Katie Starratt

Leading the launch of CASA’s new Marketing department in partnership with the Director, Corporate and Community Relations, building the strategy, structure and foundations to support provincial expansion, increased awareness, and $75M capital campaign. Continue to contribute project management leadership to the campaign, ensuring coordinated timelines, cross-departmental execution and strong governance reporting, in close collaboration with Philanthropy.

Project Leadership | Strategic Advisory | Healthcare & Operational Expansion As a strategic project leader, I drive high-impact initiatives that advance CASA’s operational plan, clinical expansion, and long-term sustainability. My expertise spans multi-stakeholder collaboration, program launches, and executive-level strategy, ensuring projects are not only delivered on time and on budget but also aligned with organizational priorities. ✔ Provincial Expansion & Healthcare Growth – Spearheaded the launch of CASA’s cost-recovery Adult Psychology Assessment Clinic and led the expansion of CASA’s Trauma Program, ensuring operational readiness through strategic planning and execution. ✔ Capital Campaign & Executive Engagement – Directly support CASA’s capital campaign, advising on board-level strategy and policies, and developing high-impact executive presentations and reports. ✔ Governance & Operational Strategy – Co-lead the PMO’s support of CASA's operational planning process, working directly with the CEO to facilitate sessions and align strategic initiatives. ✔ Cross-Functional Leadership & Change Management – Partner with clinical and business leaders to navigate complex projects, lead multi-stakeholder engagements, and drive CASA’s broader mission forward. I thrive in fast-moving environments where leadership, innovation, and execution come together to drive meaningful change.

Strategic Advisory & Communications Consulting | Brand & Messaging Strategy As an independent consultant, I provide communications, branding, and strategic advisory services to help organizations refine their messaging, engage stakeholders, and enhance their market positioning. ✔ Strategic Communications & Messaging – Aligning brand voice with long-term business objectives. ✔ Leadership Coaching & Thought Leadership – Helping executives and teams enhance their communication and influence. ✔ Marketing & Reputation Strategy – Strengthening audience engagement and corporate positioning. I bring deep experience in regulated industries but also an adaptable, forward-thinking approach that works across multiple sectors.

Strategic Communications | Healthcare Transformation | Change Management Advisory As the lead communications strategist within the Accelerating Change Transformation Team (ACTT), I was responsible for developing and leading communications strategy across multiple healthcare transformation initiatives. I provided high-level strategic advisory to ACTT senior leadership and project teams, ensuring that messaging, branding, and engagement efforts aligned with ACTT’s evolving vision. ✔ Strategic Communications Leadership – Initiated and led the development of ACTT’s core program messaging and refreshed visual identity, creating alignment and consistency across initiatives. ✔ Consulting for Healthcare Transformation Projects – Provided expert communications support for provincial priority projects, ensuring clear stakeholder engagement and messaging. ✔ Building ACTT’s Communications Foundations – Established strategic planning frameworks, project communications processes, and digital strategy, strengthening ACTT’s overall impact. ✔ Process & Operational Efficiency – Partnered with CDT portfolio leads to redesign advisory and intake processes, improving internal workflows and service quality. My work supported ACTT’s mission to drive meaningful healthcare transformation through effective communication, strategic alignment, and process improvement.

Corporate Planning | Strategic Communications | Stakeholder & Leadership Advisory | Quality Improvement As Manager, Corporate Planning & Communications and a member of SPPCN’s senior leadership team, I led integrated corporate planning efforts, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement to align the organization’s operations with its long-term vision. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, I collaborated with clinical managers and the leadership team to drive strategic initiatives, enhance organizational planning, and ensure progress on key priorities. ✔ Corporate Strategy & Business Planning – Led long- and short-range corporate planning, tracking, and reporting, ensuring effective implementation of SPPCN’s Business Plan Renewal. ✔ Executive & Leadership Advisory – Partnered with managers and leadership teams to develop operational planning tools and track progress against strategic priorities. ✔ Strategic Communications & Reputation Management – Oversaw internal and external communications, digital strategy, stakeholder outreach, and issues management. ✔ Quality Improvement & Stakeholder Engagement – Served as a member of SPPCN’s Quality Improvement (QI) team, providing communications strategy and stakeholder relations guidance to support continuous improvement initiatives. ✔ Cross-Functional Collaboration – Worked across departments to enhance strategic alignment, foster collaboration, and support organization-wide initiatives. I played a key role in strengthening SPPCN’s strategic planning processes, enhancing leadership collaboration, and ensuring clear, effective communications that advanced organizational priorities.

