Prior to joining the ICC, Gillian spent more than fifteen years working in corporate communications and corporate affairs, most recently with the Royal Bank of Canada as Senior Advisor, Corporate Affairs and Head of Communications for RBC's Group Head, Strategy, Treasury and Corporate Services. Her other mandates have included media and stakeholder relations, crisis and issues management and corporate social responsibility for companies including RBC Capital Markets, Aeroplan, Parmalat Canada, Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and Pfizer Canada. Gillian has also written for the Toronto Star’s Your City My City municipal election (2010) campaign blog and for Notabletv.com on philanthropy issues. A graduate of Queen's University, Gillian holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology (major), History and French (dual minors). Gillian lives in Toronto with her husband, Paul G. Smith, and is mother to twins Aurélie and Clémentine and stepmother to Arnaud.