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Key Advisors Profiles

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Deputy Minister of National Defence

Jody Thomas

Ms. Jody Thomas was appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence on October 23, 2017.

Ms. Thomas has broad and varied experience working at senior levels in the Public Service. Prior to serving as Deputy Minister, she was the Senior Associate Deputy Minister for the Department of National Defence. Ms. Thomas began her career in the Public Service in 1988 when she was appointed Chief of Business Planning and Administration with Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Atlantic Region.

Ms. Thomas then moved to the West Coast as the Business Manager of the Esquimalt Graving Dock in Victoria, British Columbia. From 1995-2010, she joined Passport Canada where she served as Manager of the Victoria Passport Office. This led to a number of senior roles within the Passport Office, culminating in Chief Operating Officer, where she managed service delivery at 35 locations involving 3,000 employees across Canada.

In 2010, Ms. Thomas joined the Canadian Coast Guard where she held the position of Deputy Commissioner of Operations for four years, during which she provided leadership and functional direction in the development of the Coast Guard’s strategic and operational policy frameworks, monitored their implementation and ensured the strategic direction for the cost-effective delivery of Coast Guard programs. In September 2014, Ms. Thomas was appointed as Special Advisor to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations) at the Privy Council Office until her appointment as Commissioner of the Coast Guard on January 1, 2015. On March 13, 2017, she joined the Department of National Defence where she served as Senior Associate Deputy Minister.

Ms. Thomas currently holds a commission in the Navy (Naval Reserve). She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.

Acting Chief of the Defence Staff

Lieutenant-general W.D. Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD (Acting)

LGen Eyre grew up on a farm near Wadena, Saskatchewan, and spent his high school years in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He joined Army Cadets at age 12 and has been in uniform ever since.

LGen Eyre attended Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) Victoria and Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston. Upon commissioning in 1988 he joined Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, and has had the great privilege of spending the majority of his career in command or deputy command positions, including commanding 3rd Battalion PPCLI, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West, Deputy Commanding General – Operations for XVIII (US) Airborne Corps, Deputy Commander Military Personnel Command, Deputy Commander United Nations Command in Korea, and for a short time Commander of Military Personnel Command. He became Commander Canadian Army on 20 August 2019 and was appointed as Acting Chief of the Defence Staff on 24 February 2021.

Operationally, LGen Eyre has commanded a rifle platoon with the United Nations Force in Cyprus; 2PPCLI’s Reconnaissance Platoon with the UN Protection Force in Croatia (including the Medak Pocket); a rifle company in Bosnia with NATO’s Stabilization Force; the Canadian Operational Mentor and Liaison Team in Kandahar, Afghanistan advising 1-205 Afghan National Army Brigade in combat; as the Commanding General of NATO Training Mission – Afghanistan, where he oversaw the force generation, institutional training, and professional development of the Afghan National Security Forces; and as the first non-U.S. Deputy Commander of United Nations Command Korea in its 69-year history, and as such is the most senior Canadian officer ever permanently stationed in the Asia Pacific region. Among various domestic operations, he was the military liaison to the Government of Manitoba for the 1997 floods, commanded a company fighting the 1998 BC forest fires, commanded the Task Force that secured the 2010 G8 Summit, and commanded the military response to both the 2015 Saskatchewan wildfires and the 2016 Fort McMurray evacuation.

As a staff officer, LGen Eyre has served with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Land Force Western Area Headquarters, in the Directorate of Defence Analysis at NDHQ, and as the J3 of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course, the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the U.S. Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Science and three Masters Degrees (Military Studies, Operational Studies and Strategic Studies). His decorations include the Order of Military Merit in the rank of Commander, the Meritorious Service Cross, the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation, the Chief of Defence Staff Commendation, the Order of National Security Merit from South Korea, and was three times awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit, including at the rank of Commander.

Vice Chief of the Defence Staff

Lieutenant-general F.J. Allen, CMM, MA, CD

Lieutenant-General Frances Allen enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1983. After graduation from Queen's University in 1987 with an Honours Degree in Statistics, Lieutenant-General Allen completed her CELE Air training in 1988. Following CELE training, her early operational postings were to 764 Communications Squadron, the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics in Kingston, Canadian Forces Station Carp and 76 Communications Group.

Lieutenant-General Allen has commanded at multiple levels throughout her career including Officer Commanding the National Systems Management Centre in Ottawa, at the Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron in Trenton as well as the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre and the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group.

Staff appointments have included the Operations Officer for the Information Protection Centre, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Director Support Operations in the Strategic Joint Staff. On promotion in 2014 to Brigadier-General, she assumed the post of Director General Defence Security at NDHQ. Lieutenant-General Allen also served as Director General Cyberspace, Director General Information Management Operations at NDHQ and Joint Force Cyber Component Commander. She was appointed Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff after being promoted to Major-General in June 2018. She was then promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and appointed to serve as Military Representative of Canada to the NATO Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium in July 2020.