Strategic Communications | Stakeholder Engagement | Board & Governance Advisory As Stakeholder Relations Advisor, I provided strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and governance advisory to the Executive Director, physician-led Board, and leadership team at Sherwood Park – Strathcona County Primary Care Network (SPPCN). Reporting directly to the Executive Director, I played a key role in advancing SPPCN’s strategic priorities, physician engagement, and community outreach efforts. ✔ Executive & Board Advisory – Provided strategic counsel to the Executive Director and all-physician Board, supporting governance functions, board recruitment, development, and communications. ✔ Strategic Communications Leadership – Led internal and external communications strategy, ensuring alignment with SPPCN’s mission and priorities. ✔ Stakeholder Engagement & Reputation Management – Advised leadership on issues management, community outreach, brand strategy, and physician engagement. ✔ Governance & Risk Advisory – Served on the Risk Committee, offering insights on reputation management, stakeholder relations, and strategic communications. ✔ Cross-Functional Leadership & Special Initiatives – Collaborated across teams on physician- and patient-focused campaigns, virtual health projects, and HR communications. I played a critical role in strengthening SPPCN’s stakeholder relations, communications strategy, and governance framework—ensuring engagement at all levels, from board leadership to frontline healthcare teams.

Executive Leadership | Strategic Communications | Digital Transformation | Reputation & Stakeholder Management As Director of Communications and a key member of APEGA’s Executive team, I led the organization’s transition from traditional communications to a modern, digital-first strategy. Reporting directly to the CEO, I provided executive-level communications leadership, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement strategies to align with APEGA’s regulatory and member-focused priorities. ✔ Strategic Communications & Executive Advisory – Provided high-level strategic counsel to the CEO and senior leadership team, ensuring clarity, transparency, and alignment with APEGA’s mission. ✔ Digital Transformation & Content Strategy – Led APEGA’s transition to a digital-first communications model, including the evolution of the member publication from print to an online content platform. ✔ Brand & Reputation Management – Oversaw APEGA’s public relations, media strategy, and corporate messaging, ensuring a strong, credible presence across all communication channels. ✔ Stakeholder Engagement & Issues Management – Managed communications with government officials, regulatory bodies, permit holders, and industry stakeholders, fostering trust and alignment. ✔ Leadership & Team Development – Directed a team of communications professionals, implementing innovative strategies for social media, media relations, crisis communications, sponsorship and marketing. I played an important role in modernizing APEGA’s communications strategy, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and enhancing digital engagement.

As Director, Innovation and Digital Strategy, I reported directly to the COO and was trusted to launch a new department that bridged digital strategy, innovation, and enterprise planning. This role marked a strategic pivot from my communications background — a reflection of the organization’s recognition of my leadership strengths beyond my specialty. I led the development and execution of CPA Alberta’s organization-wide Innovation and Digital Strategy roadmap, aligning transformation initiatives with the broader business strategy and operational goals. While the work often intersected with IT — where digital initiatives had traditionally been housed — this role was distinct in its focus on enterprise innovation, member experience, and cross-functional engagement. Working closely with business unit leaders, I identified opportunities to improve performance through digital tools, process improvement, and data-informed decision-making. I partnered with teams to evaluate current-state experiences, understand member and stakeholder needs, and activate initiatives that advanced operational efficiency and engagement. I also played a key role in building internal awareness of innovation as a strategic function — establishing relationships across departments, contributing to cross-functional groups (including research and customer experience), and sharing insight on trends shaping the future of member service and digital experience. This role blended strategic planning, operational leadership, and transformation work — helping CPA Alberta evolve how it delivers value to members and internal teams alike.

As part of the Communications leadership team, I am responsible for branding, corporate relations and sponsorship, digital communications, internal staff communications, and other marketing and communications activities. My role is to enhance CPA Alberta's relationships with its key external stakeholders, effectively communicate about our brand and the membership we represent, and discover opportunities for CPA Alberta to successfully connect with Alberta's business community.

- Lead departmental business planning in consultation with the Senior Director, which involves developing strategies, goals and tactics that align with the ICAA's strategic plan and broader organizational vision. My approach to this process is collaborative and inclusive, where I facilitate information-gathering/feedback sessions to engage all of our team members. - Develop strategic communication plans for external and internal audiences related to the profession's unification/merger initiative. - Identify current and potential/emerging issues and proactively inform the Communications and Executive teams (and other staff) to ensure awareness and readiness (includes developing briefs/presentations, leading meetings, drafting key messages, etc.). - Manage various unification-related projects, including the development of videos (from concept to final product), the coordination of member surveying (main liaison with professional research group), and web content development (for the unification micro-site). - Develop internal communications strategies aimed at keeping staff informed about the status of unification (important developments, recent news, etc.) and providing opportunities for staff to field questions and gain understanding. This often includes creating presentations and briefs for Executive/Management, as well as developing content for the internal newsletter. - Provide managerial support to the CA Education Foundation, which is housed within the ICAA and is the CA profession's vehicle for supporting business and accounting education in the province. - Oversee the youth financial literacy program, which includes developing a promotion and marketing plan, aligning the program's outreach activities with recruitment initiatives, ensuring ongoing web maintenance and development, as well as social media activation.

