Public Relations

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.