Lieutenant-General Allen was appointed to serve as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in Spring 2021.

Lieutenant-General Allen is a graduate of Queen's University, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College and Canadian Forces College National Security Program. She holds a Master's Degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College and has been invested as a Commander of the Order of Military Merit.

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Strategic Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff on Future Capabilities

Lieutenant-General M.N. Rouleau, CMM, MSC, CD

Born on the 4th of July 1967 into a military family, Lieutenant General M.N. (Mike) Rouleau grew up in various locations including Montreal, Quebec City, Quetta Pakistan and Ottawa before joining the military in 1985. He retired from the CAF in 1999 to serve as an Ottawa Police Service emergency response officer until 2002, when he re-enrolled as a result of the events of 9/11. Lieutenant General Rouleau has commanded at every level, including deployed Task Forces and teams in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Africa.

Lieutenant General Rouleau’s career has been evenly split between duty in the Canadian Army, Special Forces and strategic staff portfolios at National Defence Headquarters. His service in Special Operations began in 1994 with Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2) as a badged Special Operations Assaulter. He commanded Canada’s Special Operations Forces Command from February 2014 until May 2018. Lieutenant General Rouleau was promoted to his current rank in June 2018 when he assumed command of the Canadian Joint Operations Command.

Lieutenant General Rouleau graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, and from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston, with a Master’s in Defence Studies and a Master of Arts Degree in Security, Defence Policy and Management. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at Harvard University (2015) and a Fellow of the US GOFO Pinnacle Program, 2016.

Lieutenant General Rouleau is a Commander of the Order of Military Merit and has been awarded the Meritorious Service Cross (Afghanistan, 2007) and the Governor General’s Commendation (Sarajevo, 1992).

Lieutenant-General Rouleau was appointed as the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff on July 15, 2020, and will be appointed Strategic Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff on Future Capabilities in Spring 2021.

Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff

Major-General T.J. Cadieu, OMM, MSC, MSM, CD

Trevor Cadieu was mentored by the incredible soldiers and leaders of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) – an armoured regiment in Western Canada – after being badged in 1995.

While at the Strathcona’s, he led armoured reconnaissance and tank squadrons before commanding the Regiment during the period 2010-2012.

He was subsequently privileged to command the great teams of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2014-2016) and 3rd Canadian Division (2017-2019) through high readiness training cycles and a number of domestic operations.

In addition to deploying to Bosnia in 1997 with the Strathcona Battle Group, he served in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2002 as Battle Captain Reconnaissance Squadron. He returned to Kandahar in 2006-2007 as a Leopard tank squadron commander as part of the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group. In 2016, he served for one year as Commander Task Force Jerusalem – Canada’s commitment to Palestinian Security Sector Reform as part of the Middle East Peace Process – while concurrently activating Task Force Middle East.

Major-General Trevor Cadieu assumed the duties of Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff in June 2019.

Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy

Vice-Admiral C.A. Baines, CMM, MSC, CD

Vice-Admiral Baines’ career in the RCN has been a combination of sea-going appointments and staff officer positions throughout his 33 years of service. He started his career as bridge watch-keeping officer in HMCS SAGUENAY, specializing in navigation and naval warfare en route to an appointment as Commanding Officer of HMCS WINNIPEG in 2007. He held the appointment of Base Commander of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt between July 2010 and July 2012. After serving as the Commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic between 2014 and 2017, he was promoted to Rear-Admiral and appointed Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic. In July 2020, he became the Deputy Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

Vice-Admiral Baines graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. While on exchange in Norfolk shortly following his warfare tours, he completed the US Naval War College program and a graduate certificate program in the history of strategy and policy at Old Dominion University. Upon returning to Canada in 2003, he attended the Canadian Forces Staff College in Toronto where he completed his Master of Defence Studies. In 2013, he completed the National Security Program in Toronto and a Master of Public Administration. In 2018, he completed the Senior Executives in National and International Security program with the Harvard Kennedy School.

Vice-Admiral Baines received the Meritorious Service Cross for his leadership as Commanding Officer of HMCS WINNIPEG during WINNIPEG's counter-piracy mission off the Horn of Africa in 2009. In 2019 he was presented with the Degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of Manitoba.

A/Commander of the Canadian Army (Until 19 April 21)

Major-General D.A. MacAulay, OMM, MSM, CD

Major-General Derek Macaulay enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces under the Officer Candidate Training Program in 1989 and was commissioned as an armoured officer into Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH(RC)).

