IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2025-03
Deputy Minister, Associate Deputy Minister, and Assistant Deputy Minister Biographies
Deputy Minister
Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar
Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar became Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) on January 27, 2024.
Before this appointment, Dr. Kochhar served as the president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a position he had held since February 2023. He had previously been the president of the Public Health Agency of Canada since October 2021. He joined the Health Portfolio in 2020, when he was appointed to the role of associate deputy minister of Health, becoming an integral player in Canada's COVID-19 response.
Before joining Health Canada, Dr. Kochhar served as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Operations Sector for IRCC, where he led the delivery of the immigration, citizenship and passport programs across Canada and at missions and offices abroad. He was also responsible for the implementation of key strategic projects for IRCC, including the Passport Modernization Initiative, Predictive Analytics, and the transformation of IRCC's operational delivery model.
Previous to this, Dr. Kochhar was Associate Vice-President of Operations at the CFIA from 2015 to 2017, and was Canada's Chief Veterinary Officer and Canada's delegate to the World Organisation for Animal Health. He was responsible for delivering food inspection services across the country as well as managing thousands of employees. During his tenure at the CFIA, Dr. Kochhar managed several high-profile cases to protect the safety of Canada's food supply, including the official response to Canada's largest beef recall (XL Foods).
Dr. Kochhar started his career by practising veterinary medicine in Southwestern Ontario. He holds a Master of Veterinary Science and a PhD in Animal Biotechnology from the University of Guelph, where he was also an Assistant Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College.
On a personal note, Dr. Kochhar is an active fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and contributes to charities such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Liver Foundation. In 2012, Dr. Kochhar was honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his professional and volunteer contributions, and in 2017 he was awarded the Canada 150 medal for community services. He was also included in the Maclean’s 2022 list of the top 50 influential Canadians.
Associate Deputy Minister
Scott Harris
Mr. Harris was appointed Associate Deputy Minister of IRCC in July 2022.
Prior to this appointment, he was the Vice-President of the Intelligence and Enforcement Branch at Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) since June 2020. At CBSA, Scott led delivery of the Intelligence and Enforcement Branch’s eight national programs, worked closely with IRCC on the Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement and led CBSA’s response following the collapse of Afghanistan and the war in Ukraine.
Scott also previously held the position of Regional Deputy Commissioner of Ontario with the Correctional Service of Canada, where he was responsible for ensuring public safety by strategically leading correctional operations across Ontario and Nunavut, overseeing federal institutions and parole offices responsible for more than 6 500 federally sentenced offenders, and working with a strong network of community partners and stakeholders.
Scott began his public service career with the Correctional Service of Canada in 1995 as a Correctional Officer. He also held a number of other positions, including Case Management Officer, Parole Officer and Project Officer. He later moved into various management positions, including Director of Restorative Justice, Director General of Citizen Engagement, Associate Assistant Commissioner of Correctional Operations and Programs and Assistant Commissioner of Communications and Engagement. In addition, he has provided intergovernmental and international leadership for the federal government’s strategic advancement of restorative justice for more than 20 years.
Scott graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and from Queen’s University with a Master’s degree with a concentration in Restorative Justice.
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy
Louise Baird
Louise Baird is Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, at IRCC. In this role, she is responsible for horizontal policy integration through long-term strategic policy development and analysis. This includes: immigration levels planning; leading on Indigenous Border Mobility and cross-cutting policy files; Cabinet and regulatory affairs; engagement with provinces, territories and stakeholders; implementation of the Strategic Immigration Review; research and data; and, leading corporate planning and reporting.
Prior to joining IRCC, Louise was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs at the Privy Council Office. Louise also worked as an Assistant Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board Secretariat, where, among other duties, she managed the Treasury Board cabinet committee. At the beginning of her public service career, she spent several years in a variety of leadership roles in Canada’s Industry department. Before joining the federal public service, Louise worked in Ottawa’s high-tech sector.
Chief Digital Officer & Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Client Service And Innovation
Jason Choueiri
Jason Choueiri is the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Client Service, Innovation and Chief Digital Officer responsible for setting IRCC’s service and transformation agenda, leading service policy and client experience functions, as well as designing, implementing and managing the delivery of a suite of complex programmes and projects. One of these includes IRCC’s Digital Platform Modernization Programme, aimed to deliver digital first immigration, citizenship and passport programs and operating models. Previously, Jason served as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Immigration and Refugee Board where he oversaw day-to-day operations of Canada’s largest administrative tribunal, while delivering on a range of strategic and operational services to the Board, including delivering on a modernization agenda to improve productivity, enhance quality and strengthen management practices.
