Tracy Block-Vanner

Issues Advisor for the Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment and Parks, where I work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to manage complex issues and division workflows, while providing advice and support to the Executive Advisor and Assistant Deputy Minister on key policy files. I maintain a broad understanding of the key issues facing our branches, division, and department, which I draw upon when reviewing divisional briefings, information requests, responses and communication materials. Key Responsibilities: • Liaise with Internal Stakeholders: Work collaboratively with colleagues from across the department to manage complex and diverse issues, workflows, and provide advice, messaging and support on key policy files. • Issues Tracking: Work closely with the Executive Advisor and the branch Priority Issues Coordinators to track issues, determine priorities, and ensure timely progress on ongoing and emerging initiatives. • Issues Analysis: Review and analyze various documents from across the division including: Action Requests, communications products, and key messages to ensure messaging is appropriate, the issue(s) are clear easy to understand, and recommended actions are clear. • Issues Reporting: Coordinate division input on emerging and ongoing issues for weekly situation reports and the Minister's weekly reading binder, including: information on key stakeholder meetings, emerging issues, and resolution of key issues that were previously reported on. • Relationship Building: Collaborate and coordinate with colleagues across the department to ensure that all internal parties connected to a specific issue are linked to the solution. • Planning: Work with the Division Leadership Team to determine key priorities and goals for the year (i.e., input into the annual report and legislative priorities).

• Issues Response and Document Review: Wrote and edited Action Requests assigned to the branch, including: ministerial responses to address stakeholder questions and concerns; and, briefing notes to identify emerging issues and provide updates on key files for the executive team. I ensured briefing notes were formatted properly and delivered on time with accurate, succinct messaging. • Issues Tracking: Monitored targets set by the branch and division; ensured priorities were consistent with division business plans; tracked major branch initiatives to ensure timely progress; and, followed-up on urgent action items identified by the ADMO. • Issues Analysis: Assessed emerging issues and incoming inquiries in order to determine their urgency, impact and influence, and ensured issues were assigned to the appropriate subject matter expert(s) for a coordinated and timely response. • Collaboration: Worked with colleagues across the department to assess issues, determine their priority, and then researched and compiled information to form an appropriate response. • Relationship Building: Fostered collaborative relationships with all internal parties connected to a specific issue to ensure everyone was linked to the solution. Built and maintained positive internal partnerships with colleagues in all program areas, both within the branch and across divisions. • Issues Management: Anticipated and identified emerging issues, and maintained communication with the branch leadership team on existing activities. I also flagged emerging issues, of interest to the media, with the Executive Director, Executive Advisor, and Communications as appropriate. • Branch Support: Provided guidance to the branch directors and subject matter experts on Action Requests and sought direction/clarity from the ADMO, on behalf of branch staff, as necessary.

I supported our department's core Business Plan Strategy of improving employee engagement across the Alberta Public Service (APS). I was responsible for coordinating and supporting effective strategic internal communications across government. Key responsibilities: • Issues Response: Drafted high-level briefing notes on various issues for the Public Service Commissioner and Deputy Minister of Corporate Human Resources; and, the Deputy Minister of Executive Council (DMEC). • Speaking Notes: Drafted speaking notes for various events for the Public Service Commissioner and Deputy Minister of Corporate Human Resources, often with a focus on priority issues. • DMEC Newsletter: Worked collaboratively with Corporate Human Resources colleagues to obtain relevant content on priority initiatives for the monthly all-employee DMEC newsletter. • Writing/Editing: Drafted employee profiles and edited stories submitted by colleagues across government for Connector Now. • Relationship Building: Developed effective working relationships and facilitated open lines of communication with colleagues across government.

• Action Requests: Tracked and edited ministerial letters, emails, briefing notes, memorandums, fatality inquiry packages, judicial appointment packages, and speaking notes from all divisions within Justice and Solicitor General, prior to correspondence going to the Deputy Minister, Minister, and/or Premier for signature. • Writing: Drafted congratulatory letters for the Minister to send to her provincial and national counterparts whenever new appointments were made. • Relationship Building: Built and maintained effective working relationships and open lines of communication with staff at all levels within the ministry. • Correspondence Guidelines: Regularly reviewed/updated ministerial correspondence guidelines for the department. • General Administration: Provided administrative support such as reviewing/updating ministerial correspondence guidelines, preparing envelopes and/or labels for mass mail outs, maintaining databases, general data entry, photocopying, faxing, shredding, and filing.

