OUR TEAM

Michelle started working with Communica in 2015 as the Accounting Coordinator and has since progressed to the role of Accounting Manager. Michelle is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, along with many other accounting functions.

“Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Nathaniel has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Alberta University of the Arts. From the intersection of art, design, and commerce, Nathaniel brings experience as a creative producer for various industries. He is passionate about growing businesses and has been in the trenches with local startups focusing on client care.

I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot; together, we can do great things. -St. Teresa of Calcutta

Celestine led Indigenous Engagement at Trilogy Energy Ltd., where she was accountable for all consultation with First Nations. In that role, she successfully built and maintained business relationships with many Indigenous communities in Treaties 6, 7 and 8 along with Métis Settlements that are active in Alberta and British Columbia. Additionally, Celestine has been an instrumental part of Surface Land leadership where she has directed acquisition projects from planning stages through to construction and operations from minor facilities to large scale infrastructure projects. Working in the Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan areas, she has developed a thorough understanding of AER, ACO, OGC and CER regulations/guidelines.

Kelsey Norton, is a Non-Status Nalaka’pamux from Spuzzum, British Columbia. Kesley is available to support in both British Columbia and Alberta.

Prior to Communica, Kelsey was employed by CNRL as a Stakeholder Relations Advisor. During this time, Kelsey has worked closely with many First Nation and Métis communities providing consultation on various Canadian Natural projects as well as community investment, education, training, and employment opportunities.

Tabitha joined Communica’s SIM team in November 2019. Prior to joining Communica, Tabitha developed knowledge and experience across various industries including Oil and Gas, Government, Real Estate and Wildlife Management. Tabitha holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society, a Bachelor of Arts in History, and a Master in Business Administration.

Tabitha draws on her skills in analysis, writing, and critical thinking to provide superior support to clients and the SIM team.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” - Henry Ford

Samantha has a wide range of experience in developing and executing strategic engagement and communications plans and writing regulatory applications for renewable energy, pipeline and infrastructure projects. Samantha is well-versed in both stakeholder engagement and strategic communications. She is experienced in planning and implementing open houses across the province and been instrumental in developing communication collateral including open house displays, newsletters and web content.

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“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

Jaysi holds a Bachelor of Communication, with a focus on Public Relations from Mount Royal University. After years of experience in aviation, she has a strong understanding of communicating in heavily regulated industries. In early 2022, Jaysi joined Communica, bringing strong technical and creative writing skills to the Stakeholder Information Management team.

Outside of Communica, Jaysi spends her time travelling, cooking and exploring the outdoors. She is an introverted extrovert who loves a perfect balance of solitude and socializing.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. – Luke 16:10-10

Syed holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia and is currently working towards a Masters in Data Science from University of Texas at Austin. Previously Syed has worked in a variety of technical roles in the energy sector, and he is also the founder of Audacious Energy, a cleantech startup. His passion lies in using data to bring clean energy to the masses.

At Communica Syed is working as a machine learning developer to build scalable natural language processing solutions.

"You cannot connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards." - Steve Jobs

Tracey is a focused and energetic professional with substantial experience in the energy industry. She has strong stakeholder, Indigenous, government relations skills, strategic thinking and executive communications skills; complemented by leadership roles and experience in natural gas, oil sands, renewables in Alberta, BC, NWT, USA, Australia.

For some 23 years, Tracey worked for Suncor Energy in a variety of senior Indigenous engagement roles, including as Director – Indigenous & Community Relations, Wood Buffalo.

In this capacity, Tracey led the Wood Buffalo Indigenous and community relations team and negotiated multiple long-term agreements with many First Nation and Metis communities in the Wood Buffalo region. Additionally, Tracey led regional Indigenous and community relations strategy work, assessing opportunities to provide an integrated view of the region, specifically identifying opportunities and risks.

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Kaylyn primarily assists energy projects navigating Canada’s complex regulatory environment, including the Aboriginal Consultation Office, Alberta Energy Regulator, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and Canada Energy Regulator consultation and notification requirements. Kaylyn has worked on over 25 projects with First Nation and Métis Settlements as well as other project stakeholders in western and northern Canada. Kaylyn has been instrumental to organizations who require comprehensive stakeholder research, consultation documentation, reporting and analytics, and event support.