Previous to that, Jason served in various Director General roles at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), where he developed long-term visions for modernizing Canada’s three largest statutory programs, founded ESDC’s Acceleration Hub and led the development and implementation of multi-year service improvement strategies and service design practices.
Jason has held several executive roles overseeing large programs, complex procurements and major capital projects, and client-service operations at National Defence, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and Shared Services Canada.
Jason has a Master’s degree in Business Administration, as well as a Bachelor of Commerce, Specialization in Management of Information Systems from the University of Ottawa.
Chief Information Officer & Assistant Deputy Minister, Digital Strategy, Services And Innovation
Marie-Josée Dorion
Marie-Josée Dorion is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Digital Strategy, Services and Innovation (DSSI) and Chief Information Officer since January 2024. In her role, she oversees the organization’s digital strategy and technology initiatives, ensuring they align with business goals while driving innovation and efficiency in IT operations.
Prior to this, Marie-Josée served as the interim Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Service Delivery Sector. From 2021 to 2023, she was the Director General of the Operations Planning and Performance Branch.
Marie-Josée has over 20 years of experience at IRCC, having held various roles across multiple sectors. Her extensive experience includes leading and successfully delivering transformational projects such as the Temporary Residents Biometrics Project, Advanced Analytics/Automation, Passport Program Modernization, and the first iteration of the Global Case Management System, which was rolled out internationally.
Marie-Josée began her career as a Foreign Service Officer in Paris, France, and holds a PhD in Historical Economics from the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery
Perminder (Pemi) Gill
Pemi Gill was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery, in October 2024.
Pemi is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the public service, all of which she has dedicated to IRCC. Prior to her current position, she was Assistant Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Passport, and formerly she held the role of Director General of the former International Network for 4 years. Pemi began her career as a foreign service officer in Damascus and Hong Kong. She also played an integral role in the former Operations Sector, where she led departmental efforts to repatriate staff from abroad following the COVID-19 pandemic, and oversaw our global response to major humanitarian crises, including those in Afghanistan, Ukraine and Sudan.
Additionally, Pemi has significant experience in the development and delivery of complex IT solutions and services for a number of intergovernmental and multilateral projects. Before becoming the Director General of International Network, she oversaw the teams engaged in expanding and rolling out the Global Case Management System and online services, and she led the early stages of the Passport Program Modernization Project.
Pemi holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Cooperative Education from the University of Alberta with a major in operations management.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Protection And Family Programs
Jean-Marc Gionet (acting)
Jean-Marc Gionet is acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Protection and Family Programs Sector (PPF). In this role, he oversees policy design and operational guidance of the In-Canada asylum system which can deliver fast, fair, and final decisions on domestic protection claim as well as policy and program coordination for family and social immigration, family reunification and refugee resettlement.
Jean-Marc served as Director General of the Resettlement Policy and Program Branch (RPPB) at IRCC. RPPB was the functional lead for resettlement policies and operations which included functional direction related to international refugee protection, the selection and resettlement of refugees selected from abroad and the design of policies and programs. RPPB also worked in close coordination with international and domestic stakeholders such as the International Organization for Migration, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and sponsorship groups.
In previous roles, Jean-Marc also served as Director General of the Immigration Program Guidance Branch. He also led special projects at IRCC related to the Canada–United States STCA and on Canada’s COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination Credential.
Jean-Marc holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Université de Moncton.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Communications
Murray Jones
Murray Jones is a seasoned senior leader in the Government of Canada, known for his strategic vision, people-first leadership, and ability to drive meaningful change. In April 2025, he became the Chief People and Communications Officer at IRCC, leading accommodations, communications, equity, and human resources. Since joining IRCC in 2021 as the Head of Communications, Murray has played a key role in shaping the Department’s internal and external communications strategy and fostering a culture of innovation, inclusion, and excellence.
With 16 years of experience in the public service, Murray has worked for five federal organizations, including the Privy Council Office, where he led communications for the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister on high-profile national and international issues. His expertise in navigating complex policy environments and advising senior leaders—including deputy and cabinet ministers—has equipped him to lead through complexity with clarity, purpose and a focus on results.
Murray is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing current and future leaders, and creating an inclusive and thriving workplace. He is dedicated to talent management and fostering a culture that embraces change. As a proud member of the 2SLGBTQI+ communities, he works to advance equity and build a public service that reflects Canada’s diversity and meets the need of all Canadians. He is also IRCC’s executive champion for the Administrative Professionals Network.
