Kari is from Adelaide, South Australia.
Her interest in radio started when she spent a lot of time home from school, stuck in bed, with no TV in the house! The radio became her daytime link to the world and this set her in a direction that she has been pursuing ever since!
In 1995 Kari started volunteering at a local community radio station on weekends and in 1997 she joined the staff as Admin Manager, while maintaining her spot on the weekend roster for presenting news bulletins and music shows. Over the next 11 years, she moved into Event Management, Business Development, Fundraising, Stakeholder Management, and just about every other job, while maintaining her in-studio roster. In 2004, she also took on the 3-hour weekday morning show, "Essence - with Kari Seeley," hosting a long-form, live-to-air interview show, exploring a single topic for 15 hours a week. Having never been to uni, she used to say that "university came to me" in the form of local, national and international experts she'd interview on any given topic!
Guests included:
- Canon Andrew White, The Bishop of Baghdad
- Alexander Downer, ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Prunella Scales, "Sybil" in Faulty Towers
- Gladys Staines, Padma Shri recipient
- The Idea of North, ARIA Award winning A'capella group
- many more guests and countless callers
During this time Kari was also responsible for creating a number of campaigns for on-air sponsors, as well as undertaking a several international field recording projects that took her to India, Thailand and the Philippines (three times). These projects earned her a number of awards, including the 2007 Adelaide Archbishop's Media Citation for excellence in broadcasting. In 2008, Kari turned her interviewing skills and passion to television, creating and hosting "Essence TV - with Kari Seeley", a weekly 1/2 hour interview show, running over 4 seasons. At the same time, she moved to a different radio station, presenting Jazz, Blues and World Music shows, where she continues to present those shows each month.
In 2016, it was time to go to university!
Kari embarked on a double degree (why do just one, right?) - a B.Media / B. Arts (POLIS), bringing together her love of broadcast media with her fascination with politics, and particularly delving into the intersection of the two, drawing on her extensive experience in the developing world before hitting the books.
There has also been a LOT of international travel over the years, many travel photo books, a Diploma of Government (Management), some awards from the Australian Radio School, and some time in the public service. She loves to crochet and paint, is always up for a spot of retail therapy, spends far too many hours listening to jazz, and, depending on the time of day, can be found either savouring an exquisite coffee (from The Black Addition in Kent Town) or a sipping a quiet Malbec (a new passion picked up in Argentina recently)!
Career Highlights & Awards
Kari is supremely confident & competent behind the microphone. She is happy flying solo but is also a proven team-player, able to blend well within a diverse team, to successfully contribute & manage workflow, and ensure timely delivery against KPIs. Her outstanding interviews are are supported by excellent research skills and strong production values. Below are just some of her career highlights so far.
Radio experience
- 2011 ongoing - 99.9FM (5MBS) - music programming & presenter
- 2-hour music shifts - Jazz, Blues & World Music shows
- 2016 - 100.5 (WOWfm) - anchor & co-host - Friday Breakfast show
- 1995 - 2008 - 1079 LifeFM
- "Essence - with Kari Seeley" - 3-hour weekday interview show
- news bulletins, specialist music shifts, panelling for recorded & live shifts
- copywriting, editing, producing, production, research
- 2002 - 2008 - 90.1 Moody Radio, CHICAGO, USA
- co-host for annual "Founder's Week" live outside broadcasts
Awards
2015 - Best Team Anchor, Best Team Overall - Radio Masterclass - Australian Radio School
2008 - Archbishop's Media Citation - for excellence, balance & fairness in reporting
2012 - "Too Marvellous for Words" - 2-hour tribute to Alan Hewitt - including research, interviews, recording, production, overall project producer
TV experience
- 2017 ongoing - Channel 44 - talent director, Adelaide Community Diary
- 2015 "Presenting to Camera" course by Lisa McAskill
- 2009 - 2010 - "Essence TV - with Kari Seeley" - research, host, producer
MC experience
- 2017
- September - product launch, Melbourne
- August - national conference, Sunshine Coast
- June - international conference, Singapore
- 2016
- September - product launch, Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
- August - national conference, Melbourne
- July - international conference, Spain
- May - factory opening, Adelaide
- 2015
- September - product launch, Melbourne Star
- July - international conference, Fiji
- 2014 - international conference, Mexico
- 2013 - international conference, Alaska
- 2012 - international conference, Cambodia
Education Highlights & Awards
Kari is committed to ongoing learning and development, as demonstrated by her various qualifications and current full-time study at university. She also has exceptional Management and Administrative skills, as demonstrated by her employment history outside of voice work. Below are just some of her "other" career highlights so far.
2017 - B.Media / B.Arts (Politics & International Studies)
2018 - B.Media (Hons)
Diploma of Government (Management)
Mechanics of Government
2012 & 2013 - Institute of Public Administrators Australia
Guest panelist, USFMEP ,UN, New York
Other
2014 - 2015
Australian Radio School
Radio Master Class - Best Team Anchor, Best Team Overall
Copywriting Workshop
Voice-Over Workshop
2008
Guest panelist for US Federation for Middle East Peace (UN, New York) presenting on "Empowering Women through Media Exposure for Building Peace"
Klemmer & Associates leadership & character development courses
Champion's Workshop
Personal Mastery
Advanced Leadership
Heart of the Samurai
Samurai Camp
2007
Adelaide Archbishop's Media Award
15-hour radio program including field recordings from 2-week visit to the Philippines (including interviews with Muslim & Christian militia in Mindanao)