A LITTLE ABOUT US

Our Team

ABOUT HONe communications

Hone Communications Inc. is an organic amalgamation of its founders’ 50 years of combined experiences writing, editing, presenting, studying, coaching and teaching. These professional experiences range from admission director, newspaper editor, freelance writer, published author, writing instructor, curriculum designer, presentation coach and more – all with the common thread of being dependent on exceptional written and oral communication skills. Hone was born as we both sought the creative independence of freelance work. Please see our professional stories below to better understand the depth and breadth of our experience.  We welcome the opportunity to partner with you to both improve your message today and learn strategies to continue improving your communications even after your project is done.  

Andrew Churchill

The beginnings of my professional life started in New England prep schools. Early promotion to Director of Admissions then evolved to Assistant to the Head of School for Planning where I worked on strategic program development. This interest led me to obtain an MBA as I dove into the financial and management aspects of independent schools. My focus then shifted to curriculum development with my pursuit of a PhD in education at McGill. During this time, I first began teaching writing classes and doing independent consulting work. In 2014, I then began my work focused on helping academics present better.  This work has since evolved to become my primary passion as my backgrounds in teaching, curriculum design, writing, marketing and strategic business development coalesced around helping people learn how to best convey the importance of their research and discoveries to a wide variety of audiences.  Since 2014, I have developed a systematic approach to helping people hone their content, develop a strategic trajectory, create effective visuals, and develop a dynamic presence for everything from 3 minute thesis competitions to 8 minute business start-up pitches to 20 minute Ted-style Talks to hour+ long teaching workshops. In addition to coaching presenters, I also assist administrative organizers to help create dynamic, engaging events to showcase research.  Whether in-person or online, whether young researchers trying to find their voice or seasoned professors trying to share a signature discovery of their professional career, whether sharing strategies in large group settings or coaching individuals over extended periods of time, my work seeks to help people continually improve as I challenge them to identify the most important aspects of their message, figure out how to connect with their audience, and deliver with a credibility-inspiring clarity.

kristin Mcneill

My work experience ranges from working in corporate communications for firms such as the Business Development Bank of Canada and Bombardier to working as the editor of an independent weekly newspaper to becoming a fully fledged freelancer. My love of and belief in good journalism started in university as news editor of the student newspaper. The very non romantic job of assistant to the editor of a financial newspaper based in Toronto provided enough hands-on experience to lead to a craving to learn about journalism – which was fulfilled when I earned a coveted spot in the graduate diploma program of Concordia University in Montreal, my hometown. Without the interest waning, but with the need to apply the writing and research skills learned, a foray into the corporate communications world led to learning how to write clearly with no tolerance for ambiguity or error. Next I left the permanent position to become a self-employed freelancer. This led to writing, editing and managing communications for a variety of organizations of different shapes and sizes – from managing a rebranding project for a small mom-and-pop real estate broker to writing press releases for the largest English public school board in Quebec. My clients have included insurance and marketing companies, the port authority and an NGO. I returned to my first true love and worked for a wholly independent weekly newspaper, eventually climbing up to the editor’s seat. When cost-cutting in newspapers spared no one, my position became assumed by the publisher, and I have now returned to freelance where I offer writing, editing and proofreading assets to my clients.

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