Throughout his career, Major-General Macaulay has held many command and staff positions. Most notably, he had the privilege to command his Regiment (2008-2010), 3rd Canadian Division Support Group (2013 to March 2015) and 5th Canadian Division (The Mighty Maroon Machine) from May 2017-June 2019.

Major-General Macaulay has several operational tours including the United Nations Protection Force in Visoko, Bosnia (1994), North Atlantic Treaty Organization Stabilization Force in Zgon, Bosnia (2000), International Stabilization Assistance Force (2004-05), and Operation Inherent Resolve (2015-16) as Chief of Staff of the United States of America led Coalition Joint Force Land Component Command (CJFLCC).

Major-General Macaulay’s staff assignments have included tours with The British Columbia Regiment in Vancouver, British Columbia (1995-1999), Land Force Western Area Headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta (2001-2003), the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Group (International) and Canadian Expeditionary Command Headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario (2005-2007), Chief of Staff of Land Force Western Area (2010-2013), Chief of Staff Canadian Army Strategy (2016) and his current position as Deputy Commander Canadian Army. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba, a Master's of Defense Studies from the Royal Military College and a Master's of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

Major-General Macaulay is married and they are blessed with a wonderful daughter.

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A/Commander of the Canadian Army (After 19 April 21)

Major-General M.-H. St-Louis, OMM, MSM, CD

Major General Michel-Henri St-Louis is an infantry officer from the Royal 22e Régiment since 1992.

He arrives at CADTC after commanding Joint Task Force IMPACT. This is Canada’s largest deployed joint force that provides, from Kuwait, the national command and control node to the Canadian Armed Forces capacity building efforts in Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan.

Before assuming command of  Joint Task Force IMPACT on 1st May 2019, MGen St-Louis was the Deputy Commanding General for Operations of America’s First Corps (US Army) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington State. Through his service he has lived in Saint-Jean, Québec City, Oromocto, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Washington, D.C., Washington State and now Kingston (Ontario). He has deployed on 6 different missions, to such places as Srebrenica (Bosnia), Rastevic (Croatia), Zgon (Bosnia), Kabul and Kandahar (Afghanistan) and the Middle East.

He has attended the US CAPSTONE Leadership Program, followed seminars at the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NDU) and the US Army War College. Graduated from the National War College (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.), the Canadian Forces College, the Collège Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean, the Royal Military College in Kingston, and the Canadian Army Command and Staff College. His three Master's Degrees have focused on war, defence and strategy. He served at the operational level in the 1st Canadian Air Division and has served three times at the strategic level with the Director General of Strategic Planning, for the Canadian Armed Forces, within the Canadian Army Staff and with the Strategic Joint Staff.

Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force

Lieutenant-General A.D. Meinzinger, CMM, MSM, CD

The son of a retired RCAF CWO, Lieutenant-General Meinzinger enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1985 under the Regular Officer Training Plan. He earned a BA Honours in Economics and Commerce from Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston, and was awarded the Governor General's Medal for academic excellence. Immediately following graduation, he attended Queen's University, earning an MA in Economics, before obtaining his pilot's wings in 1992.

He has flown the CH-135 Twin-Huey and CH-146 Griffon during his career. In the course of four flying tours, he deployed with 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron as a member of the first contingent in support of the United Nations Mission in Haiti, served as an instructor pilot and Flight Commander, before assuming command of 403 (Helicopter) Operational Training Squadron in August 2006. In 2011, he deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan to command Canada's Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing during which he oversaw the final phase of Air Wing support to combat operations.

His staff tours include service with 1 Cdn Air Div HQ, Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Air Staff, and Chief of Staff for the Canadian NORAD staff in Colorado Springs. He is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College in Kingston, and the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff Course. He attended the inaugural National Security Programme, graduating with an MA in Security and Defence Management and Policy. LGen Meinzinger is also a graduate of the USAF Combined Force Air Component Commander course.

Promoted to Brigadier-General in June 2012, he was appointed NORAD/NORTHCOM Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans. In 2013, he assumed command of the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston. In 2015, he was promoted to Major-General and appointed Deputy Commander Royal Canadian Air Force and in March 2017 he assumed the role as Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff.

In April 2018, he was promoted to Lieutenant-General and subsequently appointed to his current position as Commander Royal Canadian Air Force.

Acting Commander, Military Personnel Command

Major-General S.J.R. Whelan, OMM, MSC, MSM, CD

Major-General Steve Whelan began his military career when he joined the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment (Ontario) as a part-time soldier in the infantry. There he enjoyed an extraordinary and rewarding experience as a non-commissioned officer, and then as a commissioned officer in the Reserves for six years. Following this, he transitioned to full-time service in the Canadian Armed Forces as an infantry officer and continued his career with the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR), in Gagetown, New Brunswick.

