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Work
Experience

Communications Specialist

Calgary Board
of Education

Aug. 2024 -
Jan. 2026

  • Compliance Transformation: Served on POPA/ATIA (formerly FOIP) project team; managed change strategies for new legislation affecting diverse areas and practices.
     

  • Organizational Integration: Member of Onboarding Committee, built communication plan for overhaul of the employee journey to improve retention and cultural alignment.
     

  • Strategic Alignment & Advisory: Senior Advisor for HR, IT, and Finance; aligned strategies with the organizational operating model and long-term strategic plan.
     

  • Data Analysis & Performance: Engineered campaign for Edwin Parr Award; achieved 400% increase in teacher nominations and 1,100% increase in the judging pool.
     

  • Multi-Channel Content Development: Translated complex technical systems into audience-friendly narratives for web and internal newsletters.

Communications and Change Engagement Specialist

Fraser Valley Health
B.C. (Remote)

March 2022 - May 2023

  • Digital Transformation: Supported 13-site clinical system rollout by executing change management strategies; facilitated pilot migration from paper-based to digital systems.
     

  • Strategic Communication: Developed digital transition assets, including website design and creative content to explain the new patient journey to clinicians and patients.
     

  • Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitated development of ambassador program; empowered internal champions to advocate for digital transition.
     

  • Visual Storytelling: Created an animation video in Vyond to illustrate the patient journey, enhancing stakeholder understanding of the transition.
     

  • Engagement Leadership: Led communications and engagement activities in direct alignment with the organizational change management plan.
     

  • Insight Integration: Leveraged stakeholder and change readiness assessments to develop targeted content and activities that built awareness and excitement for the Advance project.
     

  • Performance Monitoring: Established and monitored the effectiveness of communications and engagement efforts, adjusting tactics to ensure all program goals were met.
     

  • Collaborative Planning: Partnered with program team members and SMEs to ensure a cohesive plan that addressed the evolving communication and engagement needs of the program.

Senior Communications Specialist

Bow Valley College

Aug. 2016 - April 2021

  • Project Management: Led 12-day delivery for high-priority IBM partnership; oversaw creative and project milestones; project secured $1M+ funding from RBC.
     

  • Indigenization & Reconciliation: Served on Indigenization Committee to decolonize services; integrated traditional ways of knowing into departmental communications.
     

  • Crisis Management: Managed organizational risk during major incidents as a core member of the crisis team, leading the strategic planning and execution of crisis communications.
     

  • Leadership Transition: Developed and executed a comprehensive strategic plan to introduce the new President to the college community, measuring success through defined KPIs and strategic objectives.
     

  • Strategic Planning: Created an Indigenization Strategy plan that integrated experiential learning, sustainability initiatives, and Indigenous artwork to deepen audience engagement.
     

  • Project Management: Led annual report projects by managing complex timelines and external vendors; meticulous proofreading and oversight resulted in a $1M budgetary saving.
     

  • Team Building: Assembled a high-performing communications team by hiring diverse talent to bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and innovation to departmental projects.
     

  • Personnel Supervision: Provided direct oversight and leadership for the Media Relations Officer and Social Media Specialist to ensure departmental alignment.
     

  • Professional Mentorship: Coached and upskilled the Social Media Specialist, facilitating significant professional growth and ensuring seamless operational continuity during maternity leave.
     

  • Brand Strategy: Collaborated with marketing and creative teams to ideate and launch the brand strategy for the School of Technology, successfully achieving full enrollment through targeted media coverage.
     

  • Contract Negotiation: Negotiated new social media service contracts, resulting in a $20k reduction in annual operational costs.
     

  • Digital Content: Produced and managed multi-channel digital communications for the corporate website, social media platforms, email campaigns, and the internal intranet.

Media Relations Officer

Bow Valley College

Oct. 2013 - Aug. 2016

  • Media Relations & Promotion: Expanded media distribution list by 4,900%; built lasting relationships with over 100 local and national media contacts.
     

  • Brand Stewardship: Coordinated media and dignitaries for Iniikokaan Aboriginal Centre opening; secured national coverage across CBC, Global, and CTV.
     

  • Reputation Management: Developed a proactive media relations program that significantly enhanced the college’s reach and standing with media, government, and the general public.
     

