Robin Smith Email & Phone Number

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

As Director of Strategic Communications, I am responsible for the development and implementation of external and internal communications strategies to inform, educate and engage audiences about the company’s work and its progress in achieving strategic goals and priorities. I provide counsel to the Vice President, Strategy Planning and Communications, executive leaders, and President and CEO and Board chair on leveraging communications opportunities, managing issues and mitigating reputational risk, and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Lead a team that develops and implements media strategies to support TCHC’s strategic priorities and issues management strategies to protect and enhance Toronto Community Housing’s reputation with key publics, including TCHC tenants. This position provides strategic communications counsel to TCHC senior management on media opportunities and managing contentious issues and reputational risk in a manner that aligns with TCHC’s tenant focused culture. The position serves as corporate spokesperson with the media, as required, and develops and implements emergency response and crisis communications to external stakeholders and audiences (including TCHC tenants).

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Guide strategic communications for various levels of airport operation and forward-looking organizational plans, including capital infrastructure construction, regional transit networks and hub development.As well as planning, executing and evaluating communications plans, this role includes a significant degree of media relations, acting as one of the organization's public-facing media spokespeople.

Fort Mcmurray, Ab

Following the evacuation of Fort McMurray and destruction of 1,500 structures during the 2016 wildfire, I was a communications lead in re-entry planning for the city, which included reinstating municipal infrastructure and critical business services, as well as resettling the evacuated population. During this time, I handled complex, real-time issues relating to environmental toxicity, ongoing fire fighting, preservation of life and personal property, as well as the logistics of re-entering an abandoned city. - Created multiple public-facing strategies for wildfire recovery activities in the community, including the demolition and removal of destroyed structures, public relations outreach to support a psychosocial recovery framework, as well as the re-occupation of over 650 homes that were previously restricted due to possible toxicity and safety concerns. - Planned and executed an international media relations strategy for re-entry day that secured over 100 interviews from June 1 to 2, resulting in resoundingly positive media coverage of an unprecedented event in Canadian history- Conceptualized recovery brand that received national attention and local acclaim (“Safe, Resilient, Together.”)

Fort Mcmurray, Ab

During the May 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfire, I was one of two Public Information Officers on duty in the Emergency Operations Centre. From May 3-4 I worked for consecutive 40 hours to communicate the evacuation of over 88,000 residents. This is one of the largest evacuations in Canadian history, with zero casualties as a result of wildfire. The wildfires are ranked as one of the most costly and destructive natural disaster in Canadian history. Pre-wildfire, as Press Secretary, I worked directly with a number of client departments, including Community Services, Transit Services and Public Works. On a day-to-day basis, my tasks included providing counsel to Executive Director-, Director- and Manager-level employees on reputation management and external communication. I developed and implemented multiple strategies to mitigate risk, inform the public or promote a municipal asset or function, among other things.

Toronto, Canada Area

At HIll+Knowlton I provided strategic counsel to corporate, technology, automotive and healthcare clients on a variety of topics, relating to public relations campaigns, product launches, issues management and media outreach. - Crafted a global community management strategy and guiding principle document that was implemented across the organization, which operates in North America, Europe and Asia. - Developed multiple communications plans and accompanying budgets, which were successfully implemented by the account teams that I was part of.

Toronto, Canada Area

Acting as a primary contact for Sony Mobile and Sony Canada accounts at NATIONAL, responsible for liaising with clients and key stakeholders. Was involved in strategic planning, mentoring junior colleagues, creating and distributing media materials, building relationships with key media, administrating product loaner programs and social media accounts, as well as planning and executing events.

Toronto

Assisted on numerous client files, including Sony Mobile Canada, Hewlett-Packard Canada, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment KONAMI, and SiriusXM Canada. Tasks included compiling coverage reports using MRP, CNW, FP Infomart and Meltwater, as well as creating various media materials and fostering close ties with technology media.

Cw Jefferys Collegiate, Toronto

I provided in-class support to teachers through one-to-one/one-to-many writing lessons with students, delivering lesson plans and facilitating class discussion. While in the classroom, I supervised up to 40 students between the ages of 15 and 20, some in remedial English courses. While teaching, I mentored students in building learning skills, post-secondary career planning, and managing personal issues.

As the Social Media Manager at Curriculum Services Canada, I developed policies to support the creation of a social media presence for CSC and acted as one of the company's public relations representatives. Tasks included drafting and scheduling content, analyzing metrics data and responding to comments and criticism while staying in line with the company's brand.

- Composed a corporate strategy for CSC’s social media presence- Created new design concept for the Annual Report of the 2009‐2010 fiscal year- Wrote and edited copy for the Annual Report for the 2009‐2010 fiscal year- Helped plan CSC's 2010 Annual General Meeting

Certificate, Leadership Essentials

Nfpa 1001 Level I & Ii - Firefighter Training, Fire Science/Fire-Fighting

Post-Graduate Certificate, Corporate Communications

Activities and Societies: Corporate Communications Association - FounderCorporate PR

Bachelor, Honours Communication Studies

Activities and Societies: - Wilfrid Laurier University Student Union (WLUSU) Market Research CommitteeCommunication Studies, Corporate PR