2022 Student Speed Mentoring
| Version française | Mentorship Resources | GC Students | Federal Youth Network |
Speed Mentoring (June 15th and 16th, 2022)
GC Students, the National Capital Region Young Professionals Network (NCRYPN), the Mentorship CoP and the Federal Youth Network (FYN) are hosting 90-minute sessions of virtual, speed mentoring for students during National Public Service Week 2022!
WHAT:
Three, 90-minute sessions of virtual, structured networking. Groups of 5-6 students will meet with one mentor for 15 minutes at a time (through Zoom breakout rooms). There will be four rounds of networking per session.
This will be an opportunity for mentors to share their advice with and answer questions from mentees related to networking, learning, personal development, and career growth in the Government of Canada. Mentees will be able to ask questions to and seek advice from mentors on the topics that matter most to them as they advance their careers.
Resources
To be added soon!
WHO:
All GC students are invited to be mentees.
WHEN:
Session 1 (English): Wednesday, June 15, from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. EDT *Zoom Registration Link*
| Alicia Seifert | Jade Arnaout | Josée Owen | Lisa DiNardo | Renee Emby |
| Anissa MacLeod | Jason Lawson | Laura Green | Marcela Popowich | Rochelle Wacklin |
| Brandon Zeron | Jeff Kennedy | Lauranne Mason | Mark Lindsay | Sarah Plouffe |
| Breton Niddery | Jessica Zeroual | Lily Murariu | Mila Milankovic | Tara Shapransky |
| Cari Bailey | Joelle Raffoul | Lily Spek | Natasha Cote-Khan | Taran Wasson |
| Frank Assu | Jordan Storouk | Lindy McQuillan | Rebecca Tardif |
Session 2 (French): Thursday, June 16, from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. EDT *Zoom Registration Link*
| Audrey-Anne Racine | Jason Lawson | Michel Mongeon | Alex Mercier |
| Danl Loewen | Jean-Luc Plante | Murielle Swift | Pierre-Luc Denis |
| Dave Weatherall | Jean Cardinal | Paul Keller | Stephanie Anne Leclerc |
| Gislaine Moraes | Josee Laframboise | Sylvie Page | Veronique Boudreau |
| Jade Arnaout | Mathieu Vienneau | Dienabou Sow |
Session 3 (English): Thursday, June 16, from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. EDT *Zoom Registration Link*
| Albee (Ying) Zhan | Elizabeth Brunet | Jennifer Tessier | Lamine Medri | Pamela Chu |
| Alexa Keating | Frank Assu | Joeigh Parker | Lucy Ellis | Quillaume Quessy |
| Anastasia Toussaint | Gaby Jovic | John Kehoe | Mamadou Bakayoko | Stephanie Mak |
| Bruce Lonergan | Harlen Card | Justin Mathews | Mark Lindsay | Stephanie Percival |
| Darlene Hiscott | Jason Lawson | Kelsey Studiman | Megan Otu | Tara Shapransky |
| Dave Weatherall | Jean Cardinal | Kevin Harrison | Merylee Sevilla |
WHERE:
Online, via Zoom.
Mentors
| Name | Position | Department | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Otu | Advisor | Fisheries and Oceans Canada | I am a biologist, ambassador, settler, advocate, mother, partner, daughter, sister, auntie, ally, student and nature-lover.
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| Rochelle Wacklin
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Advisor | Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Originally from rural Alberta, Rochelle Wacklin completed her undergraduate degree in Vancouver and her Master’s degrees in Ottawa before beginning work with the federal government through the Advanced Policy Analyst Program (APAP). Through the APAP, Rochelle had the opportunity to work at all three central agencies (Treasury Board Secretariat, Privy Council Office and Finance Canada) and learn how government process works before embarking on a three year position at Innovation, Science and Economic Development, where she focused on a new program to foster economic development within Canada. During the pandemic she had the opportunity to work on federal homelessness policy. She has recently returned to the Treasury Board Secretariat where she supports files related to the department of Women and Gender Equality. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her partner and kids, practicing yoga, and playing board games with her friends. She looks forward to someday seeing people in person and travelling again!
