Audra Williams Writer, strategist, chatterbox. Lover of Toronto.

For my entire professional life, I have been creating content that demystifies complex issues in order to provide an entry point for civic participation. This is what unites my work as an ASL interpreter, a speechwriter, and a digital strategist. I have learned that the best way to draw people in is with mixture of the familiar and the surprising, and I try to remember that Mark Twain said “If I had more time, I would have written less.” Some of my professional highlights include: creating an atmosphere of geniality and respect on the rabble.ca message board, leading Oxfam’s digital team at the G20 summit, and working a knitting joke into one of Jack Layton’s speeches during the 2008 federal election. Taking on big jobs and big adventures has seen me move across the country three times on a moment’s notice, and I tackle each new project with optimism, ingenuity, and grace under pressure. My heroes include Muriel Duckworth, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Megan Leslie, Rosemary Brown, and Khaela Maricich.