B.CoMS Career Paths Fall Edition

Communication and Media Studies Announces Fall Alumni Speaker Lineup  

Communication and Media Studies (B.CoMS) program at Carleton University proudly announces speakers for its Career Paths Fall edition with two events. Alumni who have recently navigated the job market will share advice with current students and discuss their experiences starting careers they love.  

On November 17 guest speakers will be Kayla Isabelle (BA COMM ‘14), CEO of Startup Canada and Nicholas Rudiak (BA, COMM ‘16; MA, COMM ‘18), Senior Speechwriter, Department of National Defence. 

The second event will take place in December with guest speakers Layla Guse Salah, Public and Patient Engagement Coordinator, Canadian Medical Association and Sharon Nyangweso, CEO and Founder of QuakeLab. Stay tuned for details. 

B.CoMS Career Paths Alumni Speaker Fall Edition

17 November 2021  

5:30 pm-7:00 pm 

Zoom link will be emailed in advance. 

November Guest Speakers

Kayla Isabelle 

CEO, Startup Canada  

Kayla Isabelle is the Chief Executive Officer at Startup Canada, the gateway to Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem that points entrepreneurs in the right direction, eliminates barriers, and champions their needs to private and public sector partners. 

Kayla is the Founding Executive Director of the Innovators and Entrepreneurs Foundation, Past-President of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Ottawa Chapter, Board Member at StartUP Sault Ste. Marie, and a former Board Member of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). Kayla sits on the Allied for Startups Continental Council, and supports international communities including SXSW, the Tanzania Tourist Board, and Startup Bridge in India. With a passion for mentorship, Kayla serves as a Founder Institute Mentor, has run the IABC Members Connect Mentorship program, is a Carleton University Network Mentor, and Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) Career Mentor. Kayla has also worked as a Coach at the World Skills Employment Centre for newcomers to Canada, and as a Volunteer with the Darkness into Light Suicide Prevention initiative. 

The Carleton Communications program has served as a strong foundation to Kayla’s career, both because of the program elements and curriculum, and the leadership opportunities it provided. As the former President of the Communications Undergraduate Student Society (CUSS), and as a volunteer with local associations, including the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Kayla was able to gain practical, and academic experience during her courses that she could apply directly to new volunteer opportunities across her network. 

Nicholas Rudiak 

Senior Speechwriter, Department of National Defence   

Nicholas Rudiak first graduated from University of Ottawa with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature in 2011. He worked in the private sector for three years, and came to Carleton in 2014 to complete a second B.A., with the goal of entering the Master’s program. While completing his M.A., he worked in a military imagery unit, a position he received through the Federal Student Work Exchange Program. After completing his degree in 2018, he was offered a position as a speechwriter at National Defence and has been a member of the team ever since. He writes primarily for the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff, on a wide array of topics. The topics he has been writing about the most this year are harmful and inappropriate behaviour, and the military’s response to COVID-19. 

 December Guest Speakers

Sharon Nyangweso 

Founder and CEO, QuakeLab 

Sharon Nyangweso (She/Her) is the Founder and CEO of QuakeLab, a full-stack inclusion and communications agency that uses human centred design to help organizations move their commitment to diversity and inclusion from aspiration to action. An empathetic leader with a passion for community and civic engagement, Sharon is a regular contributor and panelist for the CBC, CTV, Rabble.ca and Live 88.5. Sharon immigrated to Canada from Kenya in 2010, and before starting QuakeLab in 2017, she worked with organizations in 11 different countries in varying roles including social advocacy and innovation, community building, accessibility, and content creation. Follow her on Twitter at @Sharon_Okeno. 

Layla Guse Salah  

Coordinator of Patient and Public Engagement 

Canadian Medical Association   

Having grown up with cerebral palsy, Layla honed professional passions from a young age.  As a child, she served as an ambassador for Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. For several years she guest lectured for the Special Education teacher education courses at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, (OISE/UT) speaking about the importance of equity and inclusion. She obtained her initial undergraduate degree in English Literature and Philosophy at Carleton University before earning her Bachelor of Education at OISE/UT in 2012. After several years struggling to find work as a teacher, she returned to Carleton to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies in 2017. Through the Co-op program, she secured the first of many work placements at the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). Upon completing her Degree in December 2020, the CMA offered her a full-time position as Coordinator of Patient and Public Engagement. 

B.CoMS Career Paths Fall Edition Registration

Please note: The Zoom link will be sent by email prior to the event.