Senior Director Public Information

RODERICK MACDONELL

Ottawa 613-***-**** ***.*********@*****.*** LinkedIn

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

Creative and seasoned professional with 10+ years of leading strategic communications and public information initiatives.

Specializes in elevating organizational narratives through precise, impactful editorial leadership and transformative media campaigns. Proven ability to orchestrate complex content strategies and manage editorial teams / journalists to foster public engagement and transparent dialogue. Combine analytical skills with legal and political frameworks to deliver content that informs and influences public policy. Bilingual with fluency in English and French.

CORE PROFICIENCIES

Public Engagement Policy Influence Media Relations

Content Creation Writing & Editing Press Releases

Editorial Leadership Project Management Team Building & Coaching

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Led 14-person team at Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, driving journalist safety and free-expression advocacy with strategic public campaigns.

• Authored impactful articles on key Canadian legal and political milestones, shaping public discourse and understanding.

• Secured national media coverage for the North-South Institute’s top global small think tank recognition, showcasing strategic communication success.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Salvation Army Ottawa Booth Centre, Ottawa 2017 to Present

Support to Program

Streamlined 10K-word website for the Salvation Army, updating content to plain language and extending reach by translating into French. Developed and refined a variety of communication materials such as articles, reports, and correspondence, both in English and French, thereby facilitating effective organizational communication. Took photographs for the website, enriching the visual narrative and engagement. Synthesized discussions into concise meeting minutes and handled bilingual management communications efficiently.

Selected Accomplishments:

• Streamlined website by updating content to plain language, making it more accessible to a broader audience.

• Enhanced digital presence by translating website content into French, catering to a bilingual community.

Forum of Federations 2011 to 2016

Senior Director of Public Information (Writer/Editor)

Steered specialized team in revitalizing and rebranding magazine. Elevated publication's profile through thirteen enhanced 36-page bilingual issues. Redeveloped and modernized organization's web presence, greatly boosting online visibility and user engagement. Authored and refined an array of strategic documents including quarterly newsletters, annual reports, press kits, and policy briefs, amplifying reach, and impact. Led multilingual content strategy and production, substantially widening audience engagement, and fostering global communication excellence.

Selected Accomplishments:

• Initiated and managed the World Bank’s Investigative Journalism training in Washington D.C.

• Delivered over 120 video-conference sessions and directly training journalists in 18 countries to strengthen media integrity and combat corruption.

• Earned special recognition by the National Endowment for Democracy for effective and popular training program aimed at developing skilled reporters in emerging markets.

Additional Experience:

• Journalist (Writer-Editor) Montreal Gazette; Spearheaded coverage of critical legal and constitutional issues, producing over 1,200 bylined articles and earning three prestigious awards for investigative journalism. Edited Centre for Investigative Journalism Bulletin, improving reporting standards and addressing ethical news-gathering practices.

• Senior Editor Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions; Crafted and refined speeches and web content for the agency head. Standardized public communication and understanding of financial regulations.

• Senior Writer/Editor World Bank, Washington-based; Authored detailed reports on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Tanzania and Trinidad and Tobago. Contributed to transparency and anti-corruption efforts in resource management.

• Director of Communications (Writer/Editor) The North-South Institute (NSI), Ottawa-based; Directed creation of impactful corporate communications and managed media relations. Achieved global recognition for NSI as top-rated small think tank.

• Executive Director Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Toronto-Based; Led major NGO dedicated to journalism safety and free expression, significantly impacting public policy and international advocacy for journalists' rights.

PUBLICATIONS

Media Development Work World Bank Macdonell, Canadians Association of Journalists Media Magazine, Circa 2001.

Water Management in Ethiopia Federations Magazine.

The Role of the Media in Curbing Corruption World Bank Institute Studies, 2007.

The Whistleblower Canadian Bar Association’s National Magazine, December 2013. Read Here

The Author, the Lawyer, His Wife and Her Money Macfarlane, Walter & Ross, 1998. More Info

On the Take, Crime Greed and Corruption in the Mulroney Years Macfarlane, Walter & Ross, 1994. Details

Salvation Army Website Stories, 2018-2020; Authored stories on recovery and transformation.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Judith-Jasmin Awards: Winner three times for investigative journalism.

National Newspaper Journalism Awards: Judge in the investigative

National Newspaper Awards: Twice finalist

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Quebec Civil Law Degree, French

University of Sherbrooke

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