As the principal architect of Murray Paterson Marketing Group (MPMG), Laura Murray has helped build a company founded on the passion, creativity, and integrity that define the artistic process. A classical ballet dancer and journalist by training, Laura brings to her leadership the strength + discipline of dance with the insight + exactitude of reporting, managing her team’s collective talents toward blockbuster results.

Laura’s knowledge of the creative scene in Canada and her role as Vice President of Client Services at a local communications agency, where she found herself increasingly specializing in arts marketing, led Laura to launch Laura Murray Public Relations in 2011. She was soon joined in her vision of a firm dedicated to supporting the arts and cultural sector by her business partner Brian Paterson and, together, they have grown a company that by 2016 had morphed into Murray Paterson Marketing Group.

The MPMG brand has become synonymous with excellence, innovation, passion, and service to the arts. The company has been recognized by Business in Vancouver as one of BC’s top communications firms and by the Georgia Straight as Vancouver’s best PR agency. MPMG is also a recipient of the BC Marketing Association Excellence Award for its strengths in innovative, full-service marketing and communications.

Laura’s prestigious client roster has expanded to include more than 60 Canadian and international clients.

Laura was named by Business in Vancouver as a 2016 “Forty Under 40” winner, acknowledging the city’s most successful entrepreneurs under the age of 40 and the ones to watch.

In addition to building and leading MPMG, Laura currently serves as the Operations Director for the newly formed classical ballet company, Ballet Vancouver. She has also provided arts commentary and reviews for the Vancouver Sun, Georgia Straight, Dance International Magazine, and 24 Hours, and has served on the boards of the Alliance for Arts and Culture, Made in BC: Dance on Tour, and the Vancouver Ballet Society. Laura is currently the Operations Director for the newly formed classical ballet company, Ballet Vancouver.

Brian Paterson is MPMG’s Senior Strategist and go-to guy for all things digital marketing. A classically trained actor, Brian brings a rare hybrid perspective to his work—combining deep artistic literacy with a strategic, results-driven approach to marketing. A born-and-bred British Columbian, his greatest professional satisfaction comes from connecting audiences with the rich array of arts experiences available in his home province.

Brian’s strong technical command of digital and social media platforms allows him to design cost-effective, high-impact campaigns tailored to the unique realities of arts and culture organizations. His background as an artist gives him a nuanced understanding of how audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with cultural experiences; as a seasoned marketer, he translates that insight into clear, compelling strategies that resonate within Canada’s dynamic arts ecosystem.

Highly analytical and deeply informed by industry trends, Brian also leads MPMG’s Market Research practice. Through data-driven analysis, he supports clients in maximizing revenue, expanding access, and strengthening long-term audience relationships.

A sought-after speaker and educator, Brian has presented at conferences including the Atlantic Presenters Association’s ShiftChange Conference and ArtsReach’s National Arts Marketing, Development & Ticketing Conference, and has led workshops for organizations such as the Alliance for Arts and Culture and the Literary Press Group.

Committed to the sector he serves, Brian is an active volunteer in the charitable and arts communities. He currently serves as Vice President of Belle Spirale Dance Projects and as a Member at Large with United Girls of the World Society / Fire and Flower: Girls Rites of Passage. His past board service includes Electric Company Theatre, Firehall Arts Centre, and the Dancing on the Edge Festival.

In addition to his work at MPMG, Brian serves as Vice President of Marketing for Broadway in Victoria, a Vancouver Island–based organization presenting major touring musicals at the historic Royal Theatre.

A writer from a young age, Angela Poon knows the power of a captivating story. Having parlayed her early love of storytelling and performance into a career as a journalist and communications professional, Angela applies her innate sense of narrative to MPMG’s many diverse clients.

Angela first pursued journalism at Langara College, and started out as a reporter and photographer, covering local news and arts for the Langley Advance. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Trinity Western University, and redirected her career into public relations.

A Vancouver-based PR firm was her launching pad, where she garnered significant coverage for high-profile clients such as UNICEF, the PNE, and the Forest Products Association of Canada. As the in-house strategist for Canadian Blood Services’ B.C. and Yukon region, Angela regularly secured coverage and acted as spokesperson among top-tier media outlets.

Angela’s comprehensive and multi-faceted experience provides a unique insight into developing compelling content, ensuring MPMG clients build authentic engagement with key audiences.

As MPMG’s Digital Marketing Manager, Sijia Cheng combines her experience as an arts advocate and bilingual communicator with a technical ingenuity that delivers consistent and creative digital solutions for MPMG clients.

Sijia launched her career at Sichuan Museum in Chengdu, China, delivering tours, recruiting volunteers, and coordinating public events as a museum docent and volunteer lead. A lifelong pursuit of literature soon brought her to Vancouver, where she earned a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of British Columbia. Upon graduation, she has applied her writing expertise and critical lens to a career in communications and marketing, most recently with the University of British Columbia, and as the volunteer digital marketing and social media lead for Elimin8Hate, the advocacy arm of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival.  

With a strong understanding of and conviction in the essential role that art plays in society , Sijia leverages her multidisciplinary background and EDI-focused community advocacy to help build content and marketing strategies that effectively engage MPMG clients’ diverse spectrum of audiences.

Early in her career Sylvia received formative advice from her mentor: “If you handle a piece of paper twice, it is one time too many.” This wisdom would prove foundational in the high-efficiency exactitude that she applies to her management and oversight of all things fiscal at MPMG.

After earning her BA in Psychology at the University of Waterloo, Sylvia began her career in the banking sector, rapidly ascending the ranks from teller to clerk to lending and ultimately to supervising a team and VIP clientele as Senior Account Manager at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

Spreading her wings, she left the RBC to open her own bookkeeping consultancy, specializing in start-up companies. In the 25 years since, she has aided countless organizations, including Evoke International Design, Studio B Productions, and IO Media Productions. The diverse array of insights and service provided include growth development, financial planning, bookkeeping, and HR + office management, among others.

An entrenched and involved member of the Vancouver community, Sylvia has served on a number of boards including the Vancouver Racquets Club and Westminster House Society for Women, and as Board Director and Treasurer for Granville Island Cultural Society.