Book 1, Tab B1 and B2 – Senior Management Placemat and Biographies

Senior Management Placemat

Senior Management Biographies

Associate Deputy Minister

Kevin Brosseau

Kevin Brosseau will be joining the Department as Associate Deputy Minister on November 14, 2022.
Mr. Brosseau will be coming from Transport Canada where he has been the Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security, since January 2019. In this role, Kevin Brosseau led the development of regulations and standards to support safety and security in air, marine, rail and road transportation.
Before joining Transport Canada, Kevin was Deputy Commissioner, Contract and Indigenous Policing with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) where he spent most of his career. He began working as a police officer in 1988 and after ten years rose to Assistant Commissioner, Contract and Indigenous Policing, and Commanding Officer, Manitoba Division. He was promoted to Deputy Commissioner in 2016.
Kevin holds a Masters of Laws degree from Harvard Law School and is a former Fulbright Scholar. He is originally from Bonnyville, Alberta and of Métis descent.

Senior ADM, Strategic Policy

Niall O’Dea

Before assuming the role of Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, in April 2021, Dr. Niall O’Dea had been Assistant Deputy Minister and, previously, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) since March 2018. Prior to his tenure at ECCC, he served in various roles at Natural Resources Canada since 2011, including Director of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Minister and Director General of Electricity Resources.
Niall joined the Government of Canada in 2006, working first at Environment Canada on policy, legislative and regulatory proposals for reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions and subsequently at the Privy Council Office providing advice to the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Clerk of the Privy Council on proposals and policy issues under the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of the Environment.
Dr. O’Dea completed undergraduate degrees in biology and philosophy at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a masters and doctorate at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.

ADM, Aquatic Ecosystems

Alexandra Dostal

Alix Dostal is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Aquatic Ecosystems, at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Alix joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada as the Director General of the Aquaculture Policy Directorate in 2019, where, along with regional colleagues across DFO, she had responsibilities related to aquaculture management. Prior, she was at Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) where she held the position of Executive Director, International Affairs, for two years and was responsible for leading a broad range of policy and program files which included Treasury Board Submissions for a portfolio of departments, and developing advice for Treasury Board Ministers. She also held several roles at Finance Canada and Global Affairs Canada. Before joining the federal Public Service in 2007, Alix worked both in the private and public sectors, [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

ADM, Ecosystems and Oceans Science

Arran McPherson

Prior to assuming the role of Assistant Deputy Minister, Ecosystems and Oceans Science in 2017, Arran McPherson was the Director General, Ecosystem Science from 2014 to 2017.
Arran started her career at Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the Maritimes Region -- first as a Research Scientist in 2002-2003. She then became Manager of Species at Risk from 2003 to 2007, followed by her role as Regional Director, Policy and Economics Maritimes Region in 2008. In 2014 she became Associate Regional Director General.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

A/ADM, Fisheries and Harbour Management

Adam Burns

Adam Burns is the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Harbour Management. The sector comprises four directorates and is responsible for fisheries management, enforcement, Indigenous negotiations and 900 small craft harbours.
Prior to assuming the responsibilities of Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Harbour Management on an acting basis in April 2022, Adam was the Director General of Fisheries Resource Management since 2016.
Adam joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2008 and over the course of 14 years, has held various roles, including Director of Fisheries Renewal Policy (2009-2011), Director of Resource Management-Atlantic (2011-2013), Director of National Fisheries Policy (2013-2015), Senior Director of Integrated Fisheries Management (2015-16), and Director General of Fisheries Resource Management (2016-March 2022).
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Chief Digital Officer

Marc Brouillard

Marc Brouillard has taken on the role of Chief Digital Officer for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in January 2022. In his previous role, Marc Brouillard was the Chief Technology Officer and acting Chief Information Officer of Canada at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Marc also served as deputy departmental CIO and acting departmental CIO at Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
Marc joined the Public Service in 2010, progressing through senior Information Technology roles. Prior to joining the Government of Canada, Marc was VP of Business Development for a local eCommerce Services start-up. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at MONTAGE IT Services, a division of MTS/Allstream, where he held numerous positions in technology consulting and business development.
Marc provides strategic leadership in pursuing world class excellence in digital transformation, data and information management, and cyber security. He has had a long and successful career as a senior public and private sector executive in information management and technology.

