Ombudsman's Advisory Committee

CWO D.A. Campbell, MMM, CD graduated from the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering in Borden, Ontario. He was then posted to 4 Wing Cold Lake where he served with the CF-18 Propulsion Facility, 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron, and 10 Field Technical Training Flight as a CF-18 maintenance instructor and finally as a maintenance supervisor at 410 Tactical Training Squadron. He deployed with NATO to Aviano, Italy, on Operation Deliberate Guard in support of CF-18 operations enforcing the no-fly zone over the Former Yugoslavia. 

Upon promotion to Warrant Officer in 2009, he was posted to the Canadian Forces Recruit School in Saint-Jean, Quebec. Here he served as a Recruit Platoon Commander and General Military Training Instructor. 

Promoted to Master Warrant Officer in 2012, he was transferred to 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Edmonton, Alberta, as the Senior Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent and Employment Training Officer. He deployed with Canada’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Panay Island, Philippines.

In 2016, he was promoted to CWO and posted as the School Chief Warrant Officer at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering, in Borden Ontario.

In 2018, CWO Campbell was appointed as the Wing Chief Warrant Officer at 14 Wing Greenwood. He assumed the role of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Chief Warrant Officer in 2021.

Colonel (Ret’d) John Conrad is a published author, lecturer and a Reserve Brigade Commander in 3 Canadian Division in Western Canada. He has 32 years of experience in the Canadian Armed Forces regular and reserve components. In 2006, he served as Commanding Officer of the Canadian Logistics Battalion, the unit responsible for sustaining the Canadian Task Force in Southern Afghanistan.

Commander Amber N. Comisso, CD. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Economics, Minor in English Literature (2nd Class Honours) from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in 2001, Commander Comisso finished Naval Warfare Officer (NWO) training and joined HMCS WINNIPEG, achieving her Naval Officer Professional Qualification (NOPQ) in 2004. In 2005, she completed the Shipborne Air Controller course and was assigned to HMCS ALGONQUIN, achieving the highest degree (“Alpha”) of air control. Upon completion of her Operations Room Officer (ORO) tour in July 2016, she was selected as Executive Assistant to Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic/Joint Task Force Atlantic. In addition to her regular duties, she was elected as the National Military Co-Chair for the Defence Women's Advisory Organization (DWAO) in November 2016, an employment equity position she held for a number of years. She completed the Joint Command and Staff Program at Canadian Forces College in 2019 with a Masters in Defence Studies, and was posted to the Directorate of Naval Personnel (DNP) as the Navy’s Personnel Policy Manager. She was promoted to her current rank in December of 2020 and posted back to Ottawa in June 2021 as DNP 2 – Strategic Personnel Administrative Policy.

Padre Jennifer Gosse joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2007 after serving 10 years in civilian parishes. Posted originally to Halifax she served in various capacities. In 2018, promoted to the rank of Commander, she was posted back to Halifax to the position of Formation Chaplain – MARLANT/JTFA, overseeing a team of 17 military chaplains. In July 2021, she was promoted to Command Chaplain of the Royal Canadian Navy. 

LCdr David Arsenault enrolled in the Naval Reserve in June 1984 as a Boatswain at HMCS CATARAQUI in Kingston, ON . Following initial trades training, he spent time in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, sailing in twelve different ships during his sea-going service. In 1997 LCdr Arsenault transferred to HMCS CARLETON in Ottawa, and was subsequently appointed as Coxswain of CARLETON from 2001 until 2004. Afterwards, he served in National Defence Headquarter and with Naval Reserve Headquarters in staff and strategic leadership positions. At the completion of his term as CRES CWO in June 2020, LCdr Arsenault accepted a commission at his current rank under the Special Requirements Commissioning Program. He transferred back to the Royal Canadian Navy and is currently serving as the Project Manager for the Naval Reserve Centennial 2023 project.

In his civilian career, he joined the Public Service as a civilian with the Department of National Defence in 2008 and works as an Information Technology Project Manager within the Information Management Group. 

Lieutenant-General (Ret'd) Walter Semianiw spent 32 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. As he rose through the ranks, he notably served with the Privy Council Office, as the Commandant of the Canadian Forces College, as the Canadian Contingent Commander in Afghanistan, as the Chief Military Personnel and as the Commander of Canada Command. He was also an Assistant Deputy Minister at Veterans Affairs Canada for Policy, Communications and Commemoration. His extensive knowledge of military operations as well as the management of military personnel will undoubtedly be of tremendous insight to me and Council members.

Lisa Vaters began her career as a Science Instructor in undergraduate studies for various universities and colleges across the country. For the past ten years, she has worked for Military Family Services and is the Family Coordinator providing support to military families. She has experience in the areas of education, employment, family separation and reunion, health care, child care, Out of Canada services, second language training, bereavement and the Veteran Family Program. Lisa has been a spouse of a veteran for six years and has been the parent of a military member for three years when her son joined the military.