  • Strategic Positioning: Architected a promotional plan for the Chiu School of Business that successfully established the Dean as a go-to economic expert for Global News.
     

  • Media Outreach: Authored high-impact press releases for courses and news; frequently commended by journalists for producing "ready-to-use" content that streamlined their reporting process.
     

  • Knowledge Synthesis: Translated complex research and technical jargon into accessible, everyday language for subject matter experts to utilize effectively during interviews.
     

  • Engagement Leadership: Led all media coordination activities, including drafting expert briefing notes, managing on-site logistics, and facilitating interview placements.

Social Media Specialist

Bow Valley College

Oct. 2013 - May 2014

  • Audience Insights: Analyzed behavioral data and key trends to identify stakeholder interests, integrating findings into targeted and relevant social media content.
     

  • Ambassador Program: Launched a social media ambassador initiative designed to generate consistent, authentic content from various college departments.
     

  • Service Excellence: Achieved a 100% response rate and five-minute response time on Facebook, securing the "Very Responsive" badge for the organization.
     

  • Content Evolution: Pivoted social strategy from purely promotional messaging to a holistic blended model encompassing mental health, well-being, and environmental advocacy.
     

  • Inclusion Strategy: Developed and executed a strategic framework to improve diversity and representation across all institutional social platforms.
     

  • Authentic Storytelling: Facilitated interviews with students and staff to produce narrative-driven content that generated record-breaking audience engagement.

Communications & Change Management Lead

TC Energy

Oct. 2012 - Aug. 2013

  • Information Access: Designed and updated intranet pages to provide technical staff with streamlined access to engineering standards and tools.
     

  • Executive Content Support: Drafted communications to update engineering teams.
     

  • Performance Optimization: Established reporting metrics to define success and evaluate campaign effectiveness.

Digital Channels Specialist

The Sunday Times
(London, England)

2010 - 2011

  • Global Digital Strategy: Synchronized editorial strategies across multiple platforms.
     

  • Research Translation: Curated, synthesized, and translated complex research and insights into accessible knowledge products for audiences.
     

  • Risk Management: Partnered with legal to ensure compliance across digital platforms.
     

  • Workload Management: Successfully prioritized conflicting pressures, such as breaking news, while meeting editorial deadlines.
     

  • Editorial Synergy: Collaborated with senior editors on a global royal wedding dress exclusive, securing international coverage while driving measurable growth in circulation and advertising sales.
     

  • Agile Resolution: Utilized creative problem-solving and professional experience to identify and resolve high-pressure editorial challenges with speed and precision.
     

  • Cross-Promotion: Developed and executed strategic frameworks to bridge digital and print content, effectively promoting online stories to the newspaper's broader audience to maximize reach.
     

  • Knowledge Translation: Synthesized complex technical jargon, scientific data, and business reporting into clear, accessible summaries and visual narratives for a mainstream readership.

Acting Online News Editor

The Sunday Times (London, England)

 2 million weekly readers

2009 - 2010

  • Team Leadership: Managed a staff of 15, providing strategic oversight for hiring, professional training, and long-term career mentorship.
     

  • Editorial Direction: Defined the daily news agenda and directed the strategic layout of the homepage to optimize audience engagement and story hierarchy.
     

  • Quality Governance: Ensured all corporate and editorial communications upheld rigorous production standards and reflected institutional brand guidelines.
     

  • Stakeholder Diplomacy: Managed sensitive interactions with government officials and the general public, utilizing a diplomatic approach to maintain organizational reputation.
     

  • Information Management: Prioritized incoming information streams and breaking news to ensure rapid, accurate, and relevant content delivery under high-pressure conditions.
     

  • Operational Excellence: Guaranteed adherence to strict deadlines by providing hands-on technical support across sub-editing, photography, and web production workflows.
     

  • Systems Testing: Collaborated with digital development teams to facilitate User Acceptance Testing for new site launches, ensuring technical and UX alignment.

Sub-Editor

The Times
(London, England)

1 million daily readers

2005 - 2011

  • Editorial Operations: Sub-edited high-volume articles and managed the strategic upload of multimedia content to the corporate website to ensure daily production targets were met.
     

  • Section Architecture: Designed and launched three dedicated section pages for the new website, focusing on layout optimization and improved user navigation.
     

  • Deadline Management: Collaborated across cross-functional teams to ensure consistent adherence to tight production schedules and editorial milestones.
     

