If you live in Taber, Alberta — or have previously in the past decade — it’s quite likely you’ve been on the receiving end of public messaging courtesy of Meghan Brennan (BA ’15).
Since joining the Town of Taber as its Communications Manager in 2015, Brennan has played a leading role in the development of community-wide public relations strategies. She’s also undertaken large scale campaigns and competitions that showcase the town of 10,000 people to the rest of Canada and the world.
Whether it’s harnessing civic pride on a national stage to win funding for arena upgrades, providing critical information during times of crisis or turning an infamous ostrich escape into an internationally acclaimed fundraising campaign, Brennan has proven herself a leader her community can count on.
These accomplishments, among others, have earned Brennan recognition from the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association (ULAA) as the 2026 Young Alumni Award recipient.
“Meghan is a wonderful example of the impact our young alumni are having in their communities,” says Cyndi Crane (BMus ’95, MEd ’01), ULAA president. “She has taken her ability to communicate and turned it into something much bigger: trust. Whether she is helping people navigate a crisis, celebrating her community or finding a little humour in an unexpected moment, Meghan understands that good communication is ultimately about connecting with people. As a southern Alberta alumna who has chosen to build her career and contribute so meaningfully close to home, she represents the kind of leadership and community commitment we are incredibly proud to celebrate.”
Brennan will be honoured at the 2026 Alumni Achievement Awards Celebration on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at 7 p.m. in the Science Commons Atrium. Tickets are currently available online.
Meghan Brennan
Meghan Brennan is a communications leader who turns complex information into clear language the public understands.
Brennan’s love of language inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English and embark on a career as a communications professional. As the Communications Manager for the Town of Taber since September 2015, she is the sole communications lead for a community of 10,000 people. During her decade with the town, she built its first corporate and departmental communications plans and in doing so has become a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
Though the town may be small, Brennan’s goals and campaigns have been mighty indeed. In 2018, she coordinated a public engagement and voting strategy in the Coors Banquet “One Horse Town” contest. Her efforts contributed to Taber winning the competition.
This wasn’t the only example of Brennan thinking big then achieving results. After a devastating explosion that destroyed the Taber Arena, Brennan created a full communications strategy for the Kraft Hockeyville competition and acted as its public-facing voice. By harnessing the pride of locals and creating a heartfelt story that shared their determination to rebuild, she delivered more than 500,000 unique social impressions with virtually no paid advertising and Taber eventually won the nationwide competition.
Her combination of humour and professionalism was also on full display in her “Flightless Birds for Food Banks” campaign. Handed a widely publicized ostrich escape, she created a successful charitable campaign that generated great publicity for the town. The campaign won three international Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP) awards, and she presented a case study of the campaign at the 20th Annual Municipal Communications Conference in Toronto.
While ostriches represent the humorous side of her professional success, Brennan is also an expert in crisis communications where calmness and dignity reign. She led emergency communications during the 2018 Taber flood, took the lead on briefs during the COVID pandemic and the Community Centre explosion in 2025. Her stellar work earned her admittance to the South Zone All Hazards Incident Management Team (SZAHIMT). She has since been integral in communications during many wildfire emergencies, including Jasper, Buck Creek and Yellowhead.
Showing the way during crisis situations, Brennan specializes in keeping the community informed during its proudest moments and most challenging situations. Through it all, she brings calm, clarity and empathy, building trust and ensuring people have the information they need when it matters most. And, when the moment calls for it, a corny joke doesn’t hurt either.