About

Cathy Cowan MBA

Strategic Communicator ~ Team Leader ~ Brand Builder

Reputation for Integrity, Mentorship & Results

A PR agency veteran with more than two decades experience working as a trusted communications advisor to senior executives and marketing teams, I have developed strategically creative communications programs for more than 100 brands and organizations in Canada.

Now collaborating as an independent consultant, I contribute my multi-platform communications expertise and team management skills to help clients and agencies create and implement integrated marketing programs. My exceptional ability to unite teams and individuals can help you generate extraordinary results and achieve & exceed your communications goals.

cathy cowan

For more than 15 years, I was the hands-on President of Cowan & Company Communications a full-service boutique agency specializing in premium lifestyle brands. Cowan & Company was recognized with numerous industry awards for client communications programs in marketing communications, media relations, events, social media, publications and social responsibility. We were off-the-charts proud to be named the International Association of Business Communicators Toronto Chapter’s Boutique/Small PR Agency of the Year four times (4x!) from 2007 – 2017 in recognition of continual innovation and unparalleled communications results. And I was deeply honoured to be named PR Professional of the Year by the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Toronto chapter in 2013 in recognition of my leadership of Cowan & Company’s incredible team, clients and programs.

 

Prior to founding Cowan & Company, I held senior management positions with several of Canada’s largest PR firms after starting my PR career in the nonprofit sector.

 

I believe in the importance of giving back and I currently serve as the volunteer Director of Communications for the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment, a national nonprofit dedicated to empowering domestic abuse survivors through advocacy, mentorship and economic empowerment. In addition to volunteering for local community groups and serving as a judge for the IABC Ovation awards each year, I previously volunteered and served on the Board of Directors for a grassroots environmental nonprofit that successfully diverted 150+ tonnes of reusable items from landfill in its first year of operations.

 

Writing and content creation is huge passion for me; I developed the curriculum and teach York University’s post-graduate PR course in Strategic Messaging & Content Creation. My communications expertise has been featured in many publications and speaking events including IABC Communicator, Cision.com, Computer Dealer News, PR Canada, Spark Sessions, IQPC’s Corporate Communications Summit, AMC Institute and globeandmail.com. In my spare time, when I’m not cheering on my teenaged son at his sporting events, you can find me plotting out my first novel or streaming the latest bingeworthy shows with a latte or cabernet in hand.