Shayla’s career has been full of incredible moments and accomplishments spread across thousands of miles, but the feat she’s most proud of is one that has had the biggest impact.
“While working at CityNews, I co-created an award-winning, bi-weekly news information series called The Inside Story,” said Shayla. “It featured stories of resilience and inspiration. The series was honoured by the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Canadian Medical Association and was nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards.”
“The project is something I will always hold close to my heart because it impacted people in a positive way,” said Shayla. “We consistently received messages from viewers and journalists across the country who said they connected with our stories. There is nothing more rewarding than hearing that.”
After nearly 15 years in television broadcasting, Shayla recently accepted a position with the Public Relations department at McMaster University. “I’m able to use my experience creating dynamic and informative stories as well as my technical background to serve the Faculty of Health Sciences,” said Shayla.
Working hard is nothing new for Shayla. She’s been committed to her work since her college days, going above and beyond as a student.
“I took full advantage of every opportunity at Mohawk,” said Shayla. “I worked in The Arnie, The Cellar and in the Student Services department at the Stoney Creek campus. I was a two-sport athlete playing on both the women’s basketball and soccer teams and covered sports news for the College’s newspaper.”
Despite all her hard work as an athlete and a student employee, Shayla never forgot her main reason to attend Mohawk: to get an education and build a better future. “The Journalism and Communications Media Program exposed me to all aspects of media and communications and opened the door to career opportunities in a wide range of fields,” said Shayla.
“My education played a significant role in helping me get my foot in the door and land my first job in the television industry, and fifteen years later, I’m still using skills I learned as a student to help me succeed as I change career paths and move into the world of public relations.”
Through her career, Shayla has accomplished great things and learned many important lessons, which she hopes to share with the next generation of broadcasters and journalists.
“As you enter the workforce, always remember that although change can be hard, it is what makes you grow,” said Shayla. “Never shy away from the opportunity to seize change with a positive attitude and an open mind. The first piece of advice I received in the industry was something I’ll never forget, ‘Be kind to everyone because the intern you sit with today could one day be your boss.’”
This originally appeared in the Spring 2022 online InTouch magazine.
