About Us

Jennifer is an accomplished leader in Canadian business, government, and public affairs. She is renowned as an expert in this field, often being called upon by national media for commentary. Additionally, Jennifer has twice been named one of the “Top 25 People in the Capital” by Ottawa Life Magazine, one of Ottawa’s “Top Forty Under Forty” by the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, and was a finalist for Ottawa’s “Established Female Entrepreneur of the Year.”

Jennifer has actively taken on many business and community affairs roles, including President & CEO of the Canadian Energy Marketers Association (CEMA), Chair of the Board of the Canadian Transportation Alliance, Co-Host and Co-Founder of The Honest Talk podcast, Chair of the Village of Carp Business Improvement Association (City of Ottawa), Board Member of the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees for The Women in Technology Scholarship of Willis College, and Member of the Leadership Council of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

A communications and media relations professional with a long history in the TV and online news industry, Jennifer has a Bachelor of Journalism with combined Honours in Sociology from Carleton University. Over nearly 15 years in TV news, Jennifer worked as a reporter, videographer, and producer locally, and later as the Executive Producer of The West Block with Tom Clark on Global News.

During the years, Jennifer has gained a great understanding of the media maze and possesses a keen ability to spot and solve problems during a crisis. She also knows how to tell a story with impact. Jennifer uses these skills to help clients effectively shape and communicate their narratives. Jennifer provides strategic communications advice, crisis communications and media relations support, as well as media training for a list of clients including Crown corporations, national associations, and non-governmental organizations.

Michelle has built a career as a trusted communications advisor at the highest levels by providing strategic and tactical advice on issues that demand both nuance and clarity. Before joining Syntax, she spent over a decade helping senior government leaders make complex decisions and communicate with confidence. Her steady leadership helped governments reach key audiences, keep their message on track, and cut through the noise. As a former Deputy Director of Communications to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and senior advisor to cabinet ministers across Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park, she has an insider’s understanding of how political actors get things done.

Whether navigating policy intricacies, crafting compelling narratives, or managing crises, Michelle delivers thanks to her extensive experience in policy development, communications strategy, media relations, and issues management. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Toronto.

Devon manages financial strategy, budget, and forecasting while enhancing business processes to foster growth and profitability at Syntax Strategic. Her background in psychology adds a unique twist to Devon’s role as Finance VP. With her insights into human behaviour, she is adept at fostering teamwork and understanding the dynamics within the company. In addition, Devon’s empathetic nature proves invaluable in handling challenging negotiations or resolving conflicts, ensuring seamless operations at Syntax.

Catherine Clark is a nationally respected broadcaster, emcee, and co-founder of The Honest Talk, a popular podcast featuring frank discussions with notable women, sponsored by RBC, as well as Host of The Company We Keep, a new podcast which looks at Canadian history through the eyes of the spouses, partners, children, and advisors of the political leaders who shaped our country.

Catherine is also the President of Catherine Clark Communications and Special Advisor to Syntax Strategic, providing communications counsel to individuals and corporations. Deeply committed to community service, Catherine writes the Giving Back column for Ottawa at Home Magazine, sits on the Board of Governors of The Ottawa Hospital and the Board of Directors of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Jake is a public affairs strategist with 13 years of government and public relations experience. Previously working in the fast-paced, highly visible setting of Parliament Hill, Jake has a proven track record of success managing communications for large organizations that earn significant media attention and has held senior roles advising cabinet ministers and corporate leaders. Jake’s areas of specialization include strategic communications, media relations, crisis communications, government relations, and ghostwriting.

Jake continues to be actively involved in federal politics and previously served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the former Leader of the Official Opposition, Erin O’Toole. Jake also worked as a senior advisor and media spokesperson for former Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, and the former Minister of Industry James Moore. He has been consistently recognized by the Hill Times as one of the top political staffers in federal politics and is often asked to contribute political commentary for national media outlets.

Dr. Katharine Smart is an experienced medical leader and advocate who constantly challenges the status quo in medicine. A pediatrician in Canada’s north, her work focuses on innovative and collaborative partnerships between community and government to serve marginalized children in rural and remote areas. An outspoken advocate against misinformation, Dr. Smart regularly uses her voice to bring evidence and facts to the forefront of health communication.

Dr. Smart is the past president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), where in 2021 she became the 10th woman to serve in the organization’s 155-year history. A fierce and authentic leader, she has become a recognized and respected medical voice in Canada. Dr. Smart has been recognized as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women, with the Medical Post’s Changemaker Media Engagement Award and the Waterfalls Global Award. In recognition of her advocacy for primary care and family medicine, she received an honourary membership from the College of Family Physicians of Canada. She has held many leadership positions including president of the Yukon Medical Association and sits on the board of Ronald McDonald House charities.

