Jennifer Thorne
Originally from New Brunswick, Jennifer has worked for the Public Service of Canada for over 20 years where she has developed expertise in policy, program management, communications, engagement, governance and client service.
An executive for over 10 years, she has held positions in multiple departments. She was most recently the Director of Outreach and Engagement in the Public Service Renewal Secretariat at the Privy Council Office. She previously served as Director of Appointments in the Senior Personnel Secretariat of PCO, overseeing key elements of the Governor in Council and Senate Appointments processes.
Since 2018, she has been a full-time virtual employee; living, playing and working in Mont-Tremblant Quebec.
David White Deer Charette
David White Deer Charette is an Ojibway two-spirit artist from Wikwemikong, ON. David has been singing since he was 12 years old. Over the past few years, he has been performing as a solo Indigenous drum artist. He is known nationally and internationally as an outstanding singer for his traditional and contemporary singing and drumming.
Beth Gooding
As the Director of the Public Safety Service within the City of Ottawa, Beth is responsible for the Office of Emergency Management, the Corporate Security Program, and the Corporate Radio System. She is also the City’s 9-1-1 Authority.
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Beth Gooding worked in the federal public service for twenty years in the fields of emergency management and national security, before joining the City of Ottawa in 2021. She has been deployed to a wide range of emergencies both in Canada and abroad.
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Throughout her career, Beth has worked closely with municipal and provincial/territorial governments, law enforcement and security agencies, Indigenous communities, and international partners to build resilient systems. She also oversaw the development of federal policies and strategies in the fields of national security and emergency management.
Kelly Beaton
Kelly Beaton is the Director General of the Arts branch, Department of Canadian Heritage as of June 2021.
Kelly has held various leadership positions within the Department and since 2018 she has served as Deputy Director General of Cultural Industries. She has been the Director, Film and Video Policy, Director, Operations and Regional Coordination- Official Languages and Interim Director General, Copyright and Creative Marketplace. She also served as Special Advisor to the 2018-2020 Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel. Prior to joining the Department of Canadian Heritage, Kelly was VP Communications for the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and Director, Communications for the National Arts Centre.
Delane Boakye
Delane is a recent NPSIA graduate and policy analyst at Natural Resources Canada hired through the Policy Analyst Recruitment and Development Program (PARDP). Prior to this role, she worked at Public Health Agency of Canada’s Office of International Affairs where she supported Dr. Tam’s multilateral engagement and at Environment and Climate Change Canada, she was managed Canada’s bilateral relationship with Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Africa.
She holds M.A (International Affairs) from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) where she specialized in global public policy and migration, and a B.A (International Development) form McGill University.
In 2013, Delane was elected the President of the Black Student’s Network at McGill. During her tenure, Delane focused on making the McGill campus a safe and accessible space for members of the broader Black community in Montreal, including youth, local businesses, and Black alumni through the McGill Black Alumni Association.
Delane provides 1:1 career coaching and mentorship to post-secondary students, recent graduates, and new public servants. She is fluent in French and has an elementary proficiency in Mandarin and Portuguese.
Kori St-Cyr
Kori St-Cyr is Director, Policy and Government Relations at the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). In this role, Kori provides leadership to the agency's international, strategic policy and government affairs activities. Prior to this role, Kori served as Senior Policy Advisor to NSERC's Vice-President, Research Grants and Scholarships. Before joining NSERC in 2020, Kori served as Acting Manager in Science Policy and Senior Advisor in Science Strategy at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Previously, as a Research Associate with the Council of Canadian Academies, Kori worked with multidisciplinary panels of experts to develop evidence-based reports informing public policy development in Canada.
Kori holds a B.Sc. (Biochemistry) from Trent University, a M.Sc. A. (Biotechnology) from McGill University and a Professional Certificate in Knowledge Management from the University of Ottawa.
Amanda Devost
Amanda is a Director at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada. Her public service career, spanning over 22 years, has been in the fields of public health, human resources, and the finance industry, and extensively in the areas of communications, strategic planning, and operations management.
Amanda's life has been all about helping others, leveraging her privilege by serving as an ally to marginalized colleagues, and serving as a voice for them. Amanda is a mentor to professionals of all walks of life, leveraging her experiences to inspire mentees to maximize their potential.
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Amanda has worked her way up from an entry-level position to her current seat at the C-suite table. Her own leadership journey has fueled an unrelenting passion for empowering people. Her approach focuses on building high-performing, diverse teams, drawing on the strength and diversity of her people, while supporting them to achieve their own individual goals, as well as those of their organization.
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Amanda is a graduate of Carleton University Sprott School of Business and Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. Amanda has earned accolades for her leadership, for her ability to improve organizational culture, and for her skills in relationship management.
