I currently work as a Communications Officer on the Social Media Team for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

My Communications and Media degree has served me in so many ways in my career thus far! It was the best degree choice for me, given the fact it is so broad and has many layers within the program and different areas of interest. The program extends itself to countless different career fields. It taught me how to look through various lenses, which a helpful skill to have in a position that serves Canadians. The co-op program that is offered in the CoMs program is actually what lead me to my current role in government! I completed all three co-op work terms here and it lead me to a permanent position. Overall, the skills and experience I gained in the program has been essential to the success in my job.

Dr. Carly Dybka is the most recent graduate from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´’s PhD program in Communication.

The Communication and Media Studies program is proud to congratulate Dr. Carly Dybka, who graduated with her PhD in Communication in June. Dybka’s dissertation research, which focused on social media monitoring by branches of the Government of Canada, contributes to an important field of study that is both under-researched and relevant to the current moment.

Dybka, who works for Justice Canada as a Director of Communications, examined how federal government communications branches monitor social media to understand how issues are being discussed by the public, as well as the monitoring tools they use in service of this goal. “Carly’s dissertation offers unique and valuable insight into the practice of social media monitoring by the Government of Canada,” said Dr. Mary Francoli (Associate Professor, Communication and Media Studies), who served as Dybka’s PhD supervisor.

In addition to exploring what kind of public is constructed through this monitoring, Dybka’s research investigated how the nature of communications branches themselves have shaped social media monitoring in terms of their priorities and their handling of the large and small data they use.

“The work of government communications branches is generally under-studied in both public administration and communication,” Dybka said. “As a new function, social media monitoring introduces unprecedented opportunities and challenges for these branches in understanding the public environment.” She wanted to use the dissertation to bring their social media monitoring to light and unpack everything from the epistemological underpinnings of the activity to how day-to-day practices shape a biased understanding of the public. Francoli noted that “among other things, [Dybka’s research] points to the need for more rigorous privacy consideration, strategic planning, and training.”

Dr. Dybka receiving her diploma onstage at her convocation ceremony on June 18, 2020.

Dybka’s dissertation reflects tendencies for government to rely on private sector solutions to advance priorities in the digital and data space.  She clarified that “this reliance has in part been created by changing trends in governance dating back several decades. Government is now trying to take on more functions in-house, but without the tools and range of expertise needed for them to fully achieve their objectives. Supplementing those gaps with private sector solutions also allows the industry to shape perceptions around social media monitoring, its privacy implications, and its value.”

During her PhD studies and research, Dybka worked as a contract instructor in the Faculty of Public Affairs, both for Communication and Media Studies and for the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management (PAPM). She was also the SJC’s 2022 Public Servant in Residence. In addition to her ongoing work associated with the Faculty of Public Affairs, she plans to continue collaborating with Government colleagues to improve awareness and practices of communications branches in using social media data.

I currently serve the people of Ontario as a constituency assistant to John Fraser, the MPP for Ottawa South and Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.

My communications and media studies degree has allowed me to move into the world of Canadian politics with a broad understanding of our evolving media landscape and a critical understanding of how to effectively communicate with the general public about legislation and current issues affecting their lives. This degree has also given me the skills to have worked on successful political campaigns and for two members of parliament, creating strategies to connect with constituents to communicate the vital work being done to help Canadians.

Firdaush Bhadha – BA Hons. Communication Studies with Concentration in Image, Politics and Persuasion, Minor in Psychology (2014)

Market Researcher at Assent Compliance

My degree gave me the flexibility to tackle a wide range of functions. This allowed me to discover what I enjoy most about communications using on the job training and was able to tailor my career to fit my interests.

Kaitlin Wainwright – BA Honours Mass Communication and History (2009)

I am the Director of Programming at Heritage Toronto, a charity and municipal agency that serves as the public voice of heritage for Canada’s largest city.

Public history is, in its purest form, the interpretation of the past for public consumption. It is itself a form of communications. When I began my undergraduate degree, I didn’t realize that I could meld my interest in both communications and history into a career. It was not just the coursework, but conversations with faculty members and other students in the School of Journalism and Communication that helped me build a foundation for my career.

I am a Content Marketing Manager at Fellow.app, a Software Company where I lead the creation and distribution of e-books, podcasts, webinars, and blog posts to help managers and their teams work better together.

My degree in Journalism and Communication studies helped me develop essential skills such as researching, writing high-quality content, and communicating complex topics in a clear way.

I am a Research Analyst at Cision Canada. I monitor media mentions for clients and create reports based on that data and the wants/needs of the clients.

Quantitative and Qualitative research methods courses were instrumental in my preparation for this job, along with the in depth understanding of media as a whole and the inner workings of the industry. This provided a background for me to work off of, while the research courses taught me the analytical skills I use in my career every single day.

Elizabeth Palmieri – BA Honours Communication Studies with Co-operative Education, Minor in Psychology (2015)

I am an Online Video Journalist at Global News.

With a Communications degree, I was able to explore multiple career paths through the Co-op program, and the courses prepared me for the real world’s evolving media landscape. By the time I graduated, I had the confidence, the theoretical toolkit, and the relevant work experience that helped me dive into the world of multi-media production, where I continued to diversify my skills, from producing and editing videos at digital publications like Maclean’s, Chatelaine, and MoneySense, to having bylines in Global News.

Kate Sexton – BA Honours Communication Studies (2014)

I am an Account Manager at an integrated communications agency specializing in social and digital strategy

My ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Communications degree was instrumental in preparing me for my career by teaching me to think critically, develop my writing skills and providing me access to a rich network of students and professionals in the communications industry.

Loukia Zigoumis – BA Mass Communication (1999)

Graduating from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´’s Communication program opened many doors for me. It allowed me to intern at CBS TV in Washington, D.C., as well as at Entertainment Tonight, in California. I also fast-tracked the two-year Broadcast Journalism program at Loyalist College. After graduation, I worked in television and radio, both on-air and as a news writer. Currently, I work in Communications and Social Media, and am a professional lifestyle and travel blogger. I contribute to various magazines, like Ottawa At Home, and LUXE Magazine, and make appearances on CTV, Daytime, and Breakfast Television.