In Person & Online
9th Annual Marketing & Communications for Post Secondary Conference
EARLY BIRD ENDS APRIL 4
Presented by Swansea Communications + SummersDirect
For over a decade, SummersDirect Conference & Events and Swansea Communications have been bringing together communication professionals from across Canada for quality conference programming. This partnership is the only in Canada that has provided both national and regional conferences for the communications field .
Our goal is to offer a conference experience that will educate and inspire professional communicators from various industries through an environment of professional networking to benefit both delegates and speakers alike. You will walk away with tools and techniques you can take away and use, case studies you can relate to and most of all VALUE.
Join our email list for information about this event.
Hotel Information
Courtyard Toronto Downtown
BOOK BEFORE APRIL 30, 2025
The group rate is $329.00/night + taxes and is available May 25 – May 28th, 2025.
Or call Marriott Reservations and make a booking at 1 (800) 847-5075
Venue
Online via Zoom
In Person
Courtyard Toronto Downtown
475 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4Y 1X7
Contact Us
Speakers
Elizabeth DiEmanuele, Manager, Marketing and Communications,
McMaster University
Jacquie Hampshire, Director, Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement, McMaster University
Aminah Kandar, Director, Marketing and Communication,
University of Calgary in Qatar
Matisse Hamel-Nelis, Communications and Digital Accessibility Consultant &
PR professor at Durham College
Jennifer Gruden, Web Content Strategist, Marketing & Communications, University of Toronto
Lisa Lighbourn, Creative Producer, UTC,
University of Toronto
Mariam Matti, Staff Reporter, U of T News,
University of Toronto
To be Announced
To be Announced
To be Announced
Agenda
Monday, May 26, 2025
All times are in Eastern
8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast + Registration + Tradeshow
8:50 – 9:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks from the Chair
Sharon Aschaiek, Principal, Higher Ed Communications
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Intercultural Communication in Higher Ed Marketing: Bridging Cultural Gaps for Meaningful Engagement
Aminah Kandar, Director, Marketing and Communications, University of Calgary, Qatar
As post-secondary institutions become more globally diverse, effective intercultural communication is essential for fostering engagement, trust, and belonging. Marketing and communications professionals must ensure messaging resonates with students, faculty, and stakeholders from varied cultural backgrounds.
This session explores key challenges in intercultural communication, including language nuances, implicit bias, and cultural misrepresentation. Participants will learn how to craft inclusive and culturally responsive messaging that strengthens institutional reputation and enhances student engagement.
Through case studies and real-world examples, we’ll examine how institutions can avoid common pitfalls in multicultural communication, embrace authentic representation, and foster meaningful cross-cultural connections. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to apply immediately in their marketing efforts.
Delegates will learn how to:
- Identify & Overcome Communication Barriers: Understand how cultural differences impact engagement and how to mitigate misunderstandings in messaging.
- Develop Inclusive & Culturally Responsive Content: Learn strategies for crafting marketing materials that resonate with diverse student populations.
- Enhance Cross-Cultural Engagement: Build trust and stronger connections with international and multicultural audiences.
Aminah Kandar, EMBA, is a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, outreach, training and development, and stakeholder engagement. With a growing focus on AI-driven strategies, she is leveraging innovative tools to enhance communications and advance organizational goals across diverse sectors, with the last seven years in higher education.
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | Creating a Vibrant Digital Space: Bold Branding Meets Web Design
Emily Kulms, Website UX and Content Lead, Loyalist College
Suzanne Dergacheva, Cofounder and Drupal Lead, Evolving Web
Launching a new college website involves more than just a fresh coat of paint – it requires a seamless integration of brand identity, user-centric design and technical innovation. In this session, go behind the scenes of Loyalist College’s recent website redesign and redevelopment, a project that reimagined their digital presence with a bold new brand and a technically robust WordPress platform.
Attendees will explore:
- How the project brought the Loyalist brand to life through a fresh visual identity, effective user journeys, streamlined information architecture and a data-driven content strategy.
- Best practices for integrating a new brand while balancing diverse audience needs.
- Ways to leverage WordPress for a flexible, scalable website that supports institutional goals.
Whether you’re planning a redesign or optimizing an existing platform, this session will provide insights and strategies to align bold branding with technical excellence.
Emily is the website UX and content lead at Loyalist College, a vibrant, community-centred institution that uses its small size to create meaningful connections and big opportunities. Passionate about storytelling and design, she is proud to be part of an innovative team that brings Loyalist’s brand to life across print, digital platforms and the college website.