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| Gaby Jovic | Economist/Advisor | Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | My first gigs with the federal government was as a co-op student with PacifiCan (formerly Western Economic Diversification Canada) and Innovation, Science and Innovation Canada (formerly Industry Canada) in 2013. After the two co-op terms, I stayed with ISED as a part-time student (four days a week) while I finished my Master of Public Administration (UVIC program), and was bridged in after I graduated. I was with ISED until 2021 where I moved around in different roles, working on programs and policy on various files that include Canada’s science and innovation portfolio, Canada’s automotive industry, the zero-emission vehicles strategy, digital priorities (AI and quantum), and COVID-19 response and PPE/testing capacity in Canada. I was actively engaged with the Young Professionals Network, and also worked in the Minister’s Office as a departmental liaison. I joined TBS in November 2021 so I am relatively new but enjoying it. I have two boys, 1 and 3 years old. |
| Taran Wasson | Senior Advisor | Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Taran S. Wasson is an A/Senior Advisor with the Regulatory Affairs Sector at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). Previously at TBS, he setup the innovative Canada’s Free Agents program and advanced Open Government. He previously worked with the Privy Council Office, Shared Services Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Labour Program, and Canada Border Services Agency. From 2012 to 2014, he was the National Co-Chair of YMAGIN, ESDC’s youth professional network, which he led to become the largest departmental employee-led youth network. Taran also currently serves as the Past Chair of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada – National Capital Region (IPAC-NCR), and has been with the IPAC-NCR Board since 2014.
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| Lamine Medri | Senior Project Officer | Shared Services Canada | Lamine has been working for SSC for over 2 years. He is responsible, with his team of 4 employees, to complete the earned value management reports for 4 IT cyber security projects. Outside of work, Lamine enjoys being outdoor, biking, hiking and practicing martial arts |
| Lisa DiNardo | Service Delivery Manager | Shared Services Canada | I have completed 35 years in IT at CSIS, CRA, and SSC.
I have worked in Operations, Agency Data Warehouse (Business Intelligence) , Database, Metadata, Management Reporting, and Client portfolio Management, I started working for the gov as a Student in 1982, I was a consultant and then GOC employee in 1987, bought back some time and retired in March 2022. I have managed teams, my largest team was 11 resources over 2 teams. I am currently back at SSC working 90 Casual. |
| Renee Emby | Team Lead/Technical Advisor | Shared Services Canada | My name is Renee Emby and I am a Team Lead/ Technical Advisor. I began working in the GoC in 2017 as an FSWEP student, I worked full-time as an FSWEP student to support my studies. I completed my undergrad in law and my masters in data analytics, I’m currently pursing my PhD in digital innovation from UOttawa. I worked as an FSWEP student for 5 years until I was bridged into a full-time position. Over my career, I’ve worked for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Shared Services Canada (SSC) while being employed with the GoC. I’ve worked primarily in strategic policy and planning, data analytics, business analytics and security. While I was an FSWEP student I was the Vice-President of the Young Professionals Network at Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), where I mentored new public servants and students on GoC best practices, pay, FSWEP/ CO-OP HR, GoC policies, networking and events. I am extremely interested and excited about student mentoring, and I look forward to speaking and virtually meeting all of the new students! |
| Jeff Kennedy
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Manager | Fisheries and Oceans Canada | “Jeff is someone who likes the outdoors, is introspective, enjoys off-the-path travel, and is a perpetually confused father of three tween/teenage boys. Jeff joined the public service in 2014 after career stints in politics, teaching, consulting, and travel industry. Jeff is a curious learner whose most recent manager role was in the Indigenous reconciliation policy space. He is an approachable and curious learner who feels fulfilled when engaging with those who appreciate the importance and intricacies of the ‘human’ elements of work and life.” |
| Lucy Ellis | Senior Communications Advisor | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Lucy Ellis started her career as an FSWEP student at the Canadian Joint Operations Command, where she wrote tweets, articles, and webpages about military operations. She loves Oxford commas, excel pivot tables, and good storytelling. In 2018, she became the Speechwriter for the Chief of the Defence Staff, and she currently works as a Senior Communications Advisor at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. |
| Rebecca Tardif | Senior Program Officer | Canada Border Services Agency | My name is Rebecca Tardif and currently hold the position of Senior Program Officer at the Canada Border Services Agency.
