Post-secondary institutions are weathering a complex financial crisis, forcing them to cut budgets, shift priorities, and even reduce staffing. Faced with these unpredictable challenges, how can communications leaders adapt to help their organization, department, and teams cope and thrive…all while proving their relevance? Budget restrictions may force you to lay off team members, pare back projects and systems, and find a new proactive/reactive balance. At the same time, you may need to defend the value of comms–a tricky task when its sexy cousin marketing is revenue-generating.
During this session, learn how to navigate this difficult scenario by identifying priorities, responding to metrics, and making smart choices. Get the confidence to say “no”, and use this opportunity to cull projects with low ROI–even vanity or legacy content! Find out how to make the strategic choices to show your value, defend your people, and meet your institution’s business goals. Get positioned to ride out the storm and find your path to the other side.
Nicolle Wahl
Founder and Principal, NWCommunications
Nicolle Wahl is an award-winning marketing and communications professional with more than two decades of experience in the higher education field. She is the founder and principal of NW
Communications.
Until recently, Wahl was the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at Sheridan College. In this role, she oversaw strategic communications, marketing, public relations, institutional
events and brand strategy. Prior to that, Wahl served as acting executive director of marketing and communications at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Wahl earned her master’s in communications management from McMaster University and Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 2024, and her undergraduate degree in journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University. In her early career, she spent several years as a freelance science and health reporter.