Suzanne is the co-founder of Evolving Web, a digital agency that helps organizations that make a big impact in the world. She helps organizations translate their goals and user needs into a tangible digital strategy, often bridging the gap between technology and user experience design. Suzanne is also the Drupal CMS Marketing lead and has been contributing to and teaching Drupal for over a decade.
11:15 – 12:15 p.m. | Delegate Favourite! Roundtable Talks
Attendees will break into groups and share best practices and thoughts on timely topics selected by vote. This is an opportunity for discussion with your colleagues from across the country.
12:15- 1:15 p.m. | NETWORKING/LUNCH BREAK/TRADESHOW
1:15– 2:15 p.m. | Create & Launch a Multimedia Series in Higher Education
Lisa Lightbourn, Creative Producer, University of Toronto
Mariam Matti, Staff Reporter, U of T News, University of Toronto
At the University of Toronto, we explore innovative ways to tell stories that align strategically with our Defy Gravity brand. The brand strategy serves as a foundation for fresh ideas and informs the creative development and distribution of all multimedia, including – campaigns, video series, articles and podcasts. In an increasingly competitive landscape, capturing audience attention requires a thoughtful and dynamic cross-team collaborative approach.
This session will explore how U of T develops award-winning multimedia series that not only support the university’s brand but also drive engagement, increase subscribers and reach new audiences.
I
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
2:30– 3:30 p.m. | To be Announced
3:30– 4:30 p.m. | To be Announced
4:30 p.m. | Conference Concludes for Day
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
All times are in Eastern
8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast + Registration + Tradeshow
9:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks from Chair
Sharon Aschaiek, Principal, Higher Ed Communications
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Case Studies in Gen Z Engagement: Strategies for Success
Jacquie Hampshire, Director, Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement, McMaster University
Elizabeth DiEmanuele, Manager, Marketing and Communications, McMaster University
Engaging Gen Z in a rapidly evolving educational landscape isn’t just about keeping up with trends; it’s about understanding the profound shifts in how they communicate, connect, and interact with the world. Drawing on comprehensive research and real-world examples from Student Affairs at McMaster University, this session will demonstrate how data-driven strategies have enhanced student engagement.
In this session you will learn:
- Gen Z Research and Practical Insights: Explore key trends to gain a comprehensive understanding of Gen Z’s unique characteristics, behaviours and preferences.
- Case Examples at McMaster University: Discover innovative approaches that resonate with this generation through case study examples.
- Applicable Takeaways: Gain practical tips for implementing these strategies in your own work.
Join us to explore a decade’s worth of insights into student engagement. If you’re committed to student success and eager to learn high-impact strategies for building authentic connections with Gen Z, this session is for you.
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. | To be Announced
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | 4 Big Ideas to Drive Your Website Strategy
Suzanne Dergacheva, Cofounder and Drupal Lead, Evolving Web
What drives investment in your website? For some institutions, a small group of stakeholders sets the priorities. Others conduct user research. Sometimes, we’re simply influenced by design trends and what everyone else is doing.
In this session, we’ll explore strategies in UX and content strategy, that you can consider. We’ll discuss what each means for your website and help you decide whether it’s worth jumping on the bandwagon:
- Organic search is not a guaranteed source of leads. It’s time to prioritize making your website a destination that draws visitors in and keeps them engaged
- Adopting digital storytelling techniques used by large media brands to build credibility and connect with your audience in meaningful ways
- Creating a design systems to ensure consistent brand application across all websites and digital channels
- Simplifying your navigation by minimizing menu options to make it easier for visitors to find what they need
What you’ll learn by the end of the session:
- Critically assess trends like digital storytelling and design systems
- Make big information architecture decisions for your website with the user in mind
- Diversify your perspective when mapping our how students and other key audiences engage with your institution online
Suzanne is the co-founder of Evolving Web, a digital agency that helps organizations that make a big impact in the world. She helps organizations translate their goals and user needs into a tangible digital strategy, often bridging the gap between technology and user experience design. Suzanne is also the Drupal CMS Marketing lead and has been contributing to and teaching Drupal for over a decade.
