What She Brings to the Team
Judy is a whip-smart public relations and marketing strategist, powered by insights, experience and endless imagination. Since co-founding the agency with sister, Deborah Weinstein, Judy's personal mantra of "What if?" has become the spark that has lit some of the industry's most inspired campaigns and the foundation of the agency’s creative culture.
Judy provides senior counsel to many of the world's leading brands, developing strategies that mix the best of public relations, influencer relations, social media, digital, interactive special events and experiential activations.
An on-the-ground leader, Judy encourages our team to never stop learning and growing. Her open-minded approach continually leads us to ground-breaking and globally award-winning campaigns. A pioneer in the area of social responsibility public relations, her work has helped stop violence against women, achieve protective legislation to curb sex trafficking, mobilize communities to reduce childhood hunger, advance social justice and positive change, and so much more.
Judy is the recipient of both the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Canada and the Communications Industry. She has been named Canadian Public Relations Society ACE Award PR Professional of the Year, and has also achieved Lifetime Membership, recognizing her contributions to CPRS and to the professional practice of public relations.
Her Origin Story
Judy was born and raised in the vibrant city of Montreal. Growing up, she found herself intrigued by the nuances of culture, philosophy, and sociology. She continues to be deeply curious about what makes human beings tick.
After graduating in Communications at McGill, Judy began her career as a CBC radio producer. There she reinvigorated the afternoon show and made it relevant to a younger audience.
Following that, she made her mark in television and eventually accepted the position of story producer for CTV's first reality show, "Thrill of a Lifetime." She led everything from storyline development to talent sourcing and celebrity coordination. When an opening arose for a field producer, Judy recommended her sister, Deborah. The two worked in tandem, leading the show to such great success that they had well-known brands clamouring to become involved.
Once the show ended, the pair began their next adventure. Their backgrounds in journalism and storytelling gave them a unique perspective on how to effectively engage with diverse audiences. With an outside-the-box vision of what PR could be, they co-founded Strategic Objectives.
How She Spends Her Weekends
When Judy is not mentoring the next generation of PR super stars, she loves nothing more than jumping off a boat into the middle of a fresh, clean Muskoka lake. She is a self-proclaimed pop culture queen who always has her finger on the pulse of what's happening in Toronto and across the world. She loves spending time with her wonderful husband and two grown-up kids and her home is well known for frequent backyard parties and home-cooked gourmet dinners.
An eternal optimist, Judy is an active community builder who believes her voice can help change the world. She volunteers as Communications Strategist for The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, is Chair of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms, past-chair and a member of Centennial College’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Program Advisory Committee, and is on the Board of the International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO). She is also on the Board of Directors of Toronto’s Greenwood College and regularly serves as a judge on international and national communications and marketing awards programs.