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Q and A with IABC Member Laura Barron, SCMP
What is your communications background?
Over the past 11 years, I’ve worked in communications at Memorial University, the Luminato Festival and Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto. I’ve been working with the team at Memorial since May 2011 and have served in three different roles.I’m currently the Manager, Digital Communications and
Content Management. I’ll complete the University of Toronto’s Certificate in Strategic Public Relations this spring, and have previously taken public relations courses at Ryerson University. I’m a member of IABC NL and have been a member of CPRS (Toronto).
Where are you from?
I’m from St. John’s, NL!
What brought you to the communications field? What is your training/experience?
I began working at the Luminato Festival in Toronto in 2006 as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Janice Price. Janice was an outstanding mentor and provided me with incredible opportunities at Luminato. I quickly became the organization’s first in-house communications employee, and was offered roles with increasing responsibility during my time there. I also studied public relations courses at Ryerson University to supplement my practical experience with academic knowledge. Ultimately, I served as Luminato’s Manager, Media Relations and Communications until I moved home to St. Johns from Toronto in May 2011. I believe it was my academic background in English language and literature that equipped me with the communications skills I needed to begin working in marketing and communications, and subsequent course work at Ryerson and the University of Toronto has undoubtedly strengthened my understanding of our field.
What do you like about being a communications or marketing professional?
Stories, conversations, evaluation, repeat. I'm passionate about storytelling. Stories help us share, empathize and connect with each other. And stories are essential to my experience as a life-long student, reader, writer and communicator. I deeply enjoy having conversations with people through all of the channels we have available. Engaging with our audiences, and finding out what matters to them, is key to our success and to my professional fulfillment. In this digital age, it’s especially exciting and gratifying to be able to track and evaluate the results of our marketing and communications efforts in meaningful ways.
Tell us how you've benefited from your IABC membership?
So far, I've enjoyed several webinars and I look forward to more events and opportunities with IABC and IABC NL.
Where do you see your career going/what plans do you have for your career? It’s important to me that I continue my education through certifications and professional development opportunities. I will finish the University of Toronto Certificate in Strategic Public Relations this spring. I’m also working part-time on a PhD in English Language and Literature at Memorial, which I intend to complete in the next 4-5 years. Five years from now, I aim to be in a director of communications role in an organization that is having positive, meaningful effects on our communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, and working with people who are passionate about their work. In my spare time, I’m a novice playwright, so I hope to have at least one play produced locally by 2023.
Anything you would like to add?
I look forward to becoming more involved in IABC NL!
Are you an IABC member? We’d love to profile you.
Email us at iabcnl@gmail.com!