Meet Danielle Côté
Danielle Côté, APR, is a bilingual communications practitioner with close to 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector – a career she built by combining a background in nursing, a passion for health care and a desire to help organizations strengthen their brands through strategic, purposeful, consistent and clear communications.
Danielle brings a strong background in project management, external relations and content development. She is known for her straightforward approach and her success in building teams that work together towards a common purpose. A strategic thinker, Danielle is also a stickler for detail and doing what’s right.
Throughout her career, she has built or lead the communications function for the Ottawa Community Foundation, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Ottawa Heart Institute, among others.
In these roles, she was responsible for projects and initiatives to help grow their profile and brand equity. These initiatives ranged from acting as managing editor for a centennial publication and leading re-branding exercises to overseeing the delivery a national congress for more than 2000 delegates and working with local health partners to design and implement a sodium reduction campaign. She has also taught workshops in health promotion program planning and influencing policy change.
Danielle recently returned to managing her consulting business, Garnet Communications after a 10-year pause. She helps clients align their communications function with their strategic plans with an approach based on a solid understanding of the needs of stakeholders. Her focus is squarely on helping organizations meet their business objectives through impactful storytelling.
Passionate about public relations, Danielle has been volunteering in several capacities with the Canadian Public Relations Society for more than 15 years. She is currently a member of the Council on Accreditation.
Why the name Garnet Communications?
I believe that strategic communications is the solid foundation onto which excellent organizations can build their brand, meet their client needs and reach their business objectives. When I think of my own professional foundation, I can’t help but think of my roots and the place I was born: a small Northern Ontario town called Smooth Rock Falls. A community that shaped my values and prepared me to go out into the world and fulfil my dreams. These values, coupled with the characteristics of my birthstone – garnet – a gemstone linked to characteristics such as health, balance, trust. Garnet is also a stone of strength and safety. Together, these elements inspired my choice for Garnet Communications.
I’m an Accredited member (APR) of the Canadian Public Relations Society and member since 2005. Please see my Code of Professional Standards.