IABC NL Announces 2020-21 Board of Directors

IABC NL 2020-2021 Board of Directors from left top, Tanya Alexander, Karyn Whelan, Jackie O’Brien, Glenda Power, Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Dana Hawco; bottom left, Hannah Kirby, Marlayne Hardy, Stephanie Tucker, Lisa Bragg, Diana Quinton, and Angela Hunt.

September 18, 2020, St. John’s, NL – The International Association of Business Communicators Newfoundland and Labrador (IABC NL) announced yesterday its 2020-21 board of directors. Tanya Alexander is IABC NL’s president for 2020-21.

“I’m incredibly proud of the hard work and creativity of the 2019-20 board despite the impact felt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am confident we will be able to deliver exciting events and opportunities in the coming year,” said Alexander. “In fact, this year’s Board of Directors is inspired to develop new creative and innovative ways to provide quality professional development and networking events for our members in 2020-21. I am excited to work with each of these dedicated communicators and with our membership towards a great year!”

The 2020-21 board of directors for IABC NL includes:

Immediate Past President/Sponsorship Chair – Jackie O’Brien, GradDip. PR, BA
President – Tanya Alexander, CMP, BACS
Vice-president Finance/Incoming President – Karyn Whelan, BA, BPR
Executive Assistant – Angela Hunt, BA, BPR
Director, Membership and Marketing – Marlayne Hardy
Director, Communications – Dana Hawco
Director, Professional Development and Networking – Hannah Kirby, BA, MA
Director, Pinnacle Awards – Glenda Power
Judging Coordinator – Kathy Dicks-Peyton, ABC
Digital Communications Coordinator – Stephanie Tucker, BA, Dip. PCM
Special Events Support Coordinator – Lisa Bragg, B.Sc., MBA
Certification Coordinator – Diana Quinton, B.Comm, ABC, SCMP

The award-winning chapter of IABC Newfoundland and Labrador works to advance the communications profession, create connections, and develop strategic communicators in the province. The chapter has some 60 members representing a broad range of interests and experiences in communications.

For more information about IABC NL, please visit www.iabcnl.com.

BACKGROUNDER – IABC NL Board of Directors 2020-21

Jackie O’Brien, GradDip. PR, BA – Immediate Past President/Sponsorship Chair
Jackie O’Brien has more than a decade of experience in public relations, communications and marketing. Currently, she works as Senior Marketing and Communications Officer with the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB). Prior to joining the waste management industry, Jackie worked for 10 years in the health care sector. She completed a post-graduate public relations program (honours) at Humber College in 2010, and also a Memorial University alum, where she completed her bachelor of arts in 2009 with a double major in political science and social-cultural anthropology. Jackie is a proud member of IABC and has served on the Board of Directors since 2016.

Tanya Alexander, BACS, CMP – President
Tanya Alexander has built a fulfilling career over 25 years as an award-winning journalist, communicator, editor, photographer and freelance writer. Tanya has worked with College of the North Atlantic (CNA) since 2002 in corporate communications, public relations, marketing and project management, and for several years, as editor of the CNA’s publication, Currents. She worked with CNA’s Qatar Project Office from 2009-2019, and had the incredible opportunity to work at the Middle East campus for one academic year during the project’s 10-year anniversary. Currently, she is Communications Specialist with CNA’s Division of Academic Programs and Delivery. Tanya has been an IABC member for over 17 years, has served in various roles on the IABC NL Board, and is honoured to now serve as President for what is promising to be an interesting year!

Karyn Whelan, BA, BPR – Vice-President Finance/Incoming President
Karyn Whelan is an award-winning communicator with more than 10 years of experience. Karyn works for the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador where she enjoys putting her strategic thinking and creative mind into action. Karyn is responsible for everything from communications planning, issues management, media relations, to social media. Karyn has a bachelor of public relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and a BA from Memorial University. Karyn joined the IABC NL Board in 2018 and is excited to step into the role of Vice-President Finance.

Angela Hunt, BA, BPR – Executive Assistant
Angela Hunt is a strategic thinker and proficient writer with nearly nine years of experience between both the government and nonprofit sectors. She currently works as a communications advisor with Memorial University, while co-owning and operating an online baby and children’s boutique, Feather + Sprout. Angela is an honours graduate of Mount Saint Vincent University’s Bachelor of Public Relations Program and she also holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English literature from Memorial University. Angela is looking forward to returning to the IABC NL Board this year!

Marlayne Hardy – Director, Membership and Marketing
Marlayne is an experienced marketing, communications, and project management professional with diverse work experience. As Director, Innovation Programs at NATI, she works in the province’s exciting technology and innovation sector. Marlayne loves the ocean and is grateful to live in NL.

Dana Hawco – Director, Communications
Dana Hawco is an award-winning communications professional with over ten years of experience specializing in strategic marketing and communications, graphic design, social media, website design, and corporate branding. Her career has brought her to many places, including the Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, ExxonMobil Canada, M5 Communications and Pennecon Limited. Dana joined the IABC NL in 2019 and is proud to be a member of this thriving board.

Hannah Kirby, BA, MA – Director, Professional Development and Networking
Hannah Kirby works as Operations Coordinator for the local biotechnology company Sequence Bio. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a minor in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Political Science (Co-op), Hannah is also due to receive her Graduate Certificate in Strategic Public Relations from the University of Toronto in the next few weeks! She thoroughly enjoyed working on the board last year as Special Events Coordinator and is please to be taking on more with her returning role as Director of Professional Development and Networking. As PD and networking becomes increasingly virtual, this year will be filled with learnings and challenges but Hannah is ready to roll up her sleeves and help create some great opportunities and offerings for IABC members and the Communications Community!

Glenda Power – Director, Pinnacle Awards
Glenda Power is a senior communications strategist with over 20 years’ experience in the public and private sectors. She is currently the Director of Strategic Communications for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, where her fingerprints are on every news conference, press release, critical incident, communications plan and all things social. Glenda is a longtime IABC NL member; this will be her second time serving on the Board of Directors.

Kathy Dicks-Peyton, ABC – Judging Coordinator
Kathy Dicks-Peyton is a two-time president of IABC NL. She is a senior communications professional with over 30 years of experience in journalism, public relations and event planning. Throughout her career, Kathy has held management positions with a variety of newspaper and magazine publications, provincial government departments and agencies. She is also a marriage commissioner, chief event strategist with her own event planning company, Functional Communications & Events, and co-directs the Miss Achievement Newfoundland and Labrador Leadership Program.

Stephanie Tucker,BA, Dip. PCM – Digital Communications Coordinator
Stephanie is a communications professional with a passion for video storytelling, creative content creation, and digital communications. She currently works as the Communications Coordinator for the Town of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. Stephanie holds a B.A. Degree in Communication Studies and English, and a Diploma in Performance and Communications Media.

Lisa Bragg, B.Sc., MBA – Special Events Support Coordinator
Lisa Bragg is the Communications & Engagement Lead with The Cahill Group. Lisa has a Biochemistry degree and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, both from Memorial University. In her 20 year career, Lisa has organized conferences, hosted dignitaries, emceed large events, developed award winning marketing materials and been a media spokesperson.

Diana Quinton, ABC, SCMP – Certification Coordinator
Diana Quinton, B.Comm, ABC, SCMP, was awarded the Accredited Business Communicator designation from IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) in 2004 and received the global credential of Strategic Communication Management Professional from the Global Communication Certification Council in 2018. She is a past president of IABC NL and she has held various board positions. She is presently a director of communications within the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.