Sherri L. Dmyterko

653 Queenston Road

Cambridge, ON  N3H 3K2

(H) 519-653-3631

E-mail: [email protected]

CORE SKILLS:

–        Internal Communications Consultant

–        Writing for a variety of formats, including corporate communications, broadcast and social media

–        Communications Planning/Strategy

–        Video Production – Project Management

Relevant Skills:

Manulife Communications Consultant:

Communications Consultant at Manulife, within the Canadian Internal Communications team led by AVP Nicole Welbanks. Duties include:

Communications partner for Cdn Division CFO Janice Manon.
Organize and create content for Cdn Finance quarterly town halls.
Collaboration and creation of leader blogs for Janice Madon.
Assisting various areas of Cdn Finance with communications needs for spirit days, guest speakers, United Way fundraising, and other activities to raise employee engagement.
Quarterly results video for Janice Madon.
Organized a Panel Discussion with Steve Roder, included a produced 3 minute video.
Leader Videos (selfie-style), which has included Peter Scherer and Lisa Mladenovic.
Other Manulife communications duties include:

Communications Partner for ThinkSmart: blog writing, communications planning and strategy work to raise the program profile. Success have included ThinkSmart Fridays and high profile blog contributions from Bernard Letendre, Rick Annaert and more.
Communications Partner for Disruptive Thinking Workshop – a joint effort by the Manulife Innovation Team/ThinkSmart Program.
Communications Partner for Manulife Ride for Heart. Duties include leader messages, blog writing of team captains, MF Central information articles for Canadian Division employees.
Communications Partner for Manulife Classic LPGA golf tournament, interviewing & writing for MF Central articles for the week of the event, including kick-off day, volunteer profiles and Red Day.
Other Corporate Communications Experience:

Internal Communications Specialist for Loblaw Companies Ltd., providing internal corporate communications support for the I-T Department.
Helped with communications planning/writing of various tactics for software updates that would impact employees.
Creation of town hall content, including video segments involving senior leadership.
Writing articles for an internal audience posted on company intranet site, on various relevant news from I-T… Introduction of 0365.
Creating and executing communication plans; Managing a communications calendar; Collaborating with other members of the Communication team, Change Management, IT and other business units.
Communications Consultant for rare Charitable Research Reserve in Cambridge, Ontario, creating news releases and newsletter content. Working on an assignment basis, creating original content for distribution to local media and rare website content.
Video Project Manager with Toronto-based Fifth Story, formally known as NewsCanada, for the development and execution of broadcast communications packages. Project Management of hundreds of ANR/VNR broadcast packages from initial client planning meeting through to launch. Duties included script writing, ongoing communication with clients and production staff to meet project expectations and deadlines, coordination of translations services, production crews, voiceover talent and distribution to media. Clients included Loblaw, Ontario Government, Government of Canada, World Vision, BMO, Staples, and Symantec.
Communications Specialist for Clarica (now SunLife Waterloo), providing internal communications support. Duties included updating information on the company’s intranet website such as management biographies, internal benefits program changes, promotional articles highlighting employee achievement, etc.
Communications Coordinator for The National Broadcast Reading Service Inc. in Toronto, ON, writing communications materials, including pamphlets, newsletters and media releases. Coordinated presentations to potential clients, financial contributors and interest groups. Digital audio/video editing to create demonstration videos of described movies. Media relations duties to promote described video (CFTO, CBC, Global).
Media Relations:

·        20+ years as a broadcast journalist for news organizations including CTV and 680 News. Worked in a team environment to assemble the 11 p.m. newscast for Lloyd Robertson, Sandie Rinaldo and other anchors.  Story-produced for Canada A.M. Responsibilities included vetting reporters’ scripts, conducting story research, and writing roll-ups, teasers and copy stories. Working for CTV NewsChannel and CTVNews.com, writing television and online news stories as assigned by the lineup editor. Duties included editing newspaper length copy from wire services down to appropriate length for online content. revising television news stories into suitable content for web, and using appropriate SEO to ensure story hits. Head news writer for the 680 News morning show with Paul Cook and Marlene Oliver.  This was a very demanding position, requiring accurate and interesting news copy delivered under intense deadlines.

·        Media Relations Consultant for Hill and Knowlton in Toronto, working in a team environment to plan and implement public relations strategies. Responsibilities included media relations, communications writing and event planning. Coordinated media coverage for clients with The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Sun, The Toronto Star, CTV, CBC, Global, TSN, 680 News, CFRB, Chronicle, The Fan 590, TVO and Life Network.

·        Media Training Consultant with Hill and Knowlton, working with corporate spokespeople and organizations to help them craft effective media messages. Duties included helping clients identify what is a good media message, working on body language and vocal delivery of key messages, as well as news conference preparation.

Communications Instructor:

Program Coordinator for the Public Relations Diploma Program at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. Duties include regular program/course revisions to remain current with industry needs, sourcing and hiring of part-time instructors, facilitate admission process for incoming and existing program students, coordinate/lead student orientations and job fair participation, participate in scheduled coordinator meetings with the School of Media & Design, coordinator/facilitate Annual Program Reflections (APR), participate in Major Program Reviews (MPR). Leading a team of five.
Development and delivery of course content within the School of Media and Design and School of Communications. Courses include Specialized Writing for Public Relations, Ethics in Public Relations, Campaign Planning and Execution, and Multimedia in PR. Instructed PR students on the many uses of multimedia to communicate a client’s message. Guided them in effective uses of Social Media for communicating a message, creation of online content for websites and blogs, video/audio  PSA’s, Audio News Releases, Video News Releases, Video B-Roll. Guided students on writing for public relations, including creation of media advisories, news releases, fact sheets, and other PR tools.
Employment History:
Internal Communications                      Manulife  (contract)                              April, 2017 to  Present

Internal Communications                      Loblaw Companies Ltd. (contract)         Jan-April, 2017

Communications Consultant                  rare Charitable Reserve (volunteer)        2016 to Present

Radio News Writer/Anchor                   92.3 The Dock, Owen Sound                 2015 to 2017

Writing Instructor                                 Conestoga College                                2012 to 2016

Program Coordinator                             Conestoga College                                2015 to 2016

Communications Consultant                  Fifth Story/NewsCanada                        1999-2015

Internal Communications Consultant     Clarica/SunLife                                     2002-2003

Media Relations/Media Training            Hill and Knowlton                                1997-1999

Radio News Writer                               680 News                                             1997

Communications Coordinator                National Broadcast Reading Service       1995-1997

Television News                                   CTV (freelance)                                    1994-2002

Radio News Writer                               Standard Broadcast News                      1992-1994

Morning News Writer/Anchor               Rock 95, Barrie, ON                              1991-1992

Morning News Writer/Anchor               CKMP, Midland, ON                            1989-1991

Education:

Centennial College

Radio & Television Broadcasting Diploma

Graduated 1991