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| Jennifer Tessier | Senior Human Resources Analyst | Canada Revenue Agency | I am a Senior Human Resources Analyst in the Learning and Leadership Directorate of the Human Resources (HR) Branch at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). I have over 20 years of experience working in various HR disciplines at the CRA and I’m currently responsible for the coaching and mentoring programs at the CRA. |
| Stephanie Percival | Senior Analyst | Canada Revenue Agency | After nearly 5 years as one of Canada's Free Agents, Steph Percival recently joined the Canada Revenue Agency's Research and Innovation Lab as a Senior Analyst. Steph has been fortunate to experience the public service through a variety of career opportunities in her 13 years as a public servant: in policy, communications, human resources, innovation, learning, client service and more. Reflecting on these experiences has helped her understand what she needs to thrive in her work. For her, she's happiest in roles where she can be creative, have autonomy, contribute to a bigger picture, and empower other public servants. Steph remains an active part of the public service community while she's on maternity leave with her second baby boy. |
| Natasha Cote-Khan | Free Agent | Transport Canada | Natasha is a regional Free Agent located in London Ontario where she has been working from home since March 2019. Natasha is currently on assignment at Transport Canada where she is a Senior Communications Advisor. Her areas of focus are UX and HCD design, Future of Work, Communications, Program Management and Events.
Working off the “side of her desk” with FlexGC since their launch in February 2020, Natasha has had the opportunity to liaise with multiple stakeholders and colleagues across the Government of Canada to support and share new tips and ideas of working from home. With 6 children at home during the multiple pandemic lock downs, Natasha has been a passionate advocate for almost 3 years sharing her insights and teachings on how to manage working from home while maintaining good team culture and cohesion at work, and sharing how she balances her work expectations and her family. |
| Jessica Zéroual | Chief of Staff for Digital Experience and Client Data | ESDC | Jessica has been in public service for 5 years, working primarily in research and design. She has primarily worked with end-users for various federal programs and services offered to citizens. Jessica has experience in both line departments and central agencies. She is also a part-time faculty member at the Canada School of Public Service. |
| John Kehoe | Director | Public Service Commission of Canada | John began his public service career as a student and has had the opportunity to work in a number of areas throughout the years, including learning and development, policy, and human resources. He has been a youth champion, and in his current role, is responsible for modernizing student recruitment programs. John enjoys working from home and taking his dog on walks in nature. |
| Lily Murariu | Lead Program Advisor | National Research Council Canada | Lily is an experienced Project / Program / Portfolio Manager with experience in project management, management and leadership experience, in complex environments, both in public and private sector. Lily shares her project management experience, as a successful project management consultant, and excels as speaker at public events. |
| Mila Milankovic | Lead Analyst | Infrastructure Canada | I am a massive foodie and love to travel. My ideal day would consist of yoga, hiking, reading a good book on the beach and going out for dinner with friends. I started out at a student in the GOC in 2015. Prior to coming to Infrastructure Canada, I worked at Global Affairs Canada as a senior political analyst and an international development officer. I have a Masters in Migration and Development from the University of Sussex in the UK and a Bachelors in International Development from uOttawa. |
| Frank Assu | Senior Policy Analyst/Free Agent | Environment and Climate Change Canada | Frank joined the ECCC’s Innovation and Youth Engagement Division (IYED) in May 2021 as a Senior Policy Analyst. Since May 2018 Frank has worked remotely full time from Comox, BC on Vancouver Island. This is when he joined the Free Agent program after four years as a Border Officer with CBSA. Frank is very supportive and always involved with projects. He is a co-manager of GovernexxVI and founder of the Faces of the GC project. Frank has 4 kids (3 are adults) and a 8 year old granddaughter. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree with minors in Canadian History and First Nation Studies. |
| Guillaume Quessy | Regional Director | Public Services and Procurement Canada | I have tried, during 13 years of supervision, to provide my employees with an environment that fosters collaboration, innovation and personal development. As a team we celebrated our successes and learned from our failures. Day by day we become better, together. |
| Breton Niddery | Senior Advisor | Health Canada | Breton started in the Federal government as a summer student with Parks Canada. She later worked as a Contractor for several years doing project management for the government before joining the Public Service in 2015 as a Radiation Officer in Health Canada’s Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch working in nuclear emergency preparedness. In 2018, she moved to what is now the Controlled Substances and Cannabis Branch (CSCB) as an Advisor to a Director working in Science and Surveillance. She currently works in CSCB’s Assistant Deputy Minister’s Office (ADMO) as a Senior Advisor to the ADM focusing on the tobacco and vaping files. |
| Brandon Zeron | Head Financial Planning and Analysis | Infrastructure Canada | I have been working in the Federal Public service for almost 7 years at Infrastructure Canada. Started as a student and am always looking to make positive impacts with my work and outside of my work to better our environment and culture. I was the INFC YPN Chair for 3 years and am passionate about empowering young professionals to take their growth and learning into their own hands in the Federal Public Service. |
| Laura Green | Staffing Advisor | Fisheries and Oceans Canada | I have been a Federal Public Servant for almost 14 yrs. Service Canada is my employer but I am currently on loan (secondment) with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. I have also worked for both Private Business and non-profits. I live on an active farm and that is how I spend my evenings, weekends and holidays. |
| Tara Shapransky | Program Coordinator | Infrastructure Canada/Employment and Social Development Canada | Hi! My name is Tara and I am a Program Coordinator. I am in a unique position in that I am currently straddling two departments – one for my work as part of my secondment (previously an assignment) at Infrastructure Canada (INFC) and one for my work as the Communications Lead for the YMAGIN (Youth MAndate for Greater INvolvement) network at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). I started out as a co-op student at ESDC and used my networking skills to bridge that into an indeterminate position post graduation/end of co-op. Since then I have been employed full time with the government and have been actively involved with a number of initiatives and endeavours at ESDC and beyond. I have worked and collaborated with both the Federal Youth Network (FYN) and the National Capital Region Young Professionals Network (NCR YPN) before and I’m very excited to share my knowledge and experience with anyone who wants to chat anytime. I look forward to being your mentor! 😊
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| Mamadou Bakayoko | National Coordinator | Canada Revenue Agency Young Professionals Network | Mamadou has been with the Agency for 10 years, working in many different roles and offices across the country. He has been the National Coordinator for the CRA Young Professionals Network since March 2021. Mamadou is passionate about giving back to the community, and traveling.
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| Marcela Popwich | Senior HR Advisor | Canada Revenue Agency | Up until recently Marcela was the Virtual Event Lead for the Federal Youth Network. She brought people together and provided a platform to share their lived experiences - from issues of racism, inclusion to career discussions. Currently she is a Senior HR EDI Advisor at the CRA. In this role she works on creating, informing and executing the CRA’s Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. This involves working with different stakeholders, researching a variety of related topics and creating learning products.
