About
Built different.
On purpose.
Our story
We’re Laurie Stretch and Carla Minogue, two senior PR pros who met at Edelman—one of the largest global communications firms.
Between us, we’ve worked in corporate offices, newsrooms and big agencies. We’ve spent years building strategies, managing crises, supporting national brands and telling stories.
We were both running successful solo consultancies when a complex national project brought us back into the same room. It didn’t take long to realize: the work was better – and way more fun – together. That project sparked what would become Stretch & Minogue.
From the beginning, we knew what we were building: no BS, no ego, no templated fluff or fancy consultant-speak. Just sharp strategy, honest conversations and smart team members with the skills our clients need.
We share values, but we’re wired differently —
and that’s the magic.
Laurie’s the strategist. She’s known for her oil and gas chops, political smarts from her Ottawa days, and uncanny ability to connect dots no one else sees.
Carla’s the storyteller. A former journalist, she brings editorial instincts, a sharp pen and a natural ability to connect with people in a way that builds trust.
Laurie lives inner city, rocks a tailored blazer and walks to meetings whenever she can. Carla’s a farm girl, prefers jeans, and is usually behind the wheel of a truck.
Laurie raised two adult sons. Carla’s deep in kid chaos with two little girls.
We come at problems from different angles, challenge each other often, and laugh a lot. That mix of perspective, trust and mutual respect is what makes S&M work—for us, for our team, and for our clients.
And yes—the name. In true Laurie and Carla fashion, we spent a lot of time overthinking it. Debating it. Brainstorming inappropriate ways to use it. In the end, we decided to own it.
S&M.
It’s memorable, a little ironic, and honestly… it makes meetings more fun.
(The safe word, of course, is “deadline.”)
Meet the team
We are easier and cheaper to work with than a big agency, yet we take on large, complex mandates. How? Through established, trusting relationships with our awesome team of collaborators. They are all independent consultants or small shops. Most importantly, they are highly skilled and an absolute joy to work with.
Partners
Laurie
Laurie Stretch believes that her success as a consultant comes from her client-side experience.
Laurie worked in corporate communications, government relations and investor relations in the energy sector for 12 years, where she often found consultant relationships frustrating. She has worked hard ever since to see the world through the eyes of her clients, conscious always of delivering value and top-quality work.
With a master’s degree in political science, Laurie grew up in Edmonton and began her career in Ottawa. She worked for politicians and a think tank before a love of skiing pulled Laurie and her husband to Calgary in the mid-1990s. She reinvented herself as a communications specialist, finding her interest in public policy and government systems helpful in that field.
Laurie’s years at Petro-Canada saw her frequently serving as a media spokesperson for the company. That experience complements Carla’s in their shared media training practice.
She was serving as director of government relations for Petro-Canada when she left for a bigger-fish-in-a-smaller-pond opportunity. She led investor relations and communications for a mid-sized upstream and midstream oil company, Provident Energy Trust.
When Laurie was recruited to NATIONAL Public Relations in 2008, she did not envision that she would spend the rest of her career in consulting. But she found that she loved the pace, diversity, complex problems and client service elements of consulting. Laurie is a highly strategic thinker, enjoying nothing more than diving into a tricky, multi-faceted problem and connecting the dots to find the right path forward.
Laurie’s agency career culminated in leading the Calgary office of Edelman, a leading global PR firm, where she dramatically grew the revenue and team. That’s also where she met Carla. Laurie left Edelman in 2017 and ran her own business for over six years. Joining forces with Carla on a large client mandate led to the decision to create Stretch & Minogue, a boutique firm with a new model.
Carla
Carla Minogue’s successful transition from an award-winning journalist to an in-demand PR pro has earned respect inside and outside the newsroom.
Carla excelled in a 15-year career as a mainstream media reporter and broadcast anchor, covering local and national stories, writing and producing feature reports and achieving local celebrity status in Regina where she anchored the flagship CTV broadcasts.
Carla left journalism of her own accord, however, finding the transactional nature of media coverage did not satisfy her love of getting to the underlying causes of problems, or her desire to help people succeed in their endeavours. She moved thoughtfully and deliberately into PR, completing a certificate program at Mount Royal University and joining Edelman, a leading global PR consultancy.
Carla led the “earned media” practice at Edelman Calgary, helping clients tell their stories through effective media relations.
Carla was popular with colleagues across the country, achieving local coverage for national clients, and national coverage for local clients. She also honed her PR skillset, moving into communications planning, issues and crisis management, and communications marketing.
With growing knowledge of the energy industry from three years at Edelman, Carla moved on to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), where she supported executive communications and led media relations through an extremely contentious time for oil pipelines in Canada.
Carla’s departure from CEPA came as the organization was winding down and the global pandemic was in full force. She started her own consulting business — Anchored Communication — where her talent as a trainer and strategist was demonstrated by the company’s immediate success. She even returned to freelance journalism, keeping her media relationships current by contributing to CBC Calgary. Working with Laurie to build Stretch & Minogue is the best move she’s ever made.
