Celebrating the 2025 Wave Award Nominees!

The Wave Awards is IABC/BC’s signature awards program, recognizing communicators who have demonstrated excellence in professional work experience or contributions to the chapter. These chapter awards celebrate leadership and achievement in the workplace, recognize volunteer contributions within the IABC/BC and identify the rising stars currently studying communication, marketing or public relations.

This year, communicators from across British Columbia had the opportunity to nominate their peers or self-nominate for a Wave Award. This resulted in over 17 nominations spanning the full communications and marketing discipline. Thank you to all the nominees and nominators who submitted an application and recognized a peer. The awards are adjudicated by a panel of IABC/BC directors and volunteers who hold senior positions in the field of communications and marketing.

Without further ado, we present the Wave Award nominees for 2025.

Keep an eye on your email inbox and IABC/BC’s social media and website for further updates on winners. We will announce the winners at our summer social gathering on Friday, June 13, 2025 – more details to come!

We’ll be announcing the winners soon. We’ll also celebrate all our winners and nominees at the IABC/BC Summer Social.

Making Waves Award

Making Waves recognizes a new superstar communicator with 6 years or less in the profession who demonstrates skill above their level of experience and who has a bright future.

Marsten Sequeira

Guest Experience Leader / Sales & Marketing Associate | Business BBA student

McDonald’s Canada / Student Works West & Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Connie Wu

Communications Specialist

University of British Columbia

Rachael Pérez

Internal Communications Specialist, External Engagement

Union Gospel Mission

Lighthouse Award

A senior communicator with 7 years or more in the profession whose experience, accomplishments or projects have made them a trusted leader in their organization and a role model.

Viola Cohen

Communications and Marketing Strategist

University of British Columbia Okanagan

Graham Pollock

Director, External Relations

Health Research BC

New Navigator Award

A communicator who is a dedicated volunteer with IABC/BC for 1 to 5 years, making major contributions, creating benefits for members, sharing time and knowledge.

Todd Hauptman

Communications Manager and IABC Career Development Volunteer

Vancouver Aquarium

Daniel Cherkezov

Image Specialist and IABC Volunteer – Partnerships and Special Projects Coordinator

Zara

Long Beach Award

A communicator with a long history as an IABC/BC volunteer, making significant, creative contributions to the chapter for more than 5 years.

Carmen Wright

Manager, Brand and Digital Experience

Langara College

Pamela Gole

Senior Director, Communications and Engagement

Provincial Health Services Authority

Nas Thorseth

Senior Communications Specialist

Metro Vancouver

SAIL Award (Student Advancing in Learning)

A post-secondary student in communication, marketing or public relations studies who demonstrates excellence, collaborates well and shows promise. The winner of the SAIL Award will receive a $750 bursary to continue their studies, thanks to our sponsor Simon Fraser University.

Kerri Kooner

External Relations Co-op Student / Communications BA student

Trans Mountain / Simon Fraser University

Caleb Peterson

Intern, Communications / Bachelor of Media Studies & Master of Management candidate

Seaspan ULC / University of British Columbia

Hana Aboelella

Digital Engagement Coordinator, UBC Sauder School of Business / Bachelor of Arts & Master of Management candidate

University of British Columbia

Simran Kaur

Employer and Alumni Engagement Assistant, UBC \ Marketing and Business Technology Management

University of British Columbia