2020 - Dr. Jamie Gillies

Department of Communications and Public Policy
BA (University of Victoria) MA, PhD (UBC)

Dr. Jamie Gillies holds a BA from the University of Victoria and an MA and PhD from the University of British Columbia. He joined St. Thomas University and the Communications and Public Policy program in 2013. Since then, he has developed the program with a focus on experiential learning and has worked to create partnerships with public, non-profit, and private sector organizations to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities. This combination of theory and practice illustrates to students how social and political forces shape the construction of knowledge, and he aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of how their in-class learning can be translated to real-world, professional situations.

Dr. Gillies uses innovative teaching strategies and current events to shape the content of his courses, and his mentorship of students is noteworthy. His students consistently comment on his willingness to make himself available—even after their time in his classes has finished—to discuss matters relating to their education, life, and career plans. His passion and expertise in communications, politics, and policy has been influential as many students have credited Dr. Gillies with inspiring them to pursue careers in policy and communications. Since 2015, Dr. Gillies has edited three books, authored six academic journal articles, and nine book chapters. His scholarly work focuses on American presidential advisers and their role in the development of fiscal policy, New Brunswick and Atlantic Canadian public policy, and the confluence of marketing, branding, and election messaging. He is also a frequent commentator on New Brunswick, Canadian, and American politics.