Our Instructors

All of our instructors have been personally trained in the WordTask writing process by Dr. Stephen de Paul, the company’s founder and president. Beyond their expertise in writing, these professionals are on our team because each has a genuine and proven aptitude for training in today’s workplace.

The WordTask approach is effective not only because it’s a tried-and-true method, but also because these instructors know how to work with people in the training room to apply that method to their needs:

Stephen de Paul, Ph.D., has worked with technical and administrative documentation since 1985. He founded WordTask Information Strategies in 1991, and has helped clients in the private and public sectors with their communications skills and processes. He has also taught part time in the Department of English at the University of Ottawa.

 

 

 

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Elizabeth Sabbagh, B.A., OCELT, a certified instructor of English as a second language, has taught English literacy and writing to a wide range of learners since 1994. She brings to the classroom an extensive knowledge of English grammar and workplace writing, acquired through both a background in linguistics and real-world experience working in a variety of corporate and government settings.

 

 

 

Elizabeth Gowan , M.Ed., is a professional facilitator with extensive experience in business writing, presentation skills, and other workplace communication. She is an expert in curriculum design, with experience in analyzing audience needs and in developing and designing high-quality learning resources. She also brings to WordTask her talents as an instructor in providing interactive classroom and online learning. Elizabeth understands and applies adult learning principles and cultural competency to achieve best results. She is an engaging instructor who makes learning interesting and links theory to application.

 

Pamela Levac, M.Sc., brings her skills as a French-language educator, writer, editor, and translator to her role as a WordTask instructor. She also has expertise in curriculum development. She uses her long-time experience in teaching writing to French-as-a-second-language clients in the federal public service to apply the WordTask writing process to government press releases, speeches, media advisories and other internal documents.

 

Guy Levac , joined the WordTask team in the winter of 2022. He brings a wealth of communications experience to his role from his 20 years in the federal public service, and his experience in the not-for-profit and private sectors before that. For example, from September 2016 to October 2021, Guy was a Director and then Special Advisor in the office of the Director General of Communications, Indigenous Services Canada. From 2013 to 2016, he was an occasional instructor of courses in strategic communications at the Canada School of Public Service. He held multiple director positions at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) from 2009 to 2016.

 

Margie Bermel, training coordinator, has been with WordTask since 1996. She works with our clients on the planning and scheduling of courses. Margie is the primary contact for our clients for all matters of registration and customer service.