Major-General Whelan has had a number of Command appointments which include Commander of November Company 3 RCR in Petawawa, Ontario, commander of the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Commander of the Canadian Defence Academy, and Commander of Military Personnel Generation, these last two in Kingston, Ontario.

Major-General Whelan has also served in a number of Staff assignments throughout his career. He was pressed into service at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, where he served as the following: Infantry Career Manager of Military Personnel Command, Section Head of expeditionary operations/Strategic Joint Staff, Chief of Staff to Chief of Force Development, Chief of Staff to Commander Military Personnel Command, and Chief of Staff – Strategy for Military Personnel Command.

Operationally, Major-General Whelan has served in Cyprus as Platoon Commander, in Bosnia as a Platoon Commander and Operations Officer, in Afghanistan supporting stabilization, in Jerusalem supporting security force cooperation, and most recently in Iraq fighting ISIS alongside 73 other Coalition nations in a US Army Joint and Combined Headquarters.

Major-General Whelan is a graduate of the Land Forces Command and Staff College in Kingston, both the junior and senior course, and of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto. He has a three-year diploma from St. Lawrence College, Kingston, in Civil Engineering, a Bachelor Degree from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston, a Master's Degree in Conflict Resolution from Royal Roads Military University, British Columbia, a Master's Degree in Defence studies from Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), and a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Major-General Whelan was appointed to the position Deputy Commander Military Personnel Command in July 2019

Acting Commander, Canadian Joint Operations Command

Major-General W.F. Seymour, CD, CMM

MGen Seymour hails from Comox, British Columbia and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in January 1987 following graduation from the University of Lethbridge with a BA in Political Science. After earning his Navigator Wings on the CC-130 Hercules, MGen Seymour completed multiple flying tours on the CP-140 Aurora on Canada's West and East coasts. With more than 3400 Aurora flying hours, he has deployed on operations and participated in exercises around the globe.

He has commanded at the Flight, Squadron and Wing level, including Commanding Officer of 404 Long Range Patrol (LRP) and Training Squadron, and Commander of 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, a composite Air Wing that includes Search and Rescue and Long Range Patrol air assets along with independently deployable airfield engineering and logistical support elements. MGen Seymour's staff experience includes Operations Officer and Maritime/Joint Exercise Planner at 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg; a staff/flying tour at the Canadian Contingent, NATO Airborne Early Warning Force in Geilenkirchen, Germany, serving both as the Canadian Chief of Staff/Deputy Commander, and as an E-3A AWACS navigator and Deployment Commander with NATO's Flying Squadron 3. He also served as the Special Advisor to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa prior to his selection as the first Canadian Deputy J3 for Operations at United States Indo-Pacific Command in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he led the preparation for and execution of a range of US and multinational operations and exercises.

MGen Seymour's professional and academic education includes the United Kingdom Advanced Command and Staff Course, where he earned a Master of Arts Degree in Defense Studies from King's College London, the National Security Program (NSP) at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, the Queen's University Public Executive Program, and the U.S. Capstone course. Prior to becoming the Deputy Commander CJOC, MGen Seymour served as the CJOC Chief of Staff Operations where he oversaw all CAF domestic and international operations.

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Commander, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command and Chief of Defence Intelligence

Rear-Admiral S. Bishop, CMM, CD

Rear-Admiral Bishop was appointed Commander of the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command/Chief of Defence Intelligence in June of 2016.

Originally from Vancouver, Rear Admiral Bishop embarked on a naval career by first joining the Naval Reserve at HMCS DISCOVERY in 1983. Two years later, he transferred to the Regular Force and, after completing his initial training, joined HMCS RESTIGOUCHE as a bridge watch-keeping officer. Early on, he specialized in navigation, successfully completing both the Destroyer Navigation Officer course and the Maritime Advanced Navigation Officer Course. He served as the Senior Navigation Instructor at the Naval Officer Training Centre, and as the Navigating Officer in HMC Ships CHIGNECTO, MIRAMICHI, QU'APPELLE, and PROVIDER. While in PROVIDER, he participated in OPERATION FORWARD ACTION to enforce UN Sanctions against Haiti.

In 1995, he attended a yearlong warfare course for future Operations Room Officers, after which he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander and posted to HMCS VANCOUVER as the ship’s Combat Officer. In 1998, he was assigned similar duties at Sea Training Pacific. In 2000, he was appointed Executive Officer in HMCS ATHABASKAN. After being promoted to the rank of Commander in 2003 and completing a tour of duty in National Defence Headquarters, he was selected to command the frigate, HMCS HALIFAX in 2005. HALIFAX deployed with NATO's Standing Naval Maritime Group One and participated in OPERATION ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR, NATO's maritime contribution to the campaign against terrorism. In 2011, he deployed on OPERATION UNIFIED PROTECTOR as the Chief of Current Operations in the Combined Joint Task Force Headquarters to enforce NATO's no-fly-zone and embargo against Libya. His most recent command appointments have been Commander Maritime Operations Group Five, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, and Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic.

