NMC Managers Connect 2024 – Toronto

Lorraine Edinboro began her journey at the Department of Justice in 2001 as an articling student and still believes that when she accepted the position, which was over the phone in the Toronto VIA Rail station, it was one of the best decisions she has ever made.

After being called to the bar in 2002, she worked as counsel in the Tax Law Services Division. Lorraine routinely appeared on behalf of the Crown before the Tax Court, Ontario Superior Court, and Federal Court of Appeal.  She earned her masters of laws degree with a specialization in tax law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2007 and after several periods of acting, she accepted a position as the Deputy Director, Senior Counsel in 2017. Lorraine was appointed Regional Director and General Counsel in 2022.

Throughout her career, Lorraine presented on behalf of the Department at various speaking engagements before clients and members of the public.

Jim Daskalopoulos is the Executive Director of the Health Products, Food, Pesticide and Microbiology Laboratories of the ROEB in Health Canada and works from Toronto. He is responsible for establishing the division as the centre of expertise in Health Canada and the Government of Canada for the testing of health products, pesticides, post market surveillance of food products, and microbiological testing, which includes microbiological and pesticide testing of cannabis, to ensure public health and safety. He directs the national program for the laboratory testing in six laboratories located across the country and ensures adherence to ISO 17025 certification requirements and standards in each of the 6 laboratories.

Jim joined Health Canada in 1993 after graduation from the University of Toronto with an Honours BSc. After a few years in administration, grants and contributions and information technology, Jim was appointed as a drug inspector under the Food and Drugs Act in 1999 and has held various senior inspector and management roles in the area of compliance and enforcement. Jim briefly left Health Canada in 2009 to join Citizenship and Immigration Canada as the Regional Director of Citizenship and Immigration Programs. Jim represented the Region in the development of national immigration and citizenship policies and programs. Jim was accountable for translating the intent of broad national policy frameworks into the region-based policy and program infrastructure to meet the unique demographic, economic, cultural and social needs of the Region. Jim returned to Health Canada in 2012 and was appointed to his current position that has since evolved with changes to the Branch and the adoption of a national program structure.

Hilary MacDonald is a Director in the Management Services Branch with Service Canada, Ontario Region.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and has worked with ESDC/Service Canada for 24 years.  Throughout her career, Hilary has contributed to a variety of HR-related portfolios with specializations in Staffing and Performance/Talent Management.

Jaime is currently the Director of Arts and Heritage Programs at Canadian Heritage, Ontario Region.  She was previously the Regional Director at Public Safety Canada responsible for Emergency Management, Indigenous Policing and Crime Prevention files.  Jaime began her career in the public service in administration, moved into communications and eventually program delivery and emergency management before graduating into the executive ranks. Jaime has had the pleasure of working on prominent files such as the Western Canadian Shipbuilding Summit, negotiating complex tri-lateral police service agreements, Canadian Human Rights Tribunal cases, and led the federal coordination of pandemic response in Ontario Region.  Jaime is a self-described leadership and adrenaline junkie. She is energized by a good career development discussion or a crisis.

Alicia started her public service career as a student while in university. She first worked as a Student Customs Inspector. The following summer, she worked as a receptionist at what was then known as Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). They hired her right out of university in 2000 as a casual and in time, she succeeded on her first competition and became a term employee.

Alicia has worked in several roles throughout the Public Service at HRDC, the Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Immigration & Refugee Board (IRB), Canada Border Services Agency, and the Labour Program. In 2008, she returned to the IRB as a Member of the Immigration Division, adjudicating cases dealing with immigration detention and admissibility.

In 2016, she became a manager and has held several leadership positions within the IRB. In addition to her managerial role, she is the Coordinator of the IRB Managers’ Community, Regional Lead of the Mental Health Promoters in Central Region, and the Employer Co-Champion on Mental Health. She is also an active participant of the National Managers’ Community (NMC) as the IRB rep on the NMC Managers’ Advisory Board, a member of the NMC Ontario region Steering Committee and she leads an NMC Managers’ Peer Coaching Circle. In addition to all this, she is a PT Facilitator for the Canada School of Public Service teaching courses on unconscious bias and systemic racism.

Alicia was also recently appointed as the IRB’s first Champion for Black Employees and is one of the founders of the Black Employee Network.

Central to all she does is the desire to realize at the IRB the vision coined by Simon Sinek for a workplace where “the vast majority of people wake up every morning feeling inspired, safe at work and return home fulfilled at the end of the day.”

Meredith Richmond, Ontario Regional Lead, NMC

With 8 years of experience in various leadership positions in operations, project and programme management roles in the Federal government,  I support and empower public service managers to achieve excellence and innovation in their roles. I am passionate about coaching and mentoring students and young public servants and supporting the career development of my employees.

I am also a lifelong learner and a proud member of the 2SLGBTQIA+, disability, and neurodivergent communities. I graduated with my BA in Psychology at Queen’s in 1996 and became a Registered Psychotherapist in 2006. I am currently pursuing a Professional Master of Public Administration degree at Queen’s and will graduate in May 2024.

I believe in advancing equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the public service and beyond, and I volunteer as a Visiting Faculty at the Canada School of Public Service, facilitating courses on positive space, anti-racism, and unconscious bias.

Susan Badame, Chair, Ontario NMC Steering Committee
Coaching workshop trainer

Susan Badame, Chair, NMC Steering Committee, Ontario Region, since December 2023.  Susan is a Senior Learning Advisor with Justice Canada where she is responsible for executive leadership.  Susan was formerly the Co-Chair for the Ontario Learning Network.  She is a certified EQi-2.0 coach and is in the process of obtaining her International Coaching Federation certification through Adler Graduate Professional School.  Susan has dedicated her career to providing professional development advice and guidance.  She views herself as a conduit to others, a channel to help her clients achieve their professional goals.

Julie Wills is the National Managers’ Community Regional Lead for the National Capital Region (NCR). Julie’s home organization is Justice Canada, where she has held various management and supervisory roles in the learning and professional development area. Transformative work experiences have included being the resource person for Justice’s Advisory Committee on Indigenous Peoples and managing the National Mentoring Program. She is a certified EQ-i 2.0 coach, and is in the process of obtaining her International Coaching Federation certification through the Adler Graduate Professional School. She is passionate about playing an advocacy, communication and coaching role to serve managers across the federal government.

Camille Beausoleil (she/her), Executive Director, National Managers’ Community (NMC), Government of Canada

In May 2023, Camille was appointed as Executive Director, NMC, where she will work to promote the needs and interests of federal managers to public service decision-makers. Prior to this, Camille was Assistant Director, Learning and Product Development Team within the Respectful and Inclusive Workplaces Directorate at the Canada School of Public Service. She has been with the School since 2018, having worked in various positions both operational, in Curriculum Management as part of the Registrar’s Office, and more strategic, as Chief of Staff to the Vice-president of the Public Sector Operations and Inclusion Branch.

Camille joined the federal public service in 2008, having previously worked at the Department of Canadian Heritage and the National Capital Commission, in a number of management and project management roles. Camille holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, as well as professional certification in HR Management and lives in the National Capital Region.