Connecting People to Project

Community Engagement – Project Coordination – Delivery Management

Who We Are

Established in 2020, Cunningham Partners was founded on a simple principle: to bring proven stakeholder engagement and practical project management support together within a single, integrated service model.

 

We partner with clients to deliver infrastructure, transport, energy, defence and community projects by fostering meaningful public participation, environmental responsibility, heritage stewardship, and respectful collaboration with First Nations communities. Working alongside project teams, stakeholders and the broader community, we help build trust, navigate complexity, and deliver outcomes that create lasting value.

 

At Cunningham Partners, Connecting People to Project is more than a tagline—it’s the philosophy that guides everything we do.

How We Work

Relational Engagement

We build long-term, sustainable relationships with communities and stakeholders to reduce disruption and encourage support.

Multi-Modal Engagement

Our strategies go beyond single interactions, using digital, visual, and face-to-face tools to maximise participation.

Total Solutions

From consultation to communication design, we partner with Adelaide’s best specialists to deliver every aspect of your engagement needs.

Our Services

Public Participation & Involvement

Public participation provides for proactive identification of project issues, opportunities, and concerns, while developing a framework for feedback, comments, modifications and required...

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Stakeholder consultation & Engagement

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

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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...

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Tailored communication management

We recognise the most effective ways to increase client and stakeholder ‘buy in’ is to customiseour methods of communication CP aims to tailor our communications...

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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...

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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...

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Public Participation & Involvement

We create opportunities for communities to actively contribute to project success through feedback, collaboration, and shared ownership. Our process follows the IAP2 spectrum to ensure best-practice engagement at every level.

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Public Participation & Involvement

We create opportunities for communities to actively contribute to project success through feedback, collaboration, and shared ownership. Our process follows the IAP2 spectrum to ensure best-practice engagement at every level.

Stakeholder Consultation & Engagement

From early discussions to project delivery, we build constructive relationships with stakeholders. Our tailored strategies encourage meaningful participation, address challenges, and generate broad support across diverse groups.

Community Sentiment & Reputation Management

Understanding how the community perceives your project is critical. We analyse feedback, monitor sentiment, and help shape strategies that protect and strengthen your reputation while fostering positive narratives.

Tailored Communication Management

Every project is unique, so our communication strategies are customised for maximum impact. From media campaigns to digital tools and community materials, we ensure messaging resonates with your stakeholders.

Risk Management & Mitigation

We identify and address potential issues before they escalate. Our team supports risk registers, response frameworks, and lessons-learned systems to minimise disruption and build community confidence.

Facilitation, Consultation & Training

Our experts deliver effective facilitation and training programs that bring people together. From workshops and focus groups to consultation sessions, we create inclusive environments that encourage open dialogue and collaboration.

Our Team

At Cunningham Partners, our team brings together decades of experience in stakeholder engagement, communications, and project management across government and private sectors. From major infrastructure and transport projects to community development initiatives, our specialists are skilled in building trust, reducing risks, and creating outcomes that matter.

Shannon Cunningham – Managing Director

With over 20 years of experience in stakeholder engagement across government and private sectors, Shannon has led projects in transport, infrastructure, energy, mining, and environmental services.

Michelle Reimers – Senior Engagement Consultant

Michelle is a communications and engagement professional with more than 10 years’ experience, primarily within the South Australian Government.

Brendan Cunningham – Director, Business Development

Michelle is a communications and engagement professional with more than 10 years’ experience, primarily within the South Australian Government.

Our Engagement Specialists

At Cunningham Partners, our team is made up of highly skilled engagement consultants with backgrounds across government, industry, and international projects

Our Team

At Cunningham Partners, our team brings together decades of experience in stakeholder engagement, communications, and project management across government and private sectors. From major infrastructure and transport projects to community development initiatives, our specialists are skilled in building trust, reducing risks, and creating outcomes that matter.

Shannon Cunningham – Managing Director

With over 20 years of experience in stakeholder engagement across government and private sectors, Shannon has led projects in transport, infrastructure, energy..

Read More

Michelle Reimers - Senior Engagement Consultant

Michelle is a communications and engagement specialist with over 10 years’ experience, primarily within the South Australian Government...

Read More

Brendan Cunningham - Director - Business Development

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

Read More

Our Engagement Consultants

Cunningham Partners stakeholder and community engagement specialists are drawn from government and industry, with experience across many. Australian and international infrastructure...

Read More

Our Engagement Consultants

Cunningham Partners stakeholder and community engagement specialists are drawn from government and industry, with experience across many. Australian and international infrastructure...

Read More

Our Engagement Consultants

Cunningham Partners stakeholder and community engagement specialists are drawn from government and industry, with experience across many. Australian and international infrastructure...

Read More

Our 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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Public Participation & 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.

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.