CPRS Ottawa/Gatineau Nominations for 2011/12 Board of Directors

Three (3) CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau Members have been nominated to open positions on the 2011/12 Board of Directors. The nominees will be elected by attending members at the CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau Annual General Meeting (AGM) being held in Ottawa, Ontario, June 17, 2011, 11:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Ottawa.

We look forward to presenting to you the 2011/12 Board of Directors, including Directors appointed during the 2010/2011 year. The newly elected Directors will join the Board to serve two-year terms.

The nominees are: Charlene Gaudet, APR, FCPRS; Joan Wright; and Stephen Heckbert, APR. Bios of the nominees are available on the CPRS website at www.cprsottawa.com and will be available at the AGM. When elected they will join the slate of Officers and Directors listed below for the 2011/12 year.

Note: We continue to seek individuals to fill a number of positions on the Board of Directors and ask those interested to contact CPRS following the AGM at info@cprsottawa.com

Biographies of the Nominees

Charlene Gaudet, APR, FCPRS – Member-at-Large, Accreditation (nominated)

Charlene has significant experience in the private, not-for-profit, and public sectors. She may also be one of the few CPRS colleagues who has been an active member of three local chapters of our society.  After graduating from Humber College School of Journalism in Toronto, Charlene began her public service career with various positions in provincial government of New Brunswick. In 2000, Charlene moved to Calgary to join the federal public service as Head of Communications at the National Energy Board. Charlene is now the Director of Communications at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

Charlene has been most active in both the Calgary and Ottawa-Gatineau Chapters of the CPRS. She led the Public Relations Sub-Committee for the Calgary conference in 2005. Currently in her third year as Chair of Accreditation in Ottawa-Gatineau, she is proud of the courageous members who have successfully completed their APR.  She intends to continue to have fun meeting, learning and sharing with CPRS colleagues.

Joan Wright – Member-at-Large, Student Membership Program (nominated)

Joan Wright graduated from Algonquin College in 2008 after completing two diplomas – public relations and television broadcasting.  She is currently a communications advisor with Correctional Service Canada. During her time at Algonquin, Joan served on the Students’ Association Board of Directors for three years, in the capacity of director and then president. The Students’ Association board advocates and practices John Carver’s Policy Governance model. This gave Joan the opportunity to hone her process-driven approach while developing her astuteness for policy development.

Joan has a degree in history from the University of the West Indies which fostered her relentlessly analytical outlook. She has lived and worked in a variety of geographical locations, including New York and London, England.

Stephen Heckbert – Member-at-Large (nominated)

Coordinator for the Algonquin Public Relations program, Stephen Heckbert has almost 20 years experience in strategic communications, media training, public and media relations, media analysis, marketing, writing, and project management. A 2003 honouree as one of Ottawa’s “40 Under 40″ by the Ottawa Business Journal, Stephen has provided strategic communications advice and counsel to many senior executives and high-ranking public servants.

Stephen is a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, majors in English and philosophy. He is an accredited public relations practitioner, and is the Past-President of the Canadian Public Relations Society in Ottawa-Gatineau. He is also a former member of the board of directors of CODE (the Canadian Organization for Development through Education) and the International Book Bank.