Over his career, he has worked in many staff appointments, including: member of the CDS’ capability action teams; Director of Transformation and Strategic Planning for the Chief of Force Development; Special Advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff; Director of Operations with the Strategic Joint Staff and, more recently, Director General International Security Policy. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and is a graduate of the US Navy’s War College, and was appointed a Commander of the Order of Military Merit in 2016.

Commander, Special Operations Forces

Major-General Peter S. Dawe, OMM, MSM, CD

MGen Dawe joined the Canadian Forces in 1990 as an artillery officer. Following a tour to Cyprus as a troop commander, he reclassified to the infantry and joined the Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). MGen Dawe has commanded from platoon to brigade level, to include 3 PPCLI (2009-2011) and 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2013-2015).

MGen Dawe's extra-regimental employment has included tours at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School; the Canadian Special Operations Regiment; Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Headquarters; and on the Strategic Joint Staff as the Director General Operations.

His operational tours include Cyprus, Bosnia, and two tours to Afghanistan. In 2002, he served as the 3 PPCLI Battle-Group Operations Officer for Operation APOLLO in Kandahar, Afghanistan, for which he was awarded the U.S. Bronze Star Medal. From May 2011 to March 2012, he served as the Deputy Commander of Canada's Contribution to the Training Mission in Afghanistan and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. MGen Dawe was appointed an Officer of the Order of Military Merit in 2015.

MGen Dawe is a graduate of the National Security Program, the U.S. CAPSTONE Program, and the Coalition Joint Forces Special Operations Component Commander Course. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Military Arts and Science, a Master’s Degree in Defence Studies, and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Royal Military College of Canada. He is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at Harvard University. MGen Dawe was appointed Deputy Commander Canadian Special Operations Forces Command in September 2016 and assumed command of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command in April 2018.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) / Chief Financial Officer

Cheri Crosby

Born in Sept-Îles, Quebec to an Air Force Reserve pilot and kindergarten teacher, Cheri is a graduate of Queens University (Economics) with a CPA designation. She started her career as a Statistical Analyst with the Department of Finance Canada analyzing international monetary policy. She subsequently moved to Prince Edward Island where she joined the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission as an Employment Counsellor and Refugee Settlement Officer. She remained with the department for many years, during which time she was involved in all aspects of employment, immigration and social programming.

In 2007, Cheri was accepted into the Accelerated Executive Development Program, in which she spent the next 4 years developing her leadership competencies. During that time, she worked at the Privy Council Office as a Special Advisor to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet on Senior Personnel and Public Service Renewal, and at Citizenship and Immigration Canada as the Director General of the Service Innovation Office.

In 2011, Cheri joined Natural Resources Canada and in 2016, she was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Services Sector and Chief Financial Officer. She provided leadership for the delivery of all corporate services, including finance, procurement, human resources and real property, to employees across Canada.

Cheri was most recently appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer at National Defence in June 2019.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)

Peter Hammerschmidt

Peter Hammerschmidt was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) in December 2017.

Prior to assuming his current duties, he was Director General Policy Coordination at National Defence, Director General National Cyber Security at Public Safety and Executive Assistant to the Clerk of the Privy Council.

Previously, he held the following positions within the Government of Canada: Senior Director Planning and Information Management at the Treasury Board Secretariat, Director Cabinet Liaison at National Defence and First Secretary for Financial and Military Affairs at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in New York. He began his career in the Public Service with the Policy Officer Recruitment Program and held various positions at National Defence from 1998 to 2001.

Mr. Hammerschmidt holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and a Bachelor’s Degree from Queen’s University.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel)

Troy Crosby

Troy Crosby was appointed Chief of Staff for the Materiel Group in April 2018, after a 23-year military career and close to 10 years as a public servant.

He is a graduate of the Collège militaire royal de St-Jean (BSc), the University of Tennessee (MSc), the Empire Test Pilots’ School and the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College.

His military postings included positions as Senior Maintenance Manager for the CF18 Hornet, Officer-in-Charge of Fixed Wing Flight Test at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment, and Weapon System Manager and Project Manager for Tactical and Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Since his military retirement in 2008, he has served as the Director of Operational Services at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and as the Project Manager of the Next Generation Fighter Capability Project at DND.

In March 2013, he was appointed Director General, Major Project Delivery (Air), tasked with overseeing project managers charged with the acquisition and delivery of major weapon systems for the Royal Canadian Air Force. In September 2015, major acquisition projects in support of the Canadian Army were added to the portfolio and the division was renamed Director General Major Project Delivery (Air and Land).

