Location: Fairmont Palliser
Journée de développement professionnel pour membres francophonesLocation: Fairmont Palliser
Cette session explorera comment les conseils scolaires francophones de l’Alberta ont réussi à développer une stratégie de marque employeur pour attirer et retenir des enseignants talentueux en Alberta. En mettant en lumière l'initiative "Enseigner en Alberta", la session offrira des perspectives sur les efforts de collaboration qui ont renforcé la réputation et la visibilité de l'éducation francophone dans la province. Les participants découvriront les meilleures pratiques pour promouvoir une marque employeur solide dans le domaine de l'éducation, en se concentrant sur le rôle des professionnels en communication, les partenariats stratégiques et l’importance d’une stratégie marketing adaptée.
Speakers
Antoine Bégin est coordonnateur des communications pour le Conseil scolaire FrancoSud et a travaillé au sein de l’équipe responsable de la conception et de l’exécution de l’initiative «Enseigner en Alberta» pour la Fédération des conseils scolaires francophones de l’Alberta (FCSFA).
Cette session abordera les enjeux francophones et comment renforcer notre connexion avec l'agenda politique, tant au niveau provincial que national. Nous discuterons des stratégies pour que les membres élus soutiennent les initiatives politiques et du rôle crucial des communications pour appuyer le conseil d'administration via la direction générale, en particulier dans les relations médiatiques. L'importance d’avoir les communications à la table avec le CA sera également mise en avant, pour mieux aligner les stratégies politiques et médiatiques. Alors que nos fonctions deviennent plus politisées, comprendre ces dynamiques est essentiel.
Speakers
Speakers
Avec plus de 20 ans en agence de communication-créative dont Sid Lee, lg2 et FCB, Pascal s’acharne à créer de la valeur et, ultimement, des conversions pour les marques sur lesquelles il travaille. Doté à la fois d’un esprit analytique et créatif, Pascal a une longue feuille de route qui l'amène à créer des campagnes marketing à portée internationale.
Aujourd’hui à la tête d’Archipel, il voit à ce que chaque client, chaque marque, qu’elle soit B2B ou B2C, ait une résonance pour le public cible qu’elle vise. La créativité en affaires est pour lui le vecteur de croissance principal qui définira les entreprises à succès de demain.
Vif d’esprit, animé et instinctif, Pascal trouve solution à tout. C’est un gestionnaire travaillant et rigoureux avec une personnalité authentique et un flair stratégique hors du commun.
Location: Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dancehall
Welcome Reception, presented byLocation: Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dancehall
In this session, Molly McPherson will explore how social media influences the culture of your community and district. Discover the root causes of online backlash and learn proactive strategies for preparation and response. Gain valuable insights on managing your district’s reputation and strengthening community relations in a complex digital landscape.
Speakers
In Molly McPherson's world, just about anything is a tell. That's how The Boston Globe described Molly's work as a crisis communications expert who moonlights as a celebrity PR whisperer on TikTok.
As an APR-certified crisis management and public relations practitioner, Molly uses her deep understanding of media culture to benefit her clients and the over half a million social media followers who look to her for insight into brand and celebrity actions, whether genuine or part of a PR stunt.
Molly is the author of "Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis" and is working on her forthcoming book.
In her career, she's known as an innovator in crisis communication, from introducing digital media strategies at FEMA to developing some of the first crisis communication web resources as communications director for cruise lines during critical incidents like the 9/11 attacks and the 2002 Norovirus outbreaks.
Her insights have garnered international attention, making her a recurring commentator for respected outlets such as The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC News, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Access Hollywood, CTV News, and The Today Show in Australia. She has also been a featured commentator on ABC's Impact x Nightline, TMZ Investigates on Fox, and Vice TV's NINE LIVES OF...
Additionally, Molly has provided commentary for outlets such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the BBC, and the Wall Street Journal.
