Unlock your Power to Influence, Inspire & Connect

Informed Opinions is a respected Canadian charity with over 15 years of experience delivering highly effective training. We have supported thousands of women and gender-diverse individuals across sectors to develop the skills and confidence to increase their profile and ability to influence.

Our strategic communication,  media engagement and policy influence workshops are developed and delivered by expert women in the field. Virtually 100% of participants — from business and nonprofit leaders to academics and entrepreneurs — say they would recommend our training to others.

Why Informed Opinions?

  • Our training is specifically designed and delivered by diverse women for women and gender diverse participants; we provide informed perspectives to address the nuanced challenges these groups face in being heard.

  • Our trainers are all active journalists, media, communication and policy professionals who know what works and what doesn’t.

  • The tactics, information and skills you learn are all based on real life circumstances relevant to your needs and immediately applicable.

  • Our training has resulted in thousands of our graduates’ thought leadership appearing in influential media and shaping business and public conversations.

  • Our public workshops are only available to women and gender-diverse individuals - creating a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment, which often leads to better engagement and learning outcomes for participants.

  • Workshop participants across sectors report an increased level of confidence in their ability to have their voices heard.

It really IS all about YOU —Helping women and gender diverse Canadians succeed IS our mission and our core purpose. As a registered Canadian charity advancing gender equity, we exist to make a difference, not to make a profit.

  • Our training is priced on a sliding scale as well as bursaries available to support participants with financial barriers.

  • Feel (extra) good knowing that all of our training revenue goes back to advancing gender equity in Canada.

What to Expect

Valued takeaways, relevant insights, practical tools and personal feedback - this is what we deliver in every Informed Opinions' workshop

Interactive live webinar via zoom
Small class size
(10 participants)
Individualized feedback from facilitator & group
Pitch templates and comprehensive handouts
What past participants have said...

“The Informed Opinions workshops have been game-changers – they are full of actionable insights and have taken my career to new heights. Engaging with the Informed Opinions community and content has provided me with the confidence to unlock my leadership potential and accelerated the impact I have had on policy and public affairs in Canada and beyond.”

Anjum Sultana Director of Youth Leadership and Policy Advocacy at Plan International Canada

"Thank you all for the helpful handout and excellent workshop. I enjoyed and learned a lot. The facilitator's expertise, advice, and engagement were greatly appreciated.

It's fantastic to see so many academics trying to make their research count in society more broadly, not just in the academic world."

Jarvis Brownville University of Manitoba

"Informed Opinions' workshop was full of practical and insightful information to help navigate the world of thought leadership and the media. Bonus was the chance to connect with expert women across diverse disciplines. I highly recommend!"

Christie Stephenson
 Executive Director, Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, UBC Sauder School of Business

Our Facilitators

Our facilitators are all highly experienced in their respective fields of journalism, media, policy, communications and facilitation. This ensures you are getting the most relevant and up-to-date knowledge available.

Jacky is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on social justice issues. Her work has been featured in CBC, Canadian National Film Board, National Post and many others.

She is also a media trainer, and in addition to delivering the "Develop your Media Skills" workshop, she also developed and regularly facilitates our "Insider Strategies to Become a Go-To Media Source" workshop.

Jacky Habib
Journalist

Amanda is the principal of ParriagGroup, an Ottawa-based consultancy focused on research, evaluation and communications.

She has worked extensively with organizations to use knowledge generated to inform policy advocacy and development, helping to influence the policy landscape on a range of issues including immigrant settlement funding, housing rights, workplace sexual violence, health equity, inclusive K-12 education, and Indigenous child welfare.

She delivers our popular "Translate your Research and Advocacy into Policy Impact" workshop, which she developed.

Amanda Parriag
Researcher & Policy Consultant

Gabrielle is a bilingual journalist, podcast
producer, co-founder of Pivot Media, and Director of Femmes Expertes, Informed Opinions' sister initiative.

She delivers our media engagement workshops to both francophone and English speakers.

Gabrielle Brassard-Lecours
Bilingual journalist & Director of Femmes Expertes (Informed Opinions' sister initiative)

Shari Graydon, has spent more than 30 years engaging media to draw attention to issues she knows and cares about. Now she motivates and trains others to do the same, developing and delivering highly-rated conference keynotes and practical workshops across the country.

The Catalyst of Informed Opinions, she's an award-winning author and women's advocate. Since 2010, she has helped amplify the voices of thousands of women across Canada, supporting them in sharing their insights with a broader public.

Shari Graydon
Catalyst of Informed Opinions

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