Facility and Security Assessment and Authorization Officer, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Public Administration, Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) 2017

Tell prospective students a bit about the work you do?

I currently work at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), formerly known as Public Works. PSPC serves federal departments and agencies as their central purchasing agent, real property manager, treasurer, accountant, pay and pension administrator, integrity adviser and linguistic authority.

In my current position, I manage Base Building Security projects for Public Services and Procurement Canada. My work includes developing scope of work, hiring consultants, reviewing TRA reports, and more. It is client based work that involves managing projects throughout their different phases.

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

I completed my Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Criminology and a minor in Public Administration at York University. I recently graduated from Carleton University with a Master's in Infrastructure Protection and International Security.

My involvement with the Public Policy and Administration Student Association (PPASA) during my undergraduate studies, and the Public Policy and Administration Studies (PPAS) courses I took as part of my minor, shifted my career goal towards the public sector, and more specifically the federal government. For instance, my involvement in the Ministry of Attorney General as a practicum student exposed me to new sets of skills such as project management and records management skills, while enhancing my organizational, computer and executive skills. In this position, I was tasked to research, analyze, collect data and develop excel sheets of all courts that were willing to participate in the video technology project. This experience provided me with a possibility of pursuing a career in the public sector.

My participation as an executive member of PPASA not only allowed me to form bonds that I hold dear to this day, but it also introduced me to my Master’s program in Ottawa. I enjoyed my undergraduate degree - both the course work and the social aspects of it - due to my involvement with several student clubs and association (most notably the PPASA), and the connection I developed with SPPA professors. SPPA professors, such as Sirvan Karimi and Alena Kimakova to name a few, were phenomenal and I am grateful for their passion in their respective fields, as well as their willingness to help their students achieve their academic and career aspirations.