Beyond her media presence, Molly is a celebrated keynote speaker, an Adweek Creative Visionary Award winner, and a Forbes.com contributor writing about leadership and crisis management. She has taught companies, leaders, and brands, as well as hundreds of thousands of online followers, how to navigate a PR crisis in the tricky digital media era.
When a tragedy strikes a school, the communications lead is at the forefront, helping their district navigate the turbulence. Your response will shape how effectively your organization transitions from crisis to recovery. This workshop offers compelling case studies and practical tactics drawn from real-life school crises, including student and staff fatalities and the high-profile arrest of an employee. You'll gain concrete steps to build and refine your school crisis toolkit, ensuring you're prepared before, during, and after any event.
Speakers
Stéphanie Comeau is the Communications Coordinator for the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP), the only francophone school board in Nova Scotia. She brings a wealth of experience to this role, having previously worked in various communications and public relations positions both in education and government sectors. Armed with a Bachelor of Public Relations and a Master’s in Public Relations, she possesses a unique blend of communications expertise and a deep understanding of the education landscape, especially in a minority-language setting.
For the past 8 years, Stéphanie has been managing a one-person shop at the CSAP. In her daily responsibilities, she oversees the school board (including the 23 schools) social media presence, media relations, internal/external communications, crisis communications, board communications and more.
Galen Eagle is the President of the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education and a three-time winner of the prestigious BRAVO! Award of Excellence. He has served in senior communication roles for more than ten years, including the past nine as Communications Manager for the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. Prior to his career in public relations, Galen was an award-winning multimedia community journalist for nearly a decade.
We all know that communications (obviously) needs to be central to the aims and operation of every school/division. But how do you get on the radar? And how does this become relevant to educators, administrators, and trustees? In this interactive workshop, we’ll talk about approaches you can take, and messages you can deliver, to bring communications into the centre of strategic planning.
Speakers
Above all, Jeff loves music, art, and writing. Alternatively and despite extensive effort, he’s never been able to escape the impulse to fuss about strategic vision and leadership. It’s been sort of a multiple career disorder situation. But it works. For over 30 years, he’s brought vision, sensitivity, and talent to communications, marketing, advertising, and strategic leadership. He’s served as communications manager for three different education institutions, and he has consulted to dozens more as his clients across western Canada, including government ministries, crown corporations, universities, colleges and many school divisions. And hey! He was on the planning committee for the 1996 CACE conference in Saskatoon. So he’s quite old. But he loves mountain biking, backcountry hiking, and snowboarding. So he (thinks he) is also cool. Jeff is excited to share and learn with CACE members at this year’s conference.
Please use this time to stretch your legs, get some fresh air and grab a bite to eat in the city.
Join Benjamin Morgan as he shares core principles and theories of communicating in high stress, high concern situations and environments. He will present some tools that support increasing the effectiveness of your crisis communications by 80%. Benjamin often says, "Great things begin with great conversations. Let's have a conversation."
Speakers
Benjamin Morgan is one of Canada's leading practitioners in crisis and risk communications. He is currently the Principal and the Managing Partner at the Centre for Crisis and Risk Communications, a partner agency of the Centre for Risk Communications. Prior to his communications career, he served 16 years as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic. With Calgary EMS. he spent several years as the spokesperson for the City of Calgary Emergency Medical Services. After discovering his passion for communications, he returned to academic studies, completing a master's degree in Professional Communications with a research focus on the influence of social media on emergency management.
In 2013, he returned to the City of Calgary in the role of Supervisor, Crisis Communications where he quickly found his background and education being put to the test as the city and area responded to the costliest natural disaster and largest peace-time evacuation in Canadian history - the 2013 Alberta Floods. As a member of Canada Task Force 2, his crisis communication leadership was again put to the test during the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires as he worked to support local authority communications.
Benjamin was called as a crisis communication expert by the Province of Ontario during the Elliot Lake disaster Public Inquiry Hearing. He was also a key participant in a Canadian Department of National Defense research project, "Social Media Experts in Emergency Management 'round Table". He has taught crisis and risk communications at several Canadian universities at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Through his consulting, Benjamin has supported multiple organizations including the Cities of Edmonton, Saskatoon, Burnaby, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the University of Waterloo, the United Nations, the World Bank Ecuador), PanAmerican Health Organization, and the State of Connecticut. He is a sought after presenter, trainer, and coach.