Chief Financial Officer

Richard Goodyear

Prior to assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer, effective October 12, 2022, Richard Goodyear was a Military Officer for over 30 years at the Department of National Defence. During this time, he held numerous finance and operational roles. Most recently, he held the Chief Financial Management and Deputy Chief Financial Officer position for the last four years.
Richard has two international deployments, serving as the Canadian Contingent Comptroller to Kosovo in 2000 and the Joint Task Force Comptroller to Afghanistan in 2007.
Richard holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce from the Royal Military College in Kingston as well as Master Degrees in Business Administration from the Université du Québec à Montréal and Public Administration from the Royal Military College in Kingston. He is [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] and is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

ADM, Innovation & Business Transformation

Dominic Laporte

Dominic Laporte became the Assistant Deputy Minister, Innovation and Business Transformation Sector in April 2022. Prior to then, he was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services from 2017 to 2022.
Dominic was a Board Member with the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority in 2016 and has worked as an Executive Director of the Pension Policy and Programs, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat from 2014 to 2017.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

ADM, People and Culture and Chief Security Officer

Tom Balfour

Tom Balfour has been the Assistant Deputy Minister of People and Culture (formerly known as Human Resources) since April 2022.
Prior to then, Mr. Balfour was the Director General of Human Resources at Fisheries and Oceans for almost seven years.
He also held various executive roles in human resources and labour relations at Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Tom holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in law from Carleton University.

Senior General Counsel

Caroline Clark

Caroline Clark was appointed to the Senior General Counsel position in August 2019.
Prior to this role, she was on assignment in the position of Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister (DADM) of the Business and Regulatory Law Portfolio of the Department of Justice. Before taking on the DADM role, she was the Executive Director and Senior General Counsel at Environment Legal Services and has held various positions in Justice’s Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Chief Audit Executive

Leslie Levita

Leslie Levita was appointed as Chief Audit Executive in 2019.
Prior to this role, she was the Senior Director, Internal Audit Services from 2018 to 2019 and the Director, Internal Audit at Global Affairs Canada from 2017 from 2018.
She has also held a number of positions in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.
Leslie holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

RDG, Pacific Region

Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid has been the Regional Director General of the Pacific Region since 2015.
Rebecca began her career at Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 1990 as a Fish/Shellfish Quality Specialist.
From 1996-2000, she was appointed as Regional Treaty Negotiator, Aboriginal Fisheries Program Manager, Aboriginal Fisheries Program Officer.
Over the course of ten years from 2000 to 2010, she held a number of Regional Director positions at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Then, she became the Acting Associate Regional Director General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada from 2010-2011 and the Regional Director, Fisheries Management, Fisheries and Oceans Canada from 2011- 2015 and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

RDG, Maritimes Region

Doug Wentzell

Mr. Doug Wentzell was appointed as Regional Director General, Maritimes Region effective March 15, 2021.
Doug joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2016 after 12 years working at Service Canada. Since joining the Department, he has held various roles of increasing responsibility starting as the Regional Director for Fisheries Management. Subsequently, Doug was appointed as Associate Regional Director General, Maritimes Region.
As Regional Director General, Doug has work with stakeholders, partners, and Indigenous communities in Maritimes Region to implement the treaty right to fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood through interim regional based understandings.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

RDG, Newfoundland and Labrador Region

William McGillivray

William McGillivray was appointed to the position of Regional Director General, Newfoundland and Labrador Region effective May 9, 2022.
William was previously at the Public Health Agency of Canada where, as Regional Director for the Atlantic Region since 2018, he was able to establish expanded operations in response to the pandemic with strong partnership with federal, provincial and industry partners in order to keep Atlantic Canadians safe.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] William joined Health Canada in Goose Bay’s Labrador Health Secretariat working on the Labrador Innu Comprehensive Healing Strategy in 2003. He occupied various positions throughout the years for the First Nations Inuit Health Branch in Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

RDG, Gulf Region

Serge Doucet

Serge Doucet is the Regional Director General for the Gulf Region. His appointment started on April 24, 2017.
Mr. Doucet's career within the New Brunswick public service spans 20 years during which he held several senior management positions, including at the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries. In fact, he was Assistant Deputy Minister for that department, as well as at the Department of Economic Development.
Mr. Doucet was Vice President, Business Growth with Opportunities New Brunswick, the province’s lead business development organization. In this role, he contributed to the implementation and growth of the organization while conducting several international economic missions.