Namir Anani
Namir Anani is the President and CEO of the Information and Communications Technology Council (ictc-ctic.ca), he is the chief strategist and driving force in bringing ICTC’s world-class centre of expertise and services to industry, education, and government; shaping Canada’s digital advantage in a global economy. Before joining ICTC, Namir previously led Policy Development & Research at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
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He has also held several executive leadership roles in both the private and public sectors including the Department of Canadian Heritage (Director General & CEO), CGI consulting, Nortel, and Novartis (Switzerland). Mr. Anani’s experience extends to; strategic policy development and implementation, learning and capacity building, business transformation, national/international strategic alliances, economic and market research, and technology innovation.
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He has also held numerous board positions and is a frequent keynote speaker at national and international conferences on the digital economy. Namir holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Salford (UK) as well as a Professional Engineer designation in Ontario (P. Eng.).
Michelle Seymour
Michelle Seymour is a wife, a mother and a dynamic leader in the Public Service with over 24 years of professional experience; many of which were at the Department of National Defence.
Michelle is the Director of the Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion Division at Infrastructure Canada, a Black woman and a vocal advocate in the call to address Anti-Racism. She provides a holistic approach that combines personal and professional knowledge to create space for the braver and much-needed discussions necessary to advance dismantling institutional barriers within the Public Service.
Michelle is dedicated to making a difference so future public servants and the next generations of Canadians won’t face the same systemic racism, discrimination and barriers from institutions and the world around them.
Dienabou Sow
Dienabou joined the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) as the Director, Strategic Human Resources and Program Development in January 2021. She leads the design and implementation of national Human Resources strategies, programs, and policies. For the past two years, her focus has been, amongst other things, on advancing the conversation on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, in response to the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service, and supporting the councils’ shift to the future of work.
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Prior to joining NSERC and SSHRC, she worked over 10 years for a crown corporation where she occupied various positions in areas such as policy and program development, employee relations, leadership development, organizational development, etc., and had the opportunity to establish solid and trusting partnerships with senior leaders across Canada.
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Dienabou has a great sense of service. She is passionate about giving back and is supporting few organizations making a difference in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in both the public and private sectors. She is a mentor for the Federal Internship Program for Newcomers (FIN) through the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO), the Investment in Black Talent (IBT) program – an Atlantic regional initiative co-founded and led by the Federal Black Employee Caucus and PSPC, and finally Black Ladder, a mentorship program for Black Youth, Students, and Professionals.
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She is fully bilingual in both official languages and holds a master’s degree in Public Administration (Organizational Development) and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations, along with certifications in coaching, conflict management, and workplace investigation. She is a member in good standing of l’Ordre des conseiller.e.s en ressources humaines agréés du Québec since 2007. 
Sonia Parmar
Sonia Parmar, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations, Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA)
As Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations for the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), Sonia works to represent the largest trade association dedicated to natural, organic and wellness products in Canada. The CHFA is a national not-for-profit association, members include manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and importers committed to getting healthy living products into the hands of more Canadians. She is also the Chair of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
Prior to the CHFA, Sonia held the position of Director of Policy and Strategic Planning in the Regulatory Affairs Sector (RAS) of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, where she was responsible for leadership in providing central oversight and modernization of Canada’s regulatory system by reporting to Parliament and to Canadians, on the government’s ability to deliver regulatory reforms and policy frameworks. She acted as the Champion for the Sector’s Mental Health Committee, was a member of the OECD Measuring Regulatory Performance working group and the Chair of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on regulatory reform. She also brings with her, over 15 years of Health Canada experience, including leadership in the implementation of the Cannabis Act and Regulations (legalization of cannabis in 2018) and a deep knowledge of drug Good Manufacturing Practices, the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, and the Natural Health Product Regulations.
Christopher Khaalid Scipio
Christopher Khaalid Scipio is presently the Deputy Director of the Black Executives Network Secretariat. Christopher specializes in Black inclusion, anti-racism, and gender-based analysis plus. An intersectional feminist, Christopher is committed to using his work to contribute to collective efforts to dismantle systems that oppress individuals and groups due to their race, gender, sexual identity, ability, religion, and other identity factors.
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Since joining the federal public service in 2010, Christopher has worked primarily in strategic policy on a wide range of files including change management, justice and security, digital government, and performance reporting. He is also involved in public service renewal efforts through his active participation with Black Employee Networks including as one of the co-founders of the Defence Team Black Employees Network and his involvement with the Anti-Racism Ambassadors Network (ARAN).
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Outside of his day job, Christopher is a father and a past volunteer with Family Services Ottawa, the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment, and Ottawa Community Immigration Settlement Organization and is presently a board member for the Institute of Public Administration of Canada-National Capital Region, the Great Canadian Theatre Company, and the Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce.
Tasha Hanes
Biography coming soon!
