Iris Communications bolsters government relations and integrated communications offerings with the addition of Jeff Brennan and Graeme Benjamin
HALIFAX, NS March 30, 2023 – Iris Communications, a Halifax-based strategic communications and government relations advisory firm, is pleased to welcome Jeff Brennan, Director, and Graeme Benjamin, Consultant, as the firm continues to grow and expand its team and service offerings.
Jeff is a skilled stakeholder relations, policy, and communications professional with experience working on key files at the municipal, provincial, federal, and international levels. Before joining Iris, he worked in the provincial governments of Ontario and Nova Scotia, as well as the Government of Canada, providing strategic advice and counsel to senior officials.
“Jeff is a strategic thinker who has a keen understanding of government processes, programs, and policies,” said Sean Lewis, Partner. “Our clients will benefit from his extensive stakeholder relations, policy, and communications expertise and the meaningful relationships he has developed in Nova Scotia, Toronto, and Ottawa to deliver results.”
A graduate of Carleton University, Jeff most recently worked as a Special Advisor to Nova Scotia’s Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care and as a Director of Stakeholder Relations and Operations with the Government of Ontario. Before this, he spent over 10 years with the Government of Canada working for various elected officials, including the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Senators, and Members of Parliament.
“I’ve had the opportunity to be a key advisor on issues impacting Canadians from coast to coast to coast. From healthcare and education to foreign affairs and trade, my experience and expertise have developed across various industries and sectors,” said Brennan. “I look forward to leveraging my expertise, knowledge, and network to support all our clients’ needs.”
Graeme Benjamin is a strategic communicator and storyteller with nearly a decade of experience at Canada’s top news networks. Before joining Iris, he was an on-air reporter for Global News at 6 and Global News Morning in Halifax, covering everything from national breaking news to people-driven features.
During his time at CTV Atlantic and Global Halifax, Graeme fostered extensive relationships with representatives from the public and private sectors and with industry-leading reporters and producers. He has a comprehensive understanding of the Atlantic media landscape and a sound ability to tell stories visually, digitally, and through print.
“Developing relevant, compelling, and impactful content and communicating it with the people that matter most to our clients is a core part of our business,” said Lewis. “Graeme’s media and storytelling experience aligns with our integrated approach of producing content, using shared media to distribute it, paid media to amplify it, and earned media to further validate it.”
Graeme was born and raised outside Halifax and has lived in Nova Scotia his entire life. He is a graduate of the Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) program at the University of King’s College.
“I’ve been fortunate to cover many of the recent significant events in our region and the personal stories that are at the centre of them—from heartwarming interest stories and elections to COVID-19 and the April 2020 mass casualty,” said Benjamin. “As part of the team at Iris, I apply the same creativity, tenacity, and time management from the newsroom to support our clients with their communications goals, including media relations training, media outreach, and video and written content development.”
Over the past year, the Iris team has doubled to eight full-time communications and government relations advisors supporting new and expanding client mandates.
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About Iris Communications
Iris Communications is an independent strategic communications and government relations advisory firm based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our team of senior-level communications, business, and government advisors work with organizations that operate at the intersection of business, government, and society. As a trusted partner to our clients, we help them anticipate, plan, and implement strategies to navigate today’s complex environments and achieve their desired results—both online and off. Our clients operate in diverse sectors, including healthcare, ocean technology, energy, fisheries, manufacturing, forestry, and non-profit.
Contact:
Sean Lewis
Partner, Iris Communications
902-222-9240
[email protected]