RDG, Quebec Region

Sylvain Vézina

Sylvain Vézina was appointed to the position of Regional Director General, Quebec Region, effective November 8, 2021.
Sylvain began his Public Service career at Industry Canada in 1998, where he held several positions as an Economist and joined our Department in 2006 as Regional Director, Integrated Business Management Services of the Canadian Coast Guard in the former Quebec Region. In that role, he oversaw all activities related to the development and improvement of business processes, human resources, financial management and strategic planning. Sylvain has since occupied a number of positions of increased responsibility, such as Regional Director, Human Resources and Workplace Services at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (formerly INAC), Regional Director, Coast Guard Programs, and most recently, as Associate Regional Director General, Quebec Region, where he has also been involved in providing strategic direction in the implementation of the COVID-19 pandemic response and in supporting the Listuguj Mi'gmaq Government in their fishing activities.

RDG, Ontario and Prairie Region

Michelle Langan

Michelle Langan was deployed to the position of Regional Director General, Ontario and Prairie Region, effective September 13, 2021.
Michelle worked previously at Shared Services Canada, where she was Director General, Client Executive – Client Services Delivery and Management within the Citizen and Business Branch. Michelle has spent the last 20 years in various management positions in several different departments within the Public Service.
Most recently, at Shared Services Canada, she supported the Canada Border Services Agency in reopening the borders in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through the ArriveCan application. Prior to this, Michelle provided leadership at Public Services and Procurement Canada, supporting the Senior Designated Official role within the Enterprise Strategic Project Management Office. While at Public Services and Procurement Canada, she also played a significant role in the real property portfolio planning and Treasury Board Secretariat Stimulus funding exercises.
Michelle attended the University of Manitoba where she pursued Management and Administration.

RDG, Arctic Region

Gabriel Nirlungayuk

Gabriel Nirlungnayuq was appointed Regional Director General of the Arctic Region on October 15, 2018.
He joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada from Nunavut Tungavik Incorporated, where he held the positions of Director [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] In 2014, Gabriel was appointed Deputy Minister, Environment with the Government of Nunavut, a position he held for two years. [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] and has extensive knowledge of the North and the issues northerners face. Gabriel is a strong proponent of forging a balance between the environment and resource development. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience working with all levels of government and stakeholders in the North on environmental management.

Commissioner

Mario Pelletier

Mr. Pelletier began working for the Canadian Coast Guard in 1989, after graduating with a bachelor’s in nautical sciences from Cape Breton University (Canadian Coast Guard College) and obtaining a Marine Engineer’s certificate.
He started his career as an engineer officer in the Quebec Region. In 1998, he joined headquarters, where he held positions with increasing responsibilities. In 2011, Mr. Pelletier was appointed Director General, Fleet. He held that position until the new organizational structure of the Canadian Coast Guard took effect on October 1, 2012, when he became the Assistant Commissioner of the Central and Arctic Region.
On June 1, 2015, Mr. Pelletier was appointed the Deputy Commissioner of Operations. He received a Commissioner’s Commendation in recognition of his strong leadership, commitment and the high level of expertise and Professionalism.
Mr. Pelletier was appointed Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard on December 9, 2019.

Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Material

Andy Smith

Mr. Andy Smith was appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Material of the Canadian Coast Guard in 2017. In this role, he is responsible for providing strategic leadership to realize the renewal of the Coast Guard’s aging fleet within the broader context of the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Andy is also responsible for the in-service support for the Coast Guard’s fleet and shore-based assets.
Before joining the Coast Guard, Andy was the Associate Assistant Deputy Minister of the Real Property Branch at Public Services and Procurement Canada from 2013 to 2017 where he was responsible for providing national functional leadership for the real property business lines and leading large-scale change management initiatives.
Prior to joining the Public Service, Andy enjoyed a [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] career in the Canadian Armed Forces. At the time of his military retirement, he held the rank of Rear-Admiral and was the Chief of Military Personnel with the Canadian Armed Forces, providing strategic-level direction, policy approval and personnel support for 100,000 military members.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Deputy Commissioner, Operations

Chris Henderson

Mr. Chris Henderson was appointed as Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard in the National Capital Region effective January 6, 2020.
Chris was the Director General, National Strategies, Coast Guard National Capital Region from May 2016 until October 2017 when he was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Affairs, at the Department of National Defence. In this most recent role, Chris provided communications advice, guidance, services and products in support of the Government of Canada and its defence priorities.
Prior to joining the Public Service, he had a distinguished career serving as a Captain in the Royal Canadian Navy, and in 2007, he was appointed as Director General, Public Affairs Strategic Planning at the Department of National Defence. From 2009 to 2014, Chris worked successively as Director General, International and Partnerships and Director General, Training and Development at Canada Border Services Agency, and was appointed Director General of Strategic Communications at the Privy Council Office in December 2014.

