Storytelling is my passion
I help you tell your stories simply and engagingly, to attract audiences and
make you stand out in the crowded, bustling marketplace of ideas. Great storytelling reflects your unique personality. Whether you are an individual, a fledgling new enterprise, or an established corporation, excellent storytelling motivates people to trust you, remember you, and perhaps most importantly, to like you.
Great storytelling instills a sense of intuitive confidence that you are the one to do business with. Make the brilliance of your business shine through in every word you write. Whether you want the words you use to communicate to be clear, concise and functional; or persuasive, authoritative and provocative, I will help to make your key messages make indelible impressions on hearts and minds in your target audience. That’s my promise to you
A Little More About Me
Clarity has been my calling card since I launched my career as a technical writer. I created the first manuals used by Unisys in Canada’s elementary schools to introduce children and teachers to using computers. I made the transition to corporate communications while technical writing for a financial software company focused on automating global banking transactions. I galvanized stakeholder support with stories explaining the company’s transition from mainframe to PC-based computing and then managed the strategic transition from a private enterprise to a publicly traded company.
In my second strategic corporate communications role, I engaged leading career scientists—physicists, chemists, mechanical and electrical engineers—in making their success stories about mass spectrometry accessible to The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star–and appealing to the public. Then I made the move to government.
On the provincial level, highlights of this journey included creating and implementing communications plans to guide decision-makers and staff in various ministries towards embracing a new system for financial decision-making, launching newsletters and Intranet sites, drafting speeches for senior executives. At the federal level, I led the change management initiative that transformed Downsview Park from a military brownfield to a nationally significant entertainment attraction and a cultural testament to economic, social and environmental sustainability attracting iconic levels of media attention and highly publicized visits from Prime Ministers Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper.
Since my days in the public sector, I have honed my expertise as a change management and corporate communications strategist by designing and implementing results-driven projects in a variety of settings:
• As a Communications, Government and Media Relations Officer for the Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) I researched, designed, wrote and launched Public Health Today Magazine galvanizing the support of public health professionals across Ontario towards the launch of Public Health Ontario.
• As Communications and Media Relations Officer for Cancer Care Ontario I launched the Health Eating and Active Living media relations strategy attracting 200 public health professionals.
• In post-secondary education, as Manager, Communications and Knowledge Mobilization at York University’s Faculty of Education, I launched their social media video presence on YouTube, collaborated with senior leaders and academics on plain language storytelling, and coordinated media relations training.
• In faith-based marketing, as Communications Manager at International Needs Canada, I designed and launched the Umoja brand—an exotic travel and adventure initiative to support various sustainable development initiatives in Africa, Asia and Latin America. I also launched a disaster Relief, Recovery and Redevelopment campaign for Nepal on social media.
• As Communications Advisor for Earth Day Canada, I promoted street-play for urban youth to politicians and advocated for unstructured play in schools and community spaces.
• As a freelance writer, coach and tutor, I wrote articles on Technology, Healthcare, Music, Art, Diversity and Inclusion for the Royal Bank of Canada; I coached senior professionals on messaging, personal branding and storytelling; I tutored students through undergraduate studies to Master’s degrees. I wrote research reports on Diversity Equity and Inclusion issues for DEI consultancy, DiversiPro Inc. Developed communications planning including a brand identity strategy for DEI initiatives at the University of Guelph.
Academics & Continuing Education
- Master of Arts in Journalism, University of Western Ontario; Bachelor of Arts in English, Philosophy and Political Science, University of Toronto.
- Post-graduate fellow in Media Management and Entrepreneurship, Poynter Institute for Media Studies,
St. Petersburg, Florida. - I keep abreast of new developments in marketing, corporate communications, public relations and at York University’s Schulich School of Business, Humber College Institute of Technology, and digital marketing through Brain Station.
- I have honed intercultural competencies through SAN’ Y AS Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Certificate and most recently a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.
- Member of the Change Management Institute and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
What I Do
Corporate Communications Strategy: Development, Change Management, Implementation, Evaluation, Using innovative research and discovery techniques in SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis I help organizations assess their current brand/market situation, and commit to working with them through implementation the process to achieve SMART (Specific, Measurable Attainable, Relevant, Timed) goals using the most pragmatic tools and methods available
Storytelling: Brand Development, Content Creation, Identifying the classic elements of story in your organizational narratives and helping you to articulate your story as impactfully as possible is definitely one of the most pleasurable aspects of my work. Engaging audiences with your story and keeping stakeholders invested in supporting your mission, vision and values are vital outcomes of this effort.
I help audiences appreciate your organization’s personality by highlighting the critical elements of your brand—your name, Your unique ownable specialty (what you do best), your tagline, your key visual identifier and the tradition of excellence in your performance—is foundational to the success of your marketing and communications efforts in advertising, print or broadcast media, social media or on your organizational websites.
Media Relations, Issues Management Leveraging the breadth of my journalistic experience, I build relationships with media outlets, by pitching innovative story ideas, optimally positioning your organization optimally within its sphere of influence, building your brand image and showcasing your unique ownable specialty. When issues arise I manage the flow of information to ensure that stakeholders’ expectations are met, media has access to your key messages and your organizational reputation is protected and enhanced.
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
