Margherita Tracanelli is the principal of The Media Coach. She is an International media and public relations specialist with a strong background in advocacy, lobbying and speech writing. She has acted as a Media Advisor to a NSW Upper House MP and as a Parliamentary Policy and Legislative Advisor to cross bench members. She was also a principal media advisor to the East Timorese pro independence movement, reporting directly to Jose Ramos Horta, who was later awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his work and is now East Timor’s Prime Minister.

From 1986 to 1990, Margherita worked as a Radio Producer and Broadcaster, producing a number of highly acclaimed radio documentaries, segments and interviews for ABC Radio National. She also worked as a publicist for The Australian Museum, raising the media profile of the museum's 200 scientists in fields as diverse as archaeology, palaeontology, anthropology, mammalogy, ichthyology, herpetology and many other natural history disciplines.

During her career as media advisor, Margherita has staged high-profile, well-attended press conferences in a number of cities including Rome, Geneva, London, Lisbon, New York, Washington, Stockholm, Helsinki, Sydney, Bangkok and Manila, and scored dozens of lead stories in the world’s premier press, with breaking stories in television and radio around the world including CNN, BBC, Reuters, The Times (London), The Boston Globe, The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, The Washington Post, The Independent and The Guardian.

Margherita was also a principal for Integrated Media Associates Pty Ltd, responsible for overall management, sales and marketing. Her clients included organisations such as Alcatel, Coca Cola Amatil, Visy, GEC Althstom, Alcoa, DFAT (Australian Dep. of Foreign Affairs) The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Link Up Aboriginal Corporation, Respite Carers Association, Buy Recycled Business Alliance and Dutch Television

She has delivered one on one media training and group seminars to business executives in Asia requiring an understanding of local cultural diversity and political sensitivities, conducted training in Singapore, Jakarta, Rangoon, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, and delivered specialised media training for local and international companies, high profile individuals and non government organisations.

She is occassionally a guest lecturer at University of New South Wales, University of Canberra School of Journalism and Charles Sturt University School of Journalism.

Professional Associations: International Commission of Jurists, Australian Section [Active member], International Federation of Journalists, Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Australia, MEAA - Australian Journalists’ Association, National Press Club, Canberra.