As school communicators, you are often the frontline defenders and voice for your institutions in the ever-evolving media landscape. In this dynamic and engaging presentation, Dr. Timothy Coombs will delve into the intricate world of media and the stress and issues that accompanies media coverage. Join us for a session that promises to be both enlightening and transformative, and take your communication expertise to the next level.
Speakers
Dr. Timothy Coombs holds a PhD from Purdue University in Public Affairs and Issues Management. He has held the Abell Endowed Professorship in Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. Dr. Coombs has received the 2002 recipient of Jackson, Jackson & Wagner Behavioral Science Prize from the Public Relations Society of America, the 2013 Pathfinder Award from the Institute of Public Relations in recognition of his research contributions to the field and to the practice, and the 2014 Business Impact Award from the Association for Business Communication and USC Marshall School of Business, Center for Management Communication.
Additionally, Dr. Coombs has won multiple PRIDE awards from the Public Relations Division of the National Communication Association for both books and research articles and was selected for the prestigious Arthur W. Page Society.
Dr. Coombs was a Fulbright Scholar in Estonia in the Spring of 2013. In the Fall of 2013, he was named NEMO Professor at Lund University, Helsingborg Campus. In 2015 he was invited to lecture at Tsinghua University, Beijing China. From 2015 to 2020 he was designated an honorary professor in the Department of Business Communication at Aarhus University. He is the past editor for Corporation Communication: An International Journal.
Dr. Coombs was director of program assessment for six years in the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University. Part of that job was assessing student needs for courses and evaluating the effectiveness of courses. He has applied skills to past training to conduct pre-training needs assessment for customizing the training of the target group and evaluating the effectiveness of the training.
Dr. W. Timothy Coombs’ primary research focuses on risk and crisis communication. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Centre for Crisis and Risk Communications.
Location: Joey EAU Claire
PowerSchool Social EventLocation: Joey EAU Claire
Cadmus Delorme will highlight the importance of the end goal of reconciliation and how we must understand the Indigenous and Western worldviews and their role in co-existing together. Delorme will outline how we all inherited our worldviews through storytelling, humour, and explanation. He will explain how truth and reconciliation can drive us to reach the end goal.
Speakers
Cadmus Delorme, a Cree and Saulteaux, was Chief of the Cowessess First Nation from 2016 to 2023. During this time, he focused on three areas: political sovereignty, cultural rejuvenation, and economic self-sustainability. Since being Chief, Cadmus started two companies, OneHoop Advisory Services and
Flowing River Capital. Cadmus lives on Cowessess First Nation with his wife, three children and brother-in-law.
Join our interactive workshop designed for communicators in education seeking to infuse professionalism with fun in social media marketing. Learn more about the ever changing audience landscape, grasp impactful community engagement through current trends, and navigate the delicate balance between professionalism and creativity. Explore actionable tactics, including sharing school narratives on TikTok, capitalizing on cultural trends, crafting captivating reels, and spotlighting the more lighthearted moments of professionals in educational settings. This interactive lecture with Q&A is tailored to empower professionals, enabling them to construct compelling narratives, foster authentic community connections, and navigate the evolving social media terrain with a professional perspective.
Speakers
Miranda Baker, an up-and-coming communicator with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Alberta - Augustana Campus, finds joy in infusing professionalism with a hint of fun. Her journey started in the local arts community, where she developed her administrative and marketing skills as Executive Director of a youth musical theatre company in Camrose. Now based in St. Albert, Miranda fulfills the role of Communications Coordinator for both Evergreen Catholic School Division (Evergreen) and Greater St. Albert Catholic School Division (GSACRD). Recently, she completed several engaging projects, including the "TikTok-Tastic: GSACRD’s Online Growing Connection," which earned a Coup de Coeur Award in 2023. Miranda looks forward to sharing her experiences with fellow communicators. When unplugged from the online world, she cherishes downtime with her husband, two young children, and their cats.