  • Resource Optimization: Negotiated a strategic photo exchange agreement with the New York Times, successfully securing high-value assets while eliminating substantial copyright fees.
     

  • Talent Development: Mentored entry-level graduates in digital journalism; successful mentees advanced into prestigious roles including India Correspondent, Commissioning Editor of Books, and Deputy Editor of Obituaries.

Organizational Change Management and Communications Specialist

Nutrien
(remote contract)

May - Oct. 2023

  • Culture Cultivation: Developed a finance team environment that thrived during continuous change by integrating strategic change management and communication frameworks.
     

  • Strategy Development: Created and executed FBS-wide and Finance-wide employee communication strategies that reinforced the Finance narrative and vision.
     

  • Stakeholder Partnership: Partnered with internal clients to align business objectives and audience needs with the overarching Finance communications roadmap.
     

  • Channel Management: Architected and managed a channel strategy to ensure optimum employee engagement and information flow within the Finance community.
     

  • Event Marketing: Promoted the Finance Leadership Speaker series, reaching 100% capacity and securing the mandate for future iterations.
     

  • Content Execution: Authored and distributed high-stakes employee communications based on established strategies, ensuring technical accuracy and timely delivery.
     

  • Employee Advocacy: Amplified the voice of Finance employees by inviting conversation and cross-promoting user-generated content to humanize the internal experience.
     

  • Team Integration: Collaborated across virtual teams and communication functions to ensure aligned strategies, integrated messages, and a roadmap for follow-up.
     

  • Resistance Mitigation: Connected with internal teams to proactively address areas of resistance and transparently resolve issues before they escalated.
     

  • Digital Design: Consulted with Blackline Accounting Team to design a new SharePoint layout, utilizing Figma for prototyping and UX optimization.
     

  • Publication Management: Designed and built "Makes Cents to Me," a dedicated financial newsletter for the Payments and Travel and Expense Team.
     

  • Impact Assessment: Tracked employee perception of internal campaigns and programs through rigorous metrics, research data, and internal surveys.

Education

Diploma in Change Management
Alison (Online)

BA, Communication & Media Studies
University of Calgary

Volunteer reporter at the campus newspaper, The Gauntlet, where I received recognition for my interview style and won the Most Valuable Reporter of the Week award five times.

Public Relations Certificate
Mount Royal University

Courses

Microsoft Courses

  • MS Service Adoption Framework 

    - Microsoft’s specialized change management framework to drive organizational transition and maximize user proficiency across enterprise technology suites.
     

  • MS 4007: User Enablement Framework for MS CoPilot

Culture

  • Inspired Leadership

  • Intercultural Awareness

  • Intercultural Learning

Skills & Expertise

Core Competencies
 

  • Change Management: Implementation of OCM frameworks and Microsoft service adoption strategies to drive organizational transition and user proficiency.
     

  • Strategic Communications: Development of internal and external narratives that align diverse stakeholders and reinforce organizational vision.
     

  • Digital Design: Prototyping and building user-centric environments in Figma, SharePoint, and Wix for optimized digital experiences.
     

  • Media Relations: Cultivation of proactive journalist partnerships and expert positioning to secure high-value international and local coverage.
     

  • Crisis Management: Strategic risk mitigation and response planning during high-stakes organizational incidents and presidential transitions.
     

  • Team Leadership: Direct oversight of multi-disciplinary teams, focusing on professional upskilling, mentorship, and operational excellence.
     

  • Content Strategy: Editorial direction and multi-channel production across web, social media, and internal corporate platforms.
     

  • Visual Storytelling: Creation of engaging multimedia assets using Vyond and high-impact digital photography to simplify complex technical data.
     

  • Financial Oversight: Rigorous budget management and contract negotiation resulting in significant savings and resource optimization.
     

Technical Proficiencies
​

  • Change Tools: Prosci/OCM Frameworks, Microsoft Service Adoption, Stakeholder Mapping.
     

  • Design & UX: Figma, SharePoint Design, Wix, Adobe Creative Suite.
     

  • Content/Multimedia: Vyond (Animation), Sub-editing, SEO, Photography.
     

  • Collaboration: MS Teams, Slack, Project Management Software (e.g., Monday, Wrike, Asana/Jira).

Follow Me

  • LinkedIn
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