12:15– 1:15 p.m. | NETWORKING/LUNCH BREAK/TRADESHOW
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. | Program pages: It’s about engagement
Jennifer Gruden, Web Content Strategist, Marketing & Communications, University of Toronto
Stuck on pageviews as a measure of success? We identified a critical part of our admissions user journey where we had tens of thousands of sessions, but very little user engagement. Our marketing, web and recruitment teams all collaborated to change that
What you’ll learn
- Why you need to meet your user where they are
- How we used analytics to identify opportunities on our websites
- How user testing and competitive analysis helped us with a quick fix
- Why user research is the way forward
Jenn Gruden (she/her) is the web content strategist for the University of Toronto Scarborough. She has driven data-driven, user-centric, strategic storytelling and design at 50Plus (EverythingZoomer), More Magazine, Canadian Living, and The Royal Conservatory. Fun facts: she’s managed a martial arts academy and is finishing a first novel.
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. | Making accessibility a cornerstone of post-secondary communications
Matisse Hamel-Nelis, ADS, CPACC, Founder and Principal, Matisse Nelis Consulting
Communication accessibility isn’t just about meeting legal standards; it’s about creating meaningful connections. Students today are driven by digital engagement, so ensuring your messaging is accessible isn’t an afterthought; it’s a necessity. But being accessible doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice creativity or impact. Instead, every message should be designed to reach and resonate with everyone; this includes everything from recruitment campaigns to campus updates, social media content, and student services. This session won’t just focus on compliance and legislation; instead, it will expand into practical ways you can integrate accessibility into your marketing and communications strategy. Because at the end of the day, when your content is inclusive, your institution becomes a place where all students, staff, and stakeholders feel seen, heard, and valued.
Attendees will learn:
- Gain insight into the key accessibility principles beyond compliance, ensuring content is clear, engaging, and inclusive for all audiences.
- Learn actionable techniques for making recruitment materials, social media, campus updates, and student services communications accessible without compromising creativity or impact.
- Explore ways to embed accessibility into your communications strategy, creating an environment where inclusivity is not just a requirement but a core value.
Matisse Hamel-Nelis is an award-winning Métis communications and digital accessibility consultant based in Toronto. With extensive public relations and communications experience, Matisse is the founder and principal of Matisse Nelis Consulting and a part-time professor at Durham College, where she developed and now leads the Public Relations Graduate Certificate program.
She is the founder and host of PR & Lattes, a podcast and blog that provides a platform for communications professionals to share insights and ideas on public relations, marketing, and accessibility. Matisse is deeply committed to creating inclusivity and accessibility in all her roles. Certified as an Accessible Documents Specialist (ADS) and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, Matisse is a respected authority on accessibility in digital communications.
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. | NETWORKING BREAK/TRADESHOW
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | To be Announced
4:30 p.m. | CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS & CONFERENCE CONCLUDES
Post Conference Workshops
Wednesday May 28, 2025
All times are in Eastern
Workshops are in person attendance only
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Workshop A: Storytelling with AI: Tools for Post-Secondary Communicators
Ryan Patterson, Multimedia Video Producer, Government Relations, Marketing and Communications
Humber Polytechnic
In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore the transformative role of AI in storytelling for post-secondary professionals, revealing how advanced tools are reshaping the ways we communicate and connect with our audiences. From film and advertising to digital marketing and social media, AI-powered tools are not only enhancing the creativity behind storytelling but also making it more accessible and impactful.
Join us as we dive into some of the most innovative AI tools available today—tools designed to assist with content generation, visual storytelling, video production, and even emotional resonance. Discover how platforms like ChatGPT (for creating engaging narratives), Midjourney and Runway (for stunning AI-generated visuals), and HeyGen (for lifelike avatars and voices) are opening new doors for post-secondary marketers and communicators alike. We’ll discuss best practices, show real-world examples, and provide insights on integrating these technologies effectively to bring your stories to life.
Whether you’re in post-secondary advertising, marketing, communications or simply interested in the future of digital media, this presentation will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to leverage AI for storytelling success.
Ryan Patterson is a video producer and award-winning AI filmmaker based in Toronto. He has over a decade of video production experience in marketing and communications at Humber Polytechnic and is the founder of Queen One Studios, an AI-powered production company that specializes in original storytelling through film and advertising, in addition to educational opportunities
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Workshop B: To be Announced
To be Announced
Sponsored By
Presenting Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Interested in Sponsorship? Please contact us by emailing andrea@swanseacommunications.com.
Register for In-Person
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Substitution of delegates is permissible without prior notification. Refunds will be given for cancellations received in writing no later than 15 days prior to the conference date subject to an administration fee of $250 plus $32.50 for HST (in person) or $12.50 for GST (online). After this time, you are liable for the full registration fee even if you do not attend the conference. If you register during this 15 day period, you are also liable for the full fee. SummersDirect Inc. reserves the right to change program date, meeting place or content without further notice and assumes no liability for these changes.