CMM Communications Group is comprised of a network of highly skilled communications practitioners and writers who have senior-level corporate and agency-side experience in each of our practice areas. We pull from a cross-section of industry experience, skill sets and talent to provide clients with a seamless team of consultants working in unison. The following consultants make up our core team.

Caroline McGrath
Principal / Senior Public Relations Consultant

Caroline is an experienced communications professional and business owner with proven experience delivering business-to-business marketing communications programs that build brand awareness and generate demand. She has held senior communications positions with numerous multinational corporations including Xerox, Epson, and Tektronix. At Xerox, she was responsible for building brand awareness and generating demand for the office group of products. She also was responsible for all external communications surrounding the acquisition of the Tektronix colour printing business and the simultaneous launch of the Xerox Office Group in Canada. At Tektronix, Caroline managed marketing communications for the Colour Printing and Imaging Division, and directed corporate communications for the Video and Networking, and Test and Measurement businesses. At Epson, she managed the mix of marketing communications activities for the branded line of products including public relations, advertising, direct response marketing, tradeshows and product launches.

In 2004, Caroline founded CMM Communications Group, a network-based Public Relations firm that offers clients a flexible and cost-effective way to achieve strategic communications objectives that are aligned to the bottom line. Caroline and her team bring deep understanding of the hyper-informational, increasingly transparent and fast evolving media environment. Using proven strategies and the most current social media networking tools and channels, CMM helps clients deploy clear and consistent messaging that influences perceptions, resonates with target media and industry analysts, and engages customers and stakeholders. Her portfolio of clients includes leaders and innovators in Information Communication Technologies, Natural Resource, Satellite/GPS Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, and Not-for-Profit sectors.

Caroline has served on the Board of the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada, and is a recipient of an ACE award from the Canadian Public Relations Society. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law and Sociology from Carleton University.

Julia Hogers Bentley
Senior Consultant, New Media

Julia has over 20 years experience in print and online media planning, buying, selling, analysis, optimization, measurement and reporting. As an experienced media professional, she is responsible for developing strategic and measurable brand building campaigns by applying various media platforms.

Julia has a proven track record of superior performance in driving and exceeding client expectations through broad-based competencies in business planning and development, strategic marketing strategies, product launches and audience engagement through social media channels, blogs and microblogs. She is experienced in negotiating/purchasing media space, in addition to researching how and where it will yield the highest return on investment.

Julia started off her career working for a public relations firm before moving into the media industry where she has held progressive positions. She works with clients to create and execute integrated national marketing programs that build brand awareness and generate demand. Julia’s professional strengths include her dedication to exceptional customer service and her ability to find the most cost effective combination of mediums that will enable the client to communicate their message to the target audience. She possesses an acute sense of organization, responsibility and value while always focusing on the required results.

Denise J. Deveau
Freelance Journalist and Business Writer

Denise J. Deveau is an established freelance writer in the North American business and technology sectors. With more than two decades of communications experience, Denise has handled a wide variety of writing, research and publication coordination assignments in the high technology, financial, retail, government, education, industrial, utility, oil and gas, and consumer categories, including newspaper and magazine articles, speeches, web copy, video scripts, corporate brochures, case histories, corporate profiles, annual reports, press releases and newsletters.

She has been a regular contributor of articles to leading North American business, retail, computer and industry publications, including The Financial Post, CanWest, cbc.ca, The Globe & Mail, The National Post, Canadian Retailer, Hotelier, Foodservice & Hospitality, E-Commerce Times, Network World (US), Dreamscapes, IT World, Electrical Business, and others.

Her corporate assignments include work for the following organizations: GE Canada and related GE business operations, Bell Canada and related business operations, Fluke, NCR Canada, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), George Brown College, Bank of Montreal, Canada Trust, TD Bank, Deloitte and Parkin Architects Ltd.

Denise has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

Jodi Echakowitz
Senior Public Relations Consultant, Telecom and Wireless

Jodi Echakowitz has over 15 years of public relations and business writing experience in a cross-section of enterprise and consumer markets. A strategic thinker who pays great attention to detail, Jodi combines dogged determination with the highest levels of integrity to deliver value to clients.

Prior to founding Echo Communications, Jodi managed all aspects of Delano Technology's media and analyst relations for its CRM and e-business platform software solutions. Working together with high profile public relations agencies, she devised the communication strategies for the company's inaugural launch and around its very successful IPO. She also established Delano's corporate, product and vertical messaging frameworks. During her tenure at the company, Delano was included in over 600 media hits and reports by industry analysts; and won numerous corporate and product awards. Jodi helped position Delano's senior executives as industry visionaries, frequently securing them for speaking engagements at industry events.

Prior to Delano, Jodi was instrumental in launching and creating awareness for MGI Software's photo and video editing products. This included developing and executing publicity plans, and increasing mind share with industry influencers for its market leading software. At Symantec (Delrina Group), Jodi's first role in Canada, she supported the company's public relation's activities for its fax, remote access and electronic forms products.

Jodi's passion for public relations began in South Africa at I.T. Projects, a technology consulting organization. At I.T.

Projects Jodi provided sales, customer service, training and technical support to its national clients, and managed all aspects of the company's marketing and public relations activities.

Michelle Magee
Senior Public Relations Consultant, Consumer Technology

Michelle Magee is a senior communications consultant specializing in media relations in the US and Canada. She has worked in the communications industry since 1995 and continues to focus on maximizing media coverage for her clients. Michelle is well known for her creative pitches, her commitment to her clients, her strong work ethic and her ability to achieve outstanding results.

Throughout her career, Michelle has worked on both the corporate and agency sides of the business. Michelle works with and has consulted for a number of independent PR agencies, developing and executing strategic and highly targeted media plans for their business and consumer clients. She has also worked in the oil and gas industry where she was instrumental in the management and execution of various key sponsorship programs and special events for PanCanadian Petroleum (now Encana). Michelle started her career with Hill & Knowlton Canada, and her clients have been among the best brands in consumer packaged goods, technology, associations, health care, fashion, travel and home decor.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours English) from Queen’s University.

Heather McCulligh
Senior Public Relations Consultant, Technology and Telecom

Heather McCulligh is an experienced provider of strategic communications and public relations services for technology, telecommunications and industrial companies.

Heather has a decade of experience in marketing/communications planning, media and analyst relations, market research and analysis, and event planning and sponsorship management. In developing and executing her programs, Heather helps companies deliver key messages to target audiences and support business strategies.

Heather worked for several years at Canada’s largest technology public relations agency. Here, she was responsible for planning and implementing global strategic public relations programs for a wide range of technologies, including enterprise software, semiconductors, telecommunications and utilities providers, and consumer applications.

She also served as Senior Communications Manager at Zarlink Semiconductor. In this role she managed marketing and public relations programs for the company’s product lines, provided counsel on employee relations and community relations programs, and supported investor relations initiatives.

Most recently Heather has provided marketing and public relations consulting services to a variety of clients. Clients have included; Tundra Semiconductor, MOSAID Technologies, Halogen Software, Med-Eng Systems, and Tarquin Group and its member companies Dipix Technologies and Process Photonics. Heather also teaches public relations at Algonquin College.