Counsel Public Affairs thrives on making room for bright, talented people. Our team roster now includes three new additions – and a promotion – as the firm continues to expand our government and public relations support across Canada.
The Counsel Partners are pleased to announce the promotion of Dorenda McNeil to Senior Vice President, Operations, Brand, and Talent. Dorenda founded Counsel Public Relations in 2005, led its growth, and helped fully integrate it into Counsel Public Affairs. In addition to servicing and fostering long-term relationships with our clients, Dorenda has become indispensable in supporting our own consultants and staff. As we continue to grow, we look forward to her creative and innovative contributions to the senior management team.
“For the last 17 years, I have been a part of Counsel’s growth from a small consultancy in Toronto to the national force it has become today,” says Dorenda. “It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome our newest additions and look forward to my expanded role as I continue to support our growing team.”
Annamaria Jeffers joins us as Operations and Compliance Manager. With over a decade of experience as a law clerk and senior operations manager, Annamaria has put her skills to work at the Ministry of the Attorney General, OLG, the City of Vaughn, the City of Brampton, and numerous law firms. Annamaria is a driven manager who cuts through the noise to identify effective operational strategies and ensure that Counsel can serve our clients with composure and efficiency.
On the Communications and Campaigns team, Natalie Dewan is our new Senior Consultant. Having honed her communications skills in the non-profit sector, Natalie has built relationships with wide-ranging stakeholders and managed communications, member relations, and program development for numerous arts organizations. She joins our flourishing public relations practice to put words to work for Counsel’s clients, turning their stories into cohesive, compelling narratives.
We also welcome Shawn Cruz as Research Associate. Shawn holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University and a post-graduate certificate in Government Relations from Seneca College. He led government relations for his undergraduate student association and has worked in a Member of Parliament’s Constituency Office and for the Ministry of Energy. With a primary focus on Counsel’s Ontario practice, Shawn brings his keen insights, thorough research, and savvy analysis to his work supporting both Counsel clients and staff.
Established in 2004, Counsel has grown to become a national firm, with a team of 27 consultants in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Ottawa.
Counsel provides a full suite of services in national and provincial government relations and public affairs, including lobbying, crisis communications, strategic communications, media training, “PR4GR” campaigns, and public opinion research.