Susan Sommers, Contributing Editor, Media Relations

Susan is an award-winning journalist, marketing consultant, trainer,
educator, speaker and coach with over twenty-five years of experience in
business communications. She is one of Canadašs leading experts in marketing
and media relations consulting and training.

With a Masters Degree from Columbia University and 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, she
founded her own agency, susansommers+associatesinc., 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 of York Region.

As Marketing Director for Olympia & York Developments Limited at First
Canadian Place for two years, Susan created and implemented a comprehensive
marketing program of special events, newsletters, media campaigns, and
advertising for the downtown retail and restaurant complex.

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

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 also designs and delivers workshops for
non-profits through the United Way of York Region, The City of Toronto, and
the Ontario Community Support Association.

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, Flare Magazine, and Business Woman Canada Magazine. She is the
author of the book, Handmade in Ontario, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold
in 1976. She is the author of two new books on Canadian media: Building
Media Relationships (Irwin Publishing, 2002) and a workbook, Media-Wise
(United Way of York Region, 2002). Susan writes a monthly column on media
for PR Canada's internet newsletter.