Assistant Commissioner, Western Region

Derek Moss

Mr. Derek Moss assumed the position of Assistant Commissioner, Western Region within the Canadian Coast Guard, effective December 20, 2021.
Derek joined the Canadian Coast Guard in 2017 and has since held several executive roles with increasing responsibility such as Director of Incident Management, Director, Maritime Security, Senior Director, Operational Support and most recently, as the Senior Director, Fleet. Prior to joining the Canadian Coast Guard, he was Commanding Officer of the Halifax-class frigate HMCS REGINA, Commandant of the Naval Officer Training Centre (VENTURE) in Esquimalt, Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force North in Yellowknife, and Chief of Staff Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic in Halifax.
Derek holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Ottawa. He has a Master of Defense Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College in Washington, DC. Derek was an International Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington. He also holds a Master Mariner certificate issued by Transport Canada.

Assistant Commissioner, Arctic Region

Neil O’Rourke

Since 2018, Neil O’Rourke has been in the position of Assistant Commissioner, Arctic Region, Canadian Coast Guard.
He has held various executive roles in the Canadian Coast Guard such as: Senior Director, Safe Shipping and Economic Intelligence in 2018, Director, Integrated Logistic Support from 2012-2015, and Director, Organizational Restructuring from 2011-2012.
He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University.

Assistant Commissioner, Central Region

Marc-André Meunier

Marc-André Meunier was appointed to the position of Assistant Commissioner in the Canadian Coast Guard, Central in 2019.
Marc-André was formerly a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for 22 years and has held various positions in several units. During his military career, he took part in the execution of operations in Central African Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Afghanistan. He also participated in the Canadian Armed Forces humanitarian mission in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. In 2012, he was appointed Supervisor and Liaison Coordinator for 2nd Canadian Division Headquarters and Joint Task Force (East). Marc-André joined the Coast Guard in 2017 as Regional Director, Incident Management in the Central and Arctic Region and was the Incident Commander at the G7 Summit at La Malbaie in 2018.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Assistant Commissioner, Atlantic Region

Gary Ivany

Gary Ivany was appointed to the position of Assistant Commissioner in the Canadian Coast Guard, Atlantic Region in March 2020.
Gary began his career with the Canadian Coast Guard [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.] working in positions up to Chief Engineer, serving aboard various Coast Guard Vessels in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In 2008 he relocated to the National Capital Region working as Engineering Training Officer and then Engineering Manager. In 2011, Gary was appointed to Director, Marine Engineering, Integrated Technical Services. In 2016 he was promoted to Senior Director, overseeing Coast Guard’s implementation of the Oceans Protection Plan and then in 2017 took over the role of Senior Director, Operational Support. Since 2018, Gary has been acting in the role of Assistant Commissioner in the Central and Arctic Region.
[Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]

Date modified:: 2023-02-28

Book 1, Tab B1 and B2 – Senior Management Placemat and Biographies

On this page

Senior Management Placemat

Senior Officials: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Sector heads

Regional heads

Canadian Coast Guard

Senior Management Biographies

Associate Deputy Minister

Kevin Brosseau

Senior ADM, Strategic Policy

Niall O’Dea

ADM, Aquatic Ecosystems

Alexandra Dostal

ADM, Ecosystems and Oceans Science

Arran McPherson

A/ADM, Fisheries and Harbour Management

Adam Burns

Marc Brouillard

Richard Goodyear

Dominic Laporte

Tom Balfour

Caroline Clark

Leslie Levita

Rebecca Reid

Doug Wentzell

William McGillivray

Serge Doucet

Sylvain Vézina

Michelle Langan

Gabriel Nirlungayuk

Mario Pelletier

Andy Smith

Chris Henderson

Derek Moss

Neil O’Rourke

Marc-André Meunier

Gary Ivany