Having worked within the Government of Canada for a while, she’s experienced the entry level work all the way to working as an HR Learning Advisor, and then Team Leader. Marcela believes in giving back by volunteering in her community including the Public Service. She is always looking for opportunities to help people become the best version of themselves. |
| Anastasia Toussaint | Human Resources Assistant | Fisheries and Oceans Canada | I was born in raised in Ottawa, but I have deep East Coast roots. My love of service, community, family and working hard come from my Nova Scotia background. I was very involved in University life from joining a Sorority, to volunteering at Carleton’s Student Experience Office (SEO) and leading a group for Carleton Serves. I worked for several departments (DND, RCMP, ISED, ISC and ESDC to name a few) as an FSWEP Student while I attended Carleton University and Algonquin College and that experience allowed me to get bridged into my current position at Fisheries and Oceans Canada! I have a Degree in Human Rights and Social Justice and supporting the diverse, intersectional, equitable, inclusive and accessible Student Hiring initiatives at DFO aligns with my personal values and professional goals. Things to remember: maintain those connections that you have made, take advantage of the opportunities that come your way, ask questions, don’t ever count yourself out and be open to new experiences and learn how to be flexible/adaptable! |
| Pamela Chu | Supervisor/Senior Regulatory Affairs Officer | Health Canada | My name is Pamela Chu and I am a Supervisor/Senior Regulatory Affairs Officer at Health Canada in the Pharmaceutical Drugs Directorate. I am C-C-B bilingual with a total of 7+ years of experience in the federal public service, which during that time, I have worked as a CO-OP student, casual, and term until my indeterminate appointment in 2018, so I am no stranger to student bridging, networking, job competitions, or the on-boarding/off-boarding processes. Now as a unit head, I have gained a new perspective from hiring, training, and supervising. From these experiences both as an employee and as a supervisor, I can relate to the trials and tribulations that students and new public servants frequently face so I am excited to share my knowledge and experiences with these mentees. |
| Joelle Raffoul | Director General | Impact Assessment Agency of Canada | Joelle Raffoul was appointed Head of Human Resources for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada in August 2020. She joined the Public Service 17 years ago as a student and is passionate about supporting the next generation of public servants! She is a member of the Human Resources Council Executive, an independent body that represents Heads of HR in the Public Service. She demonstrates a sincere desire to contribute an inclusive perspective throughout her work and involvement in the community. On the personal side, she is a wife and proud mom of two girls and understands what it takes to balance home priorities while pursuing a fulfilling career. |
| Harlen Card | Program Officer | Canada Revenue Agency | Harlen has proudly been an officer of CRA since June 2016 with CVB. He is a BA graduate from Manitoba's Red River College and a CAPM with the Project Management Institute. His current role has him working with the Registration and Filing Compliance Section on the GST/HST Delinquent Filer team and has been his role for the last couple of years. Harlen does his best to promote a growth mindset and always believes we can work together for a more innovative, efficient, and inclusive solution to any challenge! |
| Jean Cardinal | Director | Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat | Jean Cardinal is currently the Director of Open Government at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Prior to joining the Public Service, Jean worked in the private sector for 15 years, in a variety of sectors, including marketing, sales & high tech. Jean joined the Public Service 13 years ago, starting at the National Capital Commission. In 2012, he then joined the Canada School of Public Service where he has held a variety of leadership positions in learning and development related to specialized fields of study including, but not limited to: Information management & technology, access to information & privacy, human resources, finance, security, etc. In 2021, he joined the Open Government team with the goal of continuing to champion Open Government and Data in the Canadian federal public service and beyond. He is the proud father of two wonderful young ladies, ages 13 and 10 |
| Kevin Harrison | Scrum Master | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada | I have been employed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada since 2013. During that time I’ve had numerous roles, from data entry clerk to an advisor to an Assistant Deputy Minister and many others in between. Over the past 4-5 years my focus and professional interests have shifted greatly, and I now spend quite a bit of my time focusing on coaching, building agile mindsets and leadership in the workplace. That being said, I’m down to talk about anything anyone wants to chat about. |
| Jenny Hillier | Service Manager | Service Canada | I am a Service Manager with Service Canada Western Territories region, 24years experience – 7 as a manager. |
| Sarah Plouffe | National Executive Faculty Member | Canada School of Public Service | Sarah Plouffe has over 27 years of experience in the federal public service. She began her career at Statistics Canada, where she worked as a researcher in the Education Statistics Division. She worked for several years on the development of major international surveys, including the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
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| Jordan Storozuk | Chief of Staff | Service Canada | |
| David Weatherall | Senior Communications Advisor | Statistics Canada | I am an experienced communications and engagement specialist who lives and breathes digital transformation. Drone pilot, Jack Layton's former official photographer, former journalist at CTV + Montreal Gazette, Manager of UX and digital strategy on Health Canada's Covid-19 data taskforce, lover of bikes, gardens, and oceans. |
| Jason Lawson | Director | Canada Revenue Agency | Since joining the public service in 2007, Jason Lawson has focused his energy and efforts on data, innovation, and organizational culture change.
In his current role as the Director of the Strategic Planning Division in the Human Resources Branch of CRA, Jason leads a team dedicated to understanding, analyzing, and communicating CRA’s people management performance story – where we have been, where we are, and where we want to go. They work to accurately report on the now, while equipping others to better plan for the future. Prior to that, he led a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, human-centred designers, behavioural scientists, and policy analysts at TBS-OCHRO to drive experimentation, innovation, and research in HR. Jason also held a variety of positions at the Public Health Agency of Canada and at the Canada Revenue Agency, leading teams focused on data science, strategy, and partnerships. He remains passionate about all things data and hopes to continue to increase data literacy and the use of evidence for decision making across the public service. Jason currently lives in Ottawa with his wife and two young children. He never says no to delicious food and tries to spend time outdoors in and around the city. |
| Darlene Hiscott | Senior Project Officer | Canada Revenue Agency | I joined the government in December 2000. I have worked many jobs including answering telephone calls at the International Tax Service Office, working for the Access to Information and Privacy Directorate, HQ support for the compliance program, and more recently being the project management office lead for two multi-million dollar IT projects. Project management is my passion and I enjoy working on smaller projects (under $20million) as it allows me to work on multiple project management disciplines at the same time (such as scope management, risk mitigation, cost estimates, corporate reporting). Through the support of the CRA, I was able to obtain my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and continue to hone my skills in an increasingly agile world. |
| Merylee Sevilla | HR Advisor | Canada Revenue Agency | I am an HR Advisor, in Employment Equity and Diversity at the CRA
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| Bruce Lonergan | Manager/Free Agent | Health Canada | If asked to summarize in one word who I am professionally, that word would be "innovator". Innovative ideas and solutions are the backbone to my career and many aspects of my life, including and especially in the area of “holistic” talent management which is within the strategic human resources field. However, to provide the traditional information on my career background, I have over 20 years experience in the private sector working in hospitality, retail management at the executive level, sales and marketing, hi-tech and eight years operating a successful executive recruiting and talent management boutique firm. Fourteen years ago, I joined the Government of Canada and have worked in various strategic HR and holistic talent management roles and in 2009 launched and currently co-chair an interdepartmental Talent Management Community of Practice. In 2017, I became a member of a novel federal government employee mobility program called the Free Agent Program that has allowed me to go on assignments of varying lengths and live the "gig economy" within government. Please refer to my CV for details! |
| Alicia Seifert | Acting Director | Immigration and Refugee Board | I started my public service career as a student while in university. I first worked as a Student Customs Inspector. The following summer, I worked as a Receptionist at what was then known as Human Resources Development Canada. HRDC hired me right out of University in 2000 as a casual and in time, I succeeded on my first competition and became a term employee. I’ve been blessed to have worked in several roles throughout the PS at HRDC, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Immigration & Refugee Board, Canada Border Services Agency, and the Labour Program. In 2016, I became a manager and have held several leadership positions within the IRB. In addition to my managerial role, I am the Coordinator of the IRB Managers’ Community, Regional Lead of the Mental Health Promoters in Central Region, and the Employer Co-Champion on Mental Health. I am also an active participant of the National Managers’ Community as the IRB rep on the NMC Managers’ Advisory Board, a member of the NMC Ontario region Steering Committee and I lead an NMC Managers’ Peer Coaching Circle. In my spare time, 😊 I’m a Facilitator for the Canada School of Public Service. |
| Albee (Ying) Zhan | Trust Account Examination Officer | Canada Revenue Agency | Albee (Ying) Zhan originally moved from China to pursue her studies in Canada and decided to immigrate to Halifax in 2018. Albee joined CPP/EI Rulings in LPRA in a student co-op program at Dalhousie University in 2019. She graduated from Dalhousie University with an MBA degree in 2020. Albee currently works as a Trust Account Exam Officer in CVB at NSTSO. She has held many positions in various industries. Outside of CRA, she has a second job as a supervisor at Starbucks in the heart of downtown Halifax. Besides work, she enjoys playing piano and ultimate Frisbee. Her fitness goal for 2022 is to be capable of finishing a triathlon in NS. Her career goal is to become a senior TAEO in CVB and develop other soft skills with the CVB YPN. |
| Lindy McQuillan | Director General | Veterans Affairs Canada | I am currently the Acting Director General of Audit and Evaluation at Veterans Affairs Canada. After a few years working in the private sector and obtaining her CMA, now CPA designation, I was delighted to return to my home province of PEI and start my public service career with Veterans Affairs. In 2001, I started in the Audit and Evaluation Division where I worked for 11 years in various positions from officer, to manager and then director level. Work in Audit and Evaluation permitted me to visit Veterans Affairs offices across Canada, in fact every province except Newfoundland.
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| Josée Owen | Director | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Josée has an MSc in Horticulture from McGill University. She started with AAFC as a summer student with a cereal pathology team.. She went on to work as an agrologist with farmers in Quebec before rejoining AAFC as a research biologist leading a science team studying integrated vegetable cropping systems in New Brunswick. She moved to management in 2017, as the Associate Director for the Fredericton Research and Development Centre. Josée has also worked in international development, which opened her eyes to the importance of the social contexts of science, and to gender equality in STEM. Josée is passionate about supporting AAFC science through leadership. |
| Lauranne Mason | Evaluation Manager | Veterans Affairs Canada | Lauranne started her career in the government as a science communicator, managed web and digital communications, cultivated an innovation team from the ground up and now works with a curious investigative crew in evaluation. Before government she spent three years going to sea as a deckhand. Common threads in her career are learning, curiosity and collaboration. |
| Cari Bailey | Chair Western Region Young Professionals Network | Canada Revenue Agency | Cari, a graduate of the University of Regina and resident of Regina, Saskatchewan, began working for Canada Revenue Agency in 2004. She started in the mailroom and then moved to Audit, where she held several roles including Underground Economy Auditor, Income Tax Training Coordinator, and Small and Medium Enterprises Team Leader (Income Tax). She has been an active member of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) since 2015 and is currently on a one-year assignment as Chair of CRA’s Western Region YPN. |
| Elizabeth Brunet | Senior Communications Advisor | Indigenous Services Canada | Elizabeth is a client-focused senior communications advisor with extensive experience providing strategic advice to senior management. Hired as an FSWEP student 20+ years ago at the former Human Resources Development Canada (now ESDC), she also has experience at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada. She currently works at Indigenous Services Canada. She lives with her family in Ottawa on the traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. |
| Alexa Keating | Communications Manager | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | |
| Murielle Swift | Conseillère principale | Commission de la fonction publique du Canada | Murielle Swift a débuté sa carrière à la fonction publique fédérale en 2008 en tant qu’évaluatrice de langue seconde, au bureau de Montréal de la CFP. En 2017, elle a changé de carrière pour devenir conseillère en ressources humaines. Elle a été promue conseillère principale RH pour le centre d’expertise du développement des produits de talents en 2021.
