Mia Wedgbury, President and Co-founder, High Road Communications
In the public relations community Mia Wedgbury is known as an innovator, an advocate of career opportunities for women and a dedicated supporter of the technology industry. It was a combination of entrepreneurial spirit and sound business sense led Mia to co-found High Road Communications in 1996, and since then she's never looked back.
With the rise of the tech industry came a need for a different breed of PR agency - a firm that could keep up with the rapid pace of change. High Road was Canada's first public relations firm dedicated solely to technology. Today, High Road Communications has evolved into the largest lifestyle and technology public relations agency in Canada, with a team of more than 85 professionals and offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and San Francisco. It successfully shapes communications strategies for some of the best and brightest technology and lifestyle brands in the industry.
With more than 18 years of public relations experience, Mia has directed global brand positioning programs, handled crisis communications, managed international product launches, and developed strategic public relations programs for both emerging players and industry leaders. She has worked with companies across the entire tech and lifestyle spectrum - from consumer and Internet software to hardware manufacturers to wireless companies. Over the course of her career at High Road she has guided Microsoft Canada, MSN, Avaya, Canon Canada, Waterfront Toronto and many others to PR success.
In 2006 she led the reinvention of LG Electronics Canada's public relations strategy, transforming the world-leader from a well respected but little known brand, to a media hot topic. With Mia's guidance, the spectacular fashion show, which marked the LG Chocolate phone launch, became not only a smashing PR success, but also the must-attend event for the who's-who of Canada's fashion and entertainment elite. The success of events like this and the recognition of the company's excellence beyond technology led to the evolution of High Road's offerings into the lifestyle space.
Mia's focus on pushing past the boundaries of conventional public relations, on new ideas and original thinking led High Road to new frontiers in 2006. She helped the agency launch the High Road Connect practice-a social media, Web 2.0 and viral marketing services group-helping clients to transcend conventional 'push' communications. The company also launched its creativity training service in 2007, to help clients reach beyond boundaries of innovation and creativity.
Creating a dynamic agency culture that empowers and inspires her team has always been a priority for Mia. Her unwavering dedication regularly earns High Road Communications recognition on national 'best workplace' lists. More importantly, it continues to foster a trusting relationship between the company and its employees.
Never accepting 'good enough' is High Road's approach to client service, but it also applies to Mia's life-long support of growing career opportunities for women. She is a dedicated supporter of The Judy Project. The initiative, launched in partnership with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, works to promote the advancement of women into senior leadership roles in Canada. Mia is not only active in the organization herself but has involved High Road Communications as its pro-bono PR partner. It is only one of a number of corporate social responsibility initiatives she has encouraged the company to support. High Road Communications also assists Ability Online, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, the Vancouver and Montreal international game summits, and the Canadian Innovation and Productivity Awards.
Mia currently serves on the Board of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA) and is a member of both CPRS and IABC. She was also recently appointed to the Fleishman-Hillard Senior Management Committee, where she works with a global team on corporate strategy and vision. She is on the communications committee of the Kids Internet Safety Alliance (KINSA), an organization focused on putting an end to the online sexual exploitation of children and youth, a topic to which Mia has been long committed.
Mia's belief in teamwork, dedication to creativity and innovation, and a fierce passion for results makes up the very fabric of High Road Communications. Her enthusiasm for public relations excellence is truly infectious and is shaping the future of PR. She is an inspiration to her staff and makes High Road the best place to be.