Mentorship Resources/Speed Mentoring

French / français

Speed Mentoring (February 8th and 10th, 2021)

The speed mentoring portion of the CBC 2021 is aimed at connecting public servants of all levels (including students and young professionals) with departmental executives for networking and mentoring. This special series of events enables public service professionals (that’s you!) to virtually connect with and learn from the experiences of senior leaders.

WHAT:

Adapted from our flagship, in-person networking events, this year’s #CBC_CDC will see five, 90-minute sessions of virtual, structured networking. Groups of 5-6 young professionals will meet with one executive 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 career development, work-life balance, and the inner workings of 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. More information and instructions will follow post registration. #MentorGC

Resources

Sample Questions for Speed Mentoring Sessions

Career Boot Camp Speed Mentoring Instructions for Mentors

WHO:

All public servants are invited to be mentees.

WHEN:

Session 1 (English): Monday, February 8, from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. EST *FULL*

Wendy Bullion-Winters	Jim Lothrop	Sarah Lawley	Kiran Hanspal	Catrina Tapley	Caroline Xavier	Michael Mills	Arun Thangaraj	Carol Najm
Isabelle Daoust	Tom Roberts	Leslie Toope	Sarah Allin	Fiona Crowley	Stephanie Drouin	Jacqueline Gonçalves	Janine Sherman	Helen Kerr
John Marquis	Dylan Jones	Erin Aubé	Marty Frank	Darryl Sato	David Nanang	Daniel Haché	Mary Frances Wright	Douglas Nevison

Session 2 (Bilingual): Monday, February 8, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. EST *FULL*

Sarah Paquet	Philippe Thompson	Aaron McCrorie	Christiane Fox	Kathleen Mitchell	Isabelle Daoust	Philip Quinlan	Pierre Bilodeau
Patrick Boucher	Yazmine Laroche	Caroline Leclerc	Daniel Quan-Watson	Mathew Myre	Jacques Fauteux	Julie Bastarache	Alec Nicholls
Sara Wilshaw	Patrick Forest	Nicole Girard	Dominic Laporte	Marie-Noëlle Desrochers	Rachel Messier	Wojo Zielonka	Helen Ryan

Session 3 (French): Wednesday, February 10, from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. EST *FULL*

Kimberley Jessome	Isabelle Mondou	Jason Charron	Stan Lee	Annie Boudreau	Philippe Morel	Daniel Haché	Alain Desruisseaux
Nathalie Thiffault	Rachel Messier	Marie-Noëlle Desrochers	Marie-Josée Dorion	Guylaine Roy	France Pégéot	Marie-Flore Baptiste

Session 4 (English): Wednesday, February 10, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. EST *FULL*

Arran McPherson	Sarah Allin	Claude Corbin	Tina Green	Holly Flowers Code	Chris Henderson	Simon Cardinal	Kelly Gillis	Neil O'Rourke	Alison O'Leary	Sylvain Beauchamp
Gorazd Ruseski	Hilary Geller	Avril Martin	Jennifer Higginson	Taki Sarantakis	Julie Bastarache	Roxane Lee	Douglas Nevison	Caitlin Imrie	Grace Kim	Susan Chambers
Nicole Giles	Tammy Branch	Ann Marie Hume	Sam Ryan	Sonia Powell	Mark Quinlan	Darryl Sato	Kristen Petruska	Rachel Messier	Simon Kennedy

Session 5 (Bilingual): Wednesday, February 10, from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. EST *FULL*

Wendy Bullion-Winters	Gail Mitchell	Jason Charron	Mala Khanna	Julie Bastarache	Rachel Messier	Kelly Gillis	Corinne Prince	Sylvie Bérubé	Ken Canam
Alexandra MacLean	Johanne Charest	Vinh Du Nguyen	Robyn Atkinson	Mireille Laroche	Charla Hughes	Michael Mills	Stephanie Kirkland	Sally Thorpe	Mary Ann Triggs

WHERE:

Online, via Webcast/Zoom.

