About Elisa
As a freelance journalist for over 20 years, Elisa has covered a range of issues, including health, travel, business and lifestyle for such publications as the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, CBC.ca, Profit, Huffington Post and Zoomer Magazine. She’s established a respected niche in the social impact space as the publisher & editor-in-chief of SEE Change Magazine, a digital publication of social entrepreneurship that she co-founded eight years ago – and as the host of its podcast, In the Business of Change.
Elisa is also a regular contributor on matters of social enterprise for Canada’s national newspaper, the National Post and has been covering issues in the nonprofit sector as a freelance reporter for over a decade. Her first book, In the Business of Change, profiling social entrepreneurs tackling challenges in their communities and their lessons learned will be published spring 2018.
As a result of her work in the field, Elisa received an Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship at Cambridge University, UK and a grant from Heritage Canada to produce a digital storytelling project, The History of Social Change, documenting social movements in Canada and their key players. That project is now being introduced into classrooms as part of storytelling workshops for students.
President of Elle Communications, Elisa helps her clients – many of whom in the social impact space – tell their stories effectively and with impact. She’s also a speaker and workshop facilitator on the topics of social entrepreneurship, storytelling and media training.
As a producer, Elisa worked on documentaries and current affairs programs at History Television, Discovery Health, TVO and the CBC. Elisa holds an honors bachelor’s degree in political science from Concordia University and law degrees from the University of Montreal and Osgoode Hall Law School.

Elisa Birnbaum
Author, Journalist, Speaker
Elisa Birnbaum has an extensive portfolio as a senior journalist and writer. She’s also a recognized host, consultant and storyteller of social entrepreneurship and social change.
Paul Martin
Interviewing former Prime Minister of Canada Paul Martin about his decision to legalize same-sex marriage
The Michaels
Canada’s first same-sex couple to legally marry, “the Michaels”, discuss the impact that marriage equality has had on their lives
Clayton Ruby
Interviewing renowned civil and human rights lawyer Clayton Ruby about the Charter of Rights as part of the History of Social Change project
Danielle Martin
Speaking with internationally acclaimed doctor and medicare proponent Danielle Martin about her stance on the Canadian healthcare system
Sid Ryan
Famed labor rights activist Sid Ryan discusses the evolution of rights for minorities and the general workforce of Canada
Roy Romanow
Former premier of Saskatchewn talks about his career and his fight for healthcare in Canada
Ken Dryden
Former politician and hockey legend Ken Dryden and his family chat about their philanthropy work for a National Post story