Federal Youth Network/Career Boot Camp/Speakers

What I Wish I Knew at the Beginning of my Career (English)

Name	Biography
Kathy Lusk	Kathy is the Director, Regional and National Integrity Services at Service Canada in the Atlantic Region.  Her team supports the compliance and enforcement of Service Canada social programming and benefits.  She has been a member of the Public Service since 2002 and prior to joining Service Canada in 2018, she worked in the field of Human Resources Management.  Her career with the federal government spans about 20 years and most of those years have been spent in Nova Scotia, with some time in Ottawa.  She made her way up through the ranks to become a Human Resources Director and has worked in several federal organizations including, the Public Service Commission, Canada Border Services Agency, and the Department of National Defense.  She was two key passions in her work: she enjoys creating paths to success through mentorship programs, and facilitating change.
Sean Kibbee	Sean has spent the last 20 years working in Government of Canada IT. He’s a Free Agent based out of NRCan currently posted at Transport Canada where he’s working on centralizing and modernizing stakeholder data management. As a Free Agent Sean is often called upon when an experienced resource is required to navigate the complex government IT landscape to modernize services. He moves between departments at an average rate of 2 per year which allows him unique insight into varying processes and policies and how they differ across government.
Aretha Constant	Aretha Constant began her career with Employment and Social Development Canada (formerly known as Human Resources Development Canada) as a Programs Officer, with the Canada Student Loans Program, 22 years ago. Aretha was first introduced to the Federal Public Service as a student with the Federal Student Work Experience Program. In 2004, following an Interchange Assignment with the Conference Board of Canada, Aretha moved from Ottawa to Toronto to undertake her first local office position, as a Service Manager with in-person Citizen Services. In 2015 Aretha was appointed to her first Executive role as an Integrity Operations Director, also within Service Canada, Ontario Region. Since 2018, Aretha has led Ontario Region’s Management Services Branch, which is responsible for providing strategic leadership on internal management and transactional services to efficiently support regional business lines in a number of areas, including strategic workforce planning and strategic accommodations planning. On a more personal note, Aretha firmly believes in the value of coaching and mentoring as means of supporting managers and employees in career development.

What I Wish I Knew at the Beginning of my Career (French)

Name	Biography
Maud LaPorte-Roy	Maud is a free agent at the Treasury Board Secretariat, recognized for her skills in problem solving and being action-oriented. She is currently an internal auditor for the Public Service Commission and previously held the position of Youth Engagement Ambassador for the Emerging Leaders Network and Second Language Assessor for the same department. She started her career in the public service at Service Canada in Montreal, where she worked in different positions for Grants and Contributions and labour programs. Maud has a Master’s degree in communication science from Université de Montréal.
André Latreille	President and Principal director of Groupe Altis inc. André Latreille, recently retired, was appointed Ombudsman for Mental Health at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on February 6, 2017. Reporting directly to the Deputy Minister, Mr. Latreille contributes to employee well-being by guiding them toward the most appropriate well-being programs and services available, by facilitating discussions between parties through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, as well as by making observations and recommendations for improvement at the department level. Before his appointment as Ombudsman for Mental Health, Mr. Latreille has held numerous leadership positions at PSPC. Since his arrival in 2005, he acquired extensive knowledge of the Department and experience in communications as the Director, Media Relations and Parliamentary Affairs and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister. He subsequently led programs aimed at promoting a healthy and safe workplace as the Director General, Labour Relations and Ethics, Occupational Health and Safety, Compensation and Wellbeing. He also served as the Director General, Strategic Policy and Planning, Director General, Communications and then Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources Branch. In addition, Mr. Latreille has held various positions throughout his career. For example, at Canadian Heritage, he was responsible for managing the Official Languages Promotion Program. Mr. Latreille graduated from the University of Ottawa with a bachelor's degree in social science.
Aretha Constant	Aretha Constant began her career with Employment and Social Development Canada (formerly known as Human Resources Development Canada) as a Programs Officer, with the Canada Student Loans Program, 22 years ago. Aretha was first introduced to the Federal Public Service as a student with the Federal Student Work Experience Program. In 2004, following an Interchange Assignment with the Conference Board of Canada, Aretha moved from Ottawa to Toronto to undertake her first local office position, as a Service Manager with in-person Citizen Services. In 2015 Aretha was appointed to her first Executive role as an Integrity Operations Director, also within Service Canada, Ontario Region. Since 2018, Aretha has led Ontario Region’s Management Services Branch, which is responsible for providing strategic leadership on internal management and transactional services to efficiently support regional business lines in a number of areas, including strategic workforce planning and strategic accommodations planning. On a more personal note, Aretha firmly believes in the value of coaching and mentoring as means of supporting managers and employees in career development.

Setting the Stage for Your Career in the Public Service (English, French interpretation)

Name	Biography
Nicolino Frate	Nicolino Frate joined the Treasury Board Secretariat as the Executive Director, Strategic Infrastructure and Information Management within the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. From 2007, when he joined the Federal Public Service, Nicolino has taken on senior leadership positions within different government departments including: the Canada Revenue Agency, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, Shared Services Canada, and most recently, the Treasury Board Secretariat. Nicolino has experience working in both corporate and policy program areas, as well as in regional operations. Prior to joining the Public Service, Nicolino’s professional career began in the financial sector. While working in the private sector, he began volunteering and leading a not-for-profit organization, which aimed to combat homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. In 2016, this work earned him The Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal for advocating for diversity and inclusion. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. In September of 2019, Nicolino joined the Certificate Program of Public Sector Leadership and Governance at the University of Ottawa.
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.

Transferring Your Most Valuable Skills to the Public Service (bilingual)

Name	Biography
Mélanie Copeland	Mélanie Copeland joined Transport Canada in 2018 as the Manager for Strategy with Transport Canada’s Digital Services Directorate and helped launch TC’s successful Digital Strategy. Shortly after her return from maternity leave in February 2020, she began her role as acting Director for Transport Canada’s Transformation Portfolio Office where she advocates for Departmental transformation, modern ways of working and supports an Agile, Smart and Trusted Transport Canada. Mélanie has a wealth of experience and appreciation for leading change in her 12 year career as a public servant. In 2015, she assisted in the restructuring of the CORCAN organization, a Special Operating Agency reporting to the Correctional Service of Canada that provides employment skills to offenders in federal correctional institutions, to support rehabilitation and help lower rates of re-offending. In 2009, Mélanie received an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Ottawa and in 2015, while working full-time, completed a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Carleton University with a concentration in Management and Change. Mélanie has a loving husband and two young boys, aged 4 and 2.
Daniel Quan-Watson	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.