Dr. Smart is a passionate communicator and sought-after media expert, keynote speaker, panelist, and podcast guest. She is the host of SPARK: Conversations by Children’s Healthcare Canada.

Originally from Québec City, Geneviève is a seasoned, fully bilingual communications professional with experience working in some of the country’s leading industry associations and private sector organizations in senior strategic, marketing, and sales roles. She has taught at Collège La Cité and some of her marketing projects have earned national and international IABC awards. She has a broad level of involvement at the governance level. Geneviève devotes a lot of her time as a director on several boards and is very involved in her community.

Vernon White is a well-respected senior leader with experience in law enforcement, academics, and government. He served the RCMP for nearly 25 years, leaving as an Assistant Commissioner, and then held the position of Police Chief at Durham and Ottawa Police services for seven years.  

He served as a Senator in the Senate of Canada for more than 10 years, sitting on multiple committees, including five years on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).  

Vern has extensive experience in education, having worked as an adjunct and visiting professor internationally, most notably in Australia, and at various universities across Canada. He has also served as an International Fellow with the Australian Strategic Police Institute, a think tank where he conducted research on issues impacting government, criminal justice, and society generally. 

He has attained an undergraduate degree (Acadia University), a master’s degree (Royal Roads University), and a doctorate (Charles Sturt University) over an 18-year period while working full-time in his substantive law enforcement roles. 

Since leaving the Senate, Vern has been active as a consultant, providing advice and strategic support to organizations in Canada and abroad.  

Adam is an accomplished leader and advisor with more than 28 years of military and federal government experience. He excels at solving complex problems and developing results-driven communication strategies. Throughout his career, Adam has advised senior military commanders on all aspects of communication in high-pressure, time-sensitive environments. He has led teams of varying sizes – both domestically and internationally – in a wide range of communication roles, including commanding a military recruiting centre. Adam possesses extensive expertise in the design and execution of national and international strategic communication plans and was recognized in 2020 for his outstanding leadership as Director of Communications for the military command overseeing more than 20 domestic and international operations. 

Kate’s career spans nearly 15 years across journalism and private- and public-sector communications. She has built a reputation for translating complex subjects into clear, compelling stories.  

Before joining Syntax in 2023, Kate was a producer at CBC’s The Current, one of Canada’s most listened-to radio programs, where she helped deliver in-depth segments on national and international issues. While at CBC, she also directed national specials, produced live local news, and led the production of a two-time award-winning interactive news feature. 

Early in her career, she worked within Canada’s Department of National Defence as a communications officer. In this high-accountability environment, she learned to craft messages that resonated with both internal and external audiences, ensuring communications supported senior leadership priorities — expertise she continues to apply today. 

Her experience across media, government and consulting has equipped her with a nuanced understanding of how information moves, and how the right message, delivered at the right moment, can influence outcomes. At Syntax, Kate received top-secret security clearance, allowing her to support clients in the national security and intelligence space. 

Kate holds a Master of Journalism degree from Carleton University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Ottawa. 

Megan brings 15 years of broadcasting experience and a deep understanding of media, communications, and brand strategy to her role as Principal at Syntax Strategic. Her career in journalism, culminating as a news anchor in Ottawa, gave her a front-row seat to breaking news, current events, and politics across Canada.

In her role, Megan leads high-impact communications initiatives, helping clients craft compelling narratives, engage audiences, and achieve measurable results. She combines journalistic insight, strategic thinking, and brand marketing expertise to guide campaigns from concept to execution.

Megan holds a Master of Journalism degree from Carleton University and an Honours BA in English & Communication from the University of Windsor. She also attended the Broadcast Journalism program at Seneca College. Able to connect with clients in English and French, she is committed to delivering communications that resonate, inspire, and drive impact.

Tavis Nembhard is a passionate expert in digital marketing, communications, and public affairs, with experience in sectors spanning across government, politics, and the mining industry. Most recently, Tavis led digital and communications strategies for Alamos Gold Inc., one of Canada’s prominent intermediate gold producers. Through his time in this role, he successfully expanded the company’s social media presence and engaged key investor and stakeholder audiences.

Tavis has an experienced background, including a previous consulting role where he developed digital marketing campaigns to influence policy changes nationwide. In 2018, Tavis directed digital communications for the Premier of Ontario. He implemented enterprise-level strategy across the Ontario government, launched impactful campaigns, and significantly increased the Premier’s social media reach. Tavis is recognized for his expertise in managing large-scale advertising budgets and developing strategies for search engine marketing (SEM) and social media platforms that drive high-impact results.