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"Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Sarah is a graduate of Mount Royal University’s BBA program with a major in marketing. Her education has provided various project experiences, including government initiatives and supply chain management logistics. She brings to the team critical thinking and strong interpersonal skills.

“Do right. Do your best. Treat others as you want to be treated.” -Lou Holtz

Carly has experience in the public relations, environmental and energy industries with education comprised of Environmental Science, Surface Land Management and Corporate Sustainability.

She has facilitated stakeholder information management work on more than 25 LNG, renewable, mining, infrastructure, and terminal projects across Canada with regulators including the Alberta Energy Regulator, the Alberta Utilities Commission, the Aboriginal Consultation Office, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, the Natural Resources Conservation Board, the Canada Energy Regulator, the BC Oil and Gas Commission and the Ontario Energy Board. Additionally, Carly has supported engagement and communication efforts for both regulatory and community engagement teams with Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholder groups at the provincial and federal regulatory level.

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“Opportunity is missed by most, because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison

Jennifer joined the Communica SIM team in January 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, NS and Human Resources Management Certificate from the University of Calgary. Jennifer has a background in social services and human resources administration and brings several years of experience in database and information management to her role as Communica SIM Analyst. Through this role, Jennifer has supported information management for various major energy and infrastructure projects across Canada including those regulated by the BC Environmental Assessment Office, BC Oil and Gas Commission, Alberta Energy Regulator, Aboriginal Consultation Office, Manitoba Ministry of Agriculture and Resource Development, Ontario Energy Board, Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and the Natural Resources Conservation Board.

“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” – Dalai Lama

Michelle is an Indigenous engagement and facilitation specialist, who has worked with over 60 Indigenous communities throughout Alberta, B.C. and the Yukon collecting Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) during biophysical assessments, and conducting Traditional Land Use (TLU) studies for large scale projects. Michelle has extensive experience incorporating Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) into environmental assessments for various regulatory bodies.

Michelle has also worked in stakeholder engagement, designing and implementing successful engagement programs for development projects. She completed training in Public Participation from the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). Michelle is a born and raised Calgarian and holds a Bachelor of Design from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD).

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” – Anonymous

Nathan joined Communica in October 2019. Prior to Communica, Nathan completed his co-op program requirements at AltaLink. Nathan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Calgary and an Ontario Post-Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing and Communications from Humber College.

Nathan utilizes his strong writing, editing and research skills to support Communica’s Stakeholder Information Management team.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
-Winston Churchill

Todd began his Indigenous engagement career with Aramark Remote Workplace Services, in the capacity of Manager of Indigenous and Community Relations working with First Nation and Metis communities in Alberta, Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Todd was an important factor securing Aramark’s Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) Silver status with the Canadian Council Aboriginal Business.

Todd later joined Husky Energy Inc. as a Senior Advisor with their Indigenous and Community Relations team where he enjoyed working with communities in the Athabasca oil sands region. Todd was recognized for the growth of business and economic inclusion with local Indigenous services at Sunrise Thermal as well as his work with local impacted Indigenous communities during the 16 TAN Spill in 2016. Todd remained with Husky Energy, later becoming Cenovus Energy until November of 2021.

Iain is a solution architect with over twenty years of technology experience covering a variety of market sectors such as oil and gas, retail energy, defence, land management and stakeholder engagement.

He is responsible for ensuring that best practices are maintained at all levels of software development. He also plays a key role in planning and executing the strategic direction of Communica.

Tim brings over 20 years of Energy Industry public affairs and engagement experience in both Canada and the US to his role as Senior Manager, Engagement at Communica.   Known for his diverse leadership and conflict management skills, Tim has led hundreds of teams in a wide variety of energy sector projects in different regulatory jurisdictions through the lifecycle of an asset.

Tim has been an active member on the CER Land Matters Group and was a designer & implementer of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs for the CER, AER and BC OGC.  Tim is Chartered Mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada and has mediated hundreds of energy industry and public disputes, enabling him and Communica to support their clients to better navigate through complex work and enable better Indigenous and stakeholder relationships with companies.

Tim has a Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and ensures that our clients work always has the best chance of permitting success with a balance of meaningful stakeholder involvement that enhances understanding, trust and a company’s reputation in the community.

