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Ms. Avvey Peters (BA 1995)

     As a student, Avvey Peters (BA 1995) always had a fondness for classes that focused on communication and writing. She enjoyed these classes so much that she chose a career in which she knew she would have the opportunity to use speechwriting and communication skills every day: “Looking back, I couldn’t have made a better choice for interest and building a career.”

     Avvey’s favourite class at Waterloo was the speechwriting course taught by Dr. Jill Tomasson Goodwin. For Avvey, this class stands out from her others for a number of reasons. First, “Jill is a marvelous professor.” In her professional work Avvey still has the pleasure of interacting with Dr. Tomasson Goodwin. Second, the course topics were both interesting and informative. The class focused on writing, persuasion, politics, and how people use language in powerful ways, reviewing the great speeches of the 20th century and also looking at “what is in great speechwriters’ toolkits that makes them so effective.”

     One of Avvey’s co-op placements took her to work at CTV Southwestern Ontario as a news writer. As a member of the writing staff, she “prepared the script for the evening newscasts.” This workplace was hectic but eye-opening. “I got real life experience in the workplace as a writer, and that is really what I was looking for,” says Avvey.

     After graduating, Avvey enrolled in the Master of Journalism program at Carleton University. After completing her graduate degree, she returned to UW as a staff member, eventually working as Associate Director in Communications and Public Affairs. During her time in this position, she was the primary speechwriter for President David Johnson. Today, Avvey works as the Vice President of Operations at Communitech, a technology organization based in Waterloo. In this role, she manages the organization’s strategic relationships, and handles public, government and media relations. “There are a lot of interesting things happening in the tech sector,” says Avvey, “and my communications background helps me to tell great stories about Waterloo Region’s technology industry.”