At the heart of Murray’s leadership philosophy is a belief that people are the foundation of any successful organization. Whether leading through change, driving transformation, or mentoring the next generation of public servants, he is focused on supporting employees so they feel valued and empowered to succeed.
Murray holds a Bachelor of Arts in Translation from the Université de Montréal.
Assistant Deputy Minister, International Affairs And Crisis Response
Jennifer MacIntyre
Jennifer MacIntyre was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the International Affairs and Crisis Response Sector at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in October 2023. She is also the champion of the Middle Managers’ Network.
Jennifer was previously the Assistant Deputy Minister for Afghanistan, responsible for advancing Canada’s commitment to welcome at least 40 000 Afghan nationals to Canada.
Prior to this, she was director of operations for the Climate Secretariat at the Privy Council Office, responsible for leading horizontal collaboration across government to implement the government’s climate agenda. She has also served as Canada’s Ambassador for Climate Change.
Jennifer is a career diplomat and has held various executive positions at Global Affairs Canada, including Director General & Corporate Secretary and Director for Europe and Eurasia. She has also served as the Ambassador of Canada to Switzerland and in Washington, D.C. as the Chief of Staff to the Ambassador.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University and a Master in Public Administration from Queen’s University.
Chief Financial Officer
Nathalie Manseau
Nathalie Manseau (she/her) was appointed Chief Financial Officer of IRCC in May 2023.
Nathalie is a chartered professional accountant with 30 years’ experience and who has been a public servant for the past 25 years. Over this time, she has held several financial management positions while occupying different executive roles at Employment and Social Development Canada, Canadian Heritage, the Granting Agencies (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Nathalie holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the Université du Québec à Hull.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic Programs
Soyoung Park
Soyoung Park is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic Programs, since April 2025. Prior to this appointment, she held the role of Assistant Deputy Minister, Asylum and Refugee Resettlement, leading key initiatives to strengthen Canada’s protection of refugees. Her leadership focused on advancing a sustainable network of services for asylum claimants and driving collaborative efforts to enhance the well-being of asylum claimants, resettled refugees and vulnerable migrants.
Prior to this, she was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic and Program Policy, leading efforts to advance citizenship and passport policy, admissibility policy, data and performance management and also lead the effort to provide proof of vaccination for international travel.
A senior executive with extensive operational, technical, and international experience, Soyoung was a foreign service officer and served at three of Canada’s largest operational offices (New Delhi, Beijing, and Damascus) and she recently served as the Deputy High Commissioner (India) and Deputy Ambassador (Nepal, Bhutan) from 2017 to 2019. Soyoung was also IRCC’s Chief Information Officer and she successfully implemented IRCC’s core business systems including providing online services and integrating biometrics and decommissioned many legacy systems.
Soyoung has a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Alberta and is a recipient of the Public Service Award for Excellence in Innovation and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her contributions to Canada.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement, Integration And Francophone Affairs
Catherine Scott
Catherine Scott is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Settlement, Integration and Francophone Affairs since March 2022. Her responsibilities span the Settlement and Resettlement assistance programs and coordination of the Department’s Francophone immigration commitments. Catherine joined IRCC in 2019 as Director General, Refugee Affairs, and was then Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic and Program Policy before taking on her current role.
Prior to this, she spent a decade working at Employment and Social Development Canada on both labour market and social policy issues. During this time, she led a significant renewal of the federal homelessness program as part of the National Housing Strategy. Catherine led extensive consultations to develop the first Government of Canada social innovation and social finance strategy. She has also managed the Foreign Credential Recognition Program and launched the first federal initiative to support capacity-building in Black Canadian communities.
Catherine has also worked for the Commissioner of Official Languages, Privy Council Office and the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Catherine holds an honours Bachelor of Arts in French and International Studies from Glendon College, York University and an Master of Arts in International Relations from Université Laval. She is a graduate of the Government of Canada’s Direxion program and the Ivey Senior Public Sector Leader Program.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Migration Integrity
Aiesha Zafar
Aiesha was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Migration Integrity, since September 2023.
