Joti Buttar
Edmonton,Canada
Summary
Over the past decade, I have led comprehensive internal and external communications strategies, directing social and traditional media campaigns as well as digital and social marketing initiatives from inception through to execution. My in-depth understanding of government processes and policies enables me to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and cultivate essential relationships with diverse stakeholders. I am an expert in media management, public engagement, and cultural communication, specializing in crafting targeted messages and fostering meaningful connections within and beyond governmental spheres. My portfolio includes successfully developing and implementing province-wide outreach plans, facilitating engagement across ministries, stakeholder groups, visible minorities, not-for-profit sector, Indigenous and First Nations partners, and faith-based organizations. Most recently, I ran as a candidate for Edmonton City Council in Ward Karhiio, where I led a full-scale municipal campaign from the ground up, built community-driven policy platforms, managed a team of 30–40 staff and volunteers, and engaged directly with a ward of 95,000 residents.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Media Outreach and Events
Government of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
11.2025 - Current
- Oversees the Government of Alberta's Media Relations Department, providing strategic leadership and operational oversight for government-wide media engagement, proactive outreach, media intelligence, and communications planning.
- Directs a multidisciplinary team responsible for strengthening relationships with rural, multicultural, specialty, national, and international media, ensuring government priorities are communicated effectively while expanding earned media opportunities and public awareness across Alberta and beyond.
- Successfully led media operations supporting nationally significant announcements, including the Canada–Alberta pipeline announcement with Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Northern Shield Energy Corridor announcement with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, official visits involving the Aga Khan, and engagements with other ambassadors and international dignitaries.
- Provides executive oversight for communications initiatives supported by an annual advertising and public engagement portfolio exceeding $10 million, integrating paid advertising with earned media and strategic outreach to maximize public awareness.
- Manages the audio-visual team that produces all technical and operational components required for successful media events, including A/V production, livestreaming, broadcast coordination, teleconferences, media scrums, Media Event Plans (MEPs), venue logistics, stakeholder coordination, onsite operations, and technical risk management to ensure seamless delivery for government announcements.
- Responsible for the provincial newsroom and executive event delivery function for Premier and Ministerial media availabilities, press conferences, announcements, technical briefings, and government events across Alberta.
Candidate Edmonton City Council Ward Karhiio
Edmonton Municipal Elections
10.2025 - Current
- Secured 2,900 votes and raised over $55,000 in a competitive ward, reflecting strong community support and trust as a first-time candidate.
- I oversaw all campaign operations, outreach strategy, and staff alignment while maintaining focus on my core pillars for change in the ward.
- Represented a ward of 95,000 residents and implemented a comprehensive outreach plan including direct mail, social media, video messaging, local networks, and in-person engagement.
- Implemented community surveys to understand resident priorities and shaped my platform around those needs, ensuring a community-first and inclusive approach.
- Built a grass roots campaign from the ground up, curated a campaign team, developed the campaign identity, and established branding and messaging rooted in my values.
- Led and managed a campaign team of 30 to 40 staff and volunteers, coordinating daily operations, canvassing logistics, and ward demographics.
- Maintained public presence through 8-to-10-hour days of door knocking, community engagement, event participation, and resident follow-up to build relationships and address concerns.
- Responded to resident concerns on taxes, infrastructure, snow removal, transit safety, and capital planning with clarity and realistic explanations.
- Delivered impactful speeches to large audiences at cultural and community events, effectively articulating a vision for a safer, more affordable, and better-connected city.
- Participated in public debates and media forums with strong composure, clarity, and issue understanding.
Director Communications, Marketing and Government Relations
Prestige Pain Spine and Orthopedic Pain Centers
02.2024 - 05.2025
- Oversaw external communications including brand messaging, media relations, public-facing announcements, community engagement, and reputation management.
- Led government relations initiatives, collaborating with lobbyists and advisors to coordinate outreach and support leadership in navigating policy-related and regulatory engagements.
- Developed and implemented integrated marketing strategies (digital, print, community outreach) to enhance visibility and engagement for pain-management and surgical services across 15 surgical clinics under Prestige.
- Directed client, partner and referral networks, ensuring high-touch engagement with physicians, insurers, legal and injury-care partners.
- Planned and executed industry events, social functions and networking initiatives, strengthening relationships across the insurance, injury, and medical communities.
- Coordinated the clinics’ presence at medical conferences, securing sponsorships, tickets, staffing, and promotional support.
- New Jersey
Senior Public Engagement Advisor – Project and Environmental Review – Development and Permitting Regulatory
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
01.2023 - 01.2024
- Managed team responsible for developing public engagement guidelines, ensuring applicants and permit holders understand the public notification requirements for development permits.
- Provided engagement consultation on impactful environmental projects involving the public, stakeholders, and indigenous communities for large-scale, complex initiatives such as Neptune Terminals, DP World, Westridge Marine Terminals, Pacific Coast Terminals, Seaspan, Robert Banks Terminal, and Trans Mountain Pipeline.
- Collaborated with project managers, engineering, legal, and real estate departments to establish necessary scope of public engagement for projects.
- Defined engagement levels, outlined public roles in engagement processes, and selected effective tools and methods for community involvement.
- Reviewed construction and public engagement notifications to ensure compliance with federal and provincial regulatory requirements.
