Volunteer Profile: Annette Martell

By Alix Edmiston, VP Volunteers with IABC/Toronto

How do you become a top professional in the communications field?

It certainly doesn’t hurt to join IABC early in your career.

Just ask Annette Martell, ABC.

Annette, who could fill up many pages with her professional accomplishments, has been an enthusiastic supporter of IABC from very early in her career.

She joined the Association when she was still a public relations student at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax and started volunteering in her first job placement as a co-op student in Edmonton.

“I was working for a guy that we affectionately called Mr. IABC. His whole department belonged. The enthusiasm for IABC and the profession was infectious. I just wanted to be a part of it,” says Annette, who works at William Mercer as a Senior Communications Consultant.

“Looking back, working with those early volunteers – getting to know them and learning from them – was on-the-job training like no other. It was a living textbook.

“And I’m still learning. I remember not too long ago I was given the task of setting up a new communications department at the company where I worked. Needless to say there wasn’t much time. Where did I turn for advice? I brought together a number of my IABC peers and asked them to brainstorm what a perfect department would look like. That was an unbelievable session.”

For Annette an added bonus of all the tireless work and dedication has been many prestigious awards. In 1998 she was honoured with IABC's Master Communicator distinction, Canada's highest IABC award.

She is currently Vice-Chair on the IABC International Board. Next year she will become Chair.

How do you develop such an impressive track record?

“The formal training programs offered to IABC leaders are top notch. As a chapter leader I was invited to attend the eastern and central Canadian leadership event for chapter leaders. It was there that I began learning about strategic planning, big-picture budgeting, managing people. Then, I went on to IABC’s international chapter leaders training. These were exceptional professional development opportunities for me both personally and professionally.”

The learning doesn’t stop. Our profession is constantly changing and it’s volunteers like Annette who keep it at the forefront.

Alix is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. She can be reached at toronto-volunteers@iabc.com