As the founder and principal of CGL Communications, I help individuals and organizations communicate effectively – online, in print and in person.
Along with my trusted network of talented colleagues, I enjoy providing support with planning and executing communication strategies and tools. And I offer professional writing for all forms of media to ensure that clients’ communications are clear and compelling.
These clients include nonprofit organizations, professional service firms, government agencies, small businesses and international corporations. I’ve been working with some organizations for many years. For others, I provide support for single projects. I enjoy the variety and challenge of working with different organizations for different communication needs.
FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES
Since communication concepts and practices evolve quickly, I need to ensure that my knowledge is up to speed and I have access to the world’s best communications practices. This is why I’ve been a long-time member and a volunteer with the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
I’m an Accredited Public Relations practitioner (APR) and a Life Member of CPRS and served as a student mentor and as an accreditation appeals judge.
With IABC I have an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation and served in a variety of volunteer roles. These included judging global and local communication award programs and grading accreditation exams. I also served on IABC's advisory panel for its global magazine, Communication World and as a member of the steering committee of a global task force charged with helping IABC to expand around the world. For the Toronto branch of IABC, I mentored students and accreditation candidates and served as a member of the brand advisory and accreditation committees.
AWARD WINNING RESULTS
To enable clients to receive recognition for their communication efforts, from time to time I've entered our work in awards programs. Among the projects that have been honoured are The Story of the Loving Hand, a history of The Dorothy Ley Hospice, and the book Caring, Sharing, Investing, Growing: The Story of Horwath International, both of which received international APEX awards for publication excellence. The Dorothy Ley Hospice branding program also received a Dalton Pen award.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Believing that a strong nonprofit sector is essential for healthy communities, I've worked with many nonprofits as a volunteer since I was a teenager. I currently volunteer with Haven on the Queensway, which helps people in need, offering a food bank, clothing bank, support for seniors as well as pregnant women and families with newborns, and mobile street outreach for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Over the years, I've volunteered with a wide variety of charitable and non-profit organizations:
- Village of Islington Business Improvement Area as a mural guide and as a columnist for the BIA's Village of Islington Times newspaper
- Daily Bread Food Bank, which supplies food to nearly 200 food programs across Toronto
- On Your Mark program as a tutor/mentor for the Working Women Community Centre, a women-focused agency that provides programs and services to support newcomers in Toronto
- Endeavour Volunteer Consulting for Non-Profits as an engagement manager on a consulting project for the Kids' Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA)
- Mary Centre, which supports individuals with developmental challenges, as a communications committee member
- The Dorothy Ley Hospice as a board member
- Toronto chapter of Parkinson Society Canada as a member of the public relations committee
- LAMP Community Health Centre as a literacy tutor
- Canadian National Institute for the Blind as a reader/visitor
- Toronto branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association as co-chair of the public relations committee.
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