Shanlyn Cunningham is a communications professional with 15 years of experience spanning various industries, including time with the Olympics and FIFA World Cups. Originally from Canada's east coast, she's a dedicated mom of two who loves to travel and spend summer months on the maritime beaches. Inspired by her diverse experiences, Shanlyn is an aspiring entrepreneur driven by a passion for innovation and making a positive impact. She recently completed her MBA and is excited to focus on corporate entrepreneurship and innovation within her current role. In the winter, you'll find her and her family living in the mountains with her ski-racing kids.
Have you ever wondered what goes into building an AI tool tailored for education? Join us to learn about everything that goes into it from security, accessibility, training on content, and how it can connect multiple sources of data into a single experience for users. Christopher Johnson, Group Vice President of Product for Engagement at PowerSchool, will join Rebecca Bultsma, and will also share best practices for districts as they adopt AI tools.
Speakers
For the past 18 months, Rebecca has been dedicated to helping professionals understand and effectively leverage Generative AI in their everyday work. With 15 years of experience in professional communications, public relations, and strategic planning, she specializes in integrating GenAI into modern communication and public relations strategies, particularly within K12 education.
The relationship between public relations professionals and journalists is always delicate. Nevertheless, it is essential for both parties, as they need each other to inform the public and highlight the best within organizations. This presentation will offer tips on how to turn the media into allies in the pursuit of our goals.
Speakers
Olivier Pinsonneault has been Manager of Public Relations and Corporate Projects for the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) since 2020. In this role, he manages public relations for the largest French-language public board outside Quebec. He coordinated communications strategies during the pandemic and managed many thorny issues, from sanitary measures in schools to the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, from cell phones in classrooms to dress codes in schools.
Prior to this, he led a successful career in TV production, scripting documentary series produced on five continents. He also worked for nearly a decade at Société Radio-Canada, producing morning and drive-home shows in the nation's capital. Father of three Franco-Ontarian teenagers, he understands the crucial importance of education in the future of minority language communities.
You know social media is important - but goodness, is it hard to keep up with the changing algorithms and constant shifts in platforms! Grab a pep talk from School PR’s biggest cheerleader, Andrea Gribble, as she breaks down proven strategies for social media success and engagement.
Walk away with clear, actionable steps to enhance your school's online presence and celebrate your community effectively.
Speakers
Andrea Gribble is an author, podcast host, and founder of #SocialSchool4EDU. Her mission is to help schools celebrate their students and staff, and connect to their communities through social media. She is the author of “Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies and Ideas for Celebrating Your Students and Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity” and hosts a weekly podcast, “Mastering Social Media for Schools.”
Create engaging blogs, media releases and other communications products that connect with people. This session offers a combination of theory, strategy and best practices to help participants develop a human–centric approach to communications that resonates with their audience.
Speakers
Laura Collinson is an accomplished communications professional with over a decade of experience and a deep passion for storytelling and content creation. She holds a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Communications Studies and a Television Broadcasting Diploma.
In her role as Brand Coordinator at the City of Edmonton, Laura develops and implements corporate and place brand strategies, including Why Edmonton, which showcases the city as an attractive destination for residents, students, businesses and investors.
Laura is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive narrative for Edmonton, making a meaningful impact on how the city is viewed by its residents and beyond.
Sandra Sperounes is a senior writer and editor with the City of Edmonton. She produces blogs for two sites, Why Edmonton and Transforming Edmonton, which tells the stories of the City’s services, systems, plans and projects—through the eyes of Edmontonians.
Prior to joining the City, she was an award-winning music journalist for The Edmonton Journal and also worked at CBC Radio and the Alberta Motor Association.
