How to use storytelling to communicate effectively in government

Speakers

• Philip Mudge

  Irish Department of Defence

  Ireland

• Brooke López

  Founder & Features Director at Lone Star Parity Project

  United States

• Maame Efua De-Heer

  Policy Analyst

  Canada

• Philip Mudge, Irish Department of Defence. Philip has worked in many different organisations in his 30 + year career, and undertaken many different roles, mainly in the education, social inclusion and not-for profit sectors. He joined the Irish civil service in 2016, leading the Communications Unit in the Department of Defence (MOD). Following a three year posting to the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU (2018-21), he is currently Head of the Research, Technology and Innovation Unit in the Defence Organisation (Defence Forces and Department of Defence).

• Brooke López, co-founder of the Lone Star Parity Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing women+ in Texas politics by amplifying voices and magnifying research. She began her journey into politics and government at a young age by working with her state representative to draft a bill at age 15, founding a social welfare-based nonprofit at age 16, running for municipal public office at age 18, and serving on the Public Arts Advisory Board for her hometown at age 19. She graduated magna cum laude, ranked third, from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law with her Juris Doctor and cum laude from the University of Texas at Dallas with a BSc in Public Affairs.

• Maame Efua De-Heer, Policy Analyst, Intersectoral Partnerships and Initiatives, Public Health Agency of Canada. Maame is an adept Public Health Professional with 9 years academic and professional expertise in healthcare. Her role as a Policy Analyst is with the Mental Health for Black Canadians Initiative where she contributes to building evidence and enhancing community-led, culturally focused mental health interventions that address mental health and its determinants for diverse Black communities across Canada. Within the Government of Canada, Maame engages in diverse leadership and executive roles where she supports the Co-Leads for the Black Employees Matter chapter within the Government of Canada, and is also an Inclusive Staffing Working Group Member where she imparts concepts and tenets that address challenges in a bias-free appointment process and identify areas in the appointment process where bias-related problems can occur.