‘Unrivalled passion for sound’: Meet more 30 Under 30 winners shaping the future

The future of audio is bright if these three 30 Under 30 winners are anything to go by.

Today’s highlighted winners represent very different sectors of the radio and audio industry and are all affecting change in their own ways. We have ARN’s trade marketing manager, Alicia Sarnacki, SCA’s talent acquisition manager, Clare MacAdie, and Nine Radio’s executive producer for 2GB Nights, Felix Bray.

Sarnacki says her introduction to audio has been a whirlwind, and in addition to being a killer Wing Attack in the company’s (winning) netball team, she has a desire to learn from those around her and go above and beyond her job description.

MacAdie didn’t disclose her preferred netball position, but also talks about how she goes above and beyond. She believes the role of human resources can be overlooked in audio, but says we shouldn’t discount just how much it can change things.

And Bray says his passion for sound is unrivalled – whether its his role as EP of 2GB Nights, his mentoring of AFTRS students or his various DJ’ing achievements.

You can meet the latest three 30 Under 30 winners below.

Alicia Sarnacki, trade marketing manager, ARN (29)

What makes Alicia Sarnacki a future leader in audio? 

“When I think about a future leader, I look to my leaders and mentors, for what I admire within them and how I can emulate those characteristics as I progress into becoming a leader. The leaders I am surrounded by are (amongst other things) passionate, supportive and are constantly challenging me to evolve my thinking. I believe I have qualities like these, paired with the desire to always evolve.

“I have always had a passion for audio and since diving into this world professionally, I have never loved it more. I look to share my passion in any way I can, beyond the written description of my role. I am involved in internal teams such as ARN Goodness and ARN Social, dedicating additional hours to contribute to and enhance the culture of working at ARN and its involvement in the community outside the company.

“Not to mention I am a killer Wing Attack in our multi-season winning netball team and look out for the safety of others as Level 1 Fire Warden. My passion for both the industry and medium, paired with passion for affecting change and giving back are present in my work everyday and will continue to be into the future.

“Additionally, in an industry that is constantly evolving, it is crucial to evolve with it. My introduction to the media industry over the last two years has been a whirlwind, fuelled by global challenges and industry advances. It has proven to me that working in radio and media is not for the faint hearted, and I am not faint hearted. I thrive under pressure, and importantly, have learnt the value in shaking myself off and setting out again for the next challenge.”

Clare MacAdie (Twigger), talent acquisition manager, SCA (29)

What makes Clare MacAdie a future leader in audio? 

“I have only been in media for three years, but was drawn in by the pace, the constant change, and the reward that comes with having courage to take the calculated risks to innovate and create.

“I feel HR aren’t perceived as contributors to the ‘secret sauce’ that moves our industry forward – but we do. I am proud of the change I have delivered or played a role in at SCA, enabling us to attract, engage and retain the best talent in the industry.

“As a relatively new manager, I believe much of my professional growth came from having managers that supported me to take risks and learn from mistakes, because they promoted openness and transparency. I aim to inspire by showing vulnerability by sharing my failures/learnings and giving my team space and autonomy to explore their ideas (as much as I might want to jump in and take over, sometimes) because I was given the same opportunity.

“I also possess a wealth of knowledge in strategic recruitment; headhunting, volume recruitment, employer branding, audience reach, and promoting diversity and inclusion through the recruitment process.

“This is reflected in of my team – one is an experienced recruiter from an ASX (non-media) background, and one has no formal HR training who I recruited from agency sales after identifying her passion for employee development and progression (and they have seven years of media experience, which myself and the team lack).

“The cognitive diversity in my team enables better problem solving and they have both taught me so much. I believe actively seeking cognitive and identity diversity is key to enabling us as an industry to innovative, challenge each other, and transform into a digital-audio first future.

“As previously mentioned, myself and the SCA HR team have championed an array of projects and change to challenge the ‘norm’ previously accepted by the industry. For example, SCA YourWay is revolutionary in an industry where ‘flexible work options’ were seen as only accessible for working mums. I lead the analysis and provided the key insights of the whole staff survey that shaped the development of the program, and worked closely with Beam consultants on the training, and implementation guidelines, to great success.

“SCA YourWay is now a part of SCA’s DNA and a huge drawcard for potential future employees.

“In addition, myself and the talent acquisition team are implementing recruitment tools, resources and partnerships that will drive better hiring outcomes, improved diversity and inclusion by ensuring our managers assess candidates based on soft skills, transferable skills, and potential.

“Striving for improved diversity in our industry through better recruitment processes, and meaningful internal development and progression pathways, will lead to better outcomes for our industry – content creators, listeners, and advertising clients.

“I am proud to be at the forefront of leading this change at SCA, as SCA’s HR team attract, engage, and retain of the best possible talent in the industry by providing an environment where they can thrive and be their best selves.”

Felix Bray, executive producer – 2GB Nights, Nine Radio (28)

What makes Felix Bray a future leader in audio? 

The 2021 Radio Today 30 Under 30 Awards with SCA are supported by Australian Film Television and Radio School, ARN, Grant Broadcasters, Nine, NOVA Entertainment and Sony Music Australia.