Digital Media Executive
Keilee is a PR and Communications professional who has several years of experience managing and creating strategic campaigns across all mediums.
With a degree in Mass Communications double majoring in Public Relations, Media and Communications, Keilee brings a well-rounded education background to the BTB team.
Keilee has a keen interest in live sport and events, comes to BTB from a sporting club and production background, assisting in the delivery of client digital media plans, creating content and PR campaigns.
She has previously worked with the Brisbane Racing Club and a leading free-to-air network liaising with key clients and third-party agencies to deliver outstanding campaigns and broadcast stories.
Rebekah Thornton
Digital Media Executive
Rebekah has a passion for making a difference through her work and experience in Marketing and Communications.
With bachelor degrees in both Journalism and Communication (Public Relations and Digital Media), Rebekah is passionate about sport, its people and their stories.
In her role with Beyond the Break, Bek assists with the development and delivery of digital media plans and campaigns, creates meaningful content and works to provide tailored support based on stakeholder goals.
Bek has previously worked for Australian Sailing and on events such as the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (GC2018) and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Tamara Badenoch
Projects Administrator
Tamara is an experienced projects administrator with a track record of successful project delivery.
She joined the BTB team following many years working in the government and not-for-profit sectors in various policy analysis and strategy development roles.
In her role with BTB, Tamara supports the team across all clients and areas of the business, assisting in project delivery, events, as well as the commercial operations and audit space.
Tamara is passionate about finding solutions and maximising value for BTB clients and stakeholders. She uses her broad skill set and experience across multiple industries to assist in the development of strategies and recommendations.