When I was ready to leave the newsroom, there was no better place to land than where I am now

As we enter a second year of pandemic lockdown, I think about how grateful I am to have spent the last one with great colleagues and clients working to find the common good. 

I joined Compass Rose five years ago this week after a very fulfilling and exciting career as a journalist, 12 of which was as a member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery where I covered five federal elections, three governments (seven years in a minority), House and Senate procedural shenanigans, public policy, political conventions, Hill galas, the public service and more. 

I dreamed of becoming a journalist so that I could see history being made up close, and be part of it  —  in the process, finding the stories that made a difference. I loved every minute of it. I never thought I would no longer be a journalist, but when I was ready to leave the newsroom, there was no better place to land than where I am now. 

In very much the same ways, I continue to be part of the process of making a difference  —  for clients, for governments, and most of all for Canadians. I remember being with Compass Rose founder Jacquie LaRocque and others in a cabin in Chelsea, Que., when she launched her amazing small business in December 2015. The enthusiasm and passion for this new adventure to help find the solutions that would help businesses grow, that would improve public policy and that would ensure all stakeholders were at the table for their voices to be heard filled the room. That excitement never left as the company grew to what it is today  —  a dedicated, committed team of principled and experienced public affairs counsellors. 

Getting through and navigating a global pandemic was never in the business plan, but I’m proud to be part of a team that emphasized the common good from the beginning  —  whether it was pivoting to help clients innovate and grow in a difficult time, or including the children in our lives who couldn’t be at school or daycare on team meetings, or accommodating the necessary time off to bounce back from the isolating lockdowns, and ensuring that each team member was effectively supported. At the same time our resilience to meet and exceed goals somehow only grew.

It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, but as the saying goes, nothing worthwhile ever is. I so look forward to getting a vaccine and seeing my colleagues in the office soon, but also, I very much look forward to the next five years working with Jacquie — a tremendously strong, confident and inspiring leader  — and an equally amazing team.