Just prior to his current appointment, Mr. Crosby was Director General, Defence Major Projects Sector at Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Mr. Crosby was named the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Materiel Group in September 2019. In November 2019, he was appointed to the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of the Materiel Group.

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Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure & Environment)

Rob Chambers

Rob joined Infrastructure and Environment at the Department of National Defence in November 2017 and has been serving as the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister since June 2018. He has been a federal civil servant for more than 20 years, dividing his time between central agencies such as the Privy Council Office, Treasury Board and the Department of Finance, and line departments such as Employment and Social Development Canada and Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. He studied political science at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, and is in the process of completing a degree in public administration at the Royal Military College of Canada. He is a graduate of the National Security Programme at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, and served in the Primary Reserve with the 30th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. Rob and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters, Aliana and Keira.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources – Civilian)

Kin Choi

On June 22, 2015, Mr. Kin Choi was appointed as ADM(HR-Civ). Prior to joining DND, Mr. Choi was Assistant Deputy Minister of Compliance, Operations and Program Development, Labour Program, at Employment and Social Development Canada.

Mr. Choi was appointed by Governor in Council as Chair of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. He also serves as a director on the Boards of the Ontario Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and the OutCare Foundation.

He was previously Senior Advisor at the Privy Council Office (PCO), Administrative Services Review. Before joining the Privy Council Office, Mr. Choi worked as ADM at Health Canada in the Corporate Services Branch.

Prior to that, Mr. Choi held several senior executive positions in the public service, including Director General (DG) for Strategic Direction and Integration at Human Resources and Skills Development and the DG for Major Projects and Systems in the Canada Border Services Agency. He was also the Director of Special Projects at the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Mr. Choi began his public service career in 1992 and has management experience working at both the Federal and Provincial levels. He is the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Public Service. He has completed an Executive Certificate on Strategy and Innovation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is a graduate of the Government of Canada’s Advanced Leadership Program and the Accelerated Executive Development Program for senior government executives. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Manitoba. He is a graduate of the Directors Education Program from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Mr. Choi was born in Hong Kong and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is married and has two sons.

Defence Chief Information Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management)

Len Bastien

Len Bastien grew up in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1991. He served with the Canadian Armed Forces in the late 1980s as a reservist with the local Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (PEIR) until the early 1990s. He moved to Ottawa to begin graduate studies at Carleton University, met his wife and settled in the National Capital Region.

Most of his professional career has been spent in the information and telecommunication technology field. In the private sector, as Director of Consulting Services for Enterprise Outsourcing at CGI Ottawa, he was responsible for the overall management, growth and profitability of the Enterprise Outsourcing program.

In April 2007, Mr. Bastien joined the Federal Public Service, serving initially at National Defence as Director of the Information Management Service Transformation and then as Director General (DGIMST), leading the division in the strategy and planning for further discovery and alignment of a rationalized Defence IM/IT Program.

After a brief term as the Executive Director IT Infrastructure, Operations and Security, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Mr. Bastien returned to National Defence in March 2011, where he was appointed Director General Information Management Technology (DGIMT). A year later he assumed the role of Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management) and Chief Information Officer.

Len Bastien is the Defence Champion for Persons with Disabilities, a role he takes very seriously. He also volunteers on the Board of Directors for Valoris, a Family Resources Organization in Eastern Ontario. His many outdoor activities demonstrate his commitment to a healthy work/life balance.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Defence Research and Development Canada)

Isabelle Desmartis

As Assistant Deputy Minister of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), Ms. Desmartis oversees the investment in science and technology (S&T) for the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Bringing leadership to national issues of defence and security, Ms. Desmartis also leads a national network of science and technology research centres with 1300 employees supporting the defence and security communities.

Integral to her organization’s role is the provision of scientific advice and solutions to the defence team as well as public safety and security practitioners. The defence and security S&T network extends to partnerships with the Canadian public and private sectors, academia, non-governmental organizations, and allied defence and security S&T organizations.

Previously serving as the Director General of Policy Planning at DND, Ms. Desmartis led the development of Canada’s defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, and contributed strategic policy advice to senior DND/CAF leadership on current and emerging global trends in the defence and security domains. Key policy files included strategic defence, the Arctic, cyber and space security, regional and functional strategic analysis on global trends, as well as arms control and non-proliferation.

Particularly in the areas of international and national security, Ms. Desmartis has extensive experience in intelligence and policy issues. From 2011 to March 2015, she served as the Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence supporting the Chief of Defence Intelligence for DND and the CAF in all leadership functions. As Director of Strategic Analysis at National Defence from 1998 to 2005, she worked in various policy functions including weapons of mass destruction and arms control. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Desmartis occupied various positions in the areas of national and transportation security, including Director of Intelligence and Senior Director of Aviation Security Policy at Transport Canada.

