PR isn’t where Matisse Hamel-Nelis first thought she’d end up—but it’s where she found her passion. With a background in pharmaceutical chemistry and a sharp eye for digital accessibility, she’s built a career that blends advocacy, innovation, and a deep commitment to breaking down barriers in communication. As the founder of PR & Lattes, she’s created a space where PR professionals—whether fresh graduates or industry veterans—can connect, learn, and challenge outdated norms. In this Q&A, Matisse shares how a last-minute classroom improvisation sparked a thriving platform, why true leadership means lifting others up, and how PR needs to evolve to be more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
How did you get into PR, and what led you to start PR & Lattes?
I originally studied pharmaceutical chemistry but quickly realized I wasn’t a lab person. My husband, who was an editor-in-chief at the time, suggested PR, saying it aligned with my passion for advocacy, promotion, and engagement. After doing a one-year pre-media program to test the waters, I pursued an advanced diploma in public relations at Durham College.
During my studies, I interned at Make-A-Wish Canada and Energy PR, where I fell in love with the field. I was later hired at Energy PR but missed having one brand to focus on. A faculty mentor recommended a role at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), where I worked for over five years. That’s where my passion for digital accessibility began. On my second day, I tweeted “#DYK” for “Did You Know,” only to learn from a colleague that screen readers misinterpret acronyms without punctuation. That moment made me realize how much I didn’t know about accessible communication, shifting my career toward digital accessibility.
PR & Lattes started unexpectedly. A guest speaker canceled at the last minute for a class I was teaching, so I improvised, pretending to launch a platform for PR professionals to discuss industry insights. As I spoke, I realized it was actually a great idea—so I made it a reality.
What makes a good leader, in PR or in general?
A good leader isn’t just someone with decades of experience—it’s someone willing to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and create opportunities for others. In PR, there’s often a gatekeeping mentality, where professionals are reluctant to share insights for fear of losing their edge. But true leadership is about lifting others up, whether they’re students, emerging practitioners, or seasoned professionals.
At PR & Lattes, we focus on building an open, supportive space. We welcome contributors from all backgrounds—whether they’re industry veterans or newcomers with fresh insights. Some may want to be regular contributors, while others share reflections from conferences or research they’ve done. If the content is valuable and advances the profession, we make space for it.
We’re also developing a hub, the Coffee House, to provide even more resources—book clubs, expert chats, and other ways for PR professionals to learn and grow together. Leadership isn’t about keeping knowledge to yourself; it’s about making the industry better by ensuring others have access to the tools and insights they need to succeed.
What's next for PR & Lattes?
The future of PR & Lattes is all about growth, sustainability, and supporting the community. Right now, our biggest goal is to become revenue-generating—not just for the sake of the business, but so we can pay our writers. Our contributors volunteer their time, energy, and expertise, and while their passion fuels PR & Lattes, it doesn’t sit right with me that I can’t compensate them for their work. Finding a way to make that happen is a top priority.
Beyond that, we’re expanding in several ways. We’re launching webinars tailored to different areas of PR, hosting more events—including in-person gatherings beyond Toronto—and strengthening partnerships with organizations like PRSA, CPRS, and IABC. Our focus remains on supporting emerging and early-career professionals, but we’re also looking at what it would take to evolve into an industry trade publication.
Collaboration is key. We’re amplifying platforms like the PR Habitat and PR Girl Manifesto, ensuring that professionals at every stage have access to resources, insights, and a network that helps them succeed. At the core of it all, PR & Lattes is about opening doors, sharing knowledge, and building a more inclusive, supportive PR community.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to young professionals just starting out?
The biggest thing is to be curious. Ask questions, learn as much as you can. Become a sponge. PR is always evolving, so you need to stay adaptable and open to change. For example, who would have thought TikTok would become such a huge player in our industry? I personally don’t post on TikTok, but I have a private account where I test things out. That way, if a client asks me about it, I’m already familiar with how it works. You don’t have to love every new platform, but you should be willing to explore and learn.