Speakers
With 15 years of experience in strategic communications, Dani Rathwell is a dynamic leader committed to leveraging her expertise to support non-profit and social good organizations
As the current Communications and Technical Support Area Lead at School Mental Health Ontario, Dani has developed and implemented strategic communications plans that enhance access to school mental health supports for over 2 million students across Ontario. Her work involves coordinating internal and external communications, managing digital content, and providing strategic guidance to leadership teams. Dani’s focus on identity-affirming, evidence-informed communications ensures that her efforts are both inclusive and effective.
Before her current role, Dani worked in public sector communications, prior to launching her company DR Creative, where she provided strategic communications consultation for small businesses. Her ability to craft clear and impactful messages has consistently supported clients to achieve their strategic goals and share their stories.
Dani holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies from Athabasca University, a Business Diploma in Marketing & Public Relations from Fanshawe College, and continues her learning journey through ongoing professional development opportunities.
Driven by a deep commitment to equity and cultural humility, Dani uses her skills to build a better future, recognizing and addressing societal disparities and working towards lasting positive change.
Sarah Stright has been a communicator in the education sector in Ontario since the spring of 2018. She worked with the Avon Maitland District School Board until fall 2023, when she was contracted by School Mental Health Ontario for the role of Communications Officer.
The intersection of communications and a valuable cause is exactly where Sarah is happiest, which makes School Mental Health Ontario a great fit! Her current portfolio includes website content, social media content, project communications, mailing list management and newsletter management. She strives to approach all her work through the lenses of equity and cultural humility.
Prior to joining the education sector, she worked as a Project Manager for an upper-tier municipality in southwestern Ontario and has experience across a variety of industries. She dabbled in communications work for years before even knowing that she could make a career out of it. Sarah has a degree in Media, Information and Technoculture and a Certificate in Writing from Western University, and previously achieved the designation of Certified Associate of Project Management.
With her husband, she takes care of two tiny humans, an elderly dog, a leopard gecko, and a Betta fish. In any spare moments she can claw out of the week, she likes to garden, cook, bake, read, and glamp.
Having a government relations and public affairs strategy is an important part of your public relations toolkit, especially when you need support from other levels of government, stakeholders and public institutions.
In this session, we will go over the differences between government relations, public affairs and advocacy as a public relations practitioner. We will explore case studies and participants will learn some helpful tips and strategies to communicate with key stakeholders, foster community engagement and advocate effectively for your school board’s priorities.
Speakers
Robert Cerjanec is the Founder of School PR Solutions Inc. and has over 15 years of experience managing high-profile issues, campaigns, and communications initiatives.
He is a trusted advisor to senior leaders and has worked in the college/university sector, as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor of Toronto, and most recently with a large Ontario school board on the executive and senior teams as the Executive Lead (VP) of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations where he oversaw a team of 25 professionals in the Communications and Public Relations, Board Services, and Research and Strategic Analytics departments.
Whether it is directing the communications response after a large-scale cyber incident, leading the public and government relations efforts to help secure the approval of new schools, or bringing together diverse stakeholders around a common vision, Robert always makes a positive impact and delivers results. He now does the same for his clients in the education space.
A lifelong learner, he has a BA in Political Science from York University, a MBA from the Schulich School of Business, and completed a Certificate in Human Rights for Education Professionals through Osgoode Hall Law School’s professional development program.
For over four years, the award-winning Tune In YRDSB podcast has been creating space for student, staff, family and community voices. Learn how a podcast can help achieve communication goals, build and enhance collaborative relationships and engagement, and deepen the work to create more equitable and inclusive spaces. The team will share their process for producing the podcast from start to finish, including identifying equipment and platform needs, building an editorial calendar, recording and editing, identifying hosts and guests and promoting. They will also share practical tips and pitfalls in producing a school board podcast, and answer questions.
Speakers
Dale Brusselers and Christina Choo-Hum are proud members of York Region District School Board’s award-winning Corporate Communications team, where they lend their skills to providing strategic advice, issues management, social media management and strategic communications planning.