Ms. Desmartis trained as a lawyer and is a graduate of Laval University, where she earned a PhD in international security.

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Assistant Deputy Minister (Review Services)

Julie Charron

Ms. Julie Charron was appointed the Assistant Deputy Minister of Review Services in August 2019. Ms. Charron is responsible for providing the Deputy Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff with independent, objective, and timely assurance services concerning the following: the integrity of Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) financial management and financial reporting processes; DND/CAF risk management, internal controls, governance, and accountability processes; as well as program effectiveness; and performance measurement.

Julie previously held the position of Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) at DND and was acting Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) / Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for DND from January 2019 to June 2019. During that time, she was responsible for providing leadership and continuous development to departmental financial programs and reports, as well as leading the department’s management systems and process transformation. Prior to serving in this role, she held the position of Director General, Financial Operations and Services and Deputy Chief Financial Officer since March 2017.

She joined DND from Public Services and Procurement Canada where she was the Director General, Financial Operations Sector and DCFO from 2013 to 2017. During this time, she also acted as CFO for eight months.

She also worked at the Treasury Board Secretariat, Office of the Comptroller General, responsible for internal audit and related Management Accountability Framework. She held various positions at the Office of the Auditor General of Canada where she was responsible for financial and performance audits of federal departments, Crown Corporations, as well as provincial, territorial, and international organizations.

Julie graduated from l’Université du Québec (Hull) in 1992 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration and Accounting Sciences. She holds a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Chartered Accountant designation. She is also very active in her community, where she volunteers for various activities and organizations.

Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Armed Forces

Rear-Admiral Geneviève Bernatchez
OMM, CD

Rear-Admiral Bernatchez was appointed as the fifteenth Judge Advocate General on June 27th, 2017. She acts as legal adviser to the Governor General, the Minister of National Defence, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces in matters relating to military law. Her responsibilities also include the superintendence of the administration of military justice in the Canadian Armed Forces. She has the privilege to lead the members of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, a dynamic team of Regular and Reserve Force legal officers, senior non-commissioned officers, non-commissioned members and civilian personnel who deliver legal services across the full spectrum of military law, in Canada and abroad.

A native of Gaspé (Québec), Rear-Admiral Bernatchez enrolled in the Canadian Naval Reserve in 1987 at Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Donnacona (Montréal). She was awarded her Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate as a Maritime Surface Officer at a time when the Navy was introducing women to combat arms. During her ten years with the Naval Reserve, she proudly served in a variety of command, training and staff positions.

In 1997, Rear-Admiral Bernatchez transferred to the Regular Force and joined the Office of the Judge Advocate General. Her career with the Office reflects diverse appointments and responsibilities involving the provision of legal advice and services in the areas of operational, military justice and administrative law. She has also been the Special Advisor to two successive Judge Advocate General and has worked with the Department of Justice Canada as Deputy Legal Advisor and Director of Legal Advisory Services.

Rear-Admiral Bernatchez deployed with the Canadian Forces Air Component during the Kosovo conflict in 1999, and was involved in the oversight, coordination and provision of legal services to Canadian Armed Forces expeditionary and domestic operations from 2000 to 2005. Upon promotion to the rank of Captain (Navy) in 2010, she was the Deputy Judge Advocate General for Operations. As such, she was the senior legal officer responsible for the provision of operational and international legal advice and services to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces during a period of exceptionally high operational tempo that included contributing to international peace and security through missions in Afghanistan and Libya, defending North America in conjunction with the United States, supporting major national events such as the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver as well as responding to natural disasters in Canada and abroad. It is also during that time that she co-authored the Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare (the “Tallinn Manual”, Cambridge University Press, 2013), the first published manual on the legal framework supporting cyber conflicts.

From 2012 to 2014, Rear-Admiral Bernatchez was the Chief of Staff to the Judge Advocate General and led the delivery of corporate services and policy development in a challenging time of change and renewal. In the summer of 2014, she took on the responsibilities of Deputy Judge Advocate General for Regional Services where she oversaw the delivery of legal advisory services across the full spectrum of military law in support of the Canadian Armed Forces’ chain of command in North America and Europe.

Rear-Admiral Bernatchez holds a Master's Degree in International Legal Studies, with a specialization in National Security Law, from Georgetown University (Washington D.C.), a Bachelor of Laws from the Université de Montréal and a Diploma in College Studies (Business Administration) from the Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf (Montréal). She has been a member of the Barreau du Québec since 1993.

Geneviève and her husband are proud parents to two wonderful children. As Geneviève’s professional responsibilities have increased over the years, so has her appreciation for simple things like spending time with her family and friends, and giving back to the community.

