August 2026 Board Member Spotlight: Christine Guay

Each month, IABC Ottawa features a member of our Board to introduce them to the membership and share a bit about their careers. To kick off the 2026-2027 edition of this series, we talked to Past President, Christine Guay.

Your Title: Communications Coordinator at the City of Ottawa, Past President of IABC Ottawa

1. Tell us a little about your communications journey. What are you working on or most interested in right now?

My path into communications wasn't a straight line. I studied business, business management, marketing and human resources, but marketing was always what interested me most. I was also really drawn to event management, so my first job was a great combination of both.

From there, my experience in marketing gradually led me into communications and events, and eventually into communications full-time. One of the things I love most about this profession is the variety. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to work on everything from small business representation to the Canadian fishing industry to mental health and municipal government.

I'm so passionate about communications work that even in my spare time I have volunteered in communications roles. I've volunteered with organizations such as the Scottish Society of Ottawa and even had the opportunity to serve as Hogman-eh! Director, helping organize a huge New Year's Eve celebration that brought thousands of people together.

Anyone who knows me knows that I usually have a lot on the go! Right now, I'm taking university courses and preparing for my SCMP, which I'm hoping to take at next year's IABC World Conference in Calgary. I also have a small business, so there never seems to be a shortage of projects.

At work, one of the things I'm most interested in right now is data and storytelling, and how beautifully the two can work together. I'm excited to be working on a few projects that have been sitting on my to-do list for years. It's incredibly satisfying to finally move forward with ideas that you know can benefit people and help tell the stories of the positive impact an organization has on its community and everyday life.

And outside of work, I'm looking forward to putting together a few initiatives for IABC this year. More to come on that!

2. What inspired you to join the IABC Ottawa Board, and what are you most excited about contributing this year?

I'm a pretty driven person and a big believer in continuous learning. For much of my career, I worked on a team of one, and while that taught me a lot, it can also be limiting when you're trying to keep up with what's happening in the profession.

Shortly after moving to Ottawa, I didn't Google communications organization, I Yahoo!ed them! I found a few organizations, attended some events and eventually realized that IABC was the right fit for me. The sessions, the people and the opportunities to learn were exactly what I was looking for.

I'm naturally a bit of a quiet observer, but IABC gave me opportunities to learn while also pushing me outside my comfort zone. Over the years, I've attended some incredible sessions and met some pretty amazing people.

This year, I'm hitting my stride as Past President. I get to pass the reins to the next leadership team, support the Board and spend some time working on a few passion projects.

I'm especially excited about bringing IABC to my hometown of Cornwall, where my career first started. I'm also reconnecting with past Board members to explore ways they can continue supporting the chapter beyond their time on the Board.

I'm also working with IABC colleagues in Australia and the U.S. to start a Specialized Interest Group. But the project I'm probably most excited about is Gift of Communication. The idea is to bring communicators together for an afternoon to brainstorm solutions to communications challenges facing local nonprofit organizations. I love the idea of using the talent and experience within our community to give back.

3. As the communications profession continues to evolve, what is one trend, challenge or opportunity you're particularly interested in?

Data and storytelling is a big one for me. Interestingly, it was also a topic that came up frequently at the recent IABC World Conference. I don't think that's a coincidence. I think it's on a lot of people's minds.

With advances in technology and measurement, communicators now have access to an incredible amount of information that simply wasn't available or easily accessible not that long ago. We can see how people engage with our emails, websites, social media and other communications in ways we couldn't before.

I think access to data has also helped strengthen the role of communicators. It gives us more evidence to support our strategies and helps us better understand what is connecting with our audiences.

But I think the real opportunity is in what we do with that information. Data shouldn't just be data for the sake of data. Behind all those numbers, percentages and charts are people, interests, behaviours and stories.

That's what I'm interested in exploring more: becoming more comfortable with data sources and interpretation, and getting better at finding the stories hidden between the ones and zeros. For me, part of our job as communicators is turning information into something that creates a connection between people.

4. Looking ahead, what would you like to learn, accomplish or explore next in your career?

I've never been someone with a perfectly mapped-out career path. I'm a little envious of people who know exactly where they want to be in five or 10 years!

At the same time, some of the best experiences, opportunities and people I've encountered throughout my career have come from being willing to try something new or explore an area I hadn't considered before.

Over the next year, I hope I can say that I've earned my SCMP and continued to see a clear connection between my involvement in IABC and my own professional growth.

Beyond that, I'm less focused on a specific title and more interested in the kind of work and environment I want to be part of. I want to keep learning, improve and invent new systems, discover interesting stories in my community and work in an environment that values a servant leadership approach, where I can use my own experience to support and help others grow.

I'm excited to see where that takes me!