Following a national search, Eliza Bennett has been hired as the city’s new director of communications and community engagement, effective Feb. 13.
In a news release Tuesday, the city said the post falls under the new organizational structure announced in December 2016. Bennett is now responsible for communications, community engagement and the city’s 311 service.
Bennett has been the manager of corporate communications and French-language services since 2008. She graduated from the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III in France, and has more than 15 years of experience in bilingual communications in the international, not-for-profit, education and government sectors, including five years with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris.
Ward 5 Coun. Bob Kirwan, Growth and Infrastructure GM Tony Cecutti, and HR coordinator Meredith McNeil sat on the hiring panel along with Archer.
Bennett will be part of the city’s executive leadership team. That team is now established and includes CAO Ed Archer; Cecutti; Kevin Fowke (GM of corporate services); Catherine Matheson (GM of community development); Trevor Bain (GM of community safety); Caroline Hallsworth (executive director of legislative services); Ed Stankiewicz (executive director of finance, assets and fleet); and Ian Wood (director of economic development).
