A communication career that’s gone into orbit

This is one of many moments in a communication career that has taken her from Palmerston North to the European Space Agency (ESA) and now into a leadership role in New Zealand’s space and science sector.

After graduating with her Bachelor of Communications in 2010, Ally began her career at a Palmerston North agency where she was involved in developing a campaign for Ruahine Kindergartens that later won a Public Relations Institute of New Zealand award.

After working in London for a multinational communications and marketing agency was travelling in Europe and considering booking a flight home to New Zealand when she learned of an editor’s role at the European Space Agency (ESA). She got the job and within a few days, she headed to Germany to begin a new role as Editor for Human Spaceflight at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre.

At the ESA Ally was responsible for managing blog and social media content for astronaut missions, which meant translating complex science and space activity information into accessible stories for global audiences.

“The Bachelor of Communication honed my ability to think critically, write capably and communicate clearly across different audiences. It also gave me a structured way to approach complex information, which proved invaluable when explaining space missions and human spaceflight to the public.”

One of those moments came early in her time at ESA, while working on stories about German astronaut Alexander Gerst’s Horizons mission to the International Space Station. Ally was responsible for sharing updates and insights with a global audience while the mission was underway.

“I picked up the phone and was greeted by someone called Alex. Then it clicked, this was an astronaut calling from the International Space Station a few hundred kilometres above Earth.”

Another project Ally is proud of was launching and hosting ESA’s first official podcast, ESA Explores, which followed missions aboard the International Space Station and explored the history of European human spaceflight. The series also supported ESA’s astronaut recruitment campaign, which attracted more than 22,000 applications from across Europe.

“ESA’s audience numbers were in the millions. Many of the astronauts had huge followings, so it was a big responsibility posting on their behalf while they were in orbit,” Ally says.

Now back working in New Zealand, Ally is Principal Communications Advisor at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, working on the space, science, innovation and technology portfolios.

Her role involves translating complex policy and technical material into clear, accessible communications, while supporting both strategic planning and media liaison.

“It’s fast-paced and varied. One moment you’re working on long-term planning, the next responding to media queries or supporting a high-profile announcement. It draws on every part of my communications background.”

Looking back, she says Massey played a significant role in shaping her career, giving her the foundation to grab unplanned and exciting opportunities and the confidence to navigate complex, high-profile environments.