Mentors

Executive Registration Form / Formulaire d'inscription des cadres -

Name	Position	Department & Branch	Biography
Wendy Bullion-Winters	Head of Human Resources / Director General, Human Resources Management	Canada School of Public Service, Human Resources Management	Wendy Bullion-Winters is currently Director General and Head of Human Resources at the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).  In 2019, Wendy was nominated the Beyond 2020 Departmental Champion, and she has been actively committed to envisioning how the public service can respond to the changing needs of Canada, and bring better value to the citizens it serves.  Prior to joining the CSPS, Wendy spent most of her career working in the foreign service at Global Affairs Canada, serving at several Canadian Embassies abroad.  Wendy’s last positing was as Consul General at the Embassy of Canada in Beirut from 2015-18.  Wendy has a strong background in public administration, international relations, security, emergency management, and consular affairs. She has received several accolades for her leadership including the 2016 Deputy Minister’s Award of Excellence for her role in the Government of Canada’s Operation Syrian Refugee.  Wendy is an alumni of Simon Fraser University and Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  She is married with two daughters, and is originally from Vancouver, BC.
Arran McPherson	Assistant Deputy Minister, Ecosystems and Oceans Science	Fisheries and Oceans Canada	Arran McPherson is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Ecosystems and Oceans Science at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), with responsibility for science programs to support regulatory decision making and policy development in Canada’s oceans and freshwater. She represents Canada in a number of international ocean science fora and prior to assuming this role, has held a variety of executive positions within DFO including in regional operations. Arran holds a BScH in Environmental Science from Queen’s University and a PhD in Oceanography from Dalhousie University.
Kimberley Jessome	Director General, Investigations	Public Service Commission, Oversight and Investigations Sector	Kimberley Jessome has studied civil law at the University of Ottawa, as well as international constitutional law in Tunisia. After two government internships in legal services, she began working as a lawyer for Environment Canada in 2009, before joining Public Works, then the Public Service Commission in 2015. As a lawyer, Kim has had to analyze complex government challenges, to provide legal advice on sensitive topics, and to maintain partnerships with subject matter experts across disciplines. Those competencies have helped her make the switch from the legal field to become director of investigations at the Commission, then director general in 2018. Kim now oversees audit proceedings under the PSC’s authority, and is in charge of the analysis of suspected irregularities in staffing across the entire core public service. In addition to this impressive portfolio, Kim is also the champion of the Emerging Leaders Network, and the voice of the Network for upper management.
Sarah Paquet	Director and Chief Executive Officer	Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada (FINTRAC)	Sarah Paquet attended the University of Ottawa, earning her Civil Law degree in 1993 and her Common Law degree in 2001. Ms. Paquet started her federal public service career in the Department of Justice (DoJ) in 1997. She held various positions within DoJ including Health Canada Legal Services, before becoming Executive Director and General Counsel for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Executive Director and Senior General Counsel for Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). In August 2011, she became Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of PSPC’s Integrated Services Branch.She played a key role in PSPC's Service Strategy, which helped ingrain client service excellence across the department. She was also responsible for enabling major Government of Canada IT-enabled business solutions.  In April 2017, Ms. Paquet became the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy Branch, at Shared Services Canada (SSC). She led the development of the Government of Canada renewed IT infrastructure transformation plan, resulting in new investments in SSC. In February 2018, Ms. Paquet was appointed the Executive Vice-President (EVP) at SSC. As the first EVP at SSC, Ms. Paquet is providing leadership to SSC as it modernizes the Government of Canada enterprise IT infrastructure, enabling digital services to Canadians. In November 2020, Ms. Paquet was appointed as the Director and Chief Executive Officer at the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) making her the first lawyer to lead the organization. Ms. Paquet is also the Deputy Minister Champion for the University of Ottawa strengthening their relationship with the Government of Canada, focussing on student mental health and recruitment. She is a strong advocate for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Aaron McCrorie	Associate Assistant Deputy Minister	Transport Canada, Safety and Security	Aaron McCrorie was appointed the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Safety and Security in September 2018.  Prior to that he was the Director General of the Aviation Safety Regulatory Framework (Civil Aviation).  Over his career, he has led a number of regulatory programs in the areas of surface security, security for major special events, aviation security, and most recently, aviation safety.  Aaron has been at Transport Canada since 1999. Today, the scope of Aaron’s mandate includes regulating and overseeing regulations to ensure the safety and security of the aviation, marine, rail and road modes along with the transportation of dangerous goods. This includes establishing safety and security policies, regulations, and standards and the development of guidance, tools and instructions to help industry comply with regulations and for inspectors to oversee regulatory compliance. His mandate also includes incident response and the delivery of aircraft services. As Associate ADM, Aaron values soliciting the views of all stakeholders and encourages open, honest and respectful discussions on even the most difficult issues. He also promotes collaboration with all partners to develop innovative solutions to transportation safety and security challenges. Aaron holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Regina and started work on a PhD at York University. All degrees are in Political Science. Aaron lives in Ottawa, Ontario, and is married to Carmen Abela and the proud father of three children.
Claude Corbin	Deputy Assistant Commissioner and Agency Comptroller	Canada Revenue Agency, Finance and Administration	Claude Corbin was appointed to the position of Deputy Assistant Commissioner and Agency Comptroller of the Finance and Administration Branch at the Canada Revenue Agency effective June 29, 2020. Claude joined the public service in 1993 at Transport Canada and, until 2011, occupied a variety of positions of increasing responsibility within the department’s Programs Group, including Director General of Airport and Port Programs. From 2011 to 2017, he worked for the Corporate Services Branch as the Director General of the Financial Planning and Resource Management section. In 2017, Claude joined Transport Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan task team as the Director General, Engagement and Policy Development. Finally, in late 2019, he joined Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in a corporate finance role as the Director General of the Financial Partnership Branch before starting yet again a new chapter of his career with the Canada Revenue Agency. Claude is a certified general accountant, chartered professional accountant since 1996.
Jim Lothrop	Director General, Innovation Centre	Transport Canada, Programs	Jim Lothrop is an experienced leader in the Canadian federal government with over twenty-five years of experience in public administration. He is currently the Director General of the Innovation Centre at Transport Canada where he provides executive leadership in the development and implementation of a strategic framework, new innovative business practices, and a multi-million dollar/multi-modal research and development program to position Transport Canada as a leader in transportation innovation. Previously, Mr. Lothrop held a number of senior executive positions in Transport Canada, where he provided leadership on a wide range of national programs focused on greening of government activities, remediation of contaminated sites, environmental assessment for major transportation projects, highway and transit infrastructure funding programs, regulatory programs, and a variety of programs related evaluating and stimulating the introduction of next generation technologies to reduce emissions and improve efficiencies in the transportation system. Mr. Lothrop graduated from University of Ottawa with a degree in Civil Engineering and is licensed to practice as a Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario, is married and the proud father of two children.
Sarah Lawley	Assistant Deputy Minister	Finance Canada, Consultations and Communications Branch	In her current role since 2019, Ms. Lawley is responsible for the public affairs of the Department of Finance Canada. She leads a diverse branch to deliver on a wide range of functions. From cross-country Pre-Budget Consultations and the delivery of the annual Budget and Economic Update, to daily issues management, to Ministerial events, to public opinion research and public engagement, to the management of advertising campaigns and web and social media channels, to parliamentary affairs, to public correspondence, to managing access to information and privacy. Most recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she has led the public communications in support of the Economic Response Plan – the most significant undertaking in the history of the Department of Finance. Ms. Lawley has previously held executive level positions in the Government of Canada within both international affairs and communications functions. As the Director General, Office of International Affairs for the Health Portfolio from 2015 to 2019, Ms. Lawley was responsible for setting and advancing the federal Health Portfolio’s international priorities to support both domestic health interests and foreign policy objectives. She was the Portfolio’s chief negotiator on global health issues. She led the Health Portfolio’s bilateral engagement with foreign governments and was responsible for health engagement at the G7 and G20. Ms. Lawley served as Canada’s representative to the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Executive Committee. She was Canada’s senior official to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Health Working Group, serving as co-chair for 2 years. Lastly, she was a member of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Technical Advisory Committee helping to build public health capacity in the region. Previously, Ms. Lawley was the Director General of Strategic Communications at Health Canada and led comprehensive strategic communications agenda for the department. In this role she was also responsible for the development of the Department’s first Regulatory Transparency and Openness Framework, a significant step forward in Health Canada’s commitment to share more regulatory health and safety information proactively with Canadians. As the Director, Bilateral and Regional Relations in the Office of International Affairs for the Health Portfolio, and prior to that, as the Director of International Affairs at the Public Health Agency of Canada, Ms. Lawley led a robust engagement strategy with both multilateral and bilateral partners, and implemented a number of major policy milestones, including the development of the Agency's first Global Health Framework. During her tenure as a Director within the Agency’s Communications Directorate, Ms. Lawley implemented the Agency's Strategic Risk Communications Framework, which included a significant training component, and led the development of the Agency's first-ever Public Involvement Framework. She led crisis communications responses during the Listeriosis outbreak in 2008 and the H1N1 pandemic of 2009. Prior to her work with the Health Portfolio, Ms. Lawley worked at Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation and the Ottawa Economic Development Corporation. Ms. Lawley holds a B.A. with Highest Honours in Journalism from Carleton University.
Kiran Hanspal	Assistant Deputy Minister of Human Resources	Public Services and Procurement Canada, Human Resources	Kiran Hanspal was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Human Resources Branch at PSPC on October 7, 2019. In this role, Kiran is responsible for promoting an agile, inclusive and client-focused culture through integrated talent management practices and workplace well-being, including strategic workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, learning and leadership development, mental health, awards and recognition, official languages, and diversity. Prior to this appointment, Kiran served as the Head of Human Resources at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, from October 2016 to September 2019. At VAC, she advanced a digitized, tiered human resources service delivery model and piloted the pod approach to support HR-to-pay stabilization. Before her appointment as the Head of Human Resources at VAC, Kiran held senior positions in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (including the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer), Natural Resources Canada and Health Canada, where she was responsible for human resources, planning, performance management and evaluation. She has also led the development of strategic and program regulatory initiatives, and her contributions include transforming policies, implementation excellence and fostering innovation. She is a recipient of the 2018 Michelle C. Comeau Award for her contribution to veteran hiring in the public service. Kiran graduated with a bachelor of science from the University of Toronto and a master of health administration from the University of Ottawa.
Catrina Tapley	Deputy Minister	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, DMO	Ms. Catrina Tapley was appointed Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on August 19, 2019. Prior to this, she was the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations), Privy Council Office. Before joining the Privy Council Office, Ms. Tapley was with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada from 2010-2016, serving as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister. for Strategic and Program Policy and as Associate Assistant Deputy Minister. She was responsible for leading Canada’s immigration and citizenship policy pertaining to the selection and admissibility of permanent and temporary residents and refugees, and helping all new comers integrate into Canadian society and the economy including through Canadian citizenship. In 2011, Ms. Tapley played a senior role in the creation and negotiation of the Beyond the Border Action Plan as a part of the very Beyond the Border Working Group. The Beyond the Border Action Plan is a Canada-United States agreement on economic competitiveness and perimeter security. Before joining Citizenship and Immigration, Ms. Tapley held numerous positions at the Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat. It was during this time she played an integral role in the policy and legislative process for the development of the Federal Accountability Act.  As the Executive Director, Security and Justice Division, she was responsible for management and financial oversight of sixteen different federal departments and agencies in the Public Security and Justice portfolios.  Before 2006, Ms. Tapley held executive positions at Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Philippe Thompson	Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer	Indigenous Services Canada, Results and Delivery Officer Sector	Mr. Philippe Thompson is the Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer at Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).  Prior to joining ISC, Philippe was the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management Sector at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).  He previously occupied different positions at the Canada Border Services Agency, Public Safety Canada, the Privy Council Office, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Public Works and Government Services. Mr. Thompson’s expertise is recognized nationally and internationally in the field of results-based management and he has extensive experience in leading major departmental projects and transformations.
Gail Mitchell	Assistant Deputy Minister	Indigenous Services Canada, Strategic Policy and Partnerships	Since March 25, 2019, Gail Mitchell has been Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Policy and Partnerships (SPP) sector at Indigenous Services Canada. The SPP is responsible for the Department's strategic policy issues and will coordinate key policy work in all sectors. Previously, Gail was Director General of Intergovernmental Relations at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). In that role, Gail was responsible for providing strategic advice on key social policy issues, and she represented Canada at various international meetings, including the G7, the G20, the OECD and the United Nations, on issues related to labour and employment. Gail also co-chaired the Canada–Mexico Partnership Labour Mobility Working Group, and the European Union and Canada Bilateral Dialogue on Employment, Social Affairs and Decent Work. Gail led the engagement on the domestic and international implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Prior to joining ESDC in 2015, Gail spent over 20 years at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada in a number of roles, including policy analyst, land claims negotiator, Director General of Community Infrastructure and Director General of Strategic Policy, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs.
Christiane Fox	Deputy Minister	Indigenous Services Canada	Christiane Fox was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services in September 2020. She is also the Deputy Minister Champion of the Federal Youth Network. Prior to her appointment, Christiane had been the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs since November 2019, and the Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth from June 2017 to November 2019. She also held several positions at the Privy Council Office, including Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Communications and Consultations, Director of Operations, Policy, in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Relations Secretariat, and Director General of Communications. Christiane started her career as a Communications Advisor at Industry Canada, now Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, where she worked in Communications, and in Science Policy. She also spent a year with the Competition Policy Review Secretariat, as the Director of Communications and Consultations. Christiane has a BA in Mass Communications and Psychology from Carleton University, and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s Masters Certificate Program in Public Administration.
