Member Spotlight: Irene Alifanova

Senior Communications Advisor, Element Fleet Management

Irene Alifanova has an eye for a good story. An expert internal communications professional and the current Editor-in-Chief of IABC/Toronto’s Communicator e-magazine, Irene is passionate about connecting with people and sharing their unique stories with a wider community.

Making the jump from content marketing to internal communications, Irene works with internal partners and stakeholders to bring employee initiatives to life through strategic communications campaigns and enhance the employee experience. The best part about employee communications is seeing results right away, whether tracking campaign metrics or hearing directly from employees about successful initiatives. “I enjoy making a difference and seeing the impact of my work,” says Irene, “it’s an opportunity to interact with different parts of the organization and build a line of communication between our leaders and our employees.”

A member of IABC for over five years, Irene also supports member communications through the Communicator. The e-magazine is written for members, by members, on topics relevant to communicators across the Greater Toronto Area. As Editor-in-Chief, she connects with contributors, reviews and edits all submissions, and writes the Letter from the Editor. For Irene, the decision to volunteer with IABC/Toronto was an easy one. “I’ve always enjoyed connecting with people, so working with communicators and helping share their stories and experiences is the opportunity to do exactly that,” says Irene. It led to capturing the voices of a wide range of communicators, from small business owners, to PR agency executives, consultants, and corporate communications leaders.

Her words of advice for those wanting to get more involved with IABC/Toronto? Don’t be a silent member. Get involved, attend events, discover resources, chat with other members – even think about writing for the Communicator! For Irene, the satisfaction of working on the Communicator comes with connecting with new and past contributors and showcasing the words and lived experiences of IABC/Toronto members.