Shawna Bruce

Shawna Bruce brings over 40 years of expertise in risk and crisis communications, strategic communication, and public information. Her career began in the Canadian Armed Forces, where she served as an Army Public Affairs Officer for over 25 years. During her service, she shared the stories of military personnel deployed in wildfire and flood response operations, generating her interest in Disaster and Emergency Management.
After retiring from military service, Shawna transitioned to the petrochemical industry as the National Public Affairs Manager for a global Fortune 500 company. For eight years, she led internal and external communications, executive communications, community outreach and investment, and devised and executed community-centric risk education programs.
Since 2018, Shawna has provided services such as emergency and crisis communications workshops, media training for emergency management personnel and first responders, community engagement facilitation, and communications plan reviews. Some of her clients include the City of London, Ontario, North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, McEwan University, General Dynamics, County of Grande Prairie, and Alberta Industrial Heartland Association.
As an educator, Shawna has developed and led the Disaster and Crisis Communications course at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). She also supported the development (and now instructs) a Crisis Communications micro-credential course at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC). Additionally, she co-instructs the All-Hazards Information Officer Course offered by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency and holds ICS levels 100, 200, and 300 certifications.
Shawna is a graduate of Carleton University (Mass Communications), Algonquin College (Public Relations Diploma), the US Defense Information School (DINFOS), and Royal Roads University (MA in Disaster and Emergency Management).
Dedicated to giving back, Shawna volunteers on the board of the Northeast Regional Community Awareness and Emergency Response (NR CAER) mutual aid organization, First in the Field (a veterans' fundraising organization), and serves on the Board of Governors at Concordia University of Edmonton.