Caroline Xavier	Associate Deputy Minister	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Deputy Minister Office	Caroline Xavier was appointed Associate Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in February 2020. Prior to this appointment, Ms. Xavier held the position of Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Security and Intelligence at the Privy Council Office, as of June 2017. Between 2007 and 2017, she has also occupied numerous key positions within the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), including Vice-President and Associate Vice-President of the Operations Branch. Before joining the CBSA, she held executive positions with the Communications Security Establishment Canada, Industry Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. Ms. Xavier has been with the public service for over 30 years. Caroline is a graduate of the University of Ottawa (Bachelor’s Degree in Administration, concentration in marketing and informatics) and of the Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia (Executive Master’s degree in Electronic Commerce).
Kathleen Mitchell	Director General	Statistics Canada, Finance, Planning and Procurement Branch, Corporate Services	Kathleen Mitchell is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Statistics Canada since April 2018.  Kathleen began her career at Statistics Canada in 1998 as a student and took on various functions within the Finance Branch, including 8 years as an executive. Kathleen accepted the Director, Resource Management positon at the Department of Justice in December 2016 before returning to Statistics Canada as the Director General.  Kathleen has a keen interest in leading teams and all aspects of human resources.  She also has a busy family and appreciates time to read.
Michael Mills	Associate Assistant Deputy Minister	Public Services and Procurement Canada, Procurement	Michael Mills was appointed Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (AADM) of Procurement Branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) in April 2020. In his role, Michael leads the Branch’s logistics and COVID-19 response teams. He is responsible for the procurement and delivery of Personal Protective Equipment and Testing supplies for front line and essential workers and procures testing supplies to support Canada’s testing strategy. From 2017 to 2020, Michael was the AADM for Real Property Services (PSPC) where he was responsible for providing senior leadership to Real Property Services’ operations, including project management; facilities management; real estate services; strategic sourcing; and infrastructure asset management. He focused on providing excellent client service and using operations to support key government objectives, in particular, greening government operations, modernizing the public service, improving accessibility and advancing Indigenous reconciliation. Michael has worked for a federal Crown corporation called Public-Private Partnerships Canada, previously known as P3 Canada, where he was Vice-President of Investments. Michael and his team assisted clients from all levels of government to structure public-private partnership transactions and to implement successful P3 procurement strategies. Prior to working at P3 Canada, Michael held various positions with Crown-Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Department of Finance Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Michael holds a bachelor of arts in political science and economics from the University of Regina and a master of arts in economics from Queen’s University.
Arun Thangaraj	Associate Deputy Minister	Transport Canada, Associate Deputy Minister’s Office and Deputy Minister’s Office	Arun Thangaraj was appointed Associate Deputy Minister of Transport on July 6, 2020. With over 20 years in the federal government, Arun has considerable experience in information technology, corporate planning, and finance and management. Before joining Transport Canada, Arun was Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer at Global Affairs Canada where he was responsible for Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT). In 2011, he was appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer at the former Canadian International Development Agency. He also brings experience and knowledge on transportation issues, from his time at the Canadian Transportation Agency from 2002 to 2011. Arun received the Queen Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for his contribution to the federal public service and to his community. He has served on various governance boards including the Finance and Operations Committee of the Global Fund, and is a member of the Public Sector Pension Advisory Committee. He is also a sessional lecturer in the School of Public Administration at Carleton University where he has taught courses in the management stream for many years. Arun is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Carleton University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours BA in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
Isabelle Mondou	Deputy Minister for the COVID-19 response (Communications)	Privy Council Office	On April 16, 2020, Isabelle Mondou became the Deputy Minister for the COVID-19 response (Communications) within the Privy Council Office, focusing on ensuring a coordinated and coherent approach to conveying Canada’s response to the COVID-19 virus to Canadians. Prior to that, Isabelle Mondou was the Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Canadian Heritage since October 2018. Isabelle joined Canada’s public service an employee of the Department of Revenue. She has held a wide range of positions, including in the Intergovernmental Affairs, Machinery of Government and Senior Personnel sections at the Privy Council Office. In 2016, Isabelle was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Priorities and Planning) at the Privy Council Office. Prior to that, she was legal counsel to the Clerk of the Privy Council and Assistant Secretary (Democratic Reform). Isabelle has a Bachelor of Law degree (1989) and a Master of Law degree (1994) from the Université de Montréal. She was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1990. She practised law in the private sector, with a focus on administrative, environmental and municipal law.
Tina Green	Assistant Secretary	Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Regulatory Affairs Sector	Tina Green was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Regulatory Affairs Sector, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat in April 2019. Previously she was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Canada's Regulatory Operations and Regions Branch. Tina began her career as an analytical chemist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. She subsequently held positions in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, the Privy Council Office, and Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Tina joined Health Canada in 2009 as Director of the Risk Management Bureau in the Safe Environments Directorate, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB). In 2012, she became Director General of HECSB’s Consumer Product Safety Directorate. In February 2016, Tina assumed the role of the Special Advisor to the ADM of the newly established Regulatory Operations and Regions Branch, assisting with the Branch’s transition to full operating capacity. In October 2016, she acted as the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada, until she joined RORB in March of this year. Tina holds an M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Waterloo, and a B‎.Sc. in Science from the University of New Brunswick.
Holly Flowers Code	Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Corporate Services Sector	Ms. Holly Flowers Code has a Bachelor of Commerce Honours with a double major in Human Resources and Accounting, and a minor in Economics. She has also completed her Master’s Certificate in Public Management and the Queen’s Executive Program for Execution, Strategy and Leadership.  She was recently awarded the Michelle C. Comeau Human Resources Leadership Award for Head of Human Resources (HR) in the Government of Canada. Holly joined the federal government in 1991 with the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC). During her 16 years at CSC, she advanced a number of key HR transformation projects.  Outside of HR, she conducted program evaluations and audits in the 50+ federal institutions across the country.  She also stepped into the mandate working in inmate grievances and convening boards of investigations into murders and hostage-takings that occur in Canadian prisons. Holly moved to the Department of National Defence in 2007 where she led the development of a Succession Planning Framework, Community Management Framework, and a Civilian Talent Management Program.   She managed the development of leaders through corporate and departmental Leadership Development Programs, an Executive Orientation Program and Executive Group Services for the department. Holly also worked at Natural Resources Canada leading the HR operations team and the House of Commons designing and delivering curriculum for a Competency-based Management program. Since September 2015, Holly has been the Chief Human Resources Officer at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Holly is the departmental Champion for Professional Development Network, and she is a member of the Executive of the Human Resources Council.  Most recently, Holly has been acting as the ADM, Corporate Services Sector since April 27.
Jason Charron	Director General, Compliance Programs	Canada Revenue Agency, Scientific Research and Experimental Development Directorate	Jason joined the federal public service in 2002 having previously worked in several innovation sectors. Since then he has held various positions at the National Research Council of Canada, leading numerous partnership initiatives with the private sector. As Executive Director of the National Office of the Industrial Research Assistance Program, he led programs that helped firms focused on innovation grow their business. Jason also led the Enterprise Program Management Office at the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada in support of the organization’s leadership role in transforming the Government of Canada’s back office. Since May 2018, Jason leads the Canada Revenue Agency’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development and the Film and media tax credits programs. A Certified Professional Accountant by designation, Jason received his Bachelor of Commerce (honours) in International Management and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa.
Mala Khanna	Assistant Deputy Minister, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch	Global Affairs Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa	Mala Khanna is the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Sub-Saharan Africa Branch at Global Affairs Canada. Mala was previously the Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Legislation and House Planning at the Privy Council Office (PCO). Prior to joining PCO, Mala worked at the Department of Justice as Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister for the Public Law and Legislative Services Sector. Mala also occupied various other positions in the Department of Justice, including as Director and General Counsel of the Centre for Information and Privacy Law Section, Deputy Director of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Section and as Counsel at the Human Rights Law Section. Mala graduated from McGill University with a joint Bachelor of Law / Masters of Social Work degree. She also has a degree in History from the University of Alberta.
Carol Najm	Assistant Deputy Minister	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Coporate Services and Finance Branch	In May 2011, Carol Najm was appointed the Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Finance Branch. Following the department’s merge between Corporate Services Branch and Finance Branch, May 30, 2016, Ms. Najm was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer of Corporate Services and Finance. Ms. Najm joined Environment Canada in November 2008, as Chief Audit Executive and Director General, Audit and Evaluation. Ms. Najm’s career began in the private sector, where she worked in a public accounting firm in Ottawa and obtained her Chartered Accountant designation. She then joined the Canadian Red Cross Society and later went on to work with Canadian Blood Services, where she was instrumental in the implementation of two major information technology projects involving the renewal of the enterprise-wide financial and human resources systems. Ms. Najm holds an Honours Degree in Commerce with a major in Finance, as well as a Bachelor of Administration, both from the University of Ottawa. She also holds certification designations as an information security manager and an information systems auditor.
Chris Henderson	Deputy Commissioner of Operations	Fisheries and Oceans, Coast Guard	Mr. Chris Henderson is an accomplished senior executive with more than 30 years of national and international experience in national security and public safety. He returned to the Canadian Coast Guard on January 6, 2020 as Deputy Commissioner, Operations. Deputy Commissioner Henderson originally joined the Canadian Coast Guard as Director General, National Strategies in May 2016. Since 2017, he served as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Affairs at the Department of National Defence. Prior to 2016, Deputy Commissioner Henderson was the Director General, Strategic Communications, Privy Council Office where he was responsible for the coordination of all Government of Canada public communications. From 2009-2014, Deputy Commissioner Henderson held a number of Director General positions within Canada Border Services Agency. Prior to joining the public service, Mr. Henderson had a distinguished career with the Royal Canadian Navy.
Helen Ryan	Associate Assistant Deputy Minister	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Environmental Protection Branch	Helen Ryan is the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of the Environmental Protection Branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada. She is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the Department’s clean air regulatory agenda, GHG regulations, environmental emergencies, contaminated sites and disposal at sea, waste disposal and management, as well as the plastics agenda. Prior to Helen’s appointment in September 2018, she was the Director General of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Energy and Transportation Directorate heading the development and implementation of regulations and standards to reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation, oil and gas, and electricity sectors. She has over thirty years of experience in the public service at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, including 17 years as a federal executive in ECCC and Health Canada. Helen and her partner have five children. She is an avid cyclist, cross-country skier and enjoys time spent in the outdoors.
Isabelle Daoust	Director General	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Case Management Branch (OPS Sector)	Ms. Daoust has over 20 years’ experience in law, policy, management, and international and public affairs. Ms. Daoust was recently Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of National Defence. She has devoted a substantial part of her career to the humanitarian and community sectors, having worked for the Red Cross in various contexts. She worked as a legal adviser with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, and was deployed to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Ms. Daoust also worked for the American and Canadian Red Cross in leadership positions. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Ms. Daoust worked as an attorney at the law firm of Heenan Blaikie in Montreal. Ms Daoust has extensive community involvement with organizations such as the New Edinburgh Community & Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Centre social d'aide aux immigrants in Montréal and the Canadian Council on International Law. Ms Daoust was a member and Vice-Chair of Hôpital Montfort’s Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2017. Ms. Daoust has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1997. She holds a Business degree from l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales and two law degrees (in civil and common law) from McGill University. She lives in Ottawa with her husband and two children.
Simon Cardinal	Director General / Chief Privacy Officer	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Integrated Corporate Business	Over the course of his career, Simon Cardinal has held a variety of corporate, policy and operational functions, both at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency. As the Director General of Integrated Corporate Business, Simon provides effective coordination, oversight and strategic support on matters related to Corporate Governance, Parliamentary Affairs, Ministerial Enquiries, Briefings, and Proactive Disclosure. In previous capacities, he ensured the operational achievement of IRCC’s 2016, 2017 and 2018 Immigration Levels Plan, and provided strategic operational advice and data analysis on key departmental files, such as Express Entry and Operation Syrian Refugees. Simon has extensive experience in developing partnerships with stakeholders and providing strategic advice and recommendations to senior management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Ottawa.
Susan Chambers	Assistant Commissioner, Atlantic Region	Canada Revenue Agency	Susan Chambers was appointed to the role of Regional Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Region in January 2019. She also holds the CRA Respectful Workplace and Well-being Champion role where she sees the energy and care that Ex’s and Managers are taking with employee well being. Prior to joining the Agency, she was the Director General of Transformation in the Chief Transformation Office at the Canada Border Services Agency. Originally from England and raised in BC, Susan has held roles in various locations. She served as the Director of Professional Services for Public Services and Procurement Canada Pacific Region, Director General of Real Property Programs and Portfolio Management at the Department of National Defense, and completed assignments for the Privy Council Office and the Federal Development Agency of Southern Ontario. Susan’s early career allowed her to work in Halifax, for the Province of British Columbia, and the City of Campbell River. Her years of public service have provided her an understanding of First Nations, Federal, Provincial and Municipal relations. After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the Royal Military College of Canada, Susan completed a Master’s of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, and a Master’s of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. From a young age, Susan has had a vested interest in women pursuing non-traditional career choices. As an Engineering graduate, and professional engineer in two provinces, Susan is a strong advocate for the advancement of women in fields such as science and mathematics. One of her most significant files was the transfer and land agreement for the Jericho Lands in Vancouver to the Musquem, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, and she strongly believes in the outreach that the Agency does to improve lives in First Nations in Atlantic and across Canada. In her free time, Susan enjoys swimming, cycling and running. She is always on the hunt for open water swim spots and has explored rail trails throughout Nova Scotia.