Together, they have well over 30 years of communications experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors. Christina has been with YRDSB since 2010 and Dale joined the team in 2016. They both work closely with students, staff and community to elevate diverse and marginalized voices through mediums like the podcast. They are both passionate about public education and creating opportunities to highlight the successes of all students. They pride themselves on their ability to cultivate and manage complex professional relationships, which supports the creation of positive narratives for YRDSB and public education.
When Dale's not in the office, you'll find him out in the woods or spending time with his young daughters. Christina’s children have flown the coop and are off at university, but she still enjoys funding their exquisite lifestyles and reminding Dale to start saving.
Dale Brusselers and Christina Choo-Hum are proud members of York Region District School Board’s award-winning Corporate Communications team, where they lend their skills to providing strategic advice, issues management, social media management and strategic communications planning.
Together, they have well over 30 years of communications experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors. Christina has been with YRDSB since 2010 and Dale joined the team in 2016. They both work closely with students, staff and community to elevate diverse and marginalized voices through mediums like the podcast. They are both passionate about public education and creating opportunities to highlight the successes of all students. They pride themselves on their ability to cultivate and manage complex professional relationships, which supports the creation of positive narratives for YRDSB and public education.
When Dale's not in the office, you'll find him out in the woods or spending time with his young daughters. Christina’s children have flown the coop and are off at university, but she still enjoys funding their exquisite lifestyles and reminding Dale to start saving.
Many school boards require a high degree of versatility from their small (or very small) communications and public relations teams. In addition to having to handle a heavy workload with tight, multiple, and sometimes concurrent deadlines, it can be challenging to determine which initiatives to prioritize and where to focus efforts.
When it comes to conveying the same message across different channels, how can we maximize the impact of our message without increasing the workload?
This interactive one-hour workshop will allow us to explore best practices for adapting content to each channel and ensuring consistency in your message while effectively sharing information across various platforms.
Speakers
Elisa Gilet is a marketing and communications professional from France, with over 5 years' experience in the field. She is a graduate of the Sorbonne University in France, and also holds a degree in Digital Marketing from the University of Westminster in the UK. Her international academic background bears witness to her interest in dynamic, multicultural environments.
At CEPEO, Elisa directs, coordinates and oversees the creation, development and implementation of various multimedia projects to support student recruitment. Her commitment to this role demonstrates her passion for education and her ability to work in stimulating and varied contexts.
Nathalie Pelletier is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over a decade of experience in web and social media marketing, including more than seven years dedicated to the education sector. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in Communications and a minor in Media and Information, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role.
At CEPEO, she specializes in social media marketing and website management, as well as leveraging digital platforms to effectively engage with audiences and drive results. With a passion for staying ahead of the curve, she specializes in training and closely follows emerging trends to ensure her strategies remain innovative and effective.
Dinner, awards and entertainment
These days, it's tough to earn a headline. Attention spans seem shorter than ever before. Everybody and everything is competing for audience and attention. Local news coverage is sparse, as the media landscape dramatically shifts. How can you ensure your story's being told? Veteran media personality Ryan Jespersen dissects the details, and gives you the tools and insight you need to connect with power players and the general public.
Speakers
Ryan Jespersen hosts Real Talk, one of Canada's most-downloaded modern talk shows. He recently graced the cover of Edify Magazine as the "Prince of Podcasting". Ryan was named one of Alberta's 50 Most Influential People by Venture Magazine, and was on Avenue's inaugural list of Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40.
Principals are responsible for communicating with many stakeholder groups every day – including students, staff, parents, community members, trustees and the media. Yet few of them have received dedicated communications training to help them with this critical work. How can school board communications professionals work with, train and assist principals with learning how, where, when and in what ways to communicate with students and school communities? In this session, hear what principals are saying about what skills they have and what ones they would like to receive from their board communications team.
Speakers
Peggy Sweeney is the Director of Communications and Information Technology at the Ontario Principals' Council, a role she has held since 2000. She is responsible for all internal and external communications, as well as government and media relations.