Mackenzie brings to the Syntax team over six years of experience in creating communication strategies, developing marketing plans, managing events, and creating lasting partnerships. She has worked with various clients, locally and nationally, within the health, recreation, non-profit, tourism, and entertainment industries. With a keen eye for details, Mackenzie thinks about the big picture and identifies processes to execute any project with maximum effectiveness.

A graduate of the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, Mackenzie holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication, Public Relations and two minors in Marketing and Advertising. She completed her education as a scholar athlete and received the Beverly Huschka Communication Leadership award as a junior.

Kayla is an experienced and skilled senior digital media strategist who has worked on a variety of multimedia projects ranging from corporate branding and custom illustrations to social media content, print advertisements, and more. In the past 13 years, Kayla has gained a wide range of experience working with many different industries and has done work for hundreds of clients in the petroleum, health, not-for-profit, and travel sectors, and more.

With five years’ experience in print, she is very knowledgeable about how to see a project to the end. She also brings hand-drawn illustration, photography, and animation skills to the table. In addition to creating logos and signage for Whitewater Region and the Village of Carp, Kayla has worked collaboratively on design for Inspiring Healthy Futures, the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, and many others.

Justin, a multimedia and web design expert, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the Philippines. After swiftly transitioning into web design post-diploma, he honed his skills for five years before pursuing a diploma in Interactive Media Design in Canada.

Justin’s versatile skill set encompasses graphic, motion, and web design, evident in his significant contributions to an immigration firm where he managed social media presence and crafted marketing materials. His dedication to quality is evident in his successful track record across diverse projects and platforms.

A curious and methodical graphic designer, Erin is skilled at bringing both digital and print publications to life. She holds a Bachelor of Design from OCAD University, where she developed and ran a publications-focused workshop and worked as a teaching assistant in the Faculty of Design. With a creative background in the arts and extensive experience in customer service and freelance graphic design, Erin has an intuitive sense of how to articulate clients’ ideas in visually impactful ways.

Erin has worked collaboratively with clients to create a wide range of printed communications materials from menus, wayfinding, and other signage to business cards, brochures, and event posters, as well as digital multimedia projects from presentation decks to stunning proposals. Her commitment to building practical skills that facilitate accessible and sustainable design informs every project she undertakes.

Paula applies her keen eye and broad knowledge of the English language to developmental edits and proofreading for a wide variety of print and digital products such as reports, websites, presentations, and social media copy. She also provides background research for a number of Syntax projects.

A writer, editor, and researcher with extensive experience, Paula honed her skills through seven years as a copy editor for an award-winning community newspaper and spent more than two decades as an independent contractor for clients in print media, business, government, academia, the non-profit sector, and the arts.

With a background spanning journalism, broadcasting, and municipal politics, Sophia brings a keen understanding of media landscapes and government affairs to her role at Syntax. In her previous positions as a morning news host, journalist, and social media manager in both Toronto and Edmonton, she developed strong communication skills and an eye for emerging trends — expertise she now applies to government and public relations. While pursuing her Public Relations diploma at Algonquin College, Sophia managed the Shatter the Silence campaign for the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre — a full-scale initiative incorporating media relations, social media outreach, fundraising, and event planning.

As a Junior Strategist, Sophia conducts in-depth media and political monitoring, tracking key policy discussions, legislative developments, and stakeholder movements to inform strategic decision-making. She also draws upon her experience executing high-profile campaigns and navigating the intersections of media and policy to support a wide range of client initiatives.

Energized by all things communications, Anum has over five years of experience in this industry, bringing a strong foundation to strategically designing and executing communications plans that drive audiences to act, engage, and connect.  

While completing her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Carleton University, Anum applied her analytical skills to leading the Carleton International Relations Society, curating their first women-led team. Being committed to an environment that values diversity, Anum pursued her lifelong desire to support others by completing a Public Relations diploma at Algonquin College. Securing a mental health client for her cohort, Anum acted as the Local/Regional Media Relations Lead for the Algonquin College Public Relations program’s fundraising campaign, where she landed media placements in local news outlets and authored an op-ed, promoting the client and positively engaging stakeholders. 

At Syntax, Anum employs her expertise from higher education and non-profits to support strategic communications, media relations, digital marketing, event execution, project management, and stakeholder relations in a variety of files. Her diligence and track record of finding mission-supporting success for clients make her an invaluable member of the team. 

With a decade of dedicated service in accounts receivable, Jamie brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role at Syntax. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a passion for financial analysis, problem-solving, and leveraging technology to streamline processes. She also uses her excellent interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with clients, vendors, and team members.

Jamie’s adeptness at data management and insightful reporting is central to her approach, enabling her to uncover valuable insights and drive informed decision-making. The Syntax team appreciates her meticulous attention to detail, collaborative approach, and commitment to excellence in support of the firm’s financial and operational objectives.