From the Dark Corners to the Front Page: PR Case Study on Mental Illness
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Sheraton Hotel, 150 Albert Street, Ottawa
11:30 registration and networking
12:00 lunch (standing buffet)
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. panel discussion
As public relations and communications professionals, there is a lot we can learn about the issue of mental illness and the challenges to increasing its awareness in the public domain. Join us as we learn how mental health advocates from the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group are changing the conversation about mental illness and learn through the Canada Post example, how you can apply their experience to other difficult issues in your workplace.
Panel members:
Chris Cobb is a Senior Writer with the Ottawa Citizen, a member of the Press Gallery and a teacher of journalism. He has been contributing to Canada’s national media for over 25 years with particular expertise in politics, election reporting, government and political communications, Third World development and health issues, to name a few. For more than a dozen years, and until recently, Chris was a regular contributor to TACTICS and STRATEGIST, publications of the Public Relations Society of America. Chris will help us understand the environment in which we are trying to change awareness, attitudes and behaviors about mental illness and provide insight into the recent major local and national relevant events and what impact they have they had in our community from a journalist’ perspective.
Nicole Loreto, APR is Chief Communications Officer of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, a leader in mental health. Nicole has provided strategic communications leadership across a variety of fields including high tech, municipal affairs, culture and heritage, and health and social issues. Through her academic training, Nicole has developed a good understanding of community care and treatment in addition to her expertise in the field of communications. During this session, Nicole will share the ROHCG’s recent involvement in building partnerships to change the conversation about mental illness and what role we can play.
Tim McGurrin is the Director of Corporate Communications at Canada Post. His duties include the oversight and leadership of the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health, created in 2008 to raise funds for not-for-profit mental health agencies across Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in the field of communications, including government relations, media relations, event planning, and strategic communications planning. During this session Tim will explain how Canada Post moved the discussion of mental health forward as its corporate cause of choice.
About the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)
CPRS is the leading professional organization for communicators across the country. Here in the Nation’s Capital, CPRS Ottawa/Gatineau is a dynamic, growing society which offers its members a myriad of services including an educational programs to keep you on top of the latest issues, news on the Society’s activities, a voluntary national CPRS accreditation program, great networking opportunities and more.
About the Health Care Public Relations Association (HCPRA)
HCPRA is the only organization addressing the particular concerns of public relations professionals in Canadian health care. HCPRA offers professional development through national educations sessions; local networking across Canada; a first-rate national conference in conjunction with the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy; the acclaimed Hygeia Awards; a monthly e-newsletter; a robust website and an opportunity to network with more than 350 health care public relations professionals across Canada.
Spaces are limited, please register by March 1st on EventBrite at http://cprsottawamarch2011.eventbrite.com.
$45 for CPRS and HCPRA members
$35 for CPRS Student Members
$60 for non-members
Prepayment by credit card is required to reserve you seat for the event. We accept Visa and MasterCard. Payment at the door will also be accepted.
Cancellation policy: Cancellations must be received at least 24 hours prior to the event. Late cancellations and no-shows will be charged the full amount.
For more information, visit www.cprsottawa.ca.