- Assessed traffic management, light management, noise management, and air quality assessment plans to ensure the public is well-informed on potential impacts.
- Directed successful engagement consultations involving 30+ public and stakeholder meetings annually.
- Successfully addressed 90% of stakeholder concerns, leading to highest project approval by regulatory authorities within the organization, over the last 5 years.
- Federal Subsidiary (Short Term Contract)
Senior Cultural Media Advisor, Stakeholder Engagement
Government of Alberta
12.2017 - 12.2022
- Successfully pitched ministers on ethnic radio/TV, coordinating a weekly rotating interview schedule that ensured ministers completed 1-2 cultural media interviews each week.
- Organized monthly roundtable discussions with Premier and Ministers to engage key stakeholders, businesses, and community groups, addressing pertinent issues and fostering dialogue.
- Designed, delivered, and evaluated large-scale communications and marketing campaigns using social, digital, and traditional media strategies for diverse stakeholders, including government and health care providers.
- Created communications plans specific to each ministry to help enhance their outreach to target specific ethno-cultural communities.
- Identified and triaged emerging issues and provided strategic issues management advice directly to the Premier's Office and Cabinet.
- Led internal communications, web management, marketing, advertising, branding, social media planning, and ad hoc projects related to Alberta’s COVID-19 response to minority communities.
- Managed team of in-house translations in over 14 languages, ensuring timely completion and distribution of materials to local media.
- Collaborated with communications and public engagement teams to develop strategic initiatives.
- Developed a cross-ministry report on the government’s Anti-Racism Action Plan. Highlighted initiatives taken by different ministries by measuring results, media reach, and earned media.
- Managed communication flow to internal ministerial avenues and external media outlets, encompassing newspapers, magazines, journals, television, radio, E-papers, and social media.
Senior Multicultural Liaison – Stakeholder Engagement
Government Caucus – Alberta
01.2014 - 12.2017
- Liaised with communications branches, government caucus, and MLAs to effectively support initiatives and programs in multilingual, multicultural, and ethnic communities and media.
- Collected and analyzed data on visible minority demographics, focusing on Metis, Indigenous, First Nations communities, language, religion, and recent immigration trends to inform outreach strategies.
- Organized and presented data to enhance Caucus outreach efforts, identifying gaps in government support for multicultural communities.
- Developed a comprehensive inventory of multicultural stakeholders in Alberta, created an outreach plan distributed to all Constituency Assistants throughout Alberta.
- Coordinated and executed events for 100-500 participants, engaging community organizations, non-profits, and government officials to foster collaboration and support for multicultural initiatives.
- Worked with designers, art directors and graphic artists to ensure visual depictions of the Province and Albertans, in communications products, are reflective of its diversity and cultural composition and avoid stereotypical or inaccurate representations.
Education
POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE - HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
CONESTOGA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
WATERLOO, ON05-2014
BACHELOR OF ARTS - Major English, Minor History
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
EDMONTON, AB01-2013
Skills
- Lead Strategic Communications & Media Relations
- Build Executive & Stakeholder Relationships
- Direct Public Engagement & Consultation
- Manage Government & Intergovernmental Relations
- Develop Media Outreach & Communications Strategies
- Analyze Media Intelligence & Environmental Scanning
- Oversee Crisis & Issues Management
- Coordinate High-Profile Events & Protocol
- Drive Multicultural & Rural Engagement
- Navigate Government Policy, Cabinet & Legislative Processes
- Ensure FOIP & Regulatory Compliance
- Facilitate Indigenous & Community Engagement
- Deliver Advertising & Public Awareness Campaigns
- Lead Cross-Functional Teams & Operations
Volunteer Experience
- Volunteer, Sikh Federation of Edmonton, 01/01/08, 12/01/12, Handled all marketing of Vaisakhi Jubilee (14,000-person event), reached out to community sponsors, organized sponsorships for 100 prizes handed out on stage to participants (children who participated in community dance competitions, community poetry, and acting competitions).
- Volunteer, Indigenous Wellness AHS, Edmonton, 01/01/19, 12/01/21, Worked alongside Indigenous groups, government organizations to help facilitate culturally appropriate health services for Indigenous communities.
Certificates Courses Accolades
- Indigenous Canada, University of Alberta, 2018
- Collaborative Leadership Certificate, Ideou.com, 2019
- Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age, coursera.org, 2018
- Recipient of Provincial Premier’s Public Service Award for Diversity and Inclusion Team, 2022
- Efficient Business and Professional Writing, Simon Fraser University, 2023
- IAP2 International Association of Public Participation Certification, 2024
Timeline
Director, Media Outreach and Events
Government of Alberta
11.2025 - Current
Candidate Edmonton City Council Ward Karhiio
Edmonton Municipal Elections
10.2025 - Current
Director Communications, Marketing and Government Relations
Prestige Pain Spine and Orthopedic Pain Centers
02.2024 - 05.2025
Senior Public Engagement Advisor – Project and Environmental Review – Development and Permitting Regulatory
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
01.2023 - 01.2024
Senior Cultural Media Advisor, Stakeholder Engagement
Government of Alberta
12.2017 - 12.2022
Senior Multicultural Liaison – Stakeholder Engagement
Government Caucus – Alberta
01.2014 - 12.2017
POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE - HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
CONESTOGA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
BACHELOR OF ARTS - Major English, Minor History
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY