Director, Internal & External Affairs, Metrolinx
Graduate Program in Public Policy, Administration & Law, Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL) 2020

Tell prospective students a bit about the work you do.

As Director of Internal & External Affairs to Metrolinx’s Chief Operating Officer (GO & UP) and Chief Safety & Security, I provide executive support and guidance in the areas of issues and stakeholder management, strategic planning, communications, governance, and regulatory affairs. My role is to drive key strategies to deliver on financial and operational performance, with a focus on leading cross-functional projects and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement. Working at Metrolinx, I have had the opportunity to lead and support programs across a wide array of policy areas, from the development of award-winning transit system safety assurance governance and requirements to the launch of COVID-19 mobile vaccination clinics.

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

My time as an MPPAL student very much contributed to where I am today. When I applied to the MPPAL program, I was working at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as Clerk of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies and the Standing Committee on Social Policy. As a Committee Clerk, I understood the ways in which elected officials, government actors, and the public interacted with the legislative process. However, I knew little of how decisions were made prior to the introduction of a bill or motion in the House or of how these decisions were implemented once enacted. Wanting to learn more, I applied to York University’s Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL) program. While I expected to learn the core elements of any public policy and administration program, I did not anticipate my studies would lead me to my current role. As an MPPAL student, not only did I gain a whole host of new skills and knowledge but also heard from various leaders in the transportation sector, including from my professors to Metrolinx’s current Chief Planning Officer. I also had the opportunity to participate in the Canadian Council of Public Private Partnerships (CCPPP) Annual Conference as a student delegate where I learned of emerging trends and best practice in transportation. These experiences in many ways prepared me for, and motivated me to, apply for my original role at Metrolinx as Senior Advisor to the Chief Safety Officer, which has since evolved into Director of Internal & External Affairs to the Chief Operating Officer (GO & UP) and Chief Safety & Security Officer.