A few of our favs
Hailey Carnegie
Carla and Laurie share large agency backgrounds with Hailey. A multi-talented, flexible communicator and media relations strategist, Hailey is also a superb project manager. She tracks workstreams and budget dollars diligently. Hailey has a unique depth of experience supporting non-profits, and thrives on advancing meaningful causes. She also has a mathematics degree – not something you see in many PR team bios.
Tamille Beynon
Tamille is an in-demand community relations and engagement specialist. IAP2-trained with a background in PR, she helps landowners, developers, energy companies and municipalities forge productive and trust-based relationships with stakeholders. She leads engagement end-to-end, identifying stakeholders, planning strategy, crafting materials, and facilitating the conversations that count. She handles the logistics, tracking, and reporting, and helping teams to make informed, defensible decisions.
Co.Made
Co.Made founder Jason Trufyn is that rare big-C Creative who is a joy to work with. An art director and graphic designer who works with a team of talented specialists, Jason designed the S&M brand, among many others. Jason’s designs always match the client’s brand, values and aesthetic. He listens well, catching what is said and unsaid and uses rigorous processes to produce beautiful outputs. Co.Made is a niche branding and design agency.
Jennifer Leigh
Laurie and Jen have been collaborating on building websites since Communo was still a thing (IYKYN). Jennifer (Leigh) Holt is a highly talented, no-nonsense website builder and graphic designer. With superb technical skills in WordPress and other platforms and a competitive billing rate, Jennifer is in high demand. She built the website you are reading, among many others for our clients.
Lori Burwash
Lori is a whip-smart writer, editor and proofreader with a precision level that borders on wizardry. Carla thought she was eagle-eyed, until Lori came along. While they were working together on a website audit, it quickly became apparent that Lori’s in a different league — you haven’t been edited until you’ve been edited by Lori. With meticulous attention to detail, a delicious sense of humour and a deep love of language (and em dashes), she makes every piece better.
Allison Cross
Allison Cross is an Emmy Award-winning storyteller, writer and former journalist who has worked across the tech, non-profit and energy sectors. A strategic thinker, Allison is particularly skilled at turning complex scientific information and corporate messaging into engaging impact stories, blog series, thought leadership, video scripts and social media content. She loves puns, pens, and the feeling of cracking open a fresh notebook.
Shelly Nowroski
Shelly blends strategy, tech fluency and communication savvy in a way few do. A former systems analyst turned communications pro, she helps business leaders, IT teams and communicators stay aligned during major system migrations and complex technology projects, ensuring stakeholders are engaged throughout the process. Laurie and Carla saw this firsthand while working closely with Shelly on a multi-year, multi-million-dollar IT system replacement for a national regulatory organization.
Marina Costa
Marina is a seasoned communicator of 15 years. From agency life, to corporate gigs, political campaigns and freelance work – she’s done it all and kept the receipts. Her skillset is a unique blend of digital engagement, public affairs, and strategic planning. When working with Marina, you can expect an unwavering focus on your audience, data-driven recommendations, energizing brainstorms, and thorough documentation.
FAQ
What kind of PR firm is Stretch & Minogue?
We’re a boutique public relations firm based in Calgary, led by senior consultants with deep experience in strategic communication, media relations, crisis management and corporate storytelling. No fluff, no jargon — just smart, responsive help when you need it most.
Who are the founders of Stretch & Minogue?
Stretch & Minogue was founded by Laurie Stretch and Carla Minogue, two senior PR professionals who met at Edelman. Laurie’s the strategist. Carla’s the storyteller. Together, they bring different strengths and perspectives that complement each other and benefit every client.
What makes your PR model different?
We’re built to be flexible. We don’t carry the overhead of a big agency and we don’t throw junior staff at senior problems. Every project is led by experienced consultants and supported by trusted subcontractors with deep expertise. That means leaner costs, faster turnaround and better results.
Are you based only in Calgary?
Our home base is Calgary, Alberta but we work with clients across the province and Canada. From energy and clean tech to municipalities, nonprofits and associations, we work where the work takes us.
Do you take on big projects?
Yes. We’ve led national media campaigns, managed high-profile issues and built brands from scratch. Our team model lets us scale up with senior talent as needed, without adding layers or slowing you down.
Is S&M just the two of you?
Stretch & Minogue is led by Laurie and Carla, but we work with a tight network of trusted collaborators — writers, designers, community engagement specialists, change managers and digital strategists. We pick the right team for every project.
Are you open to working with new contractors?
Absolutely. If you are an independent consultant with experience in one of the specialties outlined above, or another one that we don’t have listed, reach out. We love building our community.
Do you do everything in-house?
Not everything — and that’s intentional. We don’t pretend to be experts in everything. We focus on our core specialties and bring in the best people for the rest. It’s a model that keeps costs down and quality high.