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Bilingual (English/French) communications professional with over 15 years of experience delivering strategic and community-based communications, including media relations, for Indigenous governments, non-profits, and federal, provincial, and territorial programs.


Most recently, as the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's first dedicated Communications Manager, formalized and strengthened the government’s communications function—building on existing community channels by collaborating closely with leadership and staff, and engaging Citizens, to develop stronger media relations, emergency communications, events, and content across print, digital, and social channels.


Four years living in an Arctic community that continues to harvest country foods—through hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering—shaped a culturally grounded approach to this work, building on a decade of prior experience with Yukon First Nations.

Resume

Education

Media Studies (MA), Department of Communications

Concordia University


Art History and Studio Art (BFA)

Concordia University


History (BA)

McGill University

Areas of Expertise

  • Strategic communications planning, key message development, and evaluation
  • Media relations and leadership preparation: media lines, issue briefing notes, FAQs, news releases, media monitoring
  • Issues management and emergency communications (COVID-19, flooding, wildfires)
  • Government communication (letters to ministers and other government correspondence, briefing notes, leadership addresses and speaking notes, key messages and media lines)
  • Event support: communications and program materials, audiovisual setup, and coordination for community gatherings, celebrations, and memorial/bereavement services
  • Content development and oversight: websites, social media, newsletters, annual reports
  • Communicating research involving Indigenous communities in line with principles of community ownership, control, and access to information—foundational to what is now commonly referred to as data sovereignty
  • Communication Tools and Process Training
  • Facilitation of youth and community participation through informal, relatable engagement
  • Review and synthesis of government legislation, regulations, and policies
  • Web design and user experience (information architecture, navigation, accessibility, content planning and design, web analytics)
  • Photography, videography, and graphic design for publications, websites, and social media, as well as communications materials and merchandise for events and celebrations
  • Developing organizational responses to emerging technology issues, such as AI and social media’s impact on youth mental health, that protect community well-being while sustaining strong communications and community connections

Professional Experience

Ottawa, Nov 2025–Present

  • Stepped away from full-time employment to provide care for aging parents. Now based in Ottawa and available for full-time work.

Communications Manager
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Old Crow, Yukon 

 2021–2025


Strategic Communications | Developed and implemented a strategic communications plan for Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) government, and built up its communications infrastructure, including a completely new government website. 


Media Relations | Served as sole point of contact for all media inquiries, coordinating Chief and Council interviews, developing key messages, and hosting media and film crews visiting Old Crow (CBC The National, APTN, The Washington Post, CBC North, Yukon News, Whitehorse Star).


News Content Development | Drafted news releases, including Chief’s quotes, coordinating input and approvals across VGFN departments, Chief and Council, and—for joint releases—the Yukon government and other First Nations.


Community Engagement | Built relationships with VGFN staff and community members—particularly Elders and youth—to ensure communications reflected community priorities and cultural protocols.


Emergency Communications | Coordination of emergency public communications for community and media audiences (eg. COVID-19, annual spring flooding and summer wildfires) departments, and Yukon’s Emergency Measures Organization. Translated technical information into clear, accurate and culturally relevant social media posts community members could identify with and act on.


Project Management | Managed the VGFN website redevelopment project end-to-end, coordinating budget, timeline, and an external web design vendor. Applied the same project management approach to other communications activities, such as the production and printing of VGFN annual reports and the VGFN Newsletter.


Web Design and Content Management | Designed new Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation website; edited all updates from leadership and the departments, redesigned all government documentation for the website's library section, and produced graphics and photographs for use across the website. 


Photography | Produced photographs and posters for the VGFN Facebook page, website, newsletters, annual reports, policy documents.


Events and Celebrations | Managed audiovisual technologies, produced video and slideshows, and took photographs during community feasts, public and intergovernmental meetings, funeral services, celebrations of life, youth and Elder programming, and seasonal gatherings.


Internal Communications Capacity-Building | Designed user-friendly templates and fillable PDF forms for use across the government; trained managers and staff to use them effectively.

Plain Language Editor and Graphic Designer

Taku River Tlingit First Nation, Atlin, BC
2020-2021, 2023 (remote contract)

  • Reviewed the First Nation's new Housing Policy and 13 appendices, including tenancy agreements, inspection forms, and termination notices, and recommended plain language revisions to make them easier for Citizens to understand and staff to explain.
  • Designed and laid out the 44-page Housing Policy and 59-page appendix package, building a consistent visual system with custom typography, icons, and photography to make legally dense documents easier to navigate.
  • Built the 13 appendices as fillable PDFs with 800+ form fields, so staff and Citizens can comp