Julie Giles
Chief Madhatter, GreenHAT Digital

Julie Giles is a communications consultant for today; a veteran publicist and digital expert with over 15 years experience in content, search, social media and publicity/PR. She is also the author of “How to Build an Audience for your Web Series: Market, Motivate & Mobilize”, an introductory guide to digital marketing published by the Independent Production Fund (IPF).

Since starting GreenHAT Digital in 2007, Julie has planned and coordinated audience engagement campaigns, facilitated cross-organizational partnerships, consulted with filmmakers and producers on outreach strategy, and developed and led social media strategy. She has also helped launch several start-ups and provided content marketing advise to established brands such as Fairmont Hotel & Resorts. Julie has also trained everyone — from natives to dinosaurs — and shared her expertise at both Humber and Centennial College. Recent speaking engagements include the Independent Television Producer’s Program (ITP) and WIFT-AT Women Making Waves.

Online since the early days of dial-up, Julie was the Internet Communications Strategist at Multimediator (now Delvinia) where she led and developed audience engagement strategies for cbc.ca and cbc.ca/kids and launched CBC Radio 3. She has worked as a contract publicist for most of the major Canadian broadcasters, including CanWest Global, CTV, TVOntario and YTV and is the former Account Director (Entertainment and Technology) at Holmes Creative Communications. Prior to joining the online tribe, Julie was a theatre publicist with Gino Empry Public Relations. She later moved to the music industry where she energetically promoted concert dates for most of the big acts of the day, including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Madonna, The New Kids on the Block, Paul Simon and many others.

Julie has a BA in Drama from Brock University (St. Catharines) and a Certificate in Performing Arts Management from Confederation College (Thunder Bay). She is a member of Interactive Ontario.

Because she doesn’t have enough to do, Julie also makes documentary films with her brother and creative partner Jim Giles. Their first feature documentary, La Dany: The Diva of Bolivar Park, is currently playing at film festivals throughout Europe and Latin America.