Online Open to all

Communications Affinity Group – 2024 Meetings

21 November 2024 / Registration Closed

    • February 2024: Roundtable discussion – Developing Annual Reports and other Impact Reporting
    • April 2024: Narrative Change and Impact Storytelling
    • May 2024: Roundtable discussion – Navigating the Intersection of Social Media and Philanthropy
    • June 2024: Training Workshop – Digital Communications and Accessibility
    • September 2024: Meeting took place in-person in Ottawa as part of the PFC National Conference (for conference registrants)
    • October 2024: Online Training workshop – A Practical Guide to Building a Government Relations Strategy

    • February 2024: Roundtable discussion – Developing Annual Reports and other Impact Reporting
    • April 2024: Narrative Change and Impact Storytelling
    • May 2024: Roundtable discussion – Navigating the Intersection of Social Media and Philanthropy
    • June 2024: Training Workshop – Digital Communications and Accessibility
    • September 2024: Meeting took place in-person in Ottawa as part of the PFC National Conference (for conference registrants)
    • October 2024: Online Training workshop – A Practical Guide to Building a Government Relations Strategy

Who?

Open to all communications specialists and grantmaking practitioners from across our philanthropic and nonprofit network.

What? | Program

A regularly scheduled monthly meeting to discuss important or emerging strategic communications and public affairs issues relevant to Canadian foundations and philanthropy. The initiative supports the exchange of ideas, learning about relevant news, sharing intel and working together, while providing a forum for professional development, networking and dialogue.

Topics to be discussed and about which you can start thinking about in advance are:

November 2024: AI and Communications

Having learned that partner organizations were hosting conversations on AI – at or around the exact same day we had planned to hold our meeting (November 21) – to avoid duplication and streamlining, we will cancel our meeting as planned, and instead recommend that you attend one or both of these events:

When and How? | Registration

Sessions previously held in 2024:

    • February 2024: Roundtable discussion – Developing Annual Reports and other Impact Reporting
    • April 2024: Narrative Change and Impact Storytelling
    • May 2024: Roundtable discussion – Navigating the Intersection of Social Media and Philanthropy
    • June 2024: Training Workshop – Digital Communications and Accessibility
    • September 2024: Meeting took place in-person in Ottawa as part of the PFC National Conference (for conference registrants)
    • October 2024: Online Training workshop – A Practical Guide to Building a Government Relations Strategy

Abra Rissi

Director, Member Engagement & Communications

Abra is the Director of Member Engagement and Communications where she has the pleasure of working alongside an active and enthusiastic team. In this role, she leads the network’s engagement and communications strategies and activities in support of PFC’s convening, collaboration, and learning goals.

Abra joins PFC’s community of advocates and leaders with 15 years of experience in public affairs, operations, and public engagement. She has worked with not-for-profit leaders, elected and government officials, and within civil society – with a focus on partnerships, collaboration, and community-building in service of the public good.

A cyclist and crossword enthusiast, Abra has lived in Geneva, Paris, Vancouver and currently Toronto. A purpose-driven professional, she believes in the value of strong and inclusive civic engagement in advancing a more prosperous, equitable, and just society for all.

Sara Krynitzki

Associate Chief Executive Officer

Sara has spent over 20 years leading non-profit initiatives across Canada. She began her career in fundraising, has worked on Parliament Hill, and for over eight years managed community initiatives and granting for one of Canada’s largest community foundations, allocating millions of dollars annually, and connecting philanthropy to the greatest needs to tackle inequity. 

As Associate Chief Executive Officer, Sara works closely with the President & CEO overseeing thought-leadership, organizational management, and operations, while guiding PFC’s public policy and advocacy agenda, research, and public relations activities to foster good public policies for the sector and to advance impactful, forward-thinking philanthropy. 

She has a BA in Political Studies from Trent University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University. She sits on the board of directors of Sustainability Network, and in 2024 she was appointed to the CRA and Finance Canada’s Technical Issues Working Group, advising on charity regulation. 

Having lived across Canada and internationally, Sara is now based in Toronto with her husband and three children. 

The land that Sara and her family live, learn and work on has been home to many Indigenous communities throughout time, including the Wendat, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Haudenosaunee. The area is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and it is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.