Growth of communications roster adds to “brains not bricks” business model

TORONTO, December 7, 2015 – Public relations and integrated communications agency Felicity today announced the addition of six new team members, transforming the virtual firm’s consumer, healthcare, sustainability and media relations capabilities.

“At Felicity we aim to be our clients’ best business partner in achieving their bottom-line objectives,” said Amy Laski, president of Felicity. “We are able to deliver on this commitment because our clients pay for brains, not bricks, in our nimble operating model. Enhancing our roster with these seasoned and passionate professionals will further enable us to deliver teams tailored specifically to our clients’ needs.”

Since its founding in 2011, the Felicity team has grown to include just under 50 seasoned communicators, ranging from media relations experts to consumer marketers, journalists to content strategists, digital specialists and healthcare professionals, and more.

Felicity is pleased to welcome the following new associates:

• Fiona Bassett Cram, Healthcare Communications & Stakeholder Relations: Fiona is an experienced healthcare communications and stakeholder relations professional. Prior to joining Felicity, Fiona was Communications and Stakeholder Relations Manager at Roche Canada, where she led the strategy for multiple brands in the areas of oncology, rheumatology, influenza and new product development. In addition, Fiona played a critical role in partnering with non-profit organizations to develop programs that delivered on critical business objectives including patient access and public awareness. Before joining Roche, Fiona was a healthcare communications consultant at Cohn & Wolfe Toronto. Clients included Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Roche and Wyeth. Fiona graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and has a Corporate Communications post-graduate certificate from Seneca College.

• Danielle Furlan, Account Executive: Danielle brings more than a decade of experience in public relations, marketing, sales, product planning, customer relations and business development to the Felicity team. She has a proven track record of growing, guiding and managing brand perceptions while effectively creating key messages, strategic plans and implementing effective product launches. Prior to joining the Felicity team, Danielle worked as a senior public relations consultant for Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands in Canada. While at Toyota Canada Inc., Danielle concurrently completed a diploma in psychotherapy to further understand human behaviours and perceptions. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in marketing.

• Elisa Birnbaum, Editorial/Content Strategist & Journalist: Elisa is a writer with almost 15 years’ experience and niches in business, not-for-profit, travel and lifestyle. She’s written for the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, CBC, Profit, Elle Canada and Zoomer Magazine and is a regular contributor to the National Post on social entrepreneurship. As publisher and editor-in-chief of SEE Change Magazine, a digital publication of social entrepreneurship, Elisa was awarded a Rothschild Fellowship. Elisa applies her journalism skills to deliver a range of communications services for both not-for-profit and corporate clients. She worked as a current affairs producer at the CBC, History Television and TVO. Elisa holds degrees in political science and law.

Completing Felicity’s media, blogger and influencer relations bench strength are Jason Chennette, Sonia Prashar and Marnie Ivanich. They bring a collective 50 years to the table. All three specialists thrive on the news and provide insightful media relations strategies with successful results.

In direct response to adding the best and brightest professionals, Felicity is proud to announce its recent partnerships with two clients: Ten Thousand Villages and Dynacare.

The Felicity team is working with Ten Thousand Villages as the organization undergoes a complete brand revitalization. Their first engagement was to earn coverage for their Bloor Street concept store opening as well as their holiday gift selection. Of the experience, director of retail operations and public relations at Ten Thousand Villages Holly de Graaf says, “From the very start, Felicity has taken the time to understand our brand personality and goals.  Leveraging their collective expertise, the team has been both engaged and responsive, connecting us with many strategic PR opportunities. The results speak for themselves!”

Healthcare solutions company Dynacare will be working with Felicity on several projects in the coming months, as the company undertakes some exciting initiatives.

About Felicity [Inspiring Communications]

Felicity is an award-winning virtual integrated communications and public relations agency, where clients pay for brains, not bricks. Teams are comprised of seasoned communicators driven by business minds, and are custom-tailored with the right experts based on client needs. Felicity partners with clients to leverage public relations in support of their overall business strategies, to optimize reputation, inspire action, and drive bottom-line results. For more information about Felicity, go to www.felicitypr.com