Member Spotlight: Sharon McMillan

Sharon McMillan is an award-winning communications and marketing strategist with over 25 years’ experience leading internal and external communications departments and initiatives within private companies, government agencies, and professional associations. As the current Director of Communications for the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA), Sharon develops and manages internal communications and public affairs strategies that support and advance the goals of OCSTA – an Association that serves as the provincial representative and advocate for Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic school system.

One of the greatest assets she believes a strong corporate communicator brings to the role is a deep knowledge of the organization’s core work and mandate. As Sharon explains: “Knowing a business or organization inside and out is empowering for the person charged with communications. That level of knowledge enables strategic thinking and instills confidence among successful boards and executives who appreciate the value and impact of effective communications.”

Although Sharon is a Toronto native, her initial experience with IABC was in the United States where she accepted one of her first positions in communications as a manager with a Midwest residential construction association. She joined the IABC Cleveland chapter to enhance her strategic skills and was eventually awarded an IABC Vision Award for Internal Communications.

Sharon attributes much of her career achievements to the advanced insight gained at IABC events and nurtured through ongoing networking and conversations with IABC members in both the United States and Canada. Sharon is pleased to be volunteering for IABC-Toronto’s Professional Independent Communicators section and is the group’s Co-Director of Programming.

When not working, Sharon is very active in her community and has been an advocate for healthy and sustainable urban living for over 20 years.  Sharon recently served as President of Toronto’s historic St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association and is also President of Jamii – an award winning multicultural community arts organization.