Therese Mickelson, Accredited Business Communicator (ABC)

Managing Partner, Mickelson Consulting Inc.

Therese provides strategic communications advice and implements a broad range of communication solutions for business and government initiatives.

Bachelor of Journalism (Honours). Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario • Accredited Business Communicator, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)

Background

Therese is an award-winning, internationally accredited senior communicator who has managed a wide range of public relations, marketing and strategic communication initiatives in the public and private sectors over the course of more than 30 years. She has a thorough understanding of local government, works extensively with local and regional governments and their communities, and is an experienced facilitator.

As a Managing Partner with Mickelson Consulting Inc., Therese advises clients and develops strategies for community engagement and crisis communications. Therese also provides communication support for clients implementing major projects and new initiatives, delivers community engagement initiatives, advises clients on issues and media relations, assists with website development, provides media training, and delivers workshops and exercises to promote understanding of crisis communication and role of the information Officer.

Therese has won multiple awards for her communication work in local government, including international, national and provincial awards for the City of Richmond’s Green Cart launch. Working as a consultant, Therese has been applying her expertise to assist local governments across BC to understand what their residents want from their government in terms of communication and community engagement, and how to structure communication functions and departments to meet growing demand for service. Therese also gains insights into local government through her work as the editor of Exchange, the member publication for the Local Government Management Association (LGMA) and as an instructor at the Justice Institute of BC.

Therese appreciates the importance of connecting with the community, including interest groups and other stakeholders or partners who participate in and support communities, and she has the expertise to engage these groups through community consultation. She has served as a media strategist and spokesperson, and has counseled both political and non-political staff on key issues, as well as senior executives in the private sector.

As a Managing Partner with Mickelson Consulting Inc, Therese offers a broad range of strategic communication services:

• Develops and implements communication strategies, including creative marketing and and public relations campaigns
• Develops crisis communication plans
• Leads strategic branding projects
• Develops and facilitates community engagement initiatives
• Advises clients on issues and media relations
• Assists with website development
• Delivers media relations training
• Provides workshops and exercises to promote understanding of crisis communication and the role of the Information Officer
• Provides writing and editing services