Diana Degan, IABC Fellow, MC, ABC, CAAP, BAA, is an award‑winning communications leader, educator and strategic advisor whose 35‑year career has strengthened communication practice, elevated professional standards and advanced human‑centred communication across Canada and beyond. Known for her thoughtful, grounded approach, Diana brings a reflective perspective to her work — shaped by decades of experience and a deep commitment to communication as a force for understanding and equity.

She has led work spanning the full spectrum of the profession — from strategic planning, brand development and integrated marketing communications to crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, internal communication and accessibility‑focused communication design.

As founder of Diana Degan & Associates, she built an award‑winning integrated marketing communications agency recognized five times as IABC/Toronto’s Independent/Small/Boutique Agency of the Year. Now celebrating 25 years, her firm has supported clients across sectors — from entrepreneurs and nonprofits to celebrities like Beyoncé and national and global organizations — delivering programs that earned 27 IABC and CPRS awards, including six Gold Quills, as well as two Dial North American Awards for Best Consumer Promotion. She has also been honoured as a Guelph Woman of Distinction in the Business/Entrepreneur category. Diana’s client‑side leadership includes serving as Country Communications Manager, where she established a national Marketing Communications department and led major communication initiatives across Canada.

A dedicated educator since 2019, Diana has taught more than 2,000 students at Conestoga College, where she redesigned curriculum, embedded IABC ethics and the Global Standard, and earned the inaugural Faculty Innovation Award. Her trauma‑informed, accessibility‑focused teaching reflects her belief that communication should make people feel seen, supported and understood — a philosophy that guides both her classroom and her broader professional practice.

Diana has been an active IABC volunteer at the chapter, regional and international levels for more than two decades. She has served as Vice President of Member Communications and Vice President of Professional Standards for IABC/Toronto, chaired the OVATION Awards, and presented at two IABC World Conferences. Since 2001, she has been a long‑standing evaluator for OVATION, Silver Leaf, Gold Quill and U.S. regional awards.

A lifelong learner, Diana holds the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation, the Master Communicator (MC) designation, a Post‑Secondary Teaching Certificate, the Ontario Extend Empowered Educator designation, the Certified Advertising Agency Practitioner (CAAP) designation, Carbon Literate Certification, AI literacy credentials and more than 170 professional development achievements. She is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University, where she earned her Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism.

Her work — and her leadership — are grounded in a simple philosophy: communication is most powerful when it creates space for people to connect, reflect and find clarity.