Valerie Dugale employs extensive skills in strategic and communications management to help clients solve problems and maximize their potential for change.

Her career was launched with advertising management positions at Coca-Cola Ltd. (Canada) and the Ontario Milk Marketing Board. In the 1980s, Valerie co-founded two advertising agencies to help clients position and promote their products within the burgeoning healthy lifestyles market. She developed marketing and educational campaigns for clients including Kellogg Canada Inc., the Ontario Ministry of Health, Mead Johnston Canada, Nestle Canada Inc., Canadian Egg Marketing Agency and the Provincial Anti-Drug Secretariat.

A consultant since the early 1990s, Valerie's portfolio broadened with her work in organizational change management. She has helped implement human rights, diversity policies and related training in Ontario government ministries as well as organizations including Camco Inc, GE Canada Inc., and Peel Board of Education. She has provided the communications infrastructure for learning and continuous improvement initiatives and service equity models for the City of Toronto and Ontario Ministry of Economic Development among others.

On the national front, Valerie's strategic abilities have helped various organizations successfully bring about changes in public awareness, policy and government regulations. She managed a national coalition of consumer, health practitioner and industry groups and successfully forced the federal government to establish a new directorate and regulations for natural health products. Her government briefs drew her to the attention of Federal Health Minister Allan Rock, who appointed her to a 17-member, private sector transition team to set up the new directorate.

Valerie has a unique ability to make complex issues understandable for the public, media and elected officials. Whether it's mandatory labelling of genetically engineered foods, dealing with the cholesterol issue on behalf of egg producers, or articulating issues for First Nations leadership to negotiate with Health Canada, Valerie's communications are persuasive, effective and winning.

An Hons. BA graduate of York University in Toronto, Valerie lives in Toronto with her partner.