CSPS Digital Academy Events/Annual Digital Open Government Forum: The Future of Work - Shaping the Public Service of Tomorrow Together - Speaker Biographies

From wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
ADOGF 2021.png













Register for Event Here .png

Join us on gc collab.png


Date and time: November 25, 2021 | 11:30 am to 3:30 pm (ET)

Register for event here
Join us on GCCollab for updates and discussion

Speaker Biographies

Elizabeth Hardy Headshot.jpg

Elizabeth Hardy (Master of Ceremonies)

Senior Director, Research and Experimentation, Office of Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Elizabeth is the Senior Director of Research and Experimentation in the Office of Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat, Government of Canada, where she is responsible for leading advancements in future of work efforts for the federal government. Before starting this role in March 2020, she was Senior Lead, Behavioural Science at the Impact and Innovation Unit at the Privy Council Office, where she oversaw the application of behavioural science to public policy challenges.

Prior to joining the Government of Canada, Elizabeth held several senior leadership positions, including leading the Behavioural Insights Unit in the Government of Ontario, where she was instrumental in creating and building Canada’s first behavioural science team in government. To date, Elizabeth has successfully completed trials dealing with public health, financial decision-making, tax collection, regulatory compliance, and service delivery. She provides advice and guidance on the application of behavioural science to public policy, recently supporting the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a member of the External Advisory Committee for Capacity Development.

Janice Charette Headshot.jpg

Janice Charette

Interim Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Privy Council Office
Prior to rejoining the Privy Council, Ms. Charette was the High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and agreed to serve as Interim Clerk while Ian Shugart is on medical leave.

From October 2014 to January 2016, Ms. Charette was Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet. Previously, she was Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet (2013-2014), as well as Associate Secretary to the Cabinet and Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2010-2013).

In addition, Ms. Charette has held several senior leadership positions in the public service, including:

  • Deputy Minister for Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (2006–2010)
  • Deputy Minister for Citizenship and Immigration Canada (2004–2006)
  • Associate Deputy Minister for Health Canada (2003–2004)


Ms. Charette attended Carleton University, where she received a Bachelor of Commerce degree, and she was granted an honorary doctorate from Kingston University, United Kingdom. In March 2021, Ms. Charette received the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. The designation represents a commitment to excellence in the boardroom and the highest standards of leadership.

Anil Arora Headshot.jpg

Anil Arora

Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
Anil Arora was appointed Chief Statistician of Canada in September 2016.

Mr. Arora has led significant transformational initiatives throughout his career, with experience and partnerships spanning all three levels of government, the private sector and international organizations, including the UN and the OECD. He has led projects on high-profile policy issues, legislative and regulatory reform, and overseen large national programs.

In 1988, Mr. Arora joined Statistics Canada where he served in several positions, including regional operations, corporate services and the redesign of the dissemination function. In 2000, he became Director of Census Management Office and subsequently the Director General responsible for all aspects of the 2006 Census. In this role, Mr. Arora led the most comprehensive redesign of the Program, including the introduction of an online questionnaire. Following the successful delivery of the 2006 Census he became the Assistant Chief Statistician of Social, Health and Labour Statistics from 2008 to 2010.

In 2009, Mr. Arora received the prestigious APEX Leadership Award in recognition of his exceptional leadership skills and management excellence.

In 2010, Mr. Arora joined Natural Resources Canada as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Minerals and Metals Sector, and in 2013 was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of Science and Policy Integration. He moved to Health Canada in 2014, becoming Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Products and Food Branch and leading a complex organization overseeing regulation of food, drug and health products for Canada. He also served as chair of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities.

Mr. Arora attended the University of Alberta, where he earned a Bachelor of Science, followed by further education in computing science and management, including a graduate certificate in Advanced Public Sector Management at the University of Ottawa, and the Advanced Leadership Program at the Canada School of Public Service.

Taki Sarantakis Headshot.png

Taki Sarantakis

President, Canada School of Public Service
Taki Sarantakis has been President of the Canada School of Public Service since July 2018, having previously served as Associate Secretary of the Treasury Board at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Mr. Sarantakis spent most of his career at Infrastructure Canada, including as Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy and Communications.

