The Mentors Who Shape Brilliance in PR and Communications
By Lucy Luc
Behind every great PR professional is someone who quietly helped shape their path 🌟
It might have been a professor who challenged the easy answer, a manager who stayed late to review a draft, or a mentor who taught us that listening matters just as much as speaking. In public relations, brilliance rarely appears on its own. It is guided, questioned, refined, and passed down through people who believe in the power of communication before we fully do ourselves.
Thank Your Mentor Day is a moment to pause and reflect on the individuals who shaped our profession and those who continue to guide it forward. Long before PR became a strategic function within organizations, it was shaped by leaders who responded to crisis, public pressure, and social change with clarity, courage, and conviction. Their influence still lives in how we communicate today.
Global figures who shaped PR/Communication
Ivy Lee
Ivy Lee changed public relations forever by insisting that organizations speak honestly during crisis. His defining moment came in 1906, when he issued what is widely considered the first modern press release after a deadly railroad accident. Instead of hiding the facts, Lee encouraged transparency, setting a precedent that trust is built through truth. His work shaped the foundation of ethical communications and remains a guiding principle for crisis management today.
Edward Bernays
Edward Bernays introduced the idea that public relations should be rooted in understanding human behaviour. One of his most influential contributions was applying psychology to communication strategy, helping organizations understand how ideas spread and why people connect with messages. His work shifted PR from simple publicity to strategic influence, challenging communicators to think deeply about audience perception and responsibility.
Doris Fleischman
Doris Fleischman helped redefine leadership in public relations at a time when women were rarely recognized. She was one of the first women to operate as an equal partner in a major PR firm and famously kept her own name after marriage, a bold statement in the early 20th century. Her influence lies in proving that strategic thinking, credibility, and leadership are not defined by title, but by impact.
Inez Kaiser
Inez Kaiser used public relations as a tool for social change. In 1957, she founded one of the first Black owned PR firms in the United States, creating opportunities for underrepresented voices in the industry. Her work with civil rights organizations and community focused campaigns showed that PR could shape public understanding while advancing equity and inclusion. Kaiser’s legacy continues to inspire communicators to use their platforms responsibly.
Betsy Plank
Betsy Plank believed that education was the future of public relations. One of her most lasting achievements was championing PR education at universities and helping establish professional standards across the industry. She mentored countless students and practitioners, reinforcing that ethics, learning, and leadership are lifelong commitments. Her influence lives on in how PR is taught and practiced around the world.
Harold Burson
Harold Burson elevated public relations to the executive level. His defining contribution was positioning PR leaders as strategic advisors in the boardroom, not just media specialists. During major global crises, Burson demonstrated how reputation management, trust, and long term thinking could guide organizational decisions. His work shaped the modern understanding of PR as a core business function.
Dan Edelman
Dan Edelman believed that trust is earned through consistent and authentic storytelling. His leadership helped build one of the world’s most respected communications firms by focusing on relationships rather than short term exposure. Edelman’s emphasis on credibility and values influenced how organizations approach brand reputation, especially in times of public scrutiny.
Canadian leaders who shaped the profession
Canada’s public relations profession was built by practitioners who believed in standards, education, and credibility long before PR was widely understood or respected. Their achievements helped define how communications is practiced, taught, and valued across the country today.
John H. Yocom
John H. Yocom was instrumental in professionalizing public relations in Canada. One of his most significant achievements was helping establish the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation, which created a formal benchmark for knowledge, ethics, and professional competence. As a former CPRS National President, Yocom championed research driven communication and lifelong learning. His legacy lives on through the Jack Yocom Public Relations Profile Collection, which preserves the history of Canadian PR leaders and reinforces the importance of learning from those who came before us.
Jack Donoghue
Jack Donoghue played a defining role in government and emergency communications in Canada. During and after the Second World War, he served as a public relations officer for the Canadian Army, shaping how information was shared with the public during times of national uncertainty. Later, he helped develop federal emergency information and communications frameworks, laying the groundwork for coordinated public messaging during crises. His work demonstrated the essential role of PR in public service and national preparedness.
Luc Beauregard
Luc Beauregard helped position Canadian public relations on the global stage. As a founder and agency leader, he built one of Canada’s most influential communications firms and demonstrated that Canadian practitioners could compete internationally while delivering world class strategy and creativity. Beauregard also played an active role in professional development within CPRS, mentoring practitioners and advocating for PR as a strategic leadership function. His career proved that Canadian communications talent could shape global conversations.
Karen Dalton
Karen Dalton’s impact on Canadian PR was felt through her leadership behind the scenes. As a long serving Executive Director of CPRS, she strengthened the Society’s national operations, expanded professional development programs, and supported chapters across the country. Her work helped ensure consistency, stability, and growth within CPRS, allowing the organization to better serve members and advance the profession at a national level.
Mary L. Barker
Mary L. Barker devoted nearly six decades to public relations as both a practitioner and educator. Her most significant contribution was helping bridge the gap between professional practice and education, ensuring that students entering the field understood both theory and real world application. Through teaching, mentorship, and service, Barker influenced generations of communicators and reinforced the importance of ethical practice and professional commitment.
Ruth Hammond
Ruth Hammond was a pioneer in PR education and professional standards in Canada. At a time when formal PR programs were limited, she worked alongside other leaders to advance training opportunities and advocate for consistent professional expectations. Her efforts helped legitimize public relations as a career path and laid early groundwork for structured learning and accreditation in Canada.
Bill Rees
Bill Rees represents the sustained leadership that helped PR mature as a profession in Canada. Recognized through inclusion in the Yocom Profile Collection, his career reflects long term contributions to practice, mentorship, and professional service. Leaders like Rees helped reinforce the values of credibility, accountability, and excellence that continue to guide Canadian communicators today.
Why these stories matter
Public relations has never been just about media coverage. It is about trust, culture, and human connection. The mentors who shaped this profession understood that long before it became common language. They taught us how to respond when pressure is high, how to communicate when the stakes are real, and how to lead with clarity when uncertainty takes over.
This Thank Your Mentor Day, CPRS Toronto invites you to reflect on the pioneers who built the foundations of PR and the mentors who continue to shape its future. Their lessons live on in every press release written with care, every crisis handled with honesty, and every young professional encouraged to keep going.
Take a moment to thank the mentor who helped shape your brilliance. And join us as we continue to celebrate the people behind the profession.
Lucy Luc is the current president of the Student Steering Committee and a CPRS Toronto ACE Award–winning student in her final year of Humber Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Public Relations program, where she is completing her thesis.