PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPERVISOR, WHISTLER BLACKCOMB, B.C. Age: 28 Push to The Latest: No Education: B.A. Communications from Wilfred Laurier University; Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communications from Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning First job in the industry: public relations coordinator at Whistler Blackcomb Super power: The ability to control the weather, like Storm from X-Men. Six-word bio: "Dreamer with a passion for communication."

THE NOMINATION

Lauren Everest has been a key member of the PR team at Whistler Blackcomb for four years. Whistler Blackcomb hosts more than 600 media a year, so this is no small feat. She also acted as PR manager for the World Ski & Snowboard Festival for the last two years and supervises and coordinates many of the television shoots on the mountain. While this may seem fun, there are a million different details to bring together. Whether it’s taking care of the logistics so Top Chef can hold a cooking challenge in the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola or finding the right ski instructor for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lauren is always behind the scenes ensuring it goes off without a hitch.

—Michelle Leroux, PR and Communications Manager, Whistler Blackcomb

The Interview

Whistler Blackcomb has one of the busiest PR departments in North America. What’s your strategy for keeping calm and carrying on every day?

Two words: team work. All the members of our team are so hard-working and passionate about what we do, and that makes getting through the never-ending “to do” list manageable.

Few of us have media directly scrutinizing our jobs, but that’s your reality much of the time. How do you ensure media folks get what they need?

I try to be as strategic and thoughtful as possible when I’m dealing with a media request. I think the biggest challenge is seeing the full picture and helping to get the reporters/writers/ photog- raphers everything they’ve asked for, and maybe something they didn’t even know they needed.

Social media looks to be an important part of your role. What is the most challenging aspect of that?

We always have so much going on and so much to say that sometimes, the biggest challenge is how to fit it all in! Whistler Blackcomb likes to be “playfully irreverent” with our marketing, which makes the creative side of social media fun. Take a look at the “Unicorn Cats” campaign on the Whistler Parks’ Instagram for an example of what I mean.

What are some key things you’ve learned about bringing a successful mountain resort event to life?

Plan ahead, be as organized as possible, and get out there and participate in the fun. Leading the media relations for the World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the stress and craziness of it all. But I make it a priority to attend as many of the events and concerts as possible, to remind myself of what an amazing festival WSSF is.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your role so far?

When I became a supervisor, having other people on my team looking to me for guidance and leadership was a struggle at first. In addition, having the confidence to make decisions that will impact a team member’s work experience and the confidence to delegate took time to develop. I think I’ve got the hang of it now, though, and those supervisory responsibilities are fast becoming one of my favorite parts of the job.