Senior General Counsel and Legal Advisor to the DND/CF

Michael Sousa

Michael Sousa joined the office of the DND/CF Legal Advisor as Legal Advisor and Senior General Counsel on August 14, 2017. Before that, Michael spent a number of years working in Departmental Legal Services Units for federal clients, including Public Safety Canada, Environment Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and the then department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

More recently, Michael has headed up Departmental Legal Services Units at Public Safety and Environment Canada as their Senior General Counsel, where he managed teams of legal counsel and administrative support staff to provide legal services support to client departments in relation to its policy, operational and corporate activities. Michael also supported the Deputy Ministers and client ADMs by contributing to the management of Public Safety and Environment Canada through active participation on their Executive Committee teams.

Michael is a graduate of Queen’s University where he obtained his Bachelor of Honours Degree (B. A. Hons.) and of the University of Windsor Law School (LL.B). He was called to the Bar in Ontario and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs)

Laurie-Anne Kempton

Laurie has worked in the Federal Public Service for 25 years. She has worked at multiple Departments developing outreach and engagement strategies. In 2006 she joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade working in Consular Services and Emergency Management where she led policy development and relationship management with like-minded countries.

In 2011, Laurie was appointed Director, Foreign Operations for Passport Canada where she managed the passport program and crisis response in over 200 embassies abroad. In 2015, she joined the Bank of Canada, leading stakeholder engagement and management. While there she was responsible for creating and managing the public consultation to put a Canadian woman on a bank note. In various roles at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, she led Canada’s policy work for the G7 Ministerial on Oceans and the Sustainable Blue Economy conference in partnership with the Government of Kenya.

Most recently Laurie has worked as the Chief of Staff to the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council where she was responsible for providing strategic and operational advice to both the Clerk and Deputy Clerk as well as managing the day-to-day operations of Office of the Clerk of the Privy Council including working collaboratively with the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. In July 2020, she was named the Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Affairs for the Department of National Defence.

She teaches Public Consultation and Engagement at the Carleton School of Journalism and Communications. Laurie has a Master of Science in Management from the Smurfit School of Business at the University College Dublin and a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.

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Chief Data Officer / Assistant Deputy Minister, Data, Innovation and Analytics

Stephen D. Burt

Mr. Stephen Burt, Assistant Deputy Minister for Data, Innovation and Analytics, is the Chief Data Officer for the Department of National Defence. He is the functional authority for data governance and analytics capability within the Department of National Defence and for the Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF). Mr. Burt drives analytics adoption and maturity throughout DND/CAF, and leads the department-wide initiative to establish analytics and data governance.

Mr. Burt began his career in the Government of Canada in 1997 with Revenue Canada. In 1999, he joined DND, where he worked in a variety of policy, operational and defence intelligence roles, including two years as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Minister.

Mr. Burt moved to the Privy Council Office (PCO) in 2007 to work in the Security and Intelligence Secretariat as Senior Advisor on National Security. In that role, he was secretary for the committees of the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister. In 2009, he joined the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat (IAS) at PCO, and held positions as Director for Afghanistan and, later, for Asia. Mr. Burt was appointed Director of Operations for the IAS in January 2012, and took on the position of Assistant Secretary on an acting basis in March 2014.

In April 2015, Mr. Burt assumed the role of Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence at Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, where he led the federated production of intelligence within DND/CAF, and oversaw defence intelligence policy.

Mr. Burt has an Undergraduate Degree in history from the University of Ottawa, as well as a Master’s in Public Administration from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Corporate Secretary

Joanne Lostracco

Ms. Joanne Lostracco was appointed Corporate Secretary in January 2021. She was previously the Director General International and Industry Programs and is responsible for managing the international materiel agenda and providing leadership on the management of Canadian defence industry relations in support of the materiel acquisition and support mandate of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Ms. Lostracco joined Canada’s Public Service in 2000 and spent her first years at Global Affairs Canada in a number of roles, including in Cabinet relations and international trade negotiations and policy. She then moved overseas and taught international trade policy and international relations at the graduate and undergraduate level at Johnson and Wales University and the University of Gothenburg in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Upon her return to Canada, Ms. Lostracco served in a variety of posts within the Public Service including at the Canadian Commercial Corporation where she provided strategic advice in the area of Canada-US defence industrial cooperation and the Canada-U.S. Defence Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA).

Ms. Lostracco joined the Department of National Defence in 2015 where she served as Section Head, Continental Materiel Cooperation and oversaw the negotiation of several international and U.S.- related MOUs as well as provided leadership related to national security reviews for export permit applications. She was promoted to Director, Continental Materiel Cooperation in May 2017.

Ms. Lostracco has a BA (Hons) in Business and Political Science from the University of Waterloo and an MA in International Relations from Dalhousie University where she completed her thesis on Canadian Naval Policy.

Ms. Lostracco is married and has one son and two step-daughters.

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