AIP Executive 2006-2007
| Chair | Barb Sawyers |
| Past Chair | Cyrus Mavalwala |
| Programs | Bill Gillies and Lee Weisser |
| Communications | Susanna Smith |
| Membership | Lynn Woods |
Members of the AIP Executive cover the following roles and responsibilities:
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Chair Barb Sawyers E-mail: barb@barbsawyers.com |
With more than 15 years as an independent and an entrepreneurial spirit, Barb Sawyers is enthusiastic about working with AIP members.
Through Barb Sawyers + Associates, she helps organizations succeed in change by making sure their important people understand what’s going on and what’s in it for them. She also helps groups communicate with well-defined audiences through her new electronic newsletter service, Stickemail.
Before becoming an independent, Barb honed her craft through a variety of communication jobs in both public and private sectors. Although her first love is writing, she also thrives on strategic planning and crisis communication.
Barb has been an active IABC member for several years, serving on the professional development committee, helping organize the Naked Communicator conference, writing for Communicator and judging Ovation awards.
She has an MA in journalism from the University of Western Ontario and an honours BA in philosophy from the University of Guelph.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead a team that meets the networking, professional development and promotion/marketing needs of AIP
- Represent AIP in professional, educational, community, media and public roles
- Act as the liaison between AIP and the Toronto IABC Board of Directors
- Chair all AIP meetings
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Past Chair Cyrus Mavalwala E-mail: cyrus@advantiscomm.com |
Cyrus Mavalwala has more than a decade of communications experience including corporate communications, messaging and positioning, media training, media relations, writing and Web communications. Cyrus has planned and executed strategic communications programs for technology, Internet, healthcare, gaming, consumer product and environmental companies.
Before founding Advantis Communications Inc. in the spring of 2001, Cyrus worked at two of the world's largest public relations agencies as well as with big brands in the not-for-profit sector.
Experienced with both industry leaders and start-ups, Cyrus has traveled to the U.S., Europe and across Canada while on assignment. He has been an active member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) since the mid 90s, has been a judge for both the Silver Leaf and Ovations Awards and is currently the Chair of the Alliance of Independent Practitioners. He is also a Toastmaster.
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Program Co-Director Bill Gillies E-mail: bill@gillies.com |
Bill is a media-savvy communications advisor and writer/editor, with more than ten years of experience as an independent practitioner. Bill has senior-level experience in the private and public sectors, including being on the Toronto Star’s Editorial Board and press secretary Parliament Hill to a national political leader
Deliverables range from comprehensive communications, media and government relations strategies to editorial content such as speeches, op ed pieces, white papers, website/blog content and RFPs.
Bill has helped write and place more than 100 opinion pieces and articles for clients in leading publications such as The Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Wired, Forbes, and Time. He has also helped research/write three books on the impact of information technology on business and society.
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Program Co-Director Lee Weisser E-mail: leeweisser@rogers.com |
Lee Weisser, M.Ed. is a communications consultant with extensive experience in the not-for profit, health care and small business sectors. As a writer and editor, her goal is to help organizations and individuals create effective business communications that get results. She helps her clients by making complex information engaging and understandable.
Lee is managing editor of choice, the magazine of professional coaching, as well as co-editor of the Canadian Learning Journal. Her written work includes feature articles, book reviews and instructional manuals, as well as print and online marketing materials. She also manages academic research projects at the University of Toronto.
Lee holds a Master of Education degree from OISE/University of Toronto with a specialization in workplace learning and change. She is a member of the Editors' Association of Canada and has studied all aspects of editing and proofreading.
Lee helps her clients by making complex information engaging and understandable for their readers.
Shared Responsibilities (see below)
- Research hot topics and create annual speaker and hot topic lists
- Secure speakers and develop a back-up plan
- Coordinate speaker information, equipment needs, gift and handouts
- Book room and speaker's equipment, manage RSVPs and coordinate food/drink purchases or catering for all AIP meetings
- Set-up meeting room
- Collect event fee from participants and coordinate receipts
- Prepare, distribute and collect evaluation surveys at each meeting and share results and recommendations with AIP executive
- Record AIP funds collected and spent, and send to AIP executive a statement of income and expense for each AIP meeting
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Communications Director Susanna Smith E-mail: smith.communications@sympatico.ca |
Susanna Smith is a seasoned public relations and communications specialist, with twenty years of senior management and consulting experience. Embracing a special affinity for the health care and not-for-profit sectors she frequently works with hospitals, health-related associations and national charities. A strong and compelling communicator, Susanna is recognized for realizing effective outcomes in many areas including strategic communications planning and implementation, project and special event management, employee, patient, and community relations, publication writing and production, and crisis communications. She has received several national awards for communications planning, writing and video production projects.
Susanna is a past President of the Health Care Public Relations Association (Canada) and a member of the International Association of Business Communicators.
- Plan, develop and maintain communication with AIP members so they receive high quality, timely information about the programs, services and benefits of AIP
- Write (or assign) copy for monthly AIP e-newsletter, AIP Connection
- Generate AIP-related content for IABC/Toronto e-Lerts
- Distribute job leads to AIP members
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Membership Director Lynn Woods E-mail: lynn.woods@sympatico.ca |
With a deep-rooted commitment to personalized client service, Lynn Woods is a public relations and communications specialist who has been honing her craft in the health care and non-profit sectors for over 19 years. Through Lynn Woods Communications, she applies her diverse expertise in strategic communications planning, marketing communications, internal communications, writing and coordinating publications and web-based communications, branding strategy, change management communications and special events management. Clients praise her ability to translate complex, sensitive and/or technical information into meaningful communications that engage recipient audiences.
Her award winning work includes two IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards of Excellence, an IABC Silver Leaf Award and several Health Care Public Relations Association of Canada HYGEIA awards.
A long-time IABC member, Lynn holds a Bachelor of Public Relations degree from Mount Saint Vincent University.
- Maintain and update the AIP member list (online version and one distributed to members)
- Provide outreach to prospective AIP members
- Draft, distribute and analyze annual online membership survey
- Promote discounted advertising in online Marketplace
See additional volunteer opportunities.