In 2011 Mr. Sarantakis was awarded Canada's Public Service Award of Excellence in Public Policy, and in 2013 he was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Prior to joining the federal government, Mr. Sarantakis was a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. from York University in Toronto, as well as an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management's Institute of Corporate Directors Education Program, holding the ICD.D designation.

Jean McClellan Headshot 2.jpg

Jean McClellan

National Consulting People and Organization Leader, PwC Canada
Jean McClellan leads the National People & Organization practice for PwC Canada. Jean has over 20 years of consulting experience working with multidisciplinary teams to solve complex issues for her clients across the country. She has spent the last decade of her career helping clients to transform their organizations by activating their people and embracing technology. She believes that people & culture are what differentiates highly successful organizations and loves to spend time in the mountains hiking with her family.

Stephen Dery Headshot.png

Stéphan Déry

Assistant Deputy Minister, Real Property Services Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Stéphan Déry was appointed as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Real Property Services (RPS) for Public Services and Procurement Canada on August 19, 2019.

As ADM of RPS, Stéphan is responsible for the delivery of the entire suite of real property services to 102 federal departments and agencies. RPS maintains a portfolio of leased and Crown-owned assets across Canada, manages an annual budget of more than $5 billion, and provides accommodation to over 260,000 public servants.

Stéphan is a member of the National Advisory Council for Building Owners and Managers Association.

Prior to his appointment as the ADM of RPS, Stéphan was Chief Executive Officer for the Translation Bureau at Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Department's Regional Director General for the Atlantic Region.

Paul Wagner Headshot.jpg

Paul N. Wagner

Assistant Deputy Minister, Transformation, Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Paul is the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Transformation within the Office of the Chief Information Officer of Canada Branch of Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. What that really means is that he is responsible for leading a number of key strategic files that are focused on supporting the Government of Canada’s digital journey

Previously Paul was the Interim Chief Technology Officer for the Government of Canada. In this role Paul was responsible for leading the Government of Canada’s evolutionary leap into a new digital landscape by working in collaboration with experts, business and digital leaders to harness innovative management approaches and integrate trusted and emerging technology into solutions. Paul brings over 3 decades of private and public sector experience in Information and Digital Technologies to the executive table.

Paul has served as Chief Information Officer for Justice Canada, Library and Archives Canada and the National Research Council of Canada. He has overseen operations and innovations in the areas of digital service delivery, information technology, information and data management and partnership management.

A pioneer and supporter of enterprise systems for government, Paul joined Shared Services Canada at inception and led the creation of the first enterprise Partnership Management function for technology in the Government of Canada.

With over 20 years experience in the Canadian Federal Public Service, Paul has held executive leadership roles since 2004. Paul remains very active in the national and international councils and boards related to technology and data management.

In addition to almost a decade in the private sector working implementing Enterprise Resource Planning systems in the Retail Industry, Paul has also held several leadership positions at Service Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and the Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada in the areas of Business Planning, Relationship Management and IT Product/Service Management.

Paul holds a B.A. with a major in Economics from McGill University and an MBA from the University of Ottawa's Executive MBA program.

When not focused on the business of Government, Paul spends his time enjoys racing and cruising sailboats on the Ottawa River and beyond, playing a variety of musical instruments and seems to always be fixing something around his home.

Neil Bouwer Enlarged Headshot.png

Neil Bouwer

Vice-President, Innovation and Policy Services Branch, Canada School of Public Service
Neil Bouwer has also served as an Assistant Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Privy Council Office of Canada; and in executive positions at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada. He has also worked at the Department of Finance and Western Economic Diversification Canada, and has Economics degrees from McGill University and St. Thomas University. Neil actively supports the Government of Canada policy and data communities, the Advanced Policy Analyst Program and the Free Agent HR Program.

Tony Bates Headshot.jpg

Tony Bates

Senior Advisor, Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University, and Research Associate, Contact North.
Dr. Tony Bates is a Senior Advisor at the Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University, Toronto and is also a Research Associate at Contact North, Ontario. He is Chair of the Board of the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association and is a consultant assisting with the implementation of the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s e-Learning Strategy.

