Public Sector Leaders Awards

Recognizing women who hold senior positions in Canada’s public sector organizations, not currently in public office

MGen FRANCES ALLEN

Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Department of National Defence CANADIAN ARMED FORCES

BIO: Major-General Frances Allen’s 35-year career has focused on communications, network and cyber operations, commanding and leading the development of CAF cyber capabilities at all levels. A true believer that participation in sport contributes to both military leadership and esprit de corps, she is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM), an international military sport organization.

EARLY, LASTING LESSON: Don’t be daunted by being asked to take on something unfamiliar. You can do more than you think.

SUCCESS IS: Feeling a sense of accomplishment or learning.

ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF: Go ahead and try the unexpected.

DR. HEATHER MUNROE-BLUM

Chairperson, CPPIB Board of Directors

CANADA PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT BOARD (CPPIB)

BIO: Award-winning Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum served from 2003 to 2013 as Principal and Vice Chancellor, McGill, the first woman to serve in this role. Currently, she is Chairperson of the CPPIB, Director, Royal Bank of Canada and Chairperson, Gairdner Foundation. She has been awarded a Top 100 Award two times previous to this win. Heather has had a distinguished career of clinical, scientific and policy contributions, with more than 25 years of senior leadership in higher education, public policy and research and development, including extensive corporate and not-for-profit board experience.

EARLY, LASTING LESSON: Coming from a large family, the only girl with five brothers, I learned there is a solution to every problem. Determination, learning and collaboration help realize those solutions.

DR. WENDY CUKIER

Professor, Entrepreneurship and Strategy

TED ROGERS SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

Founder of the Diversity Institute

RYERSON UNIVERSITY

BIO: A transformational leader, social innovator and change-maker, Dr. Wendy Cukier founded Ryerson’s Diversity Institute to advance opportunities for women and under-represented groups in the workplace. She has helped shape Bill C-25 to advance diversity on boards; created the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge, which sponsored 400 refugees; developed the Women’s Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub; and helped create the Future Skills Centre to equip Canadians with the skills needed to prosper. She has mentored countless entrepreneurs, social activists, students and young professionals.

EARLY, LASTING LESSON: From my mother I learned that grit and resilience will always get you farther than privilege and entitlement, and that from adversity comes true strength.

ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF: “Never retract, never explain, never apologize — get the thing done and let them howl.” — Nellie McClung.

DEPUTY MINISTER JODY THOMAS

National Defence GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

BIO: Deputy Minister Jody Thomas joined the naval reserves at age 17 and was among the first women to serve on a Canadian military vessel. She began her federal public service career in 1988. Following a series of increasingly demanding security and operational roles, Jody became the first female commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard in 2015. In 2017, she moved to National Defence as Senior Associate Deputy Minister, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister.

EARLY, LASTING LESSON: Understand that you are not judged by failure but by your recovery and movement forward.

SUCCESS IS: Different at different stages in my life. Now it is that I have turned two lovely young people over to the world to contribute to making it better. Their success is something I am very proud of.

JULIA HANIGSBERG

President and

Chief Executive Officer HOLLAND BLOORVIEW KIDS REHABILITATION HOSPITAL

BIO: Julia Hanigsberg joined Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital as its president and CEO in 2015. She has spent her career in government, postsecondary education and health care as a champion for cultural transformation, innovation, excellence and equity. At Holland Bloorview she led the development of the No Boundaries strategy, expanded clinical services, launched the social justice campaign Dear Everybody, and championed an ambitious growth plan for the Bloorview Research Institute. She is a founding member of the Kids Health Alliance, Chair of the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario and a previous Top 100 Award winner.

ON BEING DESCRIBED AS POWERFUL: We need to acknowledge our own power and use it wisely especially to lift up other women.

SUCCESS IS: Working hard at something that matters, and making an impact.

POWER SONG: “Juice” by Lizzo. DR. GAYNOR WATSON-CREED

Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health

NOVA SCOTIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS Chair of the Board

ENGAGE NOVA SCOTIA

BIO: Prior to her current role, Dr. Gaynor Watson-Creed was Medical Officer of Health for Halifax for more than 12 years. She is also the Assistant Dean of Serving and Engaging Society for Dalhousie University’s faculty of medicine, and Chair of the Board of Engage Nova Scotia, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving Nova Scotia’s quality of life and offerings to the world.

EARLY, LASTING LESSON: Sadly, one of the lessons was work twice as hard to get half as far (because you are Black). The other was don’t be afraid to imagine… anything. And “drive it like you stole it.”

ADVICE I WOULD GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF: Smile more, laugh at yourself more and stand in the power of your smart and sexy self. Your voice has value. Don’t let it be diminished.

POWER SONG: “Mama Said Knock You Out” by LL Cool J.