SUSAN SOMMERS

is an award-winning journalist, marketing consultant, trainer, educator, speaker and coach with over thirty years of experience in business communications. She is one of Canada’s leading experts in marketing and media relations consulting and training.

Susan was born and raised in New Jersey and earned a Masters Degree from Columbia University a

nd a Bachelor of Science Degree from Syracuse University. After moving to Toronto, she received a Public Relations Certificate from the University of Toronto.

In 1982,Susan founded her own agency, Susan Sommers + Associates, which has designed marketing and publicity programs for a variety of companies and organizations in the private and public sector. She has developed strategic communications plans, special events, publicity campaigns, promotional materials, and new identity programs for such clients as The Toronto Blue Jays, Designers Ontario, The Second Cup, Moneysworth & Best Shoe Repair, Matinee Fashion Ready-to-Wear, the Volunteer Centre of Toronto, The Yoga Studio, and United Way.

For over a decade, Susan has designed and delivered hundreds of workshops, presentations, and in-house training programs to corporations, retailers, small business owners, sales professionals, associations, non-profits and government agencies across Canada.

Susan has also developed credit courses in Marketing and Media Relations at Schulich School of Business (York University), University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, Ryerson Polytechnic University, George Brown College, the Ontario College of Art & Design, and Sheridan College. She currently teaches Marketing and Media Relations courses through the University of Toronto, Sprott School of Business (Carleton University), and York University.

As a Marketing Coach and workshop leader, Susan has trained entrepreneurs at the YMCA Markham Business Centre, the Learning Enterprise, and Canadian Business Resource Centre. She designs and delivers workshops for non-profits through Canadian Funraiser.

As a journalist and author, Susan has written weekly columns for The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star and feature articles for Toronto Life Magazine and Flare Magazine. She is the author Handmade in Ontario, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold in 1976. She is also the author of two books on Canadian media: Building Media Relationships (Irwin Publishing, 2002) and a workbook, Media-Wise (United Way of York Region, 2002). Her latest book, Building Media Relationships, 2nd edition, will be published by Oxford University Press in October, 2008.

Rated as “a master in interviewing techniques and coaching” by her peers,

Kim Taylor-Galway has been instilling professionals across Canada with confident interview skills in Crisis Communications, Media Relations and Issues Management since 1999. Her over fifteen-years in radio and television for CHUM, CBC, Rogers and The Weather Network have provided real-life experience, giving her an uncommon edge as one of Canada’s leading coaches in Communications. Her media background includes national television Host; Radio Host; Public Service Announcement Coordinator; Researcher; Writer; Segment Producer and Celebrity Interviewer (i.e. Michael J. Fox, Drew Carry). Kim’s insight into the world of media is first-hand, and her insight is gold for anyone who is daunted by media interviews – in good times and bad.

KIM is a nationally recognized 15-year broadcaster (television radio) who has provided crisis communications training, strategy, written plans, and on-site coaching and support during crises to a variety of corporations, government agencies, and associations in Canada. She has gathered real-life lessons from her unique first hand experience during the Quebec Referendum; the 1998 Ice Storm of Eastern Canada; Y2K; 9-11; S.A.R.S. and other important issues in Canadian news. Her sharp and intuitive interviewing techniques, confidence-building coaching skills, and in-depth media analysis have benefited a long list of organizations including Emergency Preparedness Canada, C.S.I.S., Department of Foreign Affairs, Emergency Measures Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador Emergency Measures Organization, Alberta Public Works, Ontario Fire College, Ontario Provincial Police, New Brunswick Nuclear Power, I.N.C.O. Sudbury and Collingwood General and Marine Hospital.