TDSB & Me is a staff storytelling series that celebrates the people who help our schools and workplaces thrive. Each profile recognizes the everyday leadership, creativity, and care that shapes our system and supports student success.

Zoya McGroarty

Senior Communications Advisor - Media Relations and Issues Management, Communications and Public Affairs 

For the past 15 years, Zoya McGroarty has helped TDSB schools navigate the many ways they communicate with students, families, and their communities. Her days can move quickly from supporting a principal with a communication challenge to responding to a media request, with little indication of what the next phone call might bring. 

“I was drawn to the opportunity to use communications to make a real impact,” she says. “The TDSB is such a large and diverse organization, and it’s important to ensure complex information is made clear, accessible and meaningful for students, families and staff.” 

Zoya is also a TDSB graduate, making the opportunity to give back to the organization that played an important role in her own education especially meaningful. As a parent of a TDSB Grade 3 student, she also knows firsthand how valuable clear and timely communication can be for  families. 

Working closely with principals and supporting schools with their communication needs is what she enjoys most. “Communication is really about people,” she says. “It’s not just getting the right information out, it’s about understanding your audience, listening to what they need, and making sure people feel informed, heard and supported.” 

One recent interaction brought this people-centered approach particularly close to home. Zoya connected with a current TDSB principal who had once been one of her mother’s students. Her mother was an ESL teacher who spent most of her career at Marc Garneau CI. “It was a powerful reminder that the work educators do can stay with students for decades and have an impact that goes far beyond the classroom,” Zoya says. 

The experience also reinforced something Zoya has learned over 15 years in her role: you can never assume you know the full story. Taking the time to listen, ask questions, and understand someone’s perspective can completely change how you approach a situation. 

It’s also advice she shares with anyone new to the Board. Zoya encourages new employees to make connections and get to know their colleagues, particularly when the pace of work can feel intense. “The people around you are one of your greatest resources,” she says. “Take the time to build those relationships, because being part of Team TDSB is one of the best parts of working here!” 

Although Zoya works closely with schools, much of her work happens behind the scenes. Outside of media events throughout the year, she doesn’t get to spend as much time in schools as she’d like. “There’s nothing quite like being in the school environment, meeting staff and students, and seeing the work happening firsthand,” Zoya says. “So, if you’re reading this and thinking I should come visit your school, please invite me!”