He was a founding staff member of the British Open University, becoming a full professor in educational media research in 1984. In 1989, he became Executive Director, Strategic Planning and Information Technology at the Open Learning Agency, Vancouver. From 1995 to 2003 he was Director of Distance Education and Technology at UBC. He has worked as a consultant in the design and management of online and distance learning in over 40 countries.

He is the author of twelve books, including his latest online, open textbook for faculty and instructors, ‘Teaching in a Digital Age’, which has been downloaded over 500,000 times and translated into ten languages. He has honorary degrees from two Canadian universities (Laurentian and Athabasca) and four foreign universities for his research into online learning and distance education.

Pina Dintino Headshot.jpg

Pina D'Intino

Senior Accessibility Consultant and Strategist, Statistics Canada
E-mail: giuseppina.dintino@canada.ca
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/pinadintino

A sought out catalyst in accessibility and organizational change.

Since 2020, Pina is Statistics Canada’s Senior Accessibility Consultant and Strategist. She is responsible to develop, lead and implement a multi-year accessibility strategy that will help Statistics Canada realize its accessibility vision as becoming the most accessible agency in the government of Canada. To accomplish this, she leads the Accessibility Leadership Taskforce, works with several inter-departmental workgroups to promote accessibility across the agency and the Government of Canada.

Pina D’Intino is a sought-out international accessibility Senior Advisor, strategist and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience working in large organizations in four continents, world-wide.

Her years working with large organizations has contributed to her ability to assess requirements from an operational, inclusive and holistic perspective, while also having the ability to focus on specific outcomes. Some of my engagements and accomplishments include;

  • Serves as a strategic advisor for Service Canada and the AODA.
  • Was an active member of the AODA Information and Communication Standards & Employment Standards Committees.
  • Sits on a number of working committees on IAAP.
  • Serves as Chair, Financial Services for G3ict: Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs.
  • Contributes to a plurality of best practices publications, including the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Switchboard resource, and the ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium.
  • Pina is fluent in English and French and enjoys giving back to the accessibility profession through training, advisory roles and mentorship, promoting intrinsic capacity and effective innovation.


Pina’s professional credentialed background includes:

  • Master’s degree in Inclusive Design from OCADU
  • Certified Project Management Institute (PMI) member
    • Project Portfolio Management (PGMI) certificate, (PMI)
    • Master’s Certificate – Project Management, PMI
  • Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
  • Several additional professional certifications in procurement, contract management negotiation, and inclusive digital & built design.
Louise-Michelle Rouillard Headshot.jpg

Louise-Michelle Rouillard

Manager, Workforce Requirements, Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance), Department of National Defence
Dr. Louise-Michelle Rouillard has served as an Armour Officer for 12 years in the CAF, but had to release due to injuries sustained in Bosnia on ROTO IX of OP PALLADIUM. After her release, she completed her Ph.D. at Peter Pazmany Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary, before joining the public service in 2007. She served for 12 years a manager for conflict of interest in the Defence Ethics Programme, writing the DND and CAF Code of Values and Ethics. Since 2020, she is Manager – Workforce Requirements at ADM(Fin). In parallel to her public service career, she teaches national security and international affairs as well as leadership and ethics, and direct research projects, for the Canadian Forces College and the laws of armed conflict for the Royal Military College of Canada. A lifelong learner, she is currently completing her 4th master’s degree, this one in management from the École national d’administration publique (ÉNAP). Committed to social improvements, she serves as director on the Boards of the Ottawa Humane Society and St-Patrick’s Home. Dr. Rouillard is a transgender woman, having recently begun her transition at work.

Jesse Hirsh (ADOGF).jpg

Jesse Hirsh

Futurist, Researcher, Digital Strategist
Jesse Hirsh is based out of Lanark County, Ontario, and has over 25 years experience as a technology researcher, ethicist, public speaker, broadcaster, and futurist. He writes a daily newsletter called Metaviews and works with organizations to help them use technology strategically and responsibly. He has an MA from Ryerson University in algorithmic media, and his current work focuses on the governance and ethics of artificial intelligence, data protection, and privacy. Jesse was a digital fellow with the Canada School of Public Service’s Digital Academy and a member of the Advisory Council for the Certificate in Machine Learning at York University’s School of Continuing Studies. An avid (social) entrepreneur, Jesse operates the Academy of the Impossible, a peer to peer lifelong learning network, and Ottawa Valley Smart Farms, an agricultural technology company.

