Laura-Ann Chong

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT LAURA-ANN CHONG

Former elite gymnast and Cirque du Soleil acrobat turned public relations professional. As both an athlete and artist, I have over 20 years of experience in brand reputation. While performing with Cirque, I acquired three years of practical experience assisting publicists on world tours in global markets, building skills in content development for diverse communities and languages, social media management and international media relations. During my practicum placement at front + centre communications, I expanded my skills in influencer marketing, media relations and communication strategies for B2C e-commerce challenger brands. At Citizen Relations, I investigated the new medium of social audio and how brands can adopt these developing platforms while conducting media relations and influencer marketing for our clients. As the Public Relations Manager for Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, I led all media relations, influencer collaborations and crisis communications for the historic 700 acre resort. I favour the dedication and adaptability essential to the longevity of a performance driven career and have a passion for connection with an audience and the communities around me. Mental health and athlete rights are issues I will always support and currently am active in changing sport culture, specifically in regards to Safe Sport. I currently volunteer as the Athlete Representative of the Women’s Technical Committee for Gymnastics BC and the Safe Sport and DE & I Committees for AthletesCAN. I have been to 48 countries and love to immerse myself in new cultures and food experiences. Early on, I was on the Canadian National Gymnastics Team and named alternate for the 2004 Olympic Games. I was a scholarship student-athlete at Oregon State University where I was a two-time All-American Gymnast, Pac-10 Conference Champion, and Regional Champion. I was chosen to represent Oregon State at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference, the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) Outstanding Major of the Year, and a two-time Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Team.