Stephanie Gomes on Politics, PR and Public Participation

Building bridges between corporations and communities, liaising with government, and ensuring citizens know what’s being decided for them – Stephanie Gomes takes us through her world of working in government relations.

She works at a leading Public Relations (PR) agency in Toronto—get this—she’s only 26! So how did she build such an impressive career? 

Stephanie shares her journey with YWiB, along with a bundle of resources for young women who are looking to build successful careers in government relations.

This interview is part of a series – Women in the Six – celebrating extraordinary women in Toronto following their dreams and charting their own course for success.

If you met somebody for the first time, how would you describe what you do?

S: I work at a PR agency, specifically for its Government Relations (GR) practice, which at the firm is known as ‘Public Affairs.’ It is focused on business-to-government (B2G) interactions, which may involve lobbying. Apart from supporting clients in developing their PR strategy, I connect them to politicians, public servants and political staff to support or shape government action.

For example, we had a company whose energy project ran through the southern parts of the province. They approached us looking to connect with all the municipal, provincial and federal elected officials in the project area. We coordinated and set up those meetings so the company could brief elected officials about the project. 

As most people reach out to their city councillor or member of parliament to raise queries or concerns, these briefings and meetings that we organized enabled elected officials to distribute information to their constituents and have all the materials at hand to address any concerns regarding the project and its construction.  

Your current work has a lot of impact on public knowledge and community engagement. What sparked your interest in this line of work? 

S: I belong to a very politically-charged family. Since I was a child, political talk has been a staple at family gatherings. I would listen to these discussions involuntarily – different political ideologies, stances on things, and current events. I grew up to love politics and always knew there would be a political element to what I chose as a career. 

As I studied international relations at university, I was inclined towards building a career in research in the academic space. But as I moved towards this goal, there was a moment where I didn’t want to do it anymore – absorb information and regurgitate it into an academic paper. It somehow lacked the impact and action-oriented work I aspired for. That was when I stumbled across lobbying and the universe of government relations.

 My current role provides a healthy balance between working with large corporations and supporting not-for-profits and organizations whose mandates I am proud of in their lobbying efforts. Working in GR enables me to participate in the political sphere while contributing to my community meaningfully. 

You are constantly interacting and collaborating with new people. What do you find most challenging about it?

S: I think for many young women, especially young women of colour, imposter syndrome is real. It’s something that never fades away, regardless of what level you are at in your career. Both the person with the most significant title in the room and the intern taking notes have imposter syndrome. Both are just not communicating it to each other. 

How do you overcome and deal with this?

S: I recently had a conversation with a director on my team where I shared that sometimes I walk into a meeting and I don’t know what the right thing to say is – What if I blurt out something and the next thing I know, everyone is like, you’ve messed everything up!

He then told me something I will carry for the rest of my career: Every time you are invited into a room, it is because the people in the room want you there – they value your contribution, and if they didn't want you there, they wouldn't ask you to join.

So every time you're in a meeting or part of a discussion, know that your imposter syndrome should be left at the door – you're there because they want to hear from you. 

You work across an array of impact areas - energy, infrastructure, transit, and healthcare. What has been the best part of your journey so far?

S: Being politically informed is a privilege I have had in this line of work. Today, people may not have the time and opportunity to stay up-to-date with current affairs. Because of my job, I am always plugged into what is happening at all levels – elections, laws passed in the house, debates or what is being decided for the community. I value this a lot.

Knowledge is key! Nowadays the news seems like it’s coming at you like a fire hose. Can you share your tips on taking small sips of the news; making it easier to stay informed without being overwhelmed?

S: To begin, every elected official has social media accounts through which they distribute information to their constituents, especially youth. You can follow their Twitter accounts for bite-sized details. You can also follow political reporters on Twitter. Podcasts are also a great way to tap into current affairs – Power and Politics (CBC Podcast), It’s All Political (Toronto Star Podcast) and Curse of Politics.

If you have time on your hands or have a specific piece of legislation/ cause that you would like to know about, every hearing at every level of government is publicly available on various government websites. The live feed and documents explain the legislation, how people voted on it, its progress, and if it is passed. You can easily search through the database depending on your area of interest. 

According to you, how can people act on this knowledge – express their opinion, actively volunteer?

S: Many people think contributing is exclusive to an election campaign. It is when you tend to see the highest public involvement rate. Voting is the most common way to contribute, especially as we enter an election cycle in June, municipally here in Toronto.

You can visit the City of Toronto website for a full list of candidates. Most candidates will have their websites publicly available - it just takes a quick Google search. If anybody's platform strikes a chord with you, reach out to their team and find out how you can get involved. This also connects you with your community as you knock on doors and make phone calls. It is also a way to express your ideas. Depending on the campaign size, you will get a lot of face time with the candidate, whom you can share your suggestions with.  

Apart from an election cycle, there is an option to join your local riding association. They have monthly and annual meetings you could attend and be vocal about decisions that are being made for you.  

Women have definitely become a larger force in lobbying, but are still considered a minority. What is your advice for young women who want to follow a similar career path as yourself? 

S: There are plenty of events for those interested in the GR space. Organizations like the Toronto Region Board of Trade, the Canadian Club of Toronto, the Empire Club of Canada, or the Economic Club of Canada host events where you can network with like-minded people. 

The Public Affairs Association of Canada (PAAC) also has a mentorship and networking program for women starting their PR careers. You can shadow, learn and seek advice from professional women in public affairs, GR and PR.

You can reach out or connect with Stephanie Gomes via LinkedIn.

If you know any woman in Toronto who you would like featured in our series – Women in the Six – please reach out to naomi.menezes@ywib.ca