Public Relations and Communications Specialist

You have a great story to tell and I can help you tell it.

Do you have an exciting accomplishment your organization has achieved? A fundraising idea that makes a compelling case for giving? Or do you need an important speech or presentation that hits home with a critical audience?

As Principal of Charmaine Gaudet Communications, I help public and private sector clients tell their stories and reach their communications goals. I offer the following services:

Public relations/communications counsel
Strategic communications plans
Fundraising proposals and stewardship materials
Articles, speeches, reports and presentations
Issues management and media relations
Stakeholder and government relations
Project management

Your story is unique. It has the power to move and inspire. Let’s tell it!

About Charmaine

I’m a public relations and communications specialist with more than 25 years experience in the health, education and energy sectors. I’ve developed, led and managed successful strategies for many complex and high profile projects.

Here are some of my representative projects:

Term contract, senior communications advisor, Addictions and Mental Health Services, Capital Health.
Researched and wrote numerous grant proposals which have helped to secure more than $2 million in donations from national foundation and corporate donors. Clients include the QEII Foundation, Saint Mary’s University, and The Ivar Mendez International Foundation.
Developed detailed strategy for a political action campaign on behalf of the Mainland Building and Construction Trades Council. The strategy included the development and analysis of a provincial political leaders’ survey and communications to members, political parties and the media.
Developed a comprehensive communications strategy to recruit 200 primary care physicians and 4,000 patients for IMPACT-AF, a Nova Scotia wide atrial fibrillation study and clinical trial funded by Bayer HealthCare in partnership with Capital Health and Dalhousie University.
Developed promotional materials for the Offshore Energy Research Association of Nova Scotia.
Assisted a public sector client in developing and writing a policy report requested by the N.S. Department of Health and Wellness on a key area of health care information and delivery.
Conceived and oversaw a province-wide speaking tour with N.S. Broadcaster and author Silver Donald Cameron to promote Efficiency Nova Scotia’s residential energy efficiency programs. The tour, which was supported with paid and earned media campaigns, resulted in a significant increase in program awareness and use.
Led communications (internal, government, stakeholder and media relations) for the development of Dalhousie University’s M.D. program in New Brunswick.
Developed successful public and stakeholder relations strategies in response to 2009 ruling of “accreditation, on probation” for the undergraduate M.D. program at Dalhousie Medical School. The strategies secured solid support from alumni and stakeholders and contributed to full subscription of the M.D. programs in Halifax and Saint John for the coming year.

Oversaw the development of Dalhousie Medical School’s MegaSearch, a children’s education program distributed to all Maritime elementary schools. To support the program, I raised sponsorship funding of $700,000 over seven years from corporate partners. MegaSearch won numerous awards and was written up in the prestigious Lancet medical journal.
Led media relations for the conferring of honourary degrees on former American First Lady Hillary Clinton and human rights activist Rosa Parks, from Mount Saint Vincent University. My media relations strategy for the Clinton event is featured as a best practice case study in a current Canadian public relations textbook.

In everything I do, I aim to meet and exceed my clients’ expectations.

Services

Strategic Communications Planning I can help you communicate effectively to the people who matter most by developing a strategic communications plan that supports your goals and works with the resources you have.

Funding Proposals I help foundation clients reach their goals on behalf of charitable causes by developing well-researched and effective proposals that convey vision, value and passion.

Research and Writing Need an authoritative Op Ed to get your point across? A winning Power Point or keynote speech? Great promotional copy - or a cover story that inspires? I can help you hit the mark.

Reputation Management From conducting a reputation risk analysis of your organization to developing an issues management strategy, I can help you anticipate, manage and persevere through the inevitable rough patches.

Government and Stakeholder Relations I can help you build relationships with government and important stakeholders so you can engage and influence the people who matter most to your funding and your future.

Media Relations From media monitoring and developing press materials, to pitching important stories and preparing you for media interviews, I can help you get your message out effectively to the right people.

Project Management Under my watch, your communications project will meet expectations and come in on time and on budget.

Professional Services Coordination Depending on your needs, I can draw on a talented pool of writers, photographers, designers, market research specialists, and other professionals. To keep your costs down I never charge a mark-up on sub-consulting fees.

Clients

Charmaine Gaudet Communications is an approved supplier on the Communications Nova Scotia standing offer list.

Testimonials

"Having the opportunity to work with Charmaine in various organizations over the years, I can attest to the fact that she is the consummate communications professional - informed, approachable, available and effective in everything she does. Whether it is providing concise and impactful written communications or dealing with difficult media / public relations issues, she always has her client's best interests in mind. I would not hesitate to recommend Charmaine to any organization that requires a problem solving, reputation building communications and PR specialist."

Stephen Dempsey,
Executive Director
Offshore Energy Research Association

"I have had the pleasure of working with Charmaine Gaudet both as a professional colleague and as her client in the medical education and research environment. During that time, she has consistently been a vital source of critical insight and guidance on internal and external communications, new initiatives, and key relationship management. "

Lorne Ferguson,
Executive Director
Ivar Mendez International Foundation

"It is an absolute joy to work with Charmaine. Her writing is crisp and innovative. It amazes me how QUICKLY she can turn around a wonderful article. I have worked with Charmaine for over a decade and I look forward to more collaborations in future."

Jyl MacKinnon,
Exective Director
Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation

"I highly recommend Charmaine. The quality of her work is excellent and I never had to worry about deadlines or details being missed. Provide Charmaine the objectives and outcomes and she not only delivers, but provides valuable advice on how to make the project even better."

Brad Smith,
Executive Director
Mainland Building Trades

Contact

Email:	charmainegaudet@outlook.com
Phone:	902 488-7837 (Cell) 902 454-4532 (Office)
Address:	Charmaine Gaudet Communications 2510 Westmount Street Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3L 3G6