- Led the development of an award-winning youth financial literacy website, The Money Project (www.TheMoneyProject.ca) - Initiated program partnerships and sponsorships with other organizations interested in making a positive impact on youth financial literacy in the province - Responsible for market research - Presented on youth financial literacy at a CA conference to share research findings and discuss the strategy behind the website development project - Presented to the CA Education Foundation Board to provide project updates, discuss developments and gain support for next steps - Collaborated with a marketing agency on the creative for the website - Wrote and edited content for the website, and worked with content sponsors on the development of relevant information and articles - Coordinated a media launch event with the Edmonton Catholic School District to launch The Money Project web resource at a local Edmonton high school

- One of three senior members of the Community Services communications team, which involved team leadership opportunities such as leading team meetings, participating in daily morning media monitoring/analysis calls with the other Senior Communications Advisors, and acting as final editor or decision-maker when required - Supervised and coached four public information officers – three intermediate professionals and one junior officer - Organized a business planning and team development session for the full Community Services communications team (of 11) - Coordinated the Community Services contribution to the annual State of the City report - Dedicated communications advisor for: Disaster Social Services; Seniors; Family and Community Support Services; REACH Edmonton; with some support duties for Great Neighbourhoods - Responded to media inquiries; wrote news releases, backgrounders, web content - Developed promotional materials for internal clients and their programs - Crafted key messages for clients; prepared them for media interviews - Reviewed and provided feedback on communications plans produced by team members for their clients - Involved in interviewing and hiring process; conducted performance reviews - Responsible for providing regular updates to my supervisor (Business Partner, Community Services) and the other Senior officer - Worked with team members to develop strategies for influencing clients so clients engaged them more strategically and gained clarity in the role of a communications professional; assisted in converting these recommendations into a presentation (with accompanying brief) for the Business Partner to present at an Executive meeting

- Led the development of the corporate relations portfolio, including all partnerships and sponsorships in the business community, as well as advertising and marketing plans for CA branding/recruitment campaigns - Member of the 2010 Centennial executive planning team, which created, execute and evaluated the centennial strategic plan - Responsible for initiating and implementing the ICAA's province-wide strategic recruitment and career information plan - Planned and coordinated the ICAA presence at major corporate events throughout Alberta; acted as main liaison and key representative at events with the CEO/Executive - Developed presentations and speeches for the Executive, including the CA Graduation speech for the President - Crafted strategies for advancing external stakeholder relationships, including corporate, government, post-secondary, media and CA provincial and national bodies - Held managing editor responsibilities for departmental publications and promotional pieces, including the Annual Review, career information magazines, informational brochures, etc. - Member of the issues management team, which involved proactive environmental scanning (through media and profession-related resources), key message development and consultation with the Executive - Responsible for the coaching and supervision of the ICAA's Media Relations Officer and Career Information Officer, which included performance reviews and providing opportunities for growth and development

As a member of the Consumer Marketing Team, I was responsible for developing interesting and compelling content plans for Travel Alberta In-Province publications, websites and e-communications that were focused on four different consumer markets. I pitched ideas to the team, wrote and edited content, as well as hired and worked with professional travel writers. I ensured a wide-range of Alberta's tourism products from all across the province were represented in the marketing materials. In particular, I learned about the power of marketing "experiences" to consumers. Experiential tourism marketing was emerging as a creative and innovative approach to tourism marketing during my time at Travel Alberta and I attended a valuable conference that focused on how to achieve this effectively. I applied what I learned to the various projects I was working on and used it as a guide for developing content that resonated with consumers and their lifestyle choices. This position enabled me to learn about the many and varied tourism products in Alberta, many of which I had not previously known about. It is still one of my goals to visit Waterton Lakes National Park, which always looked stunning to me!

- Assisted in the coordination of all fund development initiatives - Contributed creative ideas for enhancing the organization's community profile and fund development process - Coordinated advertising in various print publications, billboards and online - Wrote content for the website and promotional materials - Developed Public Service Announcements for broadcast by local media - Met with all staff to assess their communication and marketing needs and provided a summary and recommendations to my supervisor - Maintained and organized a communication product inventory - Assisted in the organization of a special fundraising event, the Theresea Comrie Luncheon, which included acting as the main liaison between the Luncheon's Volunteer Committee and the organization

Earned Certificate in "Project Leadership" Involved completion of the following courses: - Introduction to Project Management - Productivity Improvement - Team-Building and Facilitative Leadership - Project Scope Management - Project Time Management - Project Management Tools