Skate Canada’s Barb MacDonald receives IABC Canada’s Master Communicator Award
OTTAWA, ONT: The International Association of Business Communicators Canada (IABC Canada) has honoured Barb MacDonald with the Master Communicator Award. This award—the organization’s highest honour—recognizes MacDonald for her dedication and success in the field of communications. The award was presented this past weekend at the IABC Canada conference in Victoria, BC.
The IABC Canada Master Communicator Award is a lifetime achievement award and is the highest honour IABC Canada can bestow on an individual member. The award recognizes outstanding Canadian communicators whose work has brought credit to IABC, the profession, their organization or clients, and whose contributions have raised the standards of organizational communication in Canada. IABC Canada has recognized only 46 Master Communicators since the designation was established in 1980.
For nearly 30 years, Barb MacDonald has worked predominantly in a communications capacity, which began with a role at the Carleton Board of Education. She eventually pursued an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation with IABC, which lead her to become a consultant, providing strategic communications advice for many diverse clients and organizations. Since 2010, MacDonald has been Director of Corporate Communications for Skate Canada.
MacDonald’s international experience includes overseeing media operations for various sporting events around the world—particularly the Olympic Games. Her involvement with the Games has taken her to the United States, Italy, China and Great Britain. In 2006, she traveled to Doha, Qatar for the Asian Games, and Jamaica and Antigua for the Cricket World Cup in 2007. She is also the recipient of four IABC Gold Quill Awards, for communications excellence.
A consummate communications professional, MacDonald’s nomination noted that she is always eager to share her expert knowledge and advice with fellow communicators. She has given various professional development and case study presentations for IABC and other organizations, and has worked with IABC members to help them earn their accreditation.
“Barb is a valuable member of the IABC Ottawa community,” says Kelly Rusk, past president of IABC Ottawa who prepared the nomination. “She demonstrates excellence in communications in many tangible ways, and is always willing to lend her expertise to our chapter and its members or help out in a volunteer capacity.”
MacDonald is the first member of IABC Ottawa to receive the award since 2000.
About IABC Ottawa
Founded in 1970, the International Association of Business Communicators, (IABC) provides a professional network of over 15,500 business communications and marketing professionals in over 80 countries. Established in 1976, the Ottawa chapter of IABC allows members to tap into a wealth of resources and opportunities that will help increase value as a communicator. IABC Ottawa strives to provide professional development and networking opportunities for marketing, communications and creative professionals while promoting excellence in the industry. IABC Ottawa brings communications, marketing and creative professionals together to grow in their career and succeed in their jobs.