Tom Roberts	Vice President and Chief Financial Officer	Canada School of Public Service, Business Enablement and Assurance Services Branch (BEASB)	Tom Roberts is Vice-President of Business Enablement and Assurance Services Branch (BEASB) and Chief Financial Officer. The Business Enablement and Assurance Services Branch delivers a full suite of seamless and integrated solutions to internal clients in the areas of finance, security, accommodations, information management and technology, and registrar services. Tom previously held the position of Special Advisor to the President where he contributed to the modernization and digitization of Corporate Services. Tom joins the School from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where he held the position of Director General, Budget Planning and Financial Management. He led a decentralised team of over 120 employees in delivering sound financial management and initiated improvements to the financial management function. Throughout his years of service, Tom has held different executive positions at Infrastructure Canada and at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TSB). In these positions, his focused was on internal services, public reporting, effective program design, and proper stewardship of government resources.
Leslie Toope	Change Management Director	Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Settlement Network	Came into the PS through post-secondary recruitment. Did two postings abroad as an Immigration Foreign Service Officer interviewing applicants for temporary and permanent status in Canada. Then gravitated towards assignments focused on people management, learning, and organizational development. Took a mid-career break to go back to school. Returned to IRCC and worked in the Operations Sector, Policy Sector, Corporate Sector and now the Settlement and Integration Sector. Led many change projects over the years involving new technology, new business processes, new org structures, and organizational capacity building.
Neil O'Rourke	Assistant Commissioner	Canadian Coast Guard, Arctic Region	Neil O’Rourke was appointed Assistant Commissioner, Arctic Region, Canadian Coast Guard in October 2018. As the Assistant Commissioner for the newly-formed Arctic Region, Neil will enhance program and service delivery in the North to better meet the needs of those communities. He will ensure that Northerners have a greater say in the Department’s decisions and opportunities, and will honour the Government of Canada’s commitment to reconciliation and a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples. Neil will also build partnerships, co-develop priorities and support the voice of Northerners. Neil has a decade of experience working with the Canadian Coast Guard. He previously served as Senior Director, Safe Shipping and Economic Intelligence and was responsible for the development of national strategies to sustain and transform Coast Guard’s marine navigation programs, including: Aids to Navigation, Marine Communications and Traffic Services, Waterways Management, and Icebreaking and Ice Information Services. Neil was also the national lead for Arctic program policy, user fees, the implementation of e-Navigation in Canadian waters, and served as councillor with the International Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authority (IALA) on behalf of Canada. He previously worked as the Director, Integrated Logistic Support and Director, Organizational Restructuring for Coast Guard. Over the course of his career, Neil has worked closely with Coast Guard operations, technical services, training (Canadian Coast Guard College), other Government of Canada departments, and external stakeholders (i.e. industry, communities, national and international organizations) to identify service requirements, leverage technological and operational innovations, and competently drive decisions for cost-effective, modern and domestically/internationally aligned marine navigation services. He has also led several corporate initiatives including the consolidation of five Coast Guard regions into three, and co-led the Departmental Comprehensive Review. Before joining Coast Guard, Neil gained significant private sector experience as a former management consultant and executive in the energy sector; specifically, with Petro-Canada Fuels. Neil holds degrees from two Canadian universities: a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University (2002), and a Master of Business Administration—International Business from the University of Ottawa (2003). Originally from Aylmer, Quebec, he currently resides with his family in Yellowknife, NT.
Pierre Bilodeau	Executive Director	Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Science	In his current position, Dr. Bilodeau is responsible for plant health science leadership in protecting Canada's plant resource base. His Directorate provides a valued source of scientific knowledge, analysis, risk assessment, and advice for stakeholders to support policy making, program design and program delivery. Dr. Bilodeau has 20 years of experience in managing S&T partnerships, program delivery, and R&D activities. He previously served in various senior management positions including Chief Operating Officer at International S&T Partnership Canada, an Ottawa-based national not-for-profit organization, Director in Research Partnerships and Research Grants & Scholarships directorates at the Natural Sciences an Engineering Research Council (NSERC) a federal granting agency, and prototype/research manager at Medicago Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. Pierre was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to attend the Australian National University for his PhD (1997) in plant sciences. He holds a bachelor degree (1990) and a Master’s degree (1992) in biochemistry from Université Laval in Quebec City.
Sylvain Beauchamp	Director, Client Support Guidance and Solutions	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Client Experience Branch, Operations Sector	Sylvain Beauchamp was appointed Director for the Client Support Guidance and Solutions Division of the Operations Sector with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in August 2019. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Beauchamp spent 15 years of his public service career at the department of Employment and Social Development Canada diversifying his experience by accepting challenges to work in various areas including policy (Employment Insurance), programs (integrity) and enabling functions (human resources and information technology). Prior to this, he spent the early part of his career working in his field of study which is geospatial analysis … if you’re asking how this field relates to the rest of the bio provided above, then please join him in his Speed Mentoring Session!
Alison O'Leary	Assistant Deputy Minister	Infrastructure Canada, Program Operations	Alison has been with Infrastructure Canada since 2019. She leads the delivery of infrastructure programming, including responsibility for delivering the $33 billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), and supporting infrastructure projects across the country in collaboration with provinces, territories, municipalities and other stakeholders. She also oversees the department’s delivery of community-based programming through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), the Smart Cities Challenge, the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative, as well as programs administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). In addition, she oversees the department’s Centre for Rural Economic Development, helping to champion economic opportunity and quality of life in rural communities across Canada.
Stan Lee	Vice-President, Oversight and Investigations	Public Service Commission, Oversight and Investigations Sector	Mr. Stan Lee is originally from Edmundston New-Brunswick. He moved to Ottawa in 1994 to pursue graduate studies at Carleton University where he earned a PhD in Experimental Psychology. Mr. Lee began his public service career as a psychologist at the Personnel Psychology Centre in 1998 and has since occupied a number of positions in policy, research, operations, internal services and oversight. In 2006, he was appointed Director General of the Personnel Psychology Center. He was appointed Vice-President of the Oversight and Investigations Sector of the Public Service Commission of Canada in July 2016. More recently, Mr. Lee also completed graduate studies in Public Policy and Governance at the University of Ottawa.
Philip Quinlan	Director General, Research and Innovation Lab	Canada Revenue Agency, Service, Innovation and Integration	Philip Quinlan joined the Canada Revenue Agency as Director General of its Research and Innovation Lab in March 2020, responsible for the strategic leadership of Agency-wide research, innovation, advanced analytics and performance measurement initiatives - four days prior to the CRA moving into full virtual mode! Previously, he assumed progressively greater management and executive roles at Service Canada, the Canada School of Public Service, the Department of Finance, Employment and Social Development, and most recently in the Digital Services Branch of Public Services and Procurement Canada. Philip holds a DCS in Commerce from John Abbott College, a B.A. in Social Sciences from the Université de Montréal and an M.A. in History from the Université du Québec à Montréal, where he conducted research prior to joining the federal public service through an accelerated management development program. He is also a founding member of the Federal Youth Network, a graduate of the University of Ottawa Odell House`s Leading people for Results Executive Certificate Program, and an alumni of the Governor General`s Canadian Leadership Conference. Last, but certainly not least, he is a husband and father who is active in his community as a volunteer on and off the soccer field, and is happy to have been the 2020 CRA charitable campaign champion for the CRA`s Service, Innovation and Integration Branch.
Jacqueline Gonçalves	DG, Science Risk Assessment Directorate	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology	Jacqueline Gonçalves joined Environment and Climate Change Canada in the summer of 2016 as Director General, Science and Risk Assessment in the Science and Technology Branch.  Prior to that she joined Health Canada in 2014 as the Director General of the Controlled Substances Directorate where she provided leadership, strategic direction, and operational guidance to regulate controlled substances and promote initiatives that prevent the harm associated with these substances.  During her tenure, Ms. Gonçalves also served as the Head of the Canadian Delegation to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.  Prior to joining Health Canada, Ms. Gonçalves served as the Director General, National Strategies (2010-2014), Canadian Coast Guard, a Special Operating Agency of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), where she oversaw the development of strategic policy and long-term strategies for the services of the Coast Guard, including many of the World Class Tanker Safety System initiatives.  In this role, Ms. Gonçalves also led the Canadian delegation to the Arctic Council Task Force on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response which developed a new legally-binding agreement to strengthen international cooperation amongst Arctic States in the event of an Arctic oil spill.  Ms. Gonçalves first joined DFO in 1996 and has held many positions at DFO including, Director, Science and Technology Management, and Director, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs. From 2007 to 2010, she held the positions of Director General, Science Strategies and Integration and Director General, Integrated Business Management, where, amongst other tasks, she was accountable for leading the development and implementation of the Science Sector’s strategic agenda. Between February and September 2010, Jacqueline was the key advisor to the Deputy Minister in implementing the Departmental Reorganization. Jacqueline holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Public Administration as well as a Degree in Political Science from Concordia University, and a Science Degree in Human Physiology from McGill University.
Patrick Boucher	Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer	Canada Border Services Agency, Chief Transformation Officer Branch	Patrick is the Vice-President and Chief Transformation Officer at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). In this role, he is responsible for providing overall leadership for the Agency’s Transformation agenda.  He and his team are responsible for driving change and providing stewardship for the Agency’s Renewal Program; ensuring that inter-dependencies are known and understood; supporting horizontal collaboration; fostering innovation; and supporting the Agency’s culture shift and change management priorities.  Prior to joining the CBSA, he served at Justice Canada (2017 to 2019) where he led a multi-disciplinary team that collaborated with colleagues from across government to ensure that the Crown was fulfilling its constitutional and international human rights obligations, including Aboriginal and treaty rights. He also supported the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada in fulfilling mandate commitments towards advancing reconciliation and achieving a renewed nation-to-nation relationship between the Crown and Indigenous peoples. From 2009 to 2017, he served in various key Director General positions at Public Safety Canada - most recently as Director General for Critical Infrastructure and Strategic Coordination in the National and Cyber Security Branch.  He is very proud of his Métis heritage, is a dedicated and passionate public servant, a recipient of the Public Service Award of Excellence - for having demonstrated excellence in achieving results for Canadians while demonstrating key leadership competencies, and is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal - which was awarded to Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities and to Canada as a whole.
Gorazd Ruseski	Acting Director General, Indigenous Affairs	Fisheries and Oceans, Fisheries and Harbour Management Sector, Indigenous Affairs Directorate	Gor has been a federal public servant since 2000 and in that time has occupied various positions at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. During his public service career, Gor has undertaken and directed economic and policy analyses of fisheries and other economic sectors, participated on and headed Canadian delegations at international trade, policy, and governance forums, and collaborated with Indigenous organizations and other federal partners on important horizontal policy and program initiatives, such as the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development, the Atlantic Commercial Fisheries Diversification Initiative, the First Federal Symposium on Aboriginal Participation in Natural Resource Development Opportunities, and the First Federal Workshop on Whole-of-Portfolio Reconciliation Strategies. Most recently, Gor led the development and implementation of the DFO-CCG Reconciliation Strategy, a first-of-its-kind and whole-of-portfolio plan to raise awareness, take action, and ensure accountability for results related to advancing reconciliation. Gor is currently the Acting Director General of DFO’s Indigenous Affairs Directorate, which is responsible for leading the negotiation and implementation of treaty and non-treaty fisheries-related agreements in Atlantic Canada, supporting the same work in the Pacific and the North, and for delivering a suite of Indigenous commercial and collaborative management capacity-building programs. Gor has a Ph.D. in economics from the University of British Columbia and, prior to joining the public service, spent several years in the Economics Department at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, teaching economics courses and pursuing published research in the fields of natural resource management, sustainable development, and international trade.
Hilary Geller	Assistant Deputy Minister	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Strategic Policy Branch	Ms. Geller joined Environment and Climate Change Canada in June 2017 as the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Policy Branch. The Strategic Policy Branch has a leadership role within the Department in a number of areas, including strategic policy development, agenda management, policy planning, results and delivery, intergovernmental affairs, economic analysis, sustainable development strategies and indicators, regional analysis, outreach and program delivery. Through the Regional Directors General Offices, the Branch supports the Department’s overall goals and objectives by managing relations with the regions and associated key stakeholders. Previously, Ms. Geller worked at Health Canada, where she was the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB) from May 2011 to June 2017. A regulatory and scientific branch, HECSB works under various pieces of legislation to assess, manage and regulate a diverse range of issues in the areas of tobacco, controlled drugs and substances, environmental contaminants, consumer products, radiation and workplace chemicals. Prior to this role, she was Director General of Policy, Planning and Integration in HECSB from 2009 to 2011. Ms. Geller has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, and a Master in Business Administration from York University.
Janine Sherman	Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet	Privy Council Office, Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal	Janine Sherman was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal) at the Privy Council Office on May 5, 2016. Prior to this, she was Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Senior Personnel. From 2010-2014, Ms. Sherman worked as Director of Operations in the Machinery of Government Secretariat of the Privy Council Office (PCO). Prior to this, she worked for the Canada School of Public Service as Director General of Policy, Planning, and Communications and held various executive and policy development positions at PCO and the Department of Finance. Ms. Sherman has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Manitoba.
Helen Kerr	Regional Director	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service	My experience at the Director level spans the past fifteen years and includes experience in three departments dealing with natural resource management, both nationally and regionally. My chosen role for the past thirteen years has been leading Regional operations management with teams who deliver services to improve the quality of life of Canadians in rural communities. During a long career with the Public Service I have worked in Intergovernmental Affairs, policy development, engagement and consultations, research, negotiations and advising senior management in Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Treasury Board Secretariat, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs-Department of Indian and Northern Development, Natural Resources Canada-Canadian Forest Service and now ECCC-CWS. In the nine years I spent in Ottawa, I gained experience in drafting public policy documents, Memorandums to Cabinets, strategic planning, legal risk management, national strategies and blueprints, and briefing books. I have a keen interest in developing people in their leadership roles at all levels. I draw upon my experience as a mentor, mentee and also as designer of a pilot mentoring project with DFO to attract, develop and retain new recruits in the Science Sector. I see mentoring as an active two-way conversation.
Caitlin Imrie	Director General	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Settlement and Integration Policy	Caitlin grew up in Ottawa where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Ottawa, as well as a M.A. in History from Carleton University with a focus on the History of Medicine in Canada. She joined the Federal Public Service in 1993 and has worked in various areas, including Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Privy Council Office, Treasury Board Secretariat prior to joining Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in 2008. Before assuming the role of Director General of the Settlement and Integration Policy Branch in October 2020, Caitlin held a number of positions within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), including the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister, Acting Director General of the Refugee Affairs Branch, Director General, Passport Transition, Director General of Citizenship and Passport Program Guidance Branch, and Director General of Migration Health Branch.
Stephanie Drouin	Director General, Functional Management Model Implementation Support	Canada Border Services Agency, Chief Transformation Officer Branch	I have had the privilege of being with the Government of Canada for 20 years, and have worked for multiple departments including Environment (and Climate Change) Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Public Services and procurement Canada, the former Canada Revue Agency, and Shared Services Canada. I have had career opportunities that had me in various classifications throughout my career – Administrative Services, Purchasing and Supply, Physical Science Group, Director General, including the privilege of being a Strategic Advisor to a Senior Associate Assistant Deputy Minister. My role at Canada Border Services Agency since joining in 2019 is to shepherd the Functional Management Model Implementation Project to completion in 2021 as the Director General of Functional Management Model Implementation Support under the Chief Transformation Officer Branch. I really enjoyed the opportunities and challenges of Transformation related work, it was all new to me!  My education is a Bachelor of Science (Biology) from Dalhousie University, and an Master of Science from the University of Manchester United Kingdom. I studied bugs and how to use them as standard indicators to determine river water quality across the European Union. I enjoy travelling with my husband (especially when he is the pilot), environmental conservation and entomology. Supporting Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research and care is a cause close to my heart. My family is here in Ottawa and I just became an Aunt (It’s a girl!). I look forward to meeting new people and working collaboratively to advance talent in the Government of Canada.
Douglas Nevison	Senior Economic Advisor to the Deputy Minister	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Deputy Minister's Office	In the fall of 2020, Douglas Nevison joined our senior leadership team at Environment and Climate Change Canada as Senior Economic Advisor to the Deputy Minister. During his career, Mr. Nevison has held several senior positions. He was the Executive Director for Canada, Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). In this role, he provided strategic direction on the Bank's investments, policies and governance. At the Privy Council Office, he was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Liaison Secretariat for Macroeconomic Policy where he provided strategic policy advice and analysis to the Prime Minister, Cabinet and senior officials of the Office on economic, financial and fiscal matters, including the federal budget.  Douglas was previously the General Director of the Economic and Fiscal Policy Branch at the Department of Finance Canada. He was responsible for providing analysis and advice to the Minister of Finance on a wide range of economic and fiscal issues, and played a key role in coordinating and preparing the annual federal budget. Prior to this, he was the Director of the Fiscal Policy Division. He has also served in a number of positions in the International Trade and Finance Branch of the department, including as Director of the International Policy and Analysis Division and as Senior Chief in the International Finance and Development Division. Douglas has represented the Government of Canada in London, England, as Counsellor (Finance) at the Canadian High Commission. Before rejoining the Public Service in 1996, he held economic research positions at the Conference Board of Canada and the London School of Economics.
Mathew Myre	Senior Director, Refugee Affairs	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Refugee Affairs	Mathew is currently the Senior Director, Refugee Affairs, at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). His division is responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of Canada's asylum system. This includes policy and program development as well as policy guidance on legislative and regulatory frameworks. Previously, Mathew was the Director of Passport policy, responsible for developing policy, program guidance and international specifications/standards, to facilitate travel for Canadians. Over the course of his 18 year career, Mathew has also worked in the Privy Council Office, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage. Mathew holds a B.A. in History and Philosophy from the University of Ottawa and an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University.
Jacques Fauteux	Assistant Chief Statistician	Statistics Canada, Strategic Engagement	Jacques Fauteux has 30 years of government, communications and leadership experience that he gained as a management team member for various federal institutions, as a senior government advisor, and as a business consultant and naval officer. In his current role as the Assistant Chief Statistician responsible for Strategic Engagement, Jacques directs a multi-disciplinary team responsible for corporate communications, stakeholder and media relations, publication and translation, as well as data access and dissemination. This team helps Canadians connect with the data they need to make evidence-based decisions. Jacques has an MBA, an Honours Bachelor of Arts (Politics and History) and a Certificate in Public Relations. He lives in Ottawa with his wife Joanne. He has two daughters and a stepson.
Julie Bastarache	DG, Evaluation and Integrated Risk Management	Public Services and Procurement Canada, Office of the Chief Audit Executive	Currently the Director General of Evaluation and Integrated Risk Management at Public Services and Procurement Canada, Julie is a CPA, CA and CFE with 20 years of global experience in the private (McCain Foods Ltd and a small accounting firm), public (PSPC, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada and Parks Canada) and humanitarian sectors (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). In these roles, Julie has lived in 4 Canadian provinces and 3 countries and worked in countless others. She considers herself an agent of change and an “expert” generalist as she followed an unconventional career path over the past few decades by dabbling in multiple disciplines including finance, audit, evaluation, HR, communication, external relations and risk management, amongst others. This path lines up really well with her passions with change, transformation, continuous learning and contributing to the professional development of others.
Dylan Jones	Deputy Minister	Western Economic Diversification Canada, Regional Federal Councils	Mr. Dylan Jones was appointed Deputy Minister for Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) on June 20, 2016. Mr. Jones was President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation from 2012 to 2016. Prior to that, he served in various roles in the federal and Saskatchewan governments, including Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs for Saskatchewan. Mr. Jones' academic credentials include degrees from McMaster and the University of British Columbia and a masters degree in law from Oxford. He is a Wesbrook Scholar and is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Premier's Award for Excellence (Leadership).
John Marquis	Director	Canada Revenue Agency, Fraser Valley Tax Services Office	John joined the CRA in 1991 as a Business Auditor and subsequently worked in a number of diverse areas including Tax Avoidance, SR&ED, GST / HST Rulings and Program Advisor. John was appointed as Assistant Director of the SR&ED Division in VTSO in May of 2007. In September 2009, he moved to the Surrey Tax Centre where he worked in two different Assistant Director positions. He then took on an assignment as the Regional Director of Programs before being appointed as Chief of Appeals in 2013. John joined the Surrey Tax Centre, now the Surrey National Verification and Collections Centre as Director in November 2016. In February 2020, John was appointed as Director of Fraser Valley Tax Services Office. John is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University and is a graduate of the MMDP and "Direxion."
Grace Kim	Regional Director	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Market and Industry Services Branch, Northwestern Regional Office	Grace is Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)’s Northwestern Regional Office’s Regional Director responsible for British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon. She comes with extensive experience in the agriculture sector particularly in trade policy and international business development. She worked both abroad at Canadian Embassies in Mexico (2016-19) and China (2008-2011) as an agriculture trade commissioner helping Canadian exporters navigate the complexities of international commerce, as well as at AAFC headquarters in Ottawa dealing with bilateral and multilateral trade policy issues. At Global Affairs Canada, she worked on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and China trade policy (2011-2015). She has a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts specializing in International Relations and Economics from the University of British Columbia.  She lives in Coquitlam B.C. with her husband and her two children.
Simon Kennedy	Deputy Minister	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Deputy Minister's Office	Simon Kennedy was named Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, effective September 3, 2019. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister of Health from January 2015. During his tenure at Health Canada, that department took on a national leadership role in responding to the opioids crisis; negotiated agreements with the provinces and territories to allocate $11 billion in new funding to home care and mental health services; and launched important reforms to pharmaceutical pricing, nutrition labelling, and vaping and tobacco product packaging. Mr. Kennedy also oversaw Health Canada's implementation of the government's initiative to legalize and regulate cannabis, including passage of the Cannabis Act. Mr. Kennedy began his career with the public service in 1990 and has served in a variety of progressively senior roles in seven different organizations, including in six deputy minister–level appointments at the Privy Council Office; Industry Canada; Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada; Health Canada; and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. As the Canadian lead on the bi-national Beyond the Border Working Group, he negotiated with the White House the 2011 Canada-U.S. Action Plan for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. He also served as the Prime Minister's personal representative, or "Sherpa," to the G20 from 2012 to 2014. He holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and a Master of Science in Communications Management from Syracuse University and is a graduate of INSEAD's Advanced Management Programme. Mr. Kennedy also received his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and is co-chair of the ICD Ottawa Chapter. He has served on the boards of a variety of organizations, most recently the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, among others.
Nicole Giles	Associate Assistant Deputy Minister	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Operations Sector	Dr. Nicole Giles was appointed to the position of Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations Sector at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in June, 2020. Dr. Giles is a seasoned executive, joined IRCC from the Department of Finance, where she has held the position of Director General, International Finance and Development, since 2017. During this time, she served as Canada’s Deputy to the World Bank’s International Development Association, and as Canada’s Sherpa for the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.
Alec Nicholls	Director General, Communications	Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, Public Affairs	Highly motivated professional with a strong background in strategic planning and leading high-profile projects on a wide range of complex and sensitive issues. I am currently Director General at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada where I am responsible for public affairs. Prior to that I was Senior Director at Innovation, Science and Economic Development where I was responsible for innovation policy and industrial development for the automotive, transportation and digital technologies industries. I also spent 7 years as Senior Policy Advisor and Chief of Staff to a Deputy Minister where I provided strategic advice and managed issues in a highly dynamic environment. My experience in the public and private sectors has also allowed me to manage ministerial communications and several consultation exercises on a wide-ranging set of economic and social policy files. My diverse skill set and expertise combined with proven leadership skills provide me with the tools and services necessary to bring projects in on time and within budget. I am fluent in both French and English and have demonstrated sensitivity and interest to cross-cultural issues as a result of having lived, studied and worked in Europe, Mexico, the United States and Canada. In addition to my Masters in Business Administration, I have an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences, including a specialization in Public Policy and Public Management from the University of Ottawa.
Ann Marie Hume	Deputy Assistant Commissioner	Canada Revenue Agency, Human Resources	Ms. Hume joined the federal public service in 1994 as a management trainee in Environment Canada. Prior to joining the CRA, she occupied progressively more responsible management positions in the Correctional Service of Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and the Privy Council Office. Ms. Hume holds Bachelor degrees in Journalism and Science from Carleton University as well as a Master of Arts degree, Geography and Environmental Studies, from the University of Toronto. As a breast cancer survivor, she is passionate about sharing her experience and supporting others who are touched by cancer, particularly those returning to work.
Sara Wilshaw	Chief Trade Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Minister	Global Affairs Canada, BFM – International Business Development	A senior government executive of 26 years, Ms. Wilshaw is Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner and Assistant Deputy Minister at Global Affairs Canada. She leads a global team that helps Canadian businesses find new customers, troubleshoot market access, sell their products, and grow their businesses (www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca). Sara also leads work across global trade support services including export finance, foreign investment and responsible business conduct. Prior to her current role, Sara served as Director of Operations, Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat at the Privy Council Office. In this role she provided strategic analysis and advice to the Prime Minister, the Clerk of the Privy Council, the National Security and Intelligence Advisor and the Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor on matters concerning Canada-U.S. relations, Latin America, Trade issues, Climate Change, Human Rights and the UN. Prior to joining PCO, Sara led the North America Bureau at Global Affairs Canada during the renegotiation of NAFTA as Director General. She was previously appointed to represent Canada as Consul General in Dallas, and as Senior Trade Commissioner in New Delhi, India, and she has extensive experience in trade promotion and negotiations, including at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva and at the Embassy of Canada in Japan. Her headquarters experience at Global Affairs Canada includes both functional and geographic, as well as foundational work on the Global Commerce Strategy, Corporate Social Responsibility for the Extractive Sector, modernization of the Trade Commissioner Service, trade policy consultations and communications, as well as human resources. Ms. Wilshaw is a graduate of York University’s International Relations and Economics program. She is married and has two children.
Erin Aubé	Director, Travellers Project Portfolio A	Canada Border Services Agency, Director, Travellers	Erin Aubé has been a Director at the Canada Border Services Agency since 2018. Erin began her career in 2003 as a Border Services Officer in Northern Ontario Region. In 2009, she relocated to headquarters and held positions as an officer, advisor, manager and director of an area that ensures that the development of new and existing IT solutions meet the needs of front line officers. More recently, Erin has played a leadership role on two major crown projects involving multiple government departments. Erin graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts – Criminology, with a concentration in Sociology. She is also an accredited by the Project Management Institute (PMI) as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
Tammy Branch	Deputy Assistant Commissioner	Canada Revenue Agency, Collections and Verifications Branch	Recruited into the Government of Canada through the Management Trainee Program, Ms. Tammy Branch initially worked in the Department of National Defence where she held various positions in the areas of communications, policy, human resources and in the Deputy Minister's office. In 2005, she joined Public Safety Canada where she headed up the Cabinet Affairs group. Ms. Branch joined the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in 2007 as the Strategic Advisor to the President. She was also Chief of Staff and Director, International Policy. In the fall of 2011, Ms. Branch took on the role of Director General of the Recourse Directorate at the CBSA, where she lead a significant Modernization of the Recourse Program, with an emphasis on improved client service. Ms. Branch joined the CRA in August 2016 as the Director General of Collections Directorate. In April 2019, she assumed the role of Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Collections and Verification Branch. She holds a Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom and a Masters of Business Administration from Queen's University. She also studied Political Science at the University of Toronto.
Marty Frank	Director, Edmonton Tax Service Office	Canada Revenue Agency, Western Region	Marty began his career in 1983 in the Canadian Armed Forces. He is a retired Brigadier-General whose command and staff experience ranges from the tactical to strategic levels. His operational experience includes a tour in Cyprus in 1989 and two tours in Bosnia between 1994 and 1999. He also has two operational tours in Afghanistan between 2003 and 2010. Marty was appointed as the Director General Infrastructure and Environment Engineering Services in DND on December 5, 2017, where he was responsible for the Major Capital Construction Program for DND.  Major projects that Marty was responsible for included the recapitalization of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Jetties in Esquimalt and initial planning for the National Defence Secure Campus project in Ottawa.  Both projects were valued at over one billion dollars each. Marty was appointed as the Director of the Edmonton Tax Services Office on 6 August 2019.  As a new member of the Canada Revenue Agency his priority is working with Agency Executives, Managers and Employees to implement the new People First Strategy.  He is committed to working with internal and external stakeholders to make this strategy a reality. Marty attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in 2004-2005 and the National Security Program in 2011-2012. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Military Arts and Science, a Master's Degree in Defense Studies and a Master's Degree in War Studies all from The Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston. Marty is happily married to his wife Margo and is exceptionally proud of his three children and two grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with his family, hunting and riding his motorcycle.
Sam Ryan	DG, Integrated Technical Service	Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Coast Guard	Dr. Sam Ryan holds a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Geomatics Engineering from the University of Calgary. He joined the Public Service and Canadian Coast Guard in 1992 as a Systems Engineer, Newfoundland Region and has served with distinction in positions of increasing leadership responsibility. Throughout his career, Sam has been recognized as an authority in the field of marine navigation and communications systems. He received the Government Technology Exhibition and Conference (GTEC) Distinction Award in the Leadership category and gold medal for his contribution to the establishment of the global system for the international Long Range Identification and Tracking of Ships (LRIT) project. He was also awarded the US Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award for his leadership at the International Maritime Organization as Chairman of the LRIT Working Group. In February 2016 he was appointed as Director General, Integrated Technical Services, Canadian Coast Guard. As the Canadian Coast Guard’s National Technical Authority, he is accountable for providing executive leadership for the conceptualization, development and implementation of national operational frameworks, strategies, policies, approaches and mechanisms for the cost effective life-cycle management of the Canadian Coast Guard infrastructure assets and fleet assets.
Patrick Forest	Director, Priority Species	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Patrick Forest is the Director of Priority Species in the Canadian Wildlife Service, which he has joined in April 2019. Until then, he has worked on the Pilotage Act Review at Transport Canada, and worked at Parks Canada and Environment Canada in different positions. Patrick hold a PhD in International Studies and joined the federal government through the Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program in 2012.
Mark Quinlan	Assistant Commissioner	Canada Revenue Agency, Québec Region	Mr. Mark Quinlan was appointed to the position of Assistant Commissioner, Quebec Region, on May 18, 2020. Mr. Quinlan was previously Vice-President of Operations at Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED-Q). Prior to his appointment at CED-Q, he held several executive positions in both the Quebec Region and the National Capital Region within the Government of Canada, including Regional Director General for the Quebec Region at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Director General of Real Property and Service Integration for the Canada Revenue Agency at PSPC, Executive Director for Strategic Reviews reporting to the Associate Deputy Minister of PSPC, as well as Senior Director, Internal Services within the Administrative Services Review Sector at the Privy Council Office. Mark holds a Bachelor in Commerce from the John Molson School of Business (Concordia University), a Bachelor of Law from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a graduate degree in notarial law from the Université de Sherbrooke.
Annie Boudreau	Chief of Finances, Results and Delivery Officer	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Chief Finances, Results, and Delivery Branch	I have held various executive level positions at the Canada Revenue Agency since joining in 2006. I led the Departmental Comprehensive Review and the development of Agency financial resourcing strategies to address Government-wide priorities and re-allocation initiatives. As Director General, Internal Audit I provided independent and objective assurance and advice to senior management to improve the Agency’s management practices, controls and business processes. I have joined CIRNAC in June 2019 as the Chief Finances, Results and Delivery Officer where I lead departmental transformation initiatives that support that newly created department, in its internal services delivery model and as it addresses operational impacts from the current pandemic.
David Nanang	Regional Director General, Ontario and Prairie Region	Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Regional Director General’s Office	Dr. David Nanang joined DFO as the Regional Director General in September 2019. Prior to that, he was the Director General at Natural Resources Canada's Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. David has held several positions of increasing responsibility within the federal government over the last 17 years. From  economist, Natural Resources Canada; through Senior Policy Advisor at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada to Director of Forest Ecology with Natural Resources Canada. In addition to his main job, David has interests in academic pursuits by engaging academia as immediate past Chair of the Board of Governors of Algoma University and former member of Board of Governors of Sault College. David is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto and holds degrees in natural resources management, masters in forestry and a PhD in forest/natural resources and environmental economics. He is the author/co-author/co-editor of three books on forestry and natural resources; with several publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals. On the family front, David has four mighty girls to contend with at home when he is not at work and has a passion for advancing leadership, diversity and inclusion within the organization.
Kristen Petruska	Director, Program Evaluation	Canada Revenue Agency, Audit, Evaluation and Risk Branch	Kristen Petruska has been the Director of Program Evaluation at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) since 2016. She has over 14 years of experience with the CRA, working on strategic policy and advice, enterprise risk management, issues management, and performance measurement. She directs the development and operation of the Agency’s evaluation function and provides strategic advice to senior management regarding management and performance issues to improve program performance. As Director, she has advanced evaluation’s integration of data analysis and systems thinking to provide insight to decision makers. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology with a minor in Statistics from Carleton University.
Sonia Powell	Director General of Accomodation Management and Workplace Solutions	Public Service Procurement Canada, RPS	Sonia Powell has been assigned as the Service Lead for Real Property Services’s Accommodation Management and Workplace Solutions service line since February 2016. Sonia is accountable for delivery of the annual fit-up program and for modernizing the Government of Canada workplace under the fit-up standards. Sonia started her career in Acquisitions Branch in 1993 as a procurement officer in marine procurement. She subsequently joined Real Property Branch as a project manager. She held project management positions in Transport Canada and National Defence, managing infrastructure and environmental projects before returning to Public Services and Procurement Canada in 2011. Sonia held various positions in RPB NCA Operations from 2011 to 2016 including leadership positions as the Regional Manager, NCA Geomatics; Project Director, AFD Real Property Team; Senior Director NCA Professional and Technical Services; and, Acting Director General NCA Operations. She has been a champion of several change initiatives and has led a number of successful organizational realignments. Sonia has received a number of awards recognizing her work in the real property community. She holds the position of President of the Real Property Institute of Canada (RPIC) Board of Directors and Chaired the 2016 and 2017 RPIC Real Property National Workshops. Sonia is an engineer with a degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a specialization in Naval Architecture. She also holds a certificate as a functional specialist in Real Property.
Daniel Haché	Senior Project Manager	Public Service Procurement Canada, PMSL	I graduated in 1994 in Civil Engineering. I spent the first 8 ½ years of my career as a consultant for consulting firms in Fredericton, NB; and Halifax, NS. Afterwards, I worked for approximately 5 years for the municipalities of Kelowna, BC; Dieppe, NB; and Moncton, NB. I started working at the Federal Government with Transport Canada in 2007, then went on for a short stay at Infrastructure Canada.  I have been employed in Project Management at PWGSC/PSPC since 2009, having worked with the Parliamentary Precinct, RPB, HCS and now with PMSL.  I am currently working on Judicial Precinct projects. My experience includes all aspects of a project:  initial planning, studies, design and construction.
Philippe Morel	Vice President	CFIA, Operations Branch	I recently joined the Canadian Food Inspection Agency this fall as the Vice President of Operations Branch where I am responsible for leading the front-line delivery and enforcement of its programs.  This includes setting operational policies and procedures on carrying out inspection programs, compliance and enforcement of regulated parties, engagement with FPT partners in relation to program delivery, provision of regulatory permissions and other market services, and oversight of inspection programs. Previous to joining the CFIA, I was the ADM at Fisheries and Oceans Canada for five years. I was responsible for the policy development and the program management of all files related to fish and fish habitat protection; species at risk; aquatic invasive species; ocean protection and ocean management; and aquaculture.  I also acted as champion for the Respect initiative, and similarly for the inclusiveness and diversity initiative. Before joining DFO, I spent most of my career with Environment Canada where he served as Regional Director General of Environment Canada's Atlantic and Quebec Regions for seven years. Previous to that, I occupied several executive positions at Environment Canada in the Finance and Administration; Human Resources; Ecosystems Management; Corporate affairs; and Stakeholder relations directorates. Prior to joining the Public Sector, I served as Executive Director of Enviro-Access, an Environmental Technology Advancement Centre and worked in ministers offices. I have a Bachelor degree in Political Science from the University of Montreal and a Licence in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa.
Darryl Sato	Senior Director, Client Service Delivery and Management	Shared Services Canada, CSDM – Client and Business Branch	Darryl Sato is the Senior Director of Service Delivery Management, Citizen and Business Branch at Shared Services Canada (SSC). The recent COVID-19 pandemic required a shift in approach to service delivery where ESDC was central to the delivery of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.  Darryl led the efforts to develop new processes through the implementation of a War Room to ensure that ESDC was able to deliver these critical services to Canadians.  Darryl has been working in various areas of Information Technology for 20 years starting with a regional role with the Canada Revenue Agency.  Like most IT Professionals Darryl began his career on the service desk and then took on more increasingly demanding roles in Web Application development, Data Center Administration, and support for 7/24 Border Sites.  Darryl then moved on to Infrastructure Canada where he managed outsourced services with public sector and private service providers Darryl graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelors' degree in Arts with a Minor in Management and Society.  Darryl also holds professional certifications in Project Management (PMP) and IT Security (CISSP).  Darryl is also a graduate of the CSPS's Direxion Leadership Program.
Dominic Laporte	Assistant Deputy Minister	Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Human Resources and Corporate Services	Dominic Laporte is the current Assistant Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Corporate Services at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. He is responsible for the Department’s Human Resources and Corporate Services functions. Dominic is also proud to be the current Co-Champion of Your Professional Network. Prior to working as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Dominic was the Executive Director of Pension Policy and Programs in the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Treasury Board Secretariat from 2014 to 2017. He worked as the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal for five years before that, from 2009 to 2014. Dominic also worked as the Associate Research Director at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and as Legal Counsel to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal from 2007 to 2009 and 2004 to 2007, respectively. Dominic holds a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Civil Law, and a Bachelor of Economics, all from the University of Ottawa. He is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
Marie-Noëlle Desrochers	Acting Executive Director, Strategic Commercial Policy	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Industrial and Market Services Branch	Marie-Noëlle Desrochers joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 2003 as a trade policy analyst, and became an executive in 2018. She took part in the negotiation of numerous trade agreements, including the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Canada United States Mexico Agreement. Ms. Desrochers has a Masters in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.
Mary Frances Wright	Director, Consumer Product Safety	Health Canada, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch	Mary Frances is the national Director of the Consumer Product Safety Program with Health Canada’s Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch. In addition, she is the Talent Management Champion for the Prairie Federal Council (PFC). She previously led, as director, the Tobacco Control, Pesticide Compliance, and Environmental Health Programs at Health Canada. Prior to joining Health Canada, Mary Frances worked for the Public Health Agency of Canada in Ottawa and in Edmonton where she held roles in population health programs, research, evaluation, policy and planning. Mary Frances has a Bachelor's degree in International Development (Economics and Social Anthropology) and a Master's degree in Health Promotion, both from Dalhousie University. She is a credentialed evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society and has authored several academic publications on evaluation. She is the proud mom of two sons and loves staying active with them – on the slopes, in the pool, or any terrain that allows them to keep moving.
Rachel Messier	Director	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, ASA	I came to IRCC in June 2017 from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), where I had been the Chief of Staff to the President since 2010, (with a side-step for four years as head of Corporate Services setting up CanNor’s headquarters operations in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and included responsibilities for accommodations, parliamentary affairs, corporate governance, as well as DSO, CIO and head of ATIP). Prior to that, I worked in central agencies such as the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the Canada Public Service Agency (now OCHRO). In addition to my work in Deputy Ministers’ offices for 12 years, I also worked on high-level national and international head of state and ministerial visits with Public Services and Procurement Canada and Global Affairs Canada.
Marie-Josée Dorion	Acting Director General	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Citizenship and Passport Programs Branch	Marie-Josée Dorion is the A/Director General of the Citizenship and Passport Programs Branch (CPPB) and oversees over 200 employees. CPPB is the functional authority for the Passport Program and for Citizenship program delivery. The branch provides strategic program and functional guidance to networks that process applications, and manages the delivery of modernization projects. A few key projects that Marie-Josée oversees are: the Passport Program Modernization Initiative, ePassport Next Generation, Citizenship Grant eApplications, and Citizenship Online Knowledge Test. Previously Marie-Josée was the A/Director General of the Passport Modernization Project Office (PMPO) in early 2020 as well as Senior Director of Business Readiness since January 2018. During this time, her core mandate was to ensure that all required knowledge, tools, tasks and activities were in place for the roll-out and transition to the new passport issuance platform in Canada and overseas. Earlier in her career, Marie-Josée was the Director of Investigation and Exceptional Cases Division within the Case Management Branch and was also in charge of business expertise for the first Global Case Management System (GCMS) release abroad. Marie-Josée began her career as a Foreign Service Officer (stationed in Paris, France and Algiers, Algeria), which has provided her with ample experience and knowledge of IRCC and GAC operations. Marie-Josée holds a PhD in Historical Economics from the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières. When not in the office, Marie-Josée enjoys spending time with her son, her puppy and her cats! She also volunteers in a cat shelter (crazy cat lady alert!) and enjoys maintaining her vegetable garden.
Kelly Gillis	Deputy Minister	Infrastructure Canada	Kelly Gillis was appointed Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities in September 2017. Infrastructure Canada is the Government of Canada department that provides long-term, predictable support to help Canadians benefit from world-class, modern public infrastructure; makes investments, builds partnerships, develops policies, delivers programs, and fosters knowledge about public infrastructure in Canada; and helps address complex challenges that Canadians face every day, ranging from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, and environmental threats to our water and land. Prior to this appointment, Kelly served as Associate Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), the department that worked to develop Canada's Inclusive Innovation Agenda to help build an economy that promotes clean growth, high-quality jobs and increased prosperity. Previous to this, Kelly held a number of positions within the federal government, including, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications (SITT) Sector and Chief Financial Officer at Industry Canada. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Graduate Diploma in Public Accounting from McGill University and is also a qualified chartered accountant. Kelly is originally from Montréal. She and her husband have three children.
Ken Canam	Senior Assistant Deputy Minister	Shared Services Canada, Client Service and Delivery Management- Citizen and Business Branch [CBSA, CRA, ESDC, IRB, IRCC]	Ken is the Senior ADM in charge of the Client Service Delivery and Management Branch – specifically the Citizen and Business Branch which supports the following SSC partners: CBSA, CRA, ESDC, IRB, and IRCC.  He has more than 30 years of experience serving Canadians and brings to his role a vast information technology and leadership experience from across the federal Public Service.
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. Email: taki.sarantakis@canada.ca Twitter: @TakiSarantakis Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/taki-sarantakis-305b57130/ Web: canada.ca/school-ecole
Avril Martin	Assistant Director, Validation, Surrey NVCC	Canada Revenue Agency, Collections and Verification Branch	Avril began her career with the public service in 1996, moving from the Provincial Government to CRA in 2010.  Her career path, while mainly in audit, has included various assignments such as heading up projects at the Province, leading the project evaluation team for PSTAR training, being the team leader of the pilot Aggressive GST/HST Planning Team, Regional Program Advisor for the CID and SRED programs, Manager in Appeals and her current role as Assistant Director, Validation Division at the Surrey NVCC. Avril obtained her CGA designation in 2000 and went on to graduate from Laurentian University’s MBA program in 2010.  She is a graduate of the Agency Leadership Development Program.
Mary Ann Triggs	Assistant Deputy Minister	Employment and Social Development Canada, Service Canada, Ontario Region	Mary Ann Triggs is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada, Ontario Region. Instrumental in the development of the Service Canada Initiative, Mary Ann has a passion for service delivery and strategic workforce management. As Vice-Chair of the Ontario Federal Council, Mary Ann is committed to building strong relationships with community leaders, provincial counterparts and stakeholders to further collaborative service delivery. In 2016, in recognition of her commitment to Public Service, Mary Ann received the Public Service Awards of Excellence, Joan Atkinson Leadership Award and a second award‎ for leadership in the cross-departmental initiative, Operation Syrian Refugee. Mary Ann has also received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Excellence in Service Delivery (2012), the APEX Career Contribution Award (2010), and a Deputy Ministers’ Award of Merit for Job Bank. Mary Ann has demonstrated a dedication to service excellence throughout her more than 44-year career in the federal public service. She is known for her proactive and keen interest in the mentorship, support and development of employees. Mary Ann is committed to High-Performing Organization initiatives and building the public service of tomorrow. Mary Ann holds a BA in English and History from York University. In her time away from work, Mary Ann enjoys entertaining family and friends and kayaking at “Dun Cuttin”, her cottage on southern Georgian Bay.
Corinne Prince	Director General, Francophone Immigration and Official Languages Part VII	Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, Settlement and Integration Policy	Corinne first joined Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in 2009 as the Director General of the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO). She served as the Director General for Settlement and Integration Policy Branch with IRCC from January 2013 until 2020, a role that has expanded her connections to settlement partners across Canada. Beginning in fall 2020, Corinne is now the Director General for Francophone Immigration and Official Languages Part VII, within the Settlement and Integration Policy Branch. Between October 2007 and December 2008, Corinne was the Director General of the Labour Market Integration Directorate at HRSDC, responsible for the work of the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, Labour Mobility, the Going to Canada Immigration Portal, and the Skills and Labour Market Information Division (National Occupational Classification system, occupational information and Essential Skills research). Corinne graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Ottawa in 1985 and received her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Calgary in 1991. Corinne grew up in northern Saskatchewan and now makes her home in Ottawa, Ontario, with her two children.
Roxane Lee	Executive Director	Service Canada, Citizen Services	Roxane Lee is currently the Acting Business Expertise Executive Director, Citizen Services Branch (CSB), in the Western Canada and Territories (W-T) Region. In this capacity, she has responsibility for the delivery of advice, guidance, training and quality management, as they relate to the regional operational delivery of the CSB mandate. Her secondary functions include business line responsibility for information management and productivity reporting, regional responses to service improvement, and strategic business planning. Roxane’s previous Executive positions include Area Director, Citizen Services Branch, where she had operational responsibility for managing the Lower Mainland East area of BC with seven Service Canada Centres and the Surrey Passport Office, and as Director, Business Expertise, with the Integrity Services Branch. Prior to becoming an Executive, Roxane was the Service Manager for Lower Mainland Program Delivery (Vancouver). In this role, Roxane managed annual program budgets of over $20 million dollars, and supervised a multi-disciplinary team responsible for the delivery of the Youth Employment Strategy, the Homelessness Partnership Strategy (for both Metro Vancouver and the Aboriginal funding streams), the New Horizons for Seniors Program, and the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities. Roxane also has experience working in Human Resources, Corporate Services and Communications. In 2013, Roxane was awarded a Deputy Minister’s Award for Excellence in Service Delivery. In the same year, her individual achievements were recognized with a W-T Regional Award for Excellence in Leadership. In March 2017, Roxane was part of the Learning Development Initiative team that won a W-T Assistant Deputy Minister’s Award of Excellence in Excellence in Internal Service Delivery and Program Design. Roxane holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Honors) degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ryerson Polytechnic University, a certificate in Public Management from the University of Victoria, and has completed the Canadian Securities Course. Roxane has three children: a 17 year-old daughter and two sons, ages 14 and nine. She is an avid supporter of youth athletics and, in 2011, co-founded a local not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the development and growth of youth basketball in British Columbia. The club made history when their Grade 8 girls’ basketball team won the Washington State Championship in March 2017 – the first time in State history a Canadian team has won the title.
Jennifer Higginson	Director	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, IAB/MAS Americas Division	Jennifer grew up on a beef and cash crop farm just west of Ottawa where she still lives with her husband and two children. After graduating from the University of Guelph, she worked with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for almost ten years on several issues such as trade and food safety issues before joining the Trade and Negotiations Division at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Since joining the government, Jennifer coordinated the agriculture negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU, right from the beginning of the negotiations to its conclusion and implementation. She also worked on the WTO, TPP and Canada-Japan negotiations during this time and more recently on the new NAFTA negotiations (referred to the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement or CUSMA in Canada). Jennifer is currently the Director of the America’s Division in the Market Access Secretariat at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada managing a team of employees from both Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on various issues related to trade and market access within the Americas.
Wojo Zielonka	Chief Financial Officer	Public Services and Procurement Canada, Finance and Administration Branch	Wojo Zielonka is currently the Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Before joining PSPC, Wojo was Special Advisor to the CFO at Shared Services Canada. Previously, he advised a number of organizations, including Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the Conference Board of Canada. From 2009 to 2018, Wojo held a variety of roles with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, such as Chief Risk Officer, Senior Vice-President of Capital Markets and CFO. He spent 10 years with General Electric in senior management roles internationally and has held a number of different CFO and chief information officer roles in the private sector. Wojo holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Carleton University and is a chartered professional accountant and a certified public accountant.
Fiona Crowley	Assistant Director of Audit, Winnipeg Tax Services Office	Canada Revenue Agency	Fiona Crowley joined Canada Revenue Agency through the Auditor Apprenticeship Program. She has a Commerce Degree from the University of Manitoba and a CPA,CMA designation. Fiona has held various positions within Winnipeg including working in Audit, Appeals, the Winnipeg Tax Centre, and the Regional Program Office. She is a graduate of the management development program and is currently Assistant Director, Audit at the Winnipeg TSO. Fiona has two children and enjoys camping and skiing in her free time.
Guylaine Roy	Deputy Minister	Women and Gender Equality Canada	On September 23, 2019, Guylaine F. Roy became Deputy Minister for Women and Gender Equality. From August 2018 to November 2019, she was the Deputy Minister responsible for Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie. Previously, from May 2017 to August 2018, she was the Associate Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage. She joined Canadian Heritage in September 2011 as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Cultural Affairs Sector. In this role, she was responsible for policies and programs related to the arts, cultural industries, copyright legislation and international trade policy, broadcasting and digital communications, the TV5 program, and federal/provincial relations in the cultural sector. She was also responsible for the application of the Investment Canada Act to the cultural sector. Before joining Canadian Heritage, Guylaine was Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy at Transport Canada. She served in this capacity from 2007 to 2011, providing advice on a range of policy files related to transportation efficiency, competitiveness, environmental sustainability and integration across all modes of transportation. From 2006 to 2007, in her role as Director General, Environmental Affairs at Transport, Guylaine was responsible for both policies and programs related to transportation and the environment. From 2000 to 2006, in her capacity as Director General, Surface Policy, she was responsible for economic policies related to rail, motor carriers, highways, borders and intelligent transportation systems. Prior to joining Transport Canada, Guylaine held positions as legal counsel with the Department of Justice Canada, Correctional Service Canada and the Privy Council Office. From 1996 to 1998, she held the position of Executive Assistant to the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet. Guylaine has a Bachelor's Degree in Law from Université Laval in Québec and has been a federal public servant since 1986. She was a member of the Quebec Bar from 1986 to 2013.
Yazmine Laroche	Deputy Minister, Public Service Accessibility	Treasury Board Secretariate, Public Service Accessibility	Yazmine Laroche is Canada’s first Deputy Minister of Public Service Accessibility. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the efforts of the Canadian public service to meet the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act.  A career public servant with extensive experience, she has served in a variety of leadership roles in many different federal departments and agencies.  She most recently served as the Associate Deputy Minister, Transport and Infrastructure.  Yazmine is proud to be the Deputy Minister Champion for Federal Employees with Disabilities and the Deputy Minister Champion for her alma mater, Carleton University, from whom she received an honorary doctorate in 2019.  She is a board member and the past chair of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her charitable work and her efforts on behalf of people with disabilities.
Sylvie Bérubé	Assistant Deputy Minister	Employment and Social Development Canada, Western Canada and Territories Region	Sylvie Bérubé leads Service Canada’s Western Canada and Territories Region as Assistant Deputy Minister.  As the senior representative of ESDC/Service Canada in the W-T Region, she leads over 5,200 employees across the four Western Provinces and the three Territories. Sylvie is responsible for delivering ESDC benefits programs (e.g., Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance) in the order of $35 billion annually, a $500 million suite of Grants and Contributions programs, and ensures the effective delivery of programs and services through a network of 110 Service Canada Centres across the Region. Sylvie is ESDC’s National Co-Champion for Indigenous Perspectives, a role that reflects her dedication to Indigenous Canadians and reconciliation.  She is also National Co-Champion for Employee Engagement on Service Transformation. As a leader, Sylvie values diverse perspectives and supports an inclusive work environment that invests in its employees.  She is the BC Federal Council’s Champion for Governexx -- the new professionals development network -- and takes an active role in employee mentorship.  With over 30 years of experience in the federal public service, Sylvie possesses a wealth of knowledge in areas such as program delivery, policy analysis and development, line operations, and health emergency management.  Over her career she has worked in positions of increasing responsibility at Public Services and Procurement Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and the BC Federal Council.   Sylvie holds a Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Sociology from Carleton University.  She earned both degrees while working full-time as an adult learner. Sylvie is an avid cyclist and bikes to work, rain or shine. (She calls Vancouver home, so rain is usually more likely.)
France Pégéot	Executive Vice President	Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Office of the Executive Vice-President	France Pégeot was appointed Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on January 2, 2018. Before joining the CFIA, Ms. Pégeot served as Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. She has held consecutive Assistant Deputy Minister positions at Justice Canada, in its Change Management Office (2013 to 2016); Fisheries and Oceans Canada as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister in its Strategic Policy Branch (2011–2013), and with Industry Canada, in its Regional Operations Branch (2010–11). She has also held Assistant Deputy Minister positions with the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario in Policy (2009) and with Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec (2006–2009). Prior to becoming an Assistant Deputy Minister, Ms. Pégeot participated in an Interchange assignment as a visiting executive with Encana Corp. in Calgary and worked in various departments, including Health Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Privy Council Office. She started her career in the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. She holds a Master of Policy Analysis and a Bachelor of Food Science and Technology, both from Laval University.
Sarah Allin	Acting Director of Strategic Policy, Relationships and Corporate Affairs	Employment and Social Development Canada, Western Canada and Territories Region	Sarah Allin is the Acting Director of Strategic Policy, Relationships, and Corporate Affairs with Service Canada, leading a team that provides a wide-range of services including Access to Information and Privacy, information management, regional governance, and federal-provincial/territorial engagement. Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication and minor in political science from Simon Fraser University. She has spent much of her ten years with the Government of Canada working in regional communications at both Service Canada and Western Economic Diversification. Sarah is Service Canada’s Student Champion for Western Canada and the Territories, coming full-circle from her start in government as a student with Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Alexandra MacLean	Director General	International and Large Business Directorate, Compliance Programs Branch	Alexandra MacLean is a lawyer by training. She joined the Tax Legislation Division of the Department of Finance in 1996. From 2000 to 2003, she worked in the tax group of Stewart McKelvey.  She returned to the Department of Finance in 2003, where she occupied a variety of positions, most recently heading up the Tax Legislation Division from 2013 to 2016. In 2016, she joined the Compliance Programs Branch at the Canada Revenue Agency where she is now the Director General of the International and Large Business Directorate.
