Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Imagine: you're an entrepreneur just trying to 'figure out' how to do business with government - whether it's what you can get, or what you have to do - and it's a slog. Information is fragmented. There are hundreds of possible supports, and just as many obligations. It's difficult to get the right information at the right time. This is THE problem that has seized my attention for the last decade. I'm currently working on a AI project that will extend the capabilities of multiple digital tools designed to enhance the user experience for businesses. It's work that I have deeply enjoyed since our small multi-disciplinary team launched the Business Benefits Finder (innovation.canada.ca) in 2018. It's thrilling to know that my work has a direct impact on Canadians. In the last year, I've taken classes at Stanford University (UI/UX for AI products) and Harvard Business School online (Data Science Principles) and had the pleasure of learning from Dr. Michael Bernstein, a world-renowned expert in human-centered artificial intelligence. I'm building persona agents with intersectional lenses to frame my current work and bring the pain points and latent needs of businesses to life. I always love to hear from colleagues. Reach out anytime!
I'm currently working on a AI project that will extend the capabilities of multiple digital tools designed to enhance the user experience for businesses. This includes business case research, user research, the development of persona agents, journey mapping and data sourcing - just to name a few!
I've made a lateral move for one year to focus on learning and building my skills in human-centered service design. This has involved developing data-based personas, journey maps and service blueprints and using design heuristics and principles to help evolve their change management service delivery model.
We've developed a platform that matches businesses with programs and services. And it takes two minutes. Check it out: innovation.canada.ca. I led the content research and design from the MVP onward, including heading a talented and driven team in developing and testing the language of the business benefits finder and back stage UI, defining the content template for each type of benefit offered, overseeing the development of a design language and visual identity, qualitative (voice of customer) and quantitative (personas) research projects, SEO, and developing the UI in a custom Salesforce workflow.
I was go-to person for creative work of all kinds across the communications branch, from strategy to campaigns to making boring documents more engaging through storytelling. I played a key role in the #ChooseScience Women in STEM advertising and marketing campaign.
I built our social media function from the ground up with next-to-no resources. We stumbled, learned and grew into a team I was incredibly proud to lead. I wore a lot of hats: lead strategist, editor-in-chief, supervisor, policy lead, problem solver. We launched a social CRM initiative linking our call centre, web site and social presences and had some solid KPIs. But the best KPI was a single tweet: @IndustryCanada you have some great content #followed.
As the lead communications advisor to the first-ever Veteran's Ombudsman, Ret'd Colonel Pat Stogran, I led on his communications and media relations work and provided support, in various forms, during his testimony before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs (2009).
I wrote my way through graduate school. Here are a few of my clients: Age & Opportunity, Inc.; Canada Council for the Arts; the Canadian Museums Association; Canadian Public Arts Funders; Bank of America, EMK Clothing; Muse Magazine; the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals; The Ottawa Citizen; The Peer Review Magazine; Smart Connections Magazine; the Riverview Health Centre; The Winnipeg Free Press, and Urban Ink Design