This article is part of a new series shining a spotlight on the personalities and priorities of Dal's senior leadership team. Look for more profiles in the weeks to come, and revisit previous profiles at the Leadership and Vision website.
In the early fall of 2010, Catherine Bagnell Styles was ascending the steps of the Henry Hicks Building for her second interview, hoping to become assistant vice-president of communications and marketing at Dal.
Standing on the steps was someone very familiar looking: Lt. General Romeo Dallaire, there no doubt to check in on .
鈥淚 have such respect for him and empathy for what he鈥檚 been through,鈥� Bagnell Styles says. 鈥淎nd I thought, 鈥楬ow wonderful it would be to work in a place that attracts that kind of person.鈥欌��
Coming full circle
Returning to Halifax was something of a full circle for Bagnell Styles, who grew up fifteen minutes away in Spryfield. In the interim, she鈥檇 left Nova Scotia in her early twenties, after completing a degree at Mount St. Vincent University focused on marketing, French and design and textiles. She lived briefly in Newfoundland before settling in Alberta and Toronto for more than two decades. 听
One of her earliest memories is an abstract one, realizing that whatever it was she wanted to be when she grew up, she hoped it would not involve repetition or predictability. She wanted each day to be different. 鈥淚 liked things to change; I liked to be challenged, try new things. And I really wanted to beat my own path, not let anybody define my story for me. I think that鈥檚 one of the biggest reasons I moved away.鈥�
She got a great taste of the variety she sought working for Canadian Airlines and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, where competition was fierce and things moved fast, where she did everything from working on international brand campaigns to launching the first frequent-flyer programs.
鈥淚 often reflect on my own early ambitions and dreams,鈥� she says, 鈥渃onnecting the dots to the work I鈥檝e been able to do, with the ambitions of today鈥檚 students. 鈥淭hey have the same hunger and desire to make their mark. Like me, they may not know exactly what they want to do but they are keen to make their mark, to make progress, and they are looking for the right place to help them succeed. This is the sort of notion I think about when we鈥檙e working on recruitment marketing.鈥�
No set routine
Her curiosity for academia remained a constant, even when working in other industries. She eventually became associate vice-president of external relations at University of Calgary for eight years before coming to AV俱乐部. She even taught marketing at the U of C. Learning has been a lifelong process for her, focusing at different times on advertising, marketing, communications, French and leadership training at Queen鈥檚 University, Royal Roads University and Harvard University.
At AV俱乐部, she has achieved her childhood wish for a life without routine. 鈥淚t鈥檚 predictably unpredictable,鈥� she says. One moment she鈥檒l be working on an integrated marketing strategy for Dal鈥檚 enrollment plan, the next on plans to increase profile for Dal鈥檚 research stories and experts.听 鈥淢edia relations is a very important priority for AV俱乐部. We get close to 800 media requests a year, we pitch well over 200 stories annually and tell close to 600 stories in Dal News.鈥�
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Underlying it all are principles of having a measurable strategic plan, building respectful, effective relationships internally and externally and compelling storytelling.
There are two, somewhat contradictory, attitudes at play in her approach to her job. First, she tells herself and her team, 鈥淟et鈥檚 do the very, very best we can. Let鈥檚 dream big and get things done鈥� And second, 鈥淭ake time to recharge.鈥�
In other words: dream really big, make a great plan and execute well. But, know that you are human and need time to refresh. The key to managing a large and varied workload, she says, is to focus and work through the busy periods and use any downtime to think, reflect and restore so that the more challenging moments don鈥檛 break you, but rather make you stronger.
Bringing Dal 200 to life
Recently, her biggest focus has been her role as chair of Dal鈥檚 200th anniversary. Results are still being tallied and plans made for transitioning into 鈥測ear 201,鈥� but Bagnell Styles says the 200th has 鈥渆xceeded expectations and been one of the most rewarding projects - ever.鈥�
A cross-campus planning team 鈥� which included members from all faculties and most units 鈥� oversaw a year鈥檚 worth of over 150 initiatives and events with over 32,000 community members, faculty and staff, students, alumni and retirees taking part.
The bicentennial served, in a sense, as a great culmination of her work at Dal so far, and as a terrific platform for Dal to reflect on the past, think about the future and say thank you to the many who have contributed to Dal鈥檚 first 200 years. Bagnell Styles has noticed 鈥渁 renewed confidence in who we are and what we can achieve and an improved connectedness with key communities,鈥� she says, 鈥渢here鈥檚 a certain buoyancy to our step, an optimism.鈥� And, the 200th has been an important part of that.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really a great time at Dal. We鈥檝e had a great bicentennial, big wins in research and fundraising and record enrollment. I鈥檓 very keen to see what we do in the third century.鈥�
On the relationship between AV俱乐部 and the City of Halifax...
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for the part I play in promoting Dal and Halifax. Our brands are very connected. We鈥檙e dependent on each other. The university feeds the community and the community feeds the university.鈥�
On lifelong learning...
鈥淲e often don鈥檛 know what we don鈥檛 know. And almost every time I think I鈥檝e figured 鈥榠t鈥� out, I realize there鈥檚 so much more to learn. And, we can absolutely learn something from everyone we meet regardless of position.鈥�
On what motivates her...
鈥淚 love really great, big ideas. I love the dreaming big and making something happen.鈥�
On confidence and self-reflection...
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty rare not to have self-doubt or anxiety sometimes. It makes for interesting people. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and staying confident in yourself while you work your way through something is key 鈥� an opportunity or a challenge, both are connected. Experience is a great teacher. Through it all, practicing self-awareness and self-care are key. Of course, I鈥檓 not always perfect at this.
Five questions
When you were a student, what was your favourite course?
Marketing, or History of Art
What鈥檚 your favourite hobby or pastime?
My garden. And about ten years ago I started painting. When you paint, your brain is completely absorbed. You have to be fully in the moment of what you鈥檙e doing.
If you could only bring one artist鈥檚 music with you to a desert island, who would it be?
Definitely a female singer with a big voice 鈥� maybe some Aretha Franklin. 鈥淐hain of Fools鈥� and 鈥淩espect鈥� are always in my repertoire and may sometime be heard in our office.
What鈥檚 the best advice you鈥檝e ever received?
It comes from a teenage Catherine copying a friend who I really admired. I thought, 鈥淚f only I could be Janice.鈥� She was the epitome of sophistication. I copied her mannerisms. A friend said, 鈥淎 first-rate Catherine is better than a second-rate Janice.鈥� In other words: being authentic, knowing who you are, rather than trying to copy someone else, will help you be your best.
If you could have dinner with one person 鈥� living, deceased or fictional 鈥� who would it be and why?
I would have liked to have met Nelson Mandela because for him to have been treated as badly as he was and still behave with such grace was really remarkable.
Additional photography: Aaron Mackenzie Fraser