It’s also important to acknowledge that you won’t know everything—but you should know where to look to learn. Yes, you can do a quick Google search or use ChatGPT, but are you also reading industry trade publications? Are you keeping up with the news? I’m noticing that many students, and even job candidates, aren’t following the news beyond major headlines. But understanding the media landscape is critical. If you want to work in beauty PR, for instance, do you know which brands are leading the space? Do you understand their campaigns, their key influencers, and how they handle crises? Being curious means going beyond surface-level information and really immersing yourself in the industry.
Additionally, don’t limit yourself to just one aspect of PR. You might start out thinking you only want to do media relations, but as you gain experience, you could find a passion for internal communications or digital accessibility. I thought I’d be in healthcare PR forever, but I ended up discovering a love for internal comms and accessibility. Your career path might surprise you, and that’s okay. I had a student who landed an internship at a plumbing company, and at first, she was disappointed. She thought it wasn’t a great fit. But six years later, she’s still there, running innovative campaigns and loving the work. You never know what an opportunity might turn into unless you give it a chance.
We’re also seeing a decline in people wanting management roles. Not everyone aspires to be a CEO, and that’s okay. Many professionals are happy where they are, prioritizing work-life balance and job satisfaction over titles. The industry needs to adapt to this mindset shift and recognize that career growth doesn’t always mean moving up—sometimes, it means finding a role you love and excelling in it.
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What does it mean to be your true, authentic self?
I bring my whole self to what I do. I have pink hair and five tattoos, and how I look or dress doesn’t change what I know and what I can do. We’re seeing a shift in workplace culture—there was a time when dressing in a suit was expected, but now, it’s about what you bring to the table intellectually. Of course, there’s a time and place for dressing up, like when a client visits, but overall, organizations are realizing they’re paying for expertise, not appearances.
As a professor, my students sometimes don’t expect me to know what I’m talking about because I don’t fit the traditional mold. Then, once I start teaching, they realize, “Oh, she knows her stuff.” That kind of bias exists in the professional world too. If you can’t bring your full self to work, you’re not bringing your full creativity or mindset because you’re constantly worried about being “found out.” That’s exhausting. If you can be yourself, you can focus on the work instead of fitting into a corporate mold. Companies that embrace authenticity see higher productivity and engagement. And if an organization doesn’t accept you as you are, it may not be the right place for you.
We spend most of our waking hours at work. If you can’t be yourself there, you’re essentially pretending for most of your life. Finding a workplace that aligns with your values is crucial. If it doesn’t, it may be time to look elsewhere. When everything aligns, you’re going to perform better and feel more fulfilled.
I tell my students all the time—when you graduate, your resume and experience will look a lot like everyone else’s in your program. If an employer asks, “Tell me about yourself,” and you start with your degree and where you studied, that’s exactly what every other applicant is saying. What makes you different? Employers aren’t just looking for skills; they’re looking for personality and cultural fit.
What are your thoughts on gender and diversity in PR?
In my classrooms, it’s mostly women, though this year, the gender balance is more even. In the industry, I’ve worked with incredible women who have mentored and inspired me, but when you look at C-suite positions, it’s still overwhelmingly male. While we’re seeing more women break through, it still takes longer for them to be recognized as deserving of leadership roles compared to men.
And that’s just gender. When you factor in race, disability, or being a newcomer to the country, the barriers multiply. A Black woman in a wheelchair, for example, faces three levels of bias before even being considered for a role she’s fully qualified for. It’s ridiculous. The idea that newcomers don’t understand North American media is another excuse businesses use to exclude talented professionals. No one graduates with a ready-made network of journalists—it’s something we all build over time. Yet, these biases persist, and companies miss out on incredible talent because of outdated assumptions.
At the end of the day, we all have the ability to learn, adapt, and bring value. The industry needs to move beyond these limiting beliefs and recognize that diversity in thought, experience, and background only strengthens the field.