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“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.”  Auguste Rodin

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Frank joined Communica as a Senior Associate in 2020.  He was a collaborator and co-author of Breaking New Ground: Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development (International Institute for Environment and Development {IIED}); a comprehensive road map to sustainability in the mining sector. He has led corporate teams in the development of sustainability and ESG strategy. He has advised Executive Teams and Boards and has negotiated with senior levels of government, NGOs and civil society on a range of social license, issues and contentious high-risk matters in regulated and less-regulated jurisdictions.

Frank is a past associate faculty member on the Executive Program in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at McGill University. He has engaged with leading global institutions on responsible and sustainable operations in the extractives including the World Bank / IFC, The Global Compact, UN, WBCSD, and many others. Frank was elected by members to represent international oil companies on the Steering Committee and Board of the Voluntary Principles.

Frank has a doctorate from McGill University and has taught resource management and sustainability at universities in Canada, New Zealand and the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

Magda Modzelewski brings experience as a creative writer and editor for a diverse range of industries. Her strongest skills are attention to detail and resourcefulness. In her spare time, Magda likes to walk her dogs, paint, play the piano and spend time with friends and family.

"Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” Unknown

Victor Yan is currently Network Operations Manager of Communica, he has over 20 years of experience in IT infrastructure and operations management.

Prior to Communica, Victor spent over 15 years as an IT manager in a variety of industries, including Information Technology, Power, Newspaper and Construction. He had a wide range of responsibilities including overseeing all technology operations, devising and establishing IT policies and systems, and analyzing the business requirements of all departments to determine their technology needs.

As the Network Operations Manager of Communica, Mr. Yan has a solid understanding of IT operations, optimization and continuous improvement. He has worked closely with many of the leading vendors to shape IT strategy.

“Once you stop learning you start dying.” - Albert Einstein

Brenda has 20 years of experience that blends communications expertise with a deep understanding of the policy and regulatory context. Brenda supports clients in building relationships with stakeholders by focusing on issues that make a difference and ensuring consultation and communications are in alignment with business objectives and relevant regulatory frameworks. She is a strategic planner, supported by strong facilitation and writing skills.

Brenda has provided leadership in communications and regulatory operations and development, including counsel to executives on regulatory and public affairs issues.

Brenda has a BSc Specializing in Zoology and a Diploma in Public Relations. She is an accredited business communicator with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi

With more than 35 years’ experience, Doug Ford is widely known as a leading regulatory engagement resource. Doug has planned, developed, and implemented a diverse number of Indigenous and public consultation programs for some of Canada’s largest companies. As a regulatory specialist, he has extensive experience working with a wide range of provincial and federal regulatory bodies including, the Alberta Energy Regulator, Alberta Utilities Commission, Alberta Natural Resources Conservation Board, the British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission, British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office, as well as the Canadian Energy Regulator and Canadian Impact Assessment Agency. Doug has participated as an expert witness at regulatory hearings, and as an expert witness in a legal review at the Quebec Court of Appeals with respect to pipeline consultation thresholds and practices.

“Some men see things as they are and say, why; I dream things that never were and say, why not.” – Robert F. Kennedy

The primary focus of Chad’s career has been based around regulatory and stakeholder engagement for major projects. He has worked directly with many of the largest resource development, infrastructure and energy companies in North America by helping them improve their stakeholder engagement efforts with technology. This includes creating North America’s first dedicated SIM team. He also founded and ran Sunexo Solutions (Sunexo) for eight years. Sunexo developed the industry leading SIM software: IRIS. Additionally, he has direct on-the-ground engagement experience including being the main company representative in an indigenous community for a contentious energy program in northern British Columbia for almost a year.

Chad is also a Director, Western Canada, with the Founder Institute, the world’s (and Canada’s) largest pre-seed accelerator, where he oversees two cohorts of founders a year. He also founded and grew Startup Grind Calgary to one of the most successful chapters in the word.

In the past, Chad has also served as a Board Member of the Calgary Combative Sports Commission and mentor at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology's Energy Asset Management program. In recognition of his contributions to improving the energy industry in both his professional and volunteer work, he was awarded the Rising Stars award for 2019 from the Daily Oil Bulletin. He is also a veteran of the Canadian Forces where he served in the infantry which included a tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2006.

“You encourage what you tolerate.” -Written on the wall of the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff room.