With over 20 years of experience in intelligence, national security, and investigations—at the federal and provincial levels—Aiesha has held positions such as Director General of Intelligence and Investigations at the Canada Border Services Agency, Executive Lead for the Ontario Provincial Police’s Investigations and Organized Crime Command, Special Liaison to the National Security Agency in Washington, and Chief of Staff to the Ontario Deputy Solicitor General. Immediately before joining IRCC, she delivered executive leadership programs to Government of Canada executives covering multiple subjects, including executive authorities, strategic leadership, innovation, and complex project management.
Aiesha is skilled in fostering multi-lateral partnerships and is recognized for developing innovative solutions to ever-evolving challenges. Proficient in public speaking and crisis management, Aiesha holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree in Finance from the University of Manitoba and a Master of Arts degree in War Studies from the Royal Military College. She is an active supporter of local women’s shelters, as well as health and education charities. Aiesha resides in and works out of the Greater Toronto Area.
Senior General Counsel, Office Of The Senior General Counsel Legal Service
Caroline Fobes
Caroline Fobes was appointed Senior General Counsel and Executive Director of the IRCC Legal Services Unit in 2016. The Legal Services Unit is composed of over 40 lawyers and paralegals who, in consultation with Justice colleagues in Ottawa and litigation teams across the country, provide all of the day-to-day legal advice to the Department on immigration, refugee, citizenship and passport operations, development of policies and new legislation, as well as the conduct of litigation before the courts.
Ms. Fobes began her career at the Department of Justice (DOJ) as Solicitor General Legal, moved to DOJ Headquarters supporting the Assistant Deputy Attorney General (Criminal Law), and then returned to Public Safety Legal where she spent several years including as Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel supporting on national security, border, policing, and emergency management issues.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University and has completed Harvard Law School Executive Education Programs: Transforming Client Relationships through Innovation; and Leading the Law Firm of the Future. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.
Chief Privacy Officer & Director General, Corporate Secretariat
Ivan Ndikuriyo
Ivan is the Director General, Corporate Secretariat since 2023. The Secretariat’s role is to oversee corporate governance, briefings, proactive disclosure and ministerial enquiries, which includes developing and implementing the corporate governance structure, providing a departmental-wide perspective to the Deputy Minister regarding the management of internal and external interactions, as well as leading responses and strategies on issues that affect the whole Department.
Prior to this role, Ivan was the Senior Director, focusing on the Strategic Immigration Review, and played an integral role in the engagement, policy and research work, and development of the report that lays out a pathway to strengthen our immigration system. Before that, he worked at Indigenous Services Canada as the Director of Emergency Management, aiding partners during major wildfires and floods.
Ivan is known for his adaptability, aptitude for resolving complex and sensitive issues, as well as extensive experience building relationships with senior officials.
Ivan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ethics from the University of Ottawa.
Ombuds & Executive Director
Manda Noble-Green
Manda Noble-Green is IRCC’s Ombuds and Executive Director and was appointed in November 2024. Prior to this, Manda successfully launched the Office of the Ombuds at Public Safety Canada in June 2020 where she served as both Ombuds and Director, Informal Conflict Resolution.
Manda is a status Kanyen'kehà:ka (Mohawk First Nation) from the Bay of Quinte and seasoned executive. She brings extensive experience in human resources, particularly in employment and labour law. The breadth of her expertise covers values and ethics, misconduct/wrongdoing, administrative investigations, harassment and discrimination, equity, fairness, alternative dispute resolution as well as systemic issue identification, organizational transformation and culture change.
She joined the public service in 2001, following more than a decade in the private sector, where she worked in social services at the Family Services Centre and Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa. During this time, Manda specialized in mental health, domestic violence, and residential school survivor programs. She also acted on behalf of her colleagues in addressing workplace issues as an executive member of the bargaining unit for social workers and psychologists.
Manda is a certified conflict management coach and alternative dispute resolution practitioner through the University of Windsor Faculty of Law. She also holds an Ombuds certification from Osgoode Hall Law School. In addition, she has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Carleton University, a Master's degree in Industrial Relations from Queen's University, and a Master's degree specializing in Employment, Labour, and Administrative Law from York University's Osgoode Hall Law School.
Chief Audit And Evaluation Executive
Nicole Primeau
Nicole is the Chief Audit Executive since January 2022. She is also the Senior Officer for Internal Disclosure and is responsible for the Evaluation Office. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Internal Auditor with over 20 years of experience in the areas of internal audit, accounting, finance, risk management and governance in both the private and public sectors.
Nicole joined the public service in 2002 and in recent years has held several senior leadership positions with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Office of the Comptroller General, including Deputy Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Audit Executive.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Carleton University.