• Correspondence: Researched and summarized information to respond to public correspondence (emails/letters) related to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. • Briefing Notes: Supported the correspondence team throughout the research, drafting, and editing process to ensure all briefing notes were completed concisely and accurately by the assigned due date. • Alberta Connects email enquiries: Ensured all email enquiries were completed within 72 hours of receipt. Updated and maintained key messages for common issues. • Media Requests: Drafted responses to media requests and ensured accurate/appropriate key messages were provided to media liaisons within the requested timeframe. • Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Requests: Reviewed branch FOIP requests to ensure accurate information was provided within the requested time frame. • General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating key contact lists, maintaining databases, general data entry, photocopying, faxing, shredding, and filing.

● Client Service (internal & external clients): Screened requests (telephone, email, and in-person) for the Regional Director to determine the nature and urgency of the requests. Ensured all enquiries received timely responses. ● Document Management: Reviewed all incoming hard copy and electronic documents for the Regional Director to determine the subject matter and urgency. Researched background material and edited documents to ensure accuracy while following department protocol. ● Travel Coordination: Prepared travel itineraries including flights, hotels, and car rentals for the Regional Director using Travel Access Voyage and Concur travel. ● Meeting Coordination: Scheduled teleconferences and meetings for the Regional Director using Microsoft Outlook. ● General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating contact lists, maintaining databases, and general data entry using Microsoft Word and Excel.

● Writing/Developing Communications products: Wrote/edited blogs, articles for newsletters and intranet, media lines, speaking notes, news releases, award nominations, and media scans while adhering to the Government of Canada Communications Policy. ● Media Relations: Participated in Lovink Media Inc. training which included: staying on message, answering open-ended questions, setting the interview pace, bridging and deflecting. ● Event Management: Assisted with the coordination and planning of events such as the Bear Paw Grand Opening, Camrose Olympic Torch Relay, ROOPH Awards, and Homelessness Roundtable. Took photographs at events, greeted dignitaries, and assisted with setup/tear down. ● Business Line Enquiries: Researched, edited and summarized claim histories and benefit requests for inquiries submitted via the Minister's Office under tight deadlines. ● Client Service - Issues Management: Effectively managed client concerns by researching and summarizing information pertaining to service complaints for the Minister’s Office and the general public under tight deadlines. ● General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating contact lists, implementing tracking systems, maintaining databases, general data entry, photocopying, and filing. ● Security Clearance: Obtained reliability level security clearance.

● Writing and Developing Communications products: Edited and summarized news articles for media scans and the monthly Alberta Issues Reports. Prepared media advisories, news releases, and speaking notes for funding announcements organized by Western Economic Diversification. ● Event Management: Assisted with the coordination and planning of the National Managers' Community - Alberta Managers' Forum, October 19-21, 2009 at the Palliser Hotel. ● General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating stakeholder and media contact lists, updating/distributing the weekly Alberta Look Ahead and Privy Council Office Alberta Events Calendar, general data entry, photocopying, shredding, and filing. ● Security Clearance: Obtained Secret level security clearance.

● Writing and Developing Communications products: Wrote creative advertising and promotional material for over 200 clients. Wrote, printed, edited, and distributed bi-weekly internal newsletter. Edited corporate correspondence, such as emails, letters, presentations, and proposals. ● Client Service: Fostered positive client relations throughout the creative approval process. Prepared and presented advertising and promotional campaigns for clients and coordinated voicing sessions. ● Event Management: Assisted with the coordination of radio station promotional events. ● General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating/maintaining client databases, invoicing, contract data entry, and replenishing office supplies for all staff.

 Writing and Developing Communications products: Wrote creative advertising & promotional material for 200+ clients & the station itself. Wrote press releases for client sponsored promotions and/or events. Wrote/edited promotional content for station website.  Client Service: Fostered positive client relations throughout the creative writing and approval process. Prepared & presented advertising campaigns for clients and coordinated/scheduled client voicing sessions.  General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as updating/maintaining client database, invoicing and contract data entry.

 Writing and Developing Communications products: Wrote creative copy for and edited scripts/proofed ads for a graphic design team of eight designers.  Client Service: Fostered positive client relations throughout the creative writing and approval process. Prepared & presented advertising campaigns for clients and coordinated/scheduled client voicing sessions.  General Administration: Provided administrative support services such as managing the daily workload schedule for six graphic designers, coordinating external ad productions with production houses/freelancers in BC, AB, MB & SK, coding all production invoices & ensuring production charged stayed within budget, performed Broadcast Quality Compliance Checks on all externally produced ads to ensure they met compliancy standards & were airable, handled all client/sales rep questions and special requests.