Welcome Brianna MacLean
Our NEW Cub Brand Ambassador
Public Relations Intern
MacEwan University
- Creative, curious, and passionate.
- Lifelong student, pop culture aficionado, and functioning caffeine addict.
- Eternal word nerd; always reading, writing, and creating.
- Graduate of the University of Alberta (Class of 2020) & Future graduate of MacEwan University – Public Relations (June 2022).
- Lover of all animals, big or small, fluffy or scaley, cuddly, and/or potentially deadly.
- Excited to start this new chapter in her life as a burgeoning PR extraordinaire.
Ever since she was a child, Brianna MacLean had a knack for rolling with the punches; this skill came in handy when the final month of her undergraduate degree coincided with the beginning of a global pandemic. As big a punch if there ever was one, she still graduated with a BA in Women & Gender Studies from the University of Alberta in her favourite pajamas during the first wave of lockdowns. Subsequently, Brianna was left with the one question that plagues all new graduates: Now what?
It wouldn’t be until nearly a year later that this question was finally answered.
Due to a sudden health scare, Brianna underwent several emergency procedures quickly, culminating in full-blown surgery in early 2021 that left her short an organ.
Having been dramatically reminded just how quickly life could change, Brianna took this major wake-up call as an opportunity to re-evaluate her life and goals.
Her main priority? To return to school and continue her education journey.
Following her acceptance into MacEwan’s renowned PR program, Brianna began working on her diploma the following September, armed with minimal knowledge of the field; This was an intentional decision on her part:
“The last thing I wanted to do was restrict my experience by going into classes with a potentially narrow perception that I developed through some random Google searches, so I went into my first intro class almost completely blind.”
Brianna has discovered a genuine passion for this ever-evolving, truly dynamic field. She plans on making sure that this passion is reflected in all future work and volunteering experiences that she takes on.
Brianna’s enthusiasm for volunteering and non-profit work stems directly from her mother, whom Brianna cites as her ultimate role model. From as early as she can remember, Brianna was taught by her mother to recognize the importance of giving back to the community wherever and however you could, even in circumstances when you had little to give.
“My mum never treated volunteering and community work like some special, world-altering act on our part; it was just something that we did. Where we had the ability and the means to help, we helped; it’s always been as simple as that,” shared Brianna.
In addition to their yearly tradition of volunteering with Santa’s Anonymous and Meals on Wheels, Brianna also assisted her mother in developing and launching Frosty Phalanges, a campaign organized through Grey Nuns Hospital that provided donated gloves and mittens to Edmonton’s homeless population.
Immediately drawn to Pounce Support Services™, due to their strongly defined set of morals and values that reflected her own and the diversity of experiences that the placement would offer her as a student, Brianna was quick in offering her services. Her eagerness to join the team only grew when she received the exciting opportunity to be interviewed by the Founder, Kat Mooney:
“I knew that Pounce was my dream practicum almost immediately during my interview with Kat! She was so warm, intelligent, and engaging; I felt completely at ease and comfortable with her. I was genuinely scared when the interview was over that she would find somebody way cooler than me before I could accept her offer!”
When she is not working on becoming a master of the PR arts, Brianna enjoys spending time with her family, playing around with recipes while engaging in spontaneous kitchen dance parties and discovering new hobbies. Cuddling with Fig Newton “Figgy” MacLean, her deeply co-dependent emotional support kitten, has also become a regular occurrence in her life since she rescued him during her first month at MacEwan.
She also recently discovered that all the rumors about healthy living being good for you are, tragically, true. She subsequently developed a love for Yoga, Pilates, and taking long, leisurely walks around her neighborhood while listening to whatever podcast has captured her attention that day.
Brianna is absolutely thrilled to be joining Pounce Support Services™ as a CUB Brand Ambassador and learning directly from Kat and the rest of the Cool Cats.
“At the end of the day, I hope to contribute even a little to the important work that Pounce is doing
and make the Cool Cats proud.”
