Contact
Christine Mota
Director
E-mail: chris.mota@concordia.ca
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 4884
Twitter: @ChristineMota
A graduate of Concordia University, Christine Mota joined Concordia's Public Relations Department in 1993, after a 15-year career in the Montreal broadcast industry. She had worked at various radio and TV stations as a newscaster, producer and talk-show host. In 1995, she moved to the University Advancement Office - the fundraising arm of Concordia - where she worked on the Annual Giving Campaign and Concordia's Campaign for a New Millennium. Christine returned to the Public Affairs (formerly Public Relations) Department in 1998, and became Coordinator of Media Relations for the University in 2001. In January 2006, she was appointed Director of Media Relations and official University spokesperson.
Cléa Desjardins
Senior Advisor
E-mail: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 5068
Twitter: @CleaDesjardins
Cléa joined the Media Relations department in January 2012. Prior to that, she spent a little over two years as the communications advisor for Concordia’s Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from McGill, and a Master’s in English from Oxford. Cléa initially came to Concordia by way of the McGill University Health Centre Foundation, where she served as Communications and Donor Relations Associate. She has also acted as Office Manager at McGill’s Office for Research Opportunities, Website Assistant for McGill’s Department of English, and Production Coordinator on various television productions in her native New Brunswick. As Senior Advisor, External Communications, Cléa works to “translate” the work of academics across the university, making the complex work that goes on at Concordia more accessible to the broader community.
Fiona Downey
Advisor
E-mail: Fiona.Downey@concordia.ca
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 2518
Twitter: @fiodow
Fiona Downey joined Concordia’s Media Relations department in May, 2009. Prior to that, she worked for 25 years as a journalist, producing stories in both French and English. At the CBC in Montreal, Fiona worked in television and radio, anchoring and reporting news as well as hosting various current affairs programs. She also spent several years focusing on the city’s lively arts scene and bringing Montreal stories to a variety of network programs broadcast across Canada. Fiona is proud to be a graduate of Concordia’s Communication Studies program. Her primary responsibility is to increase the university’s visibility within the media.
Nadia Kherif
Advisor
E-mail: nadia.kherif@concordia.ca
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 4187
Twitter: @MediaNad
Nadia Kherif joined the Media Relations Department in November of 2001. As a member of the team, her primary responsibility is working with the French language media. Nadia worked as a journalist and television newscaster in Algeria for 4 years until, like so many of her colleagues, she was forced to leave Algeria for France in 1994 following the tragic events which shook the country. While in Paris, she worked as a reporting journalist for many French radio stations. After moving to Quebec in 1996, Nadia studied the media’s portrayal of the Algerian crisis while pursuing her Masters in Communications at l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) – which she achieved with great distinction. Her thesis pertains to the power of images and their influence on the daily lives of Algerians living in Quebec, with a focus on the images from Radio-Canada television. Being from a culture distinctly different from the local dominant culture, Nadia is often consulted by journalists on issues related to Islam, as well as the integration of immigrants.
Marisa Lancione
Media Relations Coordinator
E-mail: mediarel@alcor.concordia.ca
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 4880
Twitter: @ConcordiaUnews
Marisa Lancione joined the Media Relations department in September 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Brock University. Driven by her own passion for writing and interest in mental health, her thesis compared 19th and 20th century literature written by women about their experiences with doctors and psychiatry. Prior to joining the Media Relations department, Marisa dedicated one-year to writing a fantasy novel for young adults. As Media Relations coordinator, she provides targeted support for the entire Media Relations team. She is an invaluable resource for local, national and international print and broadcast journalists looking to connect the stories of the day to Concordia's experts. Finally, she is responsible for delivering Concordia news via the @ConcordiaUnews Twitter account.