Johanne Charest	Regional Director General, Atlantic Region	Canada Border Services Agency	Johanne joined the Canadian Armed Forces under the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) on 11 June 1989 in Bathurst, New Brunswick.  She completed an undergraduate degree at College Militaire Royal de St-Jean, graduating in May 1994 with a Bachelor’s of Science, specialty in Space Sciences. Johanne spent overall 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and was able to gain experience in many areas.  Her jobs included: Platoon Commander, Maintenance Company, 3 Area Support Group, Canadian Forces Base Gagetown; Second in Command 210 Air Defence Workshop, 4th Air Defence Regiment; Operations Officer Maintenance Company, 3 Area Support Group; and Chief Instructor Maintenance Training Battery, Field Artillery School, Combat Training Center Gagetown. After being promoted to the rank of Major she joined Land Forces Atlantic Area (LFAA) Headquarters in July 2004 as the Executive Assistant to the LFAA Commander. This was Johanne’s first staff officer position. She then went from working for the Army to working for the Royal Canadian Navy as part of Formation Logistics, Canadian Forces Base Halifax, in the position of Executive Officer.  This was a great experience and Johanne was able to also deploy overseas while at Formation Logistics. Johanne retired in June of 2009 and began her career as a public servant within the Government of Canada.  Johanne has had multiple roles in the Public Service. She was a Senior Analyst with LFAA Management Consultant Services , Corporate Resources Officer at Formation Construction Engineering, Service Support Manager at the Health Services Center, CFB Halifax, and Base Business Manager CFB Halifax.  Johanne became Corporate Services Business Manager, Defence Research and Development Canada (Atlantic) in 2013 and was then asked to take on the position of Director, Science & Technology Corporate Services in 2014. In 2018 she led an organization of Defence Scientists and provided decision support to Canadian Armed Forces leadership. Johanne was then seconded and subsequently deployed to Canada Border Services Agency as the District Director for Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador.  She was appointed as the Regional Director General CBSA Atlantic Region in June 2020. Johanne is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Johanne is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and the Deputy Minister/Chief of Defense Staff Award for Management Excellence – People Management Category (2017). Johanne and her wife Jennifer have two sons, Liam and Ewan.  As a family they enjoy spending time in PEI.  Work/life balance is extremely important for Johanne as her family is the most important thing to her.
Nicole Girard	Director General	Transport Canada, Indigenous Relations and Navigation Protection	Nicole Girard is currently the Director General – Indigenous Relations & Navigation Protection Program for Transport Canada. In this role, Nicole provides support and leadership to a wide variety of areas within the portfolio, including regulation and policy development. Nicole joined Transport Canada in 1998 and quickly entered into management positions in Civil Aviation. In October 2013, she became Associate Director General in TDG and was appointed Director General in April 2015. Prior to her current position, she returned to Civil Aviation as the Director General, Aviation Safety Regulatory Framework and assumed the role of Associate Deputy Minister of Transport for Safety & Security in 2018. Nicole is passionate about employment equity and diversity, particularly in supporting and mentoring women in transportation. Before joining Transport Canada, Nicole Girard was in private practice and was a lecturer at the University of Ottawa’s French Common Law Program. Originally from Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Nicole holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Common Law. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys riding her Harley and scuba diving.
Vinh Du Nguyen	Senior Director, Product Development and Talent Sourcing	Public Service Commission, Services and Business Development Sector	Vinh Du Nguyen is Senior Director of Product Development and Talent Sourcing at the Public Service Commission of Canada where he contributes to public service renewal by putting in place recruitment initiatives and attracting talent. He is also responsible for the delivery of recruitment and assessment services to federal organisations in three regional offices. He began his public service career in 2000 at the Personnel Psychology Centre where he led the development of public service-wide assessment tools such as the second language test of oral proficiency. In addition, he managed assessment services to support the identification of future public service leaders, and provided expert advice on fair and valid assessment approaches to managers and human resource professionals. Vinh Du graduated from the University of Montreal with a Masters in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Outside of his public service career, he offers consultancy services for the selection and development of leaders in international development agencies.
Caroline Leclerc	Assistant Deputy Minister	Global Affairs Canada, Partnerships for Development Innovation	Caroline Leclerc is a graduate of the University of Ottawa’s École de Droit civil and was admitted to the Quebec Bar Association in 1994.  She joined the federal government in 1995 and occupied several positions of increasing level and complexity before joining the Canadian International Development Agency in 2005, which formed part of Global Affairs as of 2013. Amongst others, she has been Director General, Strategic Planning, Head of Development Evaluation, and Director General for Food Security and Environment.  In her last position she oversaw the implementation of the Government’s commitment to support developing countries’ efforts to adapt to, and mitigate the causes of climate change, and representing the Government internationally in a number of multilateral organisations. She took on the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of Partnerships for Development Innovation at Global Affairs Canada on September 5, 2017, engaging Canadians and Canada’s vibrant non-governmental organisations in development cooperation and infusing innovation in development efforts.
Daniel Quan-Watson	Deputy Minister	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada	Daniel Watson is a proud public servant who is passionate about the role that public institutions play in shaping Canada and the lives of Canadians. His appointment at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Affairs is his fifth appointment as a Deputy Minister, having been Deputy Minister (and previously Associate Deputy Minister) of Western Economic Diversification, Chief Human Resources Officer for the Government of Canada and Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada. Much of his career has focused on work with Indigenous peoples and issues, having been the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy and Strategic Direction at the former Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Director General of the Aboriginal Justice Directorate at the federal Department of Justice, and Director of Aboriginal and Territorial Relations at INAC’s Northwest Territories Regional Office. With the Government of British Columbia, he was Director of Treaty Implementation and Settlement Legislation where he led the development of the Nisga’a Final Agreement Act (British Columbia) among other major initiatives and, with the Government of Saskatchewan where he was responsible for first negotiations between provincial Department of Education and what was then the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. In the context of these positions, he played key roles in the negotiation of modern treaties, specific claims and many other agreements and processes. He was also the lead for several key legislative initiatives, litigation files and alternative justice programs. He has worked with Inuit, Métis and First Nation governments, communities and entities in every jurisdiction across Canada, and has lived in British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Beyond this experience, Daniel has significant background in economic development and innovation issues, federal-provincial-territorial relations, labour relations and human resources issues, and cultural and ecological heritage matters. He has represented Canada on numerous issues at forums around the world and has represented the federal government in several national federal-provincial-territorial forums. Daniel is a pilot, sang for a time with the Regina Philharmonic Choir, has taught firearms safety and hunting courses, and has represented Canada in French, English and Spanish. His record for riding a Harley-Davidson from Ottawa to Edmonton is 46 hours and 10 minutes, one he intends never to repeat or beat.
Mireille Laroche	Assistant Commissioner	Canada Revenue Agency, Service, Innovation and Integration Branch	On September 17, 2018, Mireille Laroche was appointed to the position of Assistant Commissioner of the Service, Innovation and Integration Branch at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). In addition to being the CRA’s Chief Service Officer, Mireille was also named Chief Data Officer for the CRA. Mireille joined the CRA in September 2014 as Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Collections and Verification Branch. She became the Assistant Commissioner of the Appeals Branch on April 1, 2016. Prior to joining the CRA, Mireille was acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Processing and Payment Services Branch at Service Canada. Prior to that, she was the Director General of the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Directorate, as well as the Director General of Employment Insurance Policy with Employment and Social Development Canada. Mireille began her career in the public service in 1996 with the Department of Finance Canada, where she worked on various economic and fiscal issues. Mireille holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Social Sciences with a specialization in Economics and Political Science from the University of Ottawa.
Robyn Atkinson	Director	Privy Council Office, Ministers’ Regional Offices	I started my public service career in 2004 as a co-op student at Environment Canada, where I worked on national and international policy.  I later joined Public Services and Procurement Canada (2011) as the Manager of the Montreal Ministers Regional Office.  I have been the Director of the Ministers Regional Offices Program, now with the Privy Council Office, since 2017, leading 40+ employees across the country. I am a lifelong learner, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Environment and Development from McGill, a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Public Administration and a Professional and Personal Coaching Certificate from Concordia University.   I am passionate about people and creating a high functioning work environment.  I am always looking for opportunities that allow me to expand my knowledge and competency as a leader.  Through coaching and mentoring, I hope to help employees, like you, get clarity about what they want and inspire them achieve their goals.
Charla Hughes	Director	Canada Revenue Agency, Vancouver Island and North Tax Services Office, Western Region	Charla Hughes began her career with the CRA in 1996 as a student at the Northern BC and Yukon Tax Services Office. She worked in various programs such as Non-filer/Non-registrant, Collections, and Audit. She moved to Headquarters in 1999 and held numerous key positions including Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commissioner, Issues Manager, and Manager of Business Renewal. In addition to leading numerous Audit initiatives including the T5018, Related Party Initiative, and Offshore programs, Charla managed the Program Accountability and Quality Assurance Section and led project work in the Debt Management Compliance Directorate. Throughout this time, Charla also took on developmental opportunities working with Internal Audit and Evaluation, the Office of the Auditor General, and other corporate areas and external organizations. In 2015, Charla moved to Victoria, British Columbia where she was appointed to the position of Assistant Director, Revenue Collections and Client Services and in January 2019, she was appointed to the position of Director, Vancouver Island and North Tax Services Office. Charla holds a Bachelor of Commerce, double major Finance and Accounting from the University of Northern British Columbia and a Master's of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa. She is a graduate of the New Director's Program and is currently attending the Queen's Executive Education Program.
Stephanie Kirkland	Assistant Deputy Minister, Pay Administration Branch	Public Services and Procurement Canada	A career federal public servant, Stephanie Kirkland was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Pay Administration Branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) in June 2019. In this role, Stephanie oversees the administration of compensation for the core public service, ensures first point of contact issue resolution and employee supports through the Client Contact Centre, and provides leadership over the continued evolution of pay business processes and system supports. Stephanie joined PSPC in July 2018 as Director General of Business Enabling, Transformation and Analytics within the HR-to-Pay Project Office. Prior to joining PSPC, she held various senior management roles for over 10 years at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), including as the Director General of Settlement and Operational Performance Management. Notably, as the Director General of the Biometrics Project Office, Stephanie also led the implementation of a major Crown project to introduce biometric screening into the immigration process, winning various awards, such as the 2014 GTEC Distinction Award of Excellence in Collaboration. Stephanie holds a master's degree in public administration with a specialization in management from Dalhousie University. Stephanie is a road-biking enthusiast and member of a sailing crew in Ottawa. She is a certified Spinning instructor, Ringette Canada certified competitive coach and fitness trainer, and an active contributor to cardiac disorder research and fundraising activities.
Marie-Flore Baptiste	Director General, Projects Branch	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada	Marie-Flore joins us from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (NSERC/SSHRC), where she was on an Interchange Canada assignment as the Chief Information Officer. Over the course of her career, Marie-Flore has been responsible for ramping up the digitization of programs and services, directing the implementation of several enterprise resource planning programs, involving software such as PeopleSoft/Oracle, SAP, Grants and Contributions and GCDocs. She has also led teams in the areas of enterprise architecture, information management and business requirements. As an innovative professional, in the past few years she initiated modernization efforts such as the development of Artificial Intelligence, algorithms for business processes and applications cloud-based applications.
Sally Thorpe	Director General, Strategic Policy, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Policy and Strategic Direction	Sally Thorpe is a bilingual policy strategist in the Indigenous and energy and resource sectors. She has a unique combination of more than 20-years of combined “on-the-ground” and policy experience. Her strengths are in strategic policy advice, service delivery, and business solutions leadership, in complex public policy and deadline driven portfolios. Her experience spans the Federal, Provincial, Non-Governmental, Private, and Multi-Lateral sectors, and currently involves frequent executive and Ministerial briefings. Services include strategic policy and program development, major project oversight and delivery, Indigenous engagement and consultation, environmental assessment and climate considerations, business strategy enhancement, people and culture development, and transformation leadership. Sally currently serves as Director General of Strategic Policy, Cabinet and Parliamentary Affairs for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, three boys, and a badly behaved Labrador.
Alain Desruisseaux	Director General, Integrity Risk Management	Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada	Alain Desruisseaux has a Master's degree in Political Science and more than twenty years of experience in the Federal Public Service of Canada. He has worked in the Privy Council Office (Intergovernmental Affairs, Priorities and Planning, Syrian Refugee Initiative) as well as in several departments (Human Resources and Social Development Canada, Canada Economic Development for the Quebec Region, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Infrastructure Canada) where he had the privilege of contributing to the advancement of many government priorities in the areas of social policy, economic policy, intergovernmental and international relations, and security. He is currently the Director General of Integrity Risk Management at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Nathalie Thiffault	Director, Strategic Directions and Partnerships	Public Service Commission	Nathalie Thiffault has joined the Public Service Commission in 2019 as Director, Strategic Directions and Partnerships. Prior to that, she was Program Director, Citizenship and Identity at the Regional office of Canadian Heritage in Montreal since 2011. In this role, she led the implementation of programs and celebrations related to the arts, culture, heritage, multiculturalism and official-language minority communities in Quebec. She also participated in the PCH Grants and Contributions Modernization Project as Director of the Program Terms and Conditions and Transformation Project in 2017. Nathalie also established the Department's Innovation Fund in 2015 and was acting as sponsor until 2017. This public service enthusiast has more than a decade of management experience (both at headquarters and in regional and district offices) managing programs, policy analysis and research. Her main interests are people management, arts, culture and heritage, tourism, sustainable development, leadership development and innovation. From 2007 to 2011, Nathalie also led the transformation of the Quebec City's satellite office into a district office, still at PCH. She began her career in the federal public service, first as a student, in research and policy analysis positions, both at the Canadian Heritage Headquarters and the Aboriginal and Northern Affairs Canada Regional office in Quebec City. She has also worked in the private sector in tourism. She holds a Master's degree in Leisure, Culture and Tourism from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières as well as a diploma from the Short Cycle Program in Public Management at the École nationale d'administration publique.

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