Established in 2020, Cunningham Partners was created with the aim of integrating tested stakeholder engagement and effective project management support into a single model.

 

With a focus on meaningful public participation, environmental responsibility, heritage management, and respectful Indigenous collaboration in all of our engagement and delivery frameworks, we work collaboratively with project teams, stakeholders and the broader community in shaping outcomes that matter.

 

At Cunningham Partners, Connecting People to Project is more than just a tagline, it's what we do best.

Our Services


  • Public Participation, Identification & Involvement

    Public participation provides for proactive identification of project issues, opportunities, and concerns, while developing a framework for feedback, comments, modifications and required changes that encourages consensus and cooperation from stakeholders and the wider community.

    Using a variety of communication channels, information sources and interaction tools, public participation aims to provide stakeholders and the community with a participatory role in project success, while actively building support and project ownership.

    CP engagement specialists utilises the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum of public participation to ensure best practice when engaging with stakeholders and the wider community.


  • Stakeholder consultation & Engagement

    CP stakeholder consultation involves the development of constructive, collaborative relationships through the life of the project that promotes meaningful and constructive project support and acceptance.

    Our engagement specialists work to identify trends and emerging challenges within stakeholder groups, while actively engaging with stakeholders from a range of backgrounds and with varying levels of influence.

    Utilising both established and modern consultation, communication, negotiation, compromise, and relationship building tools, our aim is to provide a project with broad support across a range of stakeholders using messaging tailored to specific stakeholder need and level of involvement.


  • Community sentiment analysis & reputation management

    Sentiment analysis is critical in understanding how the community perceives your project and your brand. With a focus on reputation management, CP engagement specialists;

    • Analyse and report on qualitative data gathered through engagement activities,
    • Monitor interactions and social media sentiments,
    • Report on and provide recommendations for strategy development and implementation.
    • Provide insight in construction methodologies from a community impact perspective, and
    • Provide opportunities to include community participation in project milestones and other events in creation of a positive project progress narrative.



  • Tailored communication management

    We recognise the most effective ways to increase client and stakeholder ‘buy in’ is to customise our methods of communication. CP aims to tailor our communications to optimise interest of the project through;

    • Provision of communication services, including strategy design and development, media liaison, media campaigns, tailored communication materials including discussion guides, print and distribution, telephone, and electronic communication services, and
    • Development of communication systems, including strategies for programs, reviews, and evaluation for projects, as well as internal reviews of communication protocols and systems for clients.



  • Risk Management, Mitigation and Analysis

    A meaningful and effective engagement approach includes managing and mitigating project risks through identification of the issues and concerns within the community. With a focus on risk management, CP engagement specialists provide;

    • Support for project risk/issue registers that provide for preplanned proposed mitigations,
    • Support with response management systems,
    • Collaboration with project teams in development of risk management systems and frameworks, and
    • Development of lessons learnt registers, response analysis and other risk management tools.



  • Facilitation, Consultation and training

    Successful facilitation takes experience and skill to optimise solutions that work for all involved. At CP, we work to create an inclusive environment where people are comfortable to express their views openly and collaboratively, using tools including;

    • Administering public consultation processes, at local, state and national levels,
    • Creating and facilitating community sessions, workshops, focus groups and individual meetings, and
    • Facilitating engagement workshops for staff to upskill and learn valuable tools and legislation pertaining to social license, public participation and community engagement.

Our Leadership Team


Shannon Cunningham - Managing Director

As Managing Director, Shannon has over 20 years' experience as an engagement specialist, having worked in both Government and private enterprise.

She has worked across a range of high profile and politicised projects featuring aspects of road, rail, public transport, marine, infrastructure, mining, environment, services, energy, and civil related construction.

Her experience has provided insight into community trends and concerns, advanced strategic planning and problem-solving skills, and ability to communicate project vision and messaging to all interested stakeholders.

Shannon has International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) certification, and qualifications and background in counselling, project management, training, engagement, mediation, and community development.

 

Michelle Reimers - Senior Engagement Consultant

Michelle is a communications and engagement specialist with over 10 years’ experience, primarily within the South Australian Government. She has delivered strategic engagement across a range of major infrastructure projects, including road, rail, marine, and public transport.

Michelle has supported enabling works including procurement, property acquisitions, utility coordination, noise wall installation, and resurfacing, and has worked closely with project managers, contractors, and government agencies to guide construction methodology, traffic management, and stakeholder strategies.

Michelle is known for her ability to build strong, positive relationships with communities and stakeholders. She takes a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to ensure outcomes that meet both project objectives and the needs of those affected.

 

Brendan Cunningham - Director - Business Development

Brendan has over 20 years’ experience in business development, program and project management across the community and public programs, education and training, strategic planning & stakeholder engagement industries.

With a background in project management, Brendan has worked within a range of government and non-government organisations developing programs and training packages for industries including community development, education, building & construction, and others, in addition to time spend working in Director and Managing Director roles in the training, business development and communications sectors.

Brendan is an MBA candidate, with a strong background in management, leadership, skills development & project innovation, and experience in tender writing, strategic planning, data analysis and program development.

 

 

 

Our Engagement Consultants

Cunningham Partners stakeholder and community engagement specialists are drawn from government and industry, with experience across many Australian and international infrastructure and construction projects. We aim to match the skills of our engagement team to the complexities of the project, and the needs of the project staff making it happen. Cunningham Partners aims to provide your project with a total engagement solution, from consultation to community engagement, dilapidation to drones, engineering to equipment, or anything else that your project, your stakeholders, or the wider community may need.




    Recent Projects



  • Victor Harbor Road Safety Improvements

    Victor Harbor Road is undergoing safety upgrades as part of the Fleurieu Connections Projects, with a focus on improving road safety and visibility for motorists, particularly at key intersections.


  • Yilki Coastal Sea Defence Wall Project

    The Yilki Coastal Sea Defence Wall will provide protection for community assets such as the Encounter Bikeway and nearby roads, while also offering protection against storm surges and sea level rise.


  • Augusta Highway Horrocks Pass Junction Upgrades

    This project provides safety improvements at the Augusta Highway and Horrocks Pass Road junction at Winninowie, including new overtaking lanes on the Augusta Highway south of the junction.




  • Lake Windabout Flood Remediation

    Works will raise the level of the existing road surface to mitigate the chance of water overlapping and closing the road, while improving drainage structures, scour protection and rock armour.




  • O'Sullivans Beach Boat Ramp

    The O'Sullivan Beach Boat Ramp upgrades included a new two-lane ramp, an L-shaped pontoon, a widened maneuvering area, northern and southern rock walls.and improvements to ramps and pavement.




  • Eastern Parade Access Upgrade

    The Eastern Parade Access Upgrade involved driveway tie-ins, road widening activities, kerbing, drains works,asphalting, and line marking as part of T2D prepatory works.



Vision Statement

Cunningham Partners delivers innovative, tailored engagement strategies that connect infrastructure, energy, and public projects with communities across Australia. We empower project teams through digital and relational tools, fostering trust, reducing disruption, and ensuring communities are heard, valued, and actively involved in shaping outcomes that matter.






Get in Touch

Industry Standard

Cunningham Partners uses the IAP2 framework as part of engagement practice.

As the peak body for the community and stakeholder engagement sector, IAP2 Australasia believes that engagement, when done well, improves social, environmental and economic outcomes and increases trust in the democratic process.

Acknowledgement of Country
In the spirit of reconciliation, Cunningham Partners acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.

We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.