Prior to joining the OPC, Peggy worked for Canada's largest Public Relations company, consulting on issues management, community relations, government relations, crisis communications and media training. She also spent six years with the provincial government at Queen's Park in Toronto, working on both the government and opposition sides of the House.
Peggy is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario. She has completed the Advanced Certificate in Social Media from the University of San Francisco, the Certificate in Strategic Public Relations from the University of Toronto and the Anima Leadership Inclusive Management Certificate.
Hear from representatives from the four metro school boards in Alberta about how they are working collaboratively to share resources and expertise to create a coordinated, cohesive and impactful voice for public education in the province.
Speakers
Cathy Betz has worked in a wide range of communication roles for almost 35 years, including almost 15 years with the Calgary Board of Education, where she is currently the senior manager of communications. Cathy leads a team of five communications advisors and a design team of three, and is a proud supporter and advocate for public education in Alberta. Before joining the CBE, she worked in a broad range of industries on the client and agency side including post-secondary, large pharma, biotechnology and forestry. She has a degree in journalism from Carleton University and worked in both print and radio before entering the communication field.
Christine Meadows is the Manager of Communications for Edmonton Catholic Schools, a role she has held since January 2021. Prior to joining the school division, Christine spent 15 years in media, with a decade of her career at Global Edmonton as a senior news producer. Christine is an award-winning journalist, having won a Canadian Screen Award with Global Edmonton for coverage of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. She is also the recipient of a national RTDNA award for Digital Media. She has brought her passion for storytelling to her current position, enhancing the school division's communication strategies with her extensive media experience and innovative approach. Christine leads a talented team of graphic designers, communication specialists, web content coordinators, and multimedia specialists. She is dedicated to empowering Edmonton Catholic Schools to share their inspiring stories and achievements.
Carrie Rosa has dedicated her career to providing effective, strategic communications advice and support in the public service. As a former journalist, Carrie has honed her communications skills working with organizations like Alberta Health Services, the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Energy Regulator.
Most recently, Carrie has served as Director of Communications with Edmonton Public Schools. For the past seven years, she has navigated the unique challenges of the education sector, ensuring clear and impactful communication with staff and families.
Dedicated to the craft, she has served as a board member of the Edmonton chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society, including as Accreditation Chair, supporting communicators in obtaining their designation. When she's not at work, you'll find her reading a book, baking cookies or hanging out with her family.
Felicia Zuniga is the Communications & Community Relations Director at the Calgary Catholic School District, where she has worked for the past nine years, and also where she completed her K-12 education. Felicia oversees a team of 11 diverse communications specialists and graphic designers in supporting the strategic direction of CCSD. Felicia is also a senior contributor to Birthing Magazine, where she writes a quarterly column called #realmomtalk, featuring authentic conversations with Calgary moms about the issue’s theme. She has also published over a dozen poems in literary publications across the country and 50+ freelance articles in various newspapers and magazines. Her work can be viewed on her website at feliciazuniga.com. Felicia has a Master of Journalism degree from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honours English, with a Creative Writing Concentration from the University of Calgary. When she isn’t working or writing, you’ll find Felicia spending time with family and friends, spinning on her Peloton or planning her next vacation. Felicia is a second-generation Calgarian and is proud to continue to live in the city she was born, with her husband and two young sons.
Generally speaking, human beings don't like risk. Unfortunately, in life, risk is inevitable, and in the world of education, sources of risk and the beginnings of crises are numerous. Communications professionals are often called in to help when a crisis occurs or a problem arises. We often wonder in such cases whether we could have seen it coming, if it could have been prevented or avoided, or if it was truly a crisis in the first place. Can we protect ourselves against the risk? Can we detect it, assess it, and avoid it? In this workshop, we'll be looking at how to detect, prevent, and, above all, prepare for risk.
Speakers
Guy Larocque has over 30 years’ experience in management, stakeholder engagement, communications, marketing, strategic planning and philanthropy. Prior to joining the largest non-denominational French-language public school board in Ontario, he served three governments, three research-intensive universities and several private sector and non-profit organizations in Ontario, Québec, and Saskatchewan.
