Mark Farmer
Veteran digital communications strategist, leading teams that lead organizations
- Building high-performing teams as a digital leader and change agent.
- Creating digital strategies and content that deliver tangible results.
- Producing award-winning digital communications campaigns.
- Leveraging analytics for data-driven decision-making.
Career Highlights
- Part of “Most Successful Digital Transformation” award-winning project at CXA Awards.
- Reached 2.6 million Ontarians in the #Just1Word campaign for the Ontario College of Teachers.
- Won gold at the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards and the CASE Accolades Awards.
- Achieved almost 400% growth in engagement and 1,400% growth in reach on Facebook over two years at York University.
Expertise includes:
- Web project management
- User Experience (UX) Design
- Accessibility
- Content Strategy
- Analytics and Reporting
- Google Analytics
Experience
Metrolinx, Toronto ON
Senior Digital Communications Analyst
2022 – Present
Leading cross-functional teams and delivering digital innovations organization-wide.
- Nominee, Metrolinx Excellence Awards, 2024
- Member, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Working Group
- Co-chair, NeuroLinx employee resource group for neurodivergent professionals.
- Part of a team that combined three websites under a new design, deployed in a new CMS and Digital Asset Management System.
- Went from planning to launch in six months.
- Worked with 35 stakeholders to edit and reduce content by 60% in English and French.
- 27% year-over-year increase in visitors.
- “Most Successful Digital Transformation” at CXA Awards, May 2023.
- Leading cross-functional teams for virtual events and interactive maps. Led successful rollout of MS Webinars, including all training and support.
- Supporting analytics and web design & development.
- Developed Google BigQuery solution for export of Google Analytics (GA) data from legacy GA to GA 4; developed and deployed interactive dashboard in Google Looker Studio.
Ontario College of Teachers, Toronto ON
Senior Digital Strategist
2016 – 2022
Led digital media specialists and contractors building websites, intranets, social media, email communications and mobile applications (apps) for Canada’s largest professional regulator.
- Created ad copy and collaterals, managed budget, set targeting and produced detailed performance reports for 2016’s #Just1Word social media advertising campaign, reaching 2.6 million Ontarians.
- Directed redesign of annual report microsite, including new architecture, driving 300% increase in yearly visits.
- Led app redevelopment, achieving 84% increase in users.
- Spearheaded project to edit and update 45,000 words of English and French content on oct.ca, producing a 32% increase in visits and pageviews.
- Led project to make 3,100 pages of PDF content accessible and compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
York University, Toronto ON
Digital Strategist
2012 – 2016
Directed institutional digital communications, content marketing and digital crisis / issue management.
- Managed institutional social media accounts, driving growth of 127% in audience, 400% in engagement and almost 1,400% in reach for Facebook alone over two years.
- Won international Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Gold Award for interactive social media project at spring 2015 convocation.
- Almost 6,000 mentions, 6.1 million in potential reach and 97.5% positive sentiment.
- #YorkUConvo trended nationally.
- Created and executed institutional social media strategy for the CASE Circle of Excellence Gold Award-winning “Yes to York” campaign.
- Won “Top Instagram Account” at the 2015 Canadian University & College Social Media Awards.
- Outperformed agency cost-per-click in Facebook ads by 100%.
- Created a cross-functional digital team of over 100 digital media practitioners.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto ON
Web Redesign Manager
2010 – 2012
Managed cross-functional team of internal developers / designers / producers and web development, project management and design vendors, implementing content management system and redeveloping website and online content.
- Coordinated multiple stakeholders and led weekly strategy sessions with senior leadership, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
- Championed institutional social media efforts, developing a cross-functional stakeholder team.
- Partnered with Google, initiating museum’s participation in Google Cultural Institute.
Additional Experience
- IBM Global Services
- Intuit, Global Business Division, Toronto ON
- The Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce, London UK
- TC Energy, Calgary AB
- Association of Canadian Advertisers, Toronto ON
Education and Professional Development
- Project Management Professional (PMP)®
Project Management Institute - Machine Learning
By Stanford University & DeepLearning.AI on Coursera - Data Analytics Certificate
Google - Leadership Essentials Certificate
University of Toronto, Toronto ON - Postgraduate Certificate in Internet Management with Honours
Humber College, Toronto ON - Bachelor of Journalism
University of King’s College, Halifax NS - Bachelor of Arts (English Literature)
Saint Mary’s University, Halifax NS
Languages
- Fluent in English and French
