David Estok was born in Hamilton and educated at the University of Western Ontario (BA) in London and Carleton University (MA) in Ottawa. He has had a distinguished career in communications: senior editorial positions at Maclean’s (associate business editor, senior reporter, senior editor, and writer for several publications, including the Financial Post), editor-in-chief of the Hamilton Spectator, vice-president of brand marketing and communications for the SickKids Foundation, and associate vice-president communications and public affairs at the University of Western Ontario. He is currently the vice-president of communications at the University of Toronto.

During his career, David has won numerous awards for journalism, communications, and public relations, including journalist of the year and an International Association of Business Communications Virtuoso Award for web communications. In 2007, under David’s leadership, the Spectator received the Canadian Journalism Foundation of Excellence Award for the best media organization in Canada; it also won two National Newspaper Awards and was nominated eight times.

David is a former member of the Ontario Press Council as well as the Jobs Prosperity Coalition, and a past member of the YMCA Board of Directors.