Adjunct Professor, York University School of Public Policy and Administration
Public Administration, Bachelor of Arts (BA), Specialized Honours 1984

Tell prospective students a bit about the work you do?

I’m honoured to have been provided an opportunity to continue to give back to the York University community, most recently as a part-time faculty member teaching both the undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA). In addition to this very important role, I contribute to mentoring aspiring and mid-career public servants as well as supporting various School related academic initiatives or events. I also have a private management consultancy practice focused on providing advice to public sector organizations.

I concluded my public service career with my tenure at the York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC) where I supported the further planning and development of the extension of the Yonge Subway from Toronto into Richmond Hill – with a construction estimate of $5.6 B. Prior to joining the York Region Rapid Transit Corporation, I was the Director of the Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT) project for Metrolinx. In collaboration with municipal and regional government, as well as other provincial agencies, I was responsible for the development and delivery of the $1.4 B, 20 km, 22 stop LRT designated for the Hurontario Street corridor in Mississauga and Brampton. The Hurontario will connect GO Rail stations, GO Bus services, bus rapid transit systems, as well several Mississauga and Brampton bus routes offering travelers a more integrated, predictable and pleasant transit experience. In addition, the LRT, with its pedestrian friendly features, would help transform the corridor into a more sustainable, walk-able and vibrant urban form in keeping with broader provincial initiatives.

My OPS career was devoted primarily to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation in several capacities culminating in my role as the Director of the Windsor Border Initiatives Implementation Group. In that capacity, I led a multi-disciplinary team of professionals contributing to the development of a new international border system between Canada and the United States in the Windsor-Detroit region. The $3.4 B (2011$) initiative, included among other key components, the development and construction of the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, which was the province’s extension of Highway 401 leading to a new border crossing system. In addition to collaborating with many agencies in Ontario, we worked closely with members of the Bi-National Transportation Partnership, involving Transport Canada, the US Federal Highway Administration, and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

My past teams and I have been honoured by many organizations for our outstanding accomplishments. My proudest acknowledgements include: The Ontario Public Service Amethyst Award (Individual Leadership) in 2014 and again in 2016 as a member of the Windsor Border Implementation Group; the Institute of Public Administration of Canada/Deloitte 2010 Public Sector Leadership Award; and I am the inaugural recipient of the Alumnus of the Year from York University’s School of Public Policy and Administration in recognition of my contributions to public administration, mentoring students and young professionals.

Tell prospective students a bit about how your studies at York helped you to get where you are today.

York's program was one of the first, if not the first, public policy and administration programs to be offered at the undergraduate level. Combined with other political science courses and a minor in economics, my education at York exposed me to key concepts that would prove very valuable at the entry level and further in my public service career. I was able to leverage my understanding of governance, structures of administration, policy processes as well as my understanding of the fundamentals of economic systems in my workplace assignments. Critical to my start in the Ontario Public Service was the School of Public Policy and Administration's summer internship program. I was fortunate to work at the Ministry of Transportation in the summer of 1983 where I gained very valuable first-hand exposure and experience. This was where I came to the realization that I could enjoy working in the public service and make a contribution to improving the quality of life for Ontario's citizens.