By Irene Alifanova, Editor in Chief for Communicator | irenedjinn@gmail.com
I joined IABC as a student member in 2016, while completing a postgraduate Corporate Communications and Public Relations program at Centennial College. However, I was very much a non-engaged member. Yes, I’ve attended a few webinars and used IABC resources for award submission during my co-op work, but, like many of my fellow graduates, I was more focused on finding work than on networking and building my personal brand within the IABC community. I now recognise that this was a big miss on my part.
In 2019, when I got pretty much settled in my communications career, I decided to rejoin IABC and take full advantage of my membership. I reached out to the VP of Volunteering and expressed my interest in helping where it was needed most, joining the OVATION team that year and then moving on to the Communications and Digital Media in 2020, taking over the Editor in Chief role for Communicator. And what a blast it has been! I enjoy meeting new people and working with our always-growing, diverse group of contributors – learning their perspective on certain topics and hearing about their experience in the communications field brings me joy and helps me grow as a communicator.
In this summer edition of Communicator – “Making the most out of your IABC Membership” – we are focusing on the personal experiences of our members and how they benefit from IABC membership both professionally and personally.
In “Running with the pack” Suzanne Huggins discusses how her IABC membership helps her stay current and drive communications excellence in her cross-functional team.
Brent Carey, ABC, shares how active engagement with IABC can support your professional growth and propel your career forward in “How my IABC membership got me where I am today”
Anjali Rego shares how IABC helped her settle in a new country and build her credibility and personal brand in the professional community in “Making the most of my membership: A new Canadian’s journey.”
Finally, in “Why I joined IABC: A new member’s perspective,” Amanda Cosentino highlights what swayed her decision to recently join IABC.
Irene Alifanova, Editor in Chief for Communicator
Return to the Summer 2021 Issue of Communicator
READ MORE
Communicator January 2025: Accessibility and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
In our January edition, we explore how Accessibility and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping the communications landscape, balancing cutting-edge innovation with empathy and inclusion for a rapidly evolving future. Read […]
10 Goals for Growth for 2025
By Mandy Silverberg Mandy Silverberg offers goal setting tips for communicators to grow personally and professional in 2025. Looking to grow professionally and personally in 2025? Start […]
How AI Can Make us Better Professionals
By Bryan G. Jones, Founder and CEO BGJ Global Business owner Bryan G. Jones discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on the role of communicators and offers tips on […]
Communicating your message in multiple languages
By Linda Bicho-Vachon Linda Bicho-Vachon looks at AI translation tools and whether they can reduce our reliance on human translators. If you’re a multi-national company, communicating a […]
Communicating across cultures
Making messages meaningful in a multicultural world By Roopal Chaturvedi “As communicators, our task is clear: make messages land, not bounce.” Roopal Chaturvedi describes the challenges of communicating across cultures […]