Amy Johnson
In May 2023, Amy Johnson joined Public Safety Canada as Director General, Firearms Policy Directorate. During the Forum, she will speak to her recent central agency experience as Director of Operations within the Privy Council Office’s Machinery of Government Secretariat. In this role, Amy led a team responsible for providing advice on the organization of government, including the roles and responsibilities of Ministers and federal institutions. Prior to joining PCO, Amy held various policy roles within the Public Safety portfolio, including as Director responsible for strategic policy and domestic partnerships. She has also occupied policy roles with the Department of National Defence. Prior to becoming a public servant, Amy worked in program coordination and communications for the Canada-US Fulbright Program.
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Amy holds a Master of Arts in Political Science (International Relations) from McGill University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (International and Peace and Conflict Studies) from the University of Waterloo. In her spare time, Amy enjoys cycling and hiking, and most of all spending time with her family.
Christiane Allard
Christiane is an Executive Director within Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, where she has been responsible for various government-wide files, including pay equity and classification. She was previously Chief of Staff to the Chief Human Resources Officer and held other non-executive roles at TBS since 2008, including in the program sector, strategic policy and planning, and corporate governance. Prior to joining government, she worked as a research associate in the addictions and mental health field.
Christiane holds a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Sociology from the University of Toronto. She co-led the volunteer team for the Institute of Public Administration of Canada’s (IPAC) 2010 National Conference in Ottawa and then joined the IPAC National Capital Region (NCR) Board of Directors, serving as Corporate Secretary until 2012.
Veronica Ramrattan
​Veronica is a proven senior executive with over 20 years of experience within the Government of Canada, with a strong and very successful track record of delivering on key organizational priorities, focused on results for Canadians and for Canada. Early in her career, Veronica occupied various roles at Public Service and Procurement Canada and Health Canada. In 2013, she joined Environment and Climate Change Canada as Manager of the Planning, Reporting and Coordination Division and subsequently, in 2016, became the Director of the Branch Planning and Management Services Directorate and then in 2018 the Director General of the Assets, Real Property and Security Directorate of the Corporate Services and Finance Branch. In April 2021, Veronica took on the role as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, before joining the Privy Council Office, in April 2022, as a Director of Operations in Priorities and Planning.
Graham Flack
Graham Flack became Secretary of the Treasury Board in January 2022. He has been holding the position of Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada since October 2018.
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He began his career in the Privy Council Office and worked on the Quebec referendum campaign, the Quebec Secession Reference and Clarity Act. Following 9/11 he became Director of Operations and led work on the Canada-US Smart Borders Declaration as well as Canada’s first National Security Policy.
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He held senior executive roles at Natural Resources Canada and the Department of Finance where he was Assistant Deputy Minister, International Trade and Finance, and worked on the G7 and G20 response to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
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From 2010 to 2013 he was Associate Deputy Minister then Acting Deputy Minister at Public Safety Canada. From 2013 to 2014 he was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet at the Privy Council Office. From 2014 to 2018 he was Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage.
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Graham is the founding chair of the Deputy Minister Committee on Innovation and Deputy Minister Champion for Dalhousie University.
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He received degrees in political science and economics from Dalhousie and Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He is a former law clerk of the Supreme Court of Canada and graduated with an LL.B. from Dalhousie University and an LL.M from Harvard University.
Gina Wilson
Gina Wilson is a grandmother, a proud Algonquin and the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services Canada. Gina began her career in her First Nation community of Kitigan-Zibi as Director of Health and Social Services.
She was also a Child Welfare Advisor, Director of Health & Social Services and then Chief Executive Officer when she is with the Assembly of First Nations. She joined the Federal Government in 1996 and held several senior executive positions at various departments, including the Privy Council Office, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Correctional Service of Canada.
One of her career highlights was as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), at Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada where she oversaw the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and the Prime Minister's Apology to Survivors of Residential schools in 2010.
She then became Senior ADM of Regional Operations at the then Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, until she moved to Public Safety Canada as ADM, Emergency Management. Gina was ADM of Treaties and Aboriginal Government at INAC before joining the Deputy ranks in 2014 as Associate Deputy Minister (DM) at ESDC, Associate DM at Public Safety, then Deputy Minister of Women & Gender Equality in 2017.
She was appointed DM of Public Safety Canada in 2019. Gina was in the role of DM, Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, Canadian Heritage, and rejoined Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) as DM on September 1, 2021.
She previously served at WAGE from 2017 to 2019, where she led the establishment of the new department. Gina is the recipient of the 2020 Indspire Award for her leadership and her lifelong work on Indigenous issues and support for Indigenous employees. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.
Isabelle Mondou
Isabelle Mondou joined the Department of Canadian Heritage on October 22, 2018, as Associate Deputy Minister and, after being on assignment at the Privy Council Office as Deputy Minister for the COVID-19 Response (Communications) from April 2020 to April 2021, became Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage on May 3, 2021.
On September 19, 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).
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Isabelle joined Canada’s public service in 1994 as 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.
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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.
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Isabelle is originally from the Laurentian region and has lived in Ottawa since 1996.
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She is the mother of two teenagers.
Dean Oliver
Biography coming soon!