About


Rethinking the Table:
Women Leaders in Public Relations in Canada

Rethinking the Table is both a groundbreaking national study and a call to action. Drawing on original research and the lived experiences of women across Canada, the book explores how leadership, power, equity, and opportunity are shaped within the public relations profession — and what must change for true inclusion to take root.

Women have long been central to PR's evolution, yet their leadership journeys continue to be marked by systemic barriers, intersectional challenges, and inequities in access to power and opportunity. As the profession faces rapid technological change and shifting workplace expectations, the need to rethink who leads — and how — has never been more urgent.

What the book explores

Through research, narrative, and reflection, the book examines:

  • Leadership identity and underrepresentation
  • Equity, diversity, and inclusion in PR
  • Work-life balance and "always on" culture
  • Mentorship, sponsorship, and championing
  • Technology, AI, and gendered impacts
  • Pathways to success and systemic change

Research abstract

The Women Public Relations Leaders in Canada study is designed to address a gap in the literature investigating the experiences and representation of women in Canadian public relations. While this area of research has sparked interest in other jurisdictions around the globe, insights on leadership from Canadian women in public relations have so far not been documented.

As we reflected on the narratives we gathered, it became increasingly clear that the public relations profession is at a pivotal moment in its history. Women have long been central to the development and evolution of this field, yet their experiences are still marked by significant challenges—many of which are compounded by intersectional factors including race, age, gender, and more. In today's public relations work environment, the evolving nature of the workplace and the rapid pace of technological advancement compound these challenges. We have strived in each chapter of this book to navigate these complex issues, considering both the progress made and the barriers that continue to limit full equity for women in this profession.

The insights presented in this book culminated in a call to action for those in academia and professional associations, for women already in the field, and for organizations.

Ultimately, the goal of this project—and of the ongoing work that will follow—is to ensure that the future of PR is a place where women's leadership is celebrated, supported, and empowered, and where diversity and inclusion are the cornerstones of progress and innovation. Let's keep the conversation going.


Why this matters

Despite making up 70% of the PR workforce, women hold only 30% of senior leadership roles in Canada. Pay inequity persists. The "old boys' network" still influences advancement. And AI risks reinforcing historical bias if left unchecked.

This book is about more than seats at the table — it's about rethinking the table itself.

"The goal is to ensure that the future of PR is a place where women's leadership is celebrated, supported, and empowered, and where diversity and inclusion are the cornerstones of progress and innovation."

About the authors


Colleen Killingsworth, MCM, APR, FCPRS

Colleen brings her perspectives from more than 30 years of experience in public relations and communications management leadership to this project. She has a strong track record in leadership, collaboration, successfully managing complex, transformational projects, and quickly earning the confidence and support of internal and external stakeholders. She has worked in the health care, energy, education, municipal government, travel and tourism, and transportation sectors.

She is an accredited communications professional and a member of the CPRS College of Fellows. Career highlights include leading the University of Calgary's participation in the Royal Visit to the University of Calgary; serving as president of the Canadian Centre for Energy Information; providing change management support and mentorship for the people side of change for a major oil and gas company's consolidation of its Calgary workforce (1,700 people) from five locations to one; and serving as a two-term National President of the Canadian Public Relations Society. Colleen is a sessional in¬structor in the McMaster Master of Communications Management (MCM) program, and an instructor in the Public Relations and Communications Management Extension Certificate Program at Mount Royal University in Calgary.

She holds a Master of Communications Management from McMaster University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Ne¬vada, Reno. Her work has won local, national and international awards. In 2011 she was awarded the Philip A. Novikoff Memorial Award from the Ca¬nadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) for superior and outstanding service over time as a public relations professional. In 2013, she was named one of Canada's top PR Influencers in a CPRS and Cision Canada survey, "A Day in the Life of PR." In 2018, Colleen was recognized by the CPRS with the Lamp of Service for co-leading the work in shaping the future of the Society. The roll out of the new Strategic Framework generated the most collaboration and engagement in CPRS's history. Most recently, Colleen was awarded the 2025 CPRS Thought Leader Award, alongside her co-author, Amy Thurlow.

Colleen would like to acknowledge her parents (Ben and Dee) and husband (Lee Farquharson) for being her role models for integrity, humility, and a strong work ethic. They inspired her love for travel and adventure and instilled in her that she could do anything she put her mind to. They always created the space for her to shine. With an open mind and can-do attitude, she continues to be presented with experiences she could never have imagined.


Dr. Amy Thurlow, PhD, APR, FCPRS

Amy is Professor of Communication at Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada. Her research is motivated by a curiosity about how humans socially construct and enact organization through processes of identity construction. Her recent work includes historical constructions of identity and the alternative histories often ignored in that process. Her 2019 book, Social Media, Organizational Identity and Public Relations: The Challenge of Au¬thenticity, investigates identity construction in a virtual context. Her most re¬cent book, Diversity and Business Storytelling (2023), is a collection of works exploring diversity in organizations from a variety of perspectives, co-edited with Dr. Jean Helms Mills.

Among other courses, Amy teaches Strategic Public Relations in the Master of Public Relations program, as well as the Foundations of Public Relations course in the Bachelor of Public Relations degree program, both at MSVU. She has been teaching for the past two decades and previously worked in public relations as a communications officer in the international development and health care sectors. She is an accredited public relations practitioner and a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society College of Fellows. Amy was recently awarded the 2025 CPRS Thought Leader Award, alongside her co-author, Colleen Killingsworth.

Amy would like to acknowledge her gratitude to her husband, Paul Card, and their children, Owen and Mirissa, for their unwavering love and patience as she navigates the challenges of work-life balance as a woman in public relations.

Contributions by Nicolle Wahl, MCM

Award-winning communications strategist whose master's research formed the foundation for this project.