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Kayla Stuckart Appointed ECU’s Executive Director, Communications, Marketing + Public Affairs

Kayla Stuckart 2024

By Emily Carr University

Posted on | Updated

The seasoned communications and marketing leader, who has served in the role in an interim capacity for the past year, began her appointment April 1, 2025.

Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kayla Stuckart as Executive Director of Communications, Marketing + Public Affairs.

Reporting to ECU’s President, the Executive Director, Communications, Marketing + Public Affairs is responsible for the university’s overall communications strategy including public relations, internal communications, issues management, strategic marketing, brand and reputation management, government relations and community engagement.

Kayla stepped into the interim role in April 2024 following her external recruitment to ECU as the Director, Marketing + Digital Strategy.

“Over the past year, Kayla has been instrumental in realizing crucial initiatives including ECU’s new Strategic Plan, planning for the centennial celebrations and building deeper partnerships between her staff and the broader university,” says Trish Kelly, President + Vice-Chancellor at ECU. “Her extensive experience with brand-building and storytelling has been invaluable, as have her sharp mind, enduring curiosity and good humour. Kayla is precisely the kind of strategic leader we need as ECU prepares to enter its second century, and I’m thrilled to have her take on this role in a permanent capacity.”

Since last spring, Kayla has collaborated across units and with her Communications + Marketing team to advance the implementation of a new ECU website, elevate storytelling and media relations, and develop foundational marketing strategies to strengthen student recruitment. She also co-led a selection committee to secure a creative agency for ECU’s centennial campaign and supported the president in provincial and federal advocacy efforts.

“Leading a talented, driven team has been an incredible opportunity to lay the groundwork for a more focused, aligned and creative future for ECU’s communications, marketing, and public affairs portfolio,” Kayla says. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together so far and excited to continue this work in a permanent capacity. As Canada’s top-ranked university for art and design, ECU has an extraordinary story to tell, and I’m honoured to help share it with the world.”


Before joining ECU, Kayla spent nearly eight years in the K-12 sector, overseeing internal and external communications for the Abbotsford School District (ASD). She is an award-winning communicator, earning multiple accolades for campaigns designed to support ASD’s public awareness and storytelling efforts. She has also been recognized with national and international awards from the National School Public Relations Association and Canadian Association of Communicators in Education (CACE).

Kayla has been actively involved in public education communications for a decade. She served on the CACE national Board of Directors from 2021 to 2024, following her role as Regional Liaison from 2018 to 2021. She is also a long-standing member of the Canadian Public Relations Society and is currently engaged in industry organizations including the BC Association of Institutes & Universities External Relations Committee and the Council for Advancement & Support of Education.

Kayla’s expertise spans corporate communications, brand management, social media and stakeholder engagement. She is fluent in the implementation and use of digital tools and has a proven track record of developing strategies for improving collaboration across departments and locations in complex public institutions.

Her extensive experience in crisis communication has established her as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and boards, guiding them through challenging and sensitive situations. From natural disasters and student and staff safety to employee misconduct, the coronavirus pandemic, and political and social justice issues, she has consistently provided strategic and thoughtful counsel.

She is known for her ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, navigating complex situations with integrity and empathy.

Kayla holds a Master of Arts in Communications from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Certificate in Emergency Management for Organizational Continuity from the University of Victoria.

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