Michel Béchard, a communications professional with more than 20 years of experience leading and organizing a diverse range of communications and recruitment projects for post-secondary and corporate organizations, has been named Lethbridge College’s new executive director of public relations and communications. He will start work at the college on Nov. 12, 2013.
“Michel will be a great addition to the Lethbridge College community,” says Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns. “His experience in post-secondary and corporate communications, his skill in consensus-building and his commitment to the role of education at all levels makes for an excellent fit for the college as we work to lead and transform education in Alberta.”
Béchard has spent the last four years running his own independent marketing communications company in Sudbury, Ont., providing market research, branding, communications and project management expertise to clients including the Academica Group and Collège Boréal. Before that, he worked for six years as the director of public affairs for Laurentian University and for more than 10 years in a number of different positions at post-secondary institutions and non-profit organizations in Ontario.
The chance to be a part of Lethbridge College’s new mission of inspiring and facilitating learning and innovation to meet economic and social needs appeals greatly to Béchard. “I look forward to contributing to Lethbridge College’s continued growth and success,” says Béchard. “I’ve had the privilege of leading teams of creative professionals charged with the planning, research, development and implementation of numerous marketing communications and public relations initiatives, and I look forward to continuing that work with the great teams at Lethbridge College. It’s an exciting time for the college, and I am eager to be a part of the work being done there as the college moves into its sixth decade.”