An imaginative multitasker, he is outcomes oriented and strongly believes in measurable goals and progress monitoring through performance indicators.
To him, leadership is not an attribute of position. Instead, it is the manifestation of an individual’s (or group’s) ability to exercise influence and guide colleagues, a team, an organization or society toward achieving a goal. A good part of this involves building social capital by demonstrating an understanding of issues, purpose and good field knowledge. In Guy’s view, measuring actions and impact in tangible, concrete fashion goes a long way to help establish credibility, and accrue real actionable knowledge.
In his spare time, Guy loves to read, listen to, play and arrange music. He has been a proud soccer dad for 20 years.
In an era where AI is reshaping the landscape of public communications, the integration of tools like ChatGPT offers opportunities for enhancing engagement, personalization, and efficiency. This presentation details practical applications of AI, innovative strategies, and the critical balance between leveraging AI's capabilities and adhering to ethical and legal standards.
Speakers
With a 15-year career in strategic communications, media relations, issues management, government relations, and public policy, Shazia Vlahos is the Executive Chief of Communications, Policy, Government Relations and Strategy at Toronto Catholic District School Board. Some career milestones include roles as Special Advisor to a former Ontario Premier, Director of Communications to three Ontario Ministers of Education, and first Policy lead for a former Premier in British Columbia.
Shazia is also a dedicated mentor for a few organizations including the Public Affairs Association of Canada – Women in Public Affairs Program, Canadian Associations of Communicators in Education, and MAX Aspire.
Melissa L. Eldridge is an experienced school boards lawyer with extensive knowledge of school board operations. Melissa is co-chair of BLG’s National School Boards Practice. She advises educational institutions in Ontario and across Canada, including Catholic and public school boards, and independent schools. She works closely with management, boards, trustees, governors and counsel to help school leaders fulfill their educational mandates and growth objectives.
Melissa has a deep understanding of how schools and school boards operate. Melissa is proactive and practical: she has negotiated dozens of local collective bargaining agreements on behalf of school boards for multiple rounds of local bargaining. Melissa has appeared at hundreds of grievance mediations, arbitrations, and human rights matters. She regularly appears before administrative tribunals and labour relations boards, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
For several years, Melissa was counsel (including acting general counsel) for one of the largest school boards in Canada where she worked extensively in the areas of governance, human resources, and labour and employment law.
Having a tough time getting media attention? Are you sitting on a great story, but can't seem to get it told? Real Talk host Ryan Jespersen takes you into the mechanics of a great pitch. You'll learn how to catch the eye of assignment editors managing the pressures of the modern day media environment, where resources are scarce and attention spans are short.
Speakers
Ryan Jespersen hosts Real Talk, one of Canada's most-downloaded modern talk shows. He recently graced the cover of Edify Magazine as the "Prince of Podcasting". Ryan was named one of Alberta's 50 Most Influential People by Venture Magazine, and was on Avenue's inaugural list of Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40.
What if the key to mastering AI isn't learning to code, but learning to connect? In a plot twist we didn't see coming, the most powerful AI users aren't programmers – they're communicators.
The skills you've honed as a communicator are exactly what's needed to unlock AI's true potential. Your ability to craft narratives, understand audiences, and think strategically isn't just relevant in the AI age – it's revolutionary.
This session will explore how your expertise in nuance, context, and human emotion gives you an edge in everything from prompt engineering to content curation. Learn why your 'soft skills' are actually the hard currency of the AI economy.
Get ready to see your communication toolkit in a new light. You're not just keeping up with AI – you're uniquely positioned to lead its most impactful applications. Welcome to the future of K-12 communication, where your existing skills are your superpower!
Speakers
For the past 18 months, Rebecca has been dedicated to helping professionals understand and effectively leverage Generative AI in their everyday work. With 15 years of experience in professional communications, public relations, and strategic planning, she specializes in integrating GenAI into modern communication and public relations strategies, particularly within K12 education.