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| Mark Lindsay | Senior Project Manager | Shared Services Canada | A Senior Project Manager and Product Manager with expertise in managing government projects, from simple projects of a month-long to those that are highly complex, lasting 3 or more years. I’m currently working on the highly successful DACoE - Data and Enterprise Analytics center of Excellence. My experience comes from: for data analytics (SSC DACoE), for service line delivery, deployment, and support (SSC - Shared Services Canada), for science and commercialization (NRC - National Research Council and DREC – Defence Research Establishment of Canada), for acquisition and procurement (UoO), and for various military and intelligence projects (on behalf of the GoC). I’ve professionally coached and mentored +100 people of all ages and levels of experience over 30 years. There are no bad questions, that is how we all learn everyday! Come with your questions, let’s have fun and help you find your GoC career! |
| Joeigh Parker | Administrative Officer | Transport Canada | I began in the public service as a casual in a Training Coordinator role, and now work in an indeterminate position as an Administrative Officer, providing support in Human Resources, Facilities Management and Corporate Security. I have also had acting opportunities in Executive Assistant and Regional Manager roles. I grew up in a small Nova Scotia town before moving to New Brunswick to study Psychology, and later moved to Halifax NS to further study healthcare before accepting a casual public service role. I enjoyed my work in the public service so much that I used networking and job opportunities to gain experience and further my government career. Outside of working, I enjoy walking trails, fitness, pop music and a good Hallmark movie. I’m also a cat dad 😊 |
| Kelsey Studiman | Communications Advisor | Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada | Kelsey currently works at Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada as an Internal Communications advisor. She has a strong interest in helping the growth of students within public service, she previous worked in HR on student recruitment and onboarding files, plus led the GC students community as their Co-Chair (2020-2021). Outside of her 9-5 you can catch her outside skiing, mountain biking, or golfing. |
| Dave Weatherall | Senior Communications Advisor | Statistics Canada | |
| Natacha Carroll | Regional Contribution Agreement Officer | National Research Council Canada | My name is Natacha Carroll and I have being working for the National Research Council (NRC) for approximately five years. I have experience in administration, processing agreements, claims and amendments, planning and delivering training sessions, proposal writing and process refinement. I currently work as a Contribution Agreement Officer for NRC’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP). I earned an MA (thesis-based) from the University of Alberta and an undergraduate honours degree from Dalhousie University. I have also completed an array of certificates and diplomas, ranging from Financial Management to Alternative Dispute Resolution. |
| Lily Spek | Recruitment Lead | Canada’s Free Agents | Lily Spek has been a Free Agent for 5.5 years, and is currently the Recruitment Lead for Canada’s Free Agents as her 8th assignment. She has completed Free Agent assignments at Heritage Canada, Federal Youth Network, Indigenous Services Canada, Canada’s Free Agents, Immigration Citizenship and Refugees Canada, and the Privy Council Office. She completed her Masters of Public Administration at Queen’s University, as well as a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management at Carleton University. Lily helps facilitate OneTeamGov virtual sessions; open to anyone interested in public sector reform, or looking for connection while we work from home. She loves working on collaboration, engagement, and building great new things in the GoC!
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| Brianne Larochelle | Counsel – Major Cases and Organized Crime Unit | Public Prosecution Service of Canada | I completed my Bachelor of Arts with Distinction with a Major in Criminology at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo BC. I completed my Juris Doctor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law in Edmonton. After graduating from law school I did my articles at Fix and Smith Criminal Law Office. After I was called to the bar in 2016 I stayed on to practice criminal defence and residential real estate for a short period. I started with the PPSC in January 2017 and have been here ever since. My practice now focuses on trial and appeal work, specifically Cannabis Act offences and the Edmonton Drug Treatment Court program. |
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