Mélanie Robert.jpg

Mélanie Robert

Executive Director, Open Government and Portals, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Mélanie Robert is the Executive Director of Open Government at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). She leads the Government of Canada’s efforts to open data and information and to increase accountability and citizen participation, and manages Canada’s Open Government and Open Data Portal (open.canada.ca) as well as the Online Access to Information Request Service.

With over 20 years of experience in the federal public service, Mélanie has lead business analysis, regulation and enforcement work and communications and consultations for a variety of technology and innovation files.

You can follow Mélanie on Twitter @MelRobrt

Twitter Logo.png
Doreen Grove Headshot.jpg

Doreen Grove

Head of Open Government, Scottish Government
Doreen leads Scottish Government’s involvement in the Open Government Partnership at both a National and International level. In Scotland, Open Government supports the reform of public services, the renewal of democracy, promotes openness, transparency and the use of innovative participative processes to help transform how people interact with public services. Doreen moved into the Scottish Government Strategy Unit during the extraordinary times building up to Scotland’s Independence Referendum, which as an Archaeologist and Historian, seemed a really interesting way to observe history at first hand. The change has provided her with a broad perspective on the world in which we live and the systems that affect us over time. Doreen is also a co-founder and chair of Wellbeing Economy Scotland, because change matters and how we have a society that works for people and planet – working with an extraordinary team of people who are inspiring the change in Scotland and beyond.

James Van Raalte

Executive Director, Regulatory Policy and Cooperation Directorate, Treasury Board Secretariat
James van Raalte is currently the Executive Director of Regulatory Policy and Cooperation at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat where he oversees the government’s regulatory modernization agenda, in close partnership with regulatory departments and agencies.

Prior to his current appointment, James spent four years leading the public and stakeholder engagement, policy development and legislative process that resulted in the passage of the Accessible Canada Act in July 2019. Among other accomplishments, the act establishes a new regulatory and compliance framework within federal jurisdiction and establishes a Canadian first: a government agency led by a board whose majority members are people with disabilities.

James has experienced successful executive leadership opportunities within the Privy Council Office, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Canada Education Savings Program, the Canada Pension Plan-Disability Program and Shared Services Canada.

An Ottawa-based, federal public servant for over twenty years, James remains a proud Maritimer, hailing from Fredericton, New Brunswick. He holds a BBA from the University of New Brunswick and an MPA from Queen’s University in Kingston.

Dugald Topshee Headshot.jpg

Dugald Topshee

Chief Information Officer, Justice Canada
After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, Dugald Topshee translated his passion for information technology into a career as a computer programmer. He started his career in the telecommunications space, working for British Telecom in Europe and then Nortel Networks in Ottawa, Canada before striking out on his own.

Dugald founded his own consulting company in 2001 that specialised in applying XML technology to business process automation. His company, Phrontisterion Incorporated, spent several years developing solutions for public and private sector organizations of various sizes and in various countries.

In 2008, Dugald was offered a job with one of his company’s former clients, the Department of Justice Canada, and he has spent the past ten years moving through a variety of positions of increasing authority at this Department, culminating in his most recent role as Chief Information Officer.

Mark Irvin Headshot.png

Mark Irvin

Lead Open Government, Public Service Commission
Mark Irvin is currently the Senior Advisor to the Director General in the Data Service and Analytics Directorate and the Manager of the Open Government Secretariat at the Public Service Commission of Canada. Mark has been working with government for almost 15 years, a career that has seen him work in a number of different departments including Health Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat. Having split his time in the areas of Strategic HR consulting, conducting data analysis and reporting and ADM talent management.

Mark has been leading PSC’s open government efforts for the last five years, where his goal is to guide the organization to be a truly Open PSC.