Catherine Zahn, president and CEO of the Toronto-based Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), has been named 2011’s Communicator of the Year by the Toronto chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
The award is given to a leader who demonstrates a strong commitment to strategic communication.
“We’re just really proud to be able to recognize someone like this,” said Carrie MacAfee, past-president of IABC Toronto. “[Zahn] is a real leader and an expert in her field.”
MacAfee said she was impressed by Zahn’s ability to present a complex message – breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness – in easy-to-understand and consistent ways regardless of her audience.
“It’s really impressive that she is so consistent with so many different audiences,” said MacAfee, noting that Zahn’s message is the same whether she is speaking to her staff, to the public or to board members and shareholders of CAMH. “She works so hard to bring everybody onto the same page.”
IABC Toronto was also impressed with Zahn’s general approachability. At work, the nameplate on her desk reads only “Catherine,” an attitude she carries to her blog entitled “Call Me Catherine.” Her skill as an engaging communicator has put her in high demand for media interviews, and her ‘town hall’ meetings are often standing-room-only events.
Zahn became president and CEO of CAMH in December 2009. Although this award lauds her communication skills, her background isn’t in communications – it’s in neuroscience. Prior to her CAMH appointment, Zahn was executive vice-president of clinical programs and practice at Toronto’s University Health Network. Her expertise in neurology has helped bring an authoritative voice to the issues of mental health and addiction, and she’s been able to use her strong communication skills to catapult those issues into mainstream medicine and the public eye.
In his letter of support for the nomination, Daniel Burns, chair of the CAMH board of trustees, said “in reviewing her performance at CAMH, in public forums and as our representative in the media… it is safe to say that Catherine is far and away the most talented communicator I have had the pleasure of working with.”
The IABC has a global network of close to 14,000 communications professionals in 80 countries. With more than 1,750 members, IABC Toronto is the largest IABC chapter in the world.
Zahn will formally receive the award on March 20.
