- Natasha Rascanin – Natasha joined the University of Ottawa Centre on Public Management and Policy in 2021, after more than thirty years in the federal public service where she held progressively more senior positions within the Department of Finance, Canada Border Services Agency, the Privy Council Office (Intergovernmental Affairs), and Infrastructure Canada. Natasha finished her public service career as the Assistant Deputy Minister for Transformation at Transport Canada, where she led the internal modernization of the department, as well as the horizontal Oceans Protection Plan, with a strong focus on Indigenous reconciliation. She brings a proven track record of team building as well as mentoring and coaching individuals.
- Dan Costello- Dan joined the University of Ottawa Centre on Public Management and Policy in January 2024, bringing experience as a former political advisor, public servant and diplomat. After serving as a policy advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister and chief of staff to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and then to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he left government for teaching. He later returned as a public servant with the foreign ministry, where he held roles including Director General for Strategic Policy, Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Assistant Deputy Minister for Europe and the Middle East, Ambassador to the European Union, and Assistant Deputy Minister for International Security. Prior to retiring in late 2022, he served as Deputy Minister and Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister.
- Paul Loo – Paul is the Alumni Coordinator for the Certificate Program in Public Sector Leadership and Governance. Paul joined the team in September 2025 after more than 34 years in the federal public service where he finished his public service career as Director General of the Resilient and Innovative Communities Directorate at Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. Prior to this, Paul has had extensive experience dealing with legitimate and illegitimate supply chains while at Health Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency, in particular, dealing with the import and export of controlled substances and drugs. Paul holds an Honours degree in Engineering Chemistry from Queen’s University at Kingston and a Masters of Business Administration from the Telfer School at the University of Ottawa.
- Lori MacDonald- Lori joined the University of Ottawa Centre on Public Management and Policy in October 2025. Lori is a recent retiree with more than 40 years of public service where she began her career at the frontline levels of public service, gradually progressing to regional and national files in operations, policy, programs, and communications. Lori has worked at senior levels of the public sector including the Correctional Service of Canada, Public Safety, Transport Canada, Immigration, Employment and Social Development Canada and Service Canada. Lori retired from Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada as the Senior Associate Deputy Minister and the Chief Operating Officer spending the last four years of her career navigating the Covid crisis and benefit support to Canadians. Lori is recognized as a strategic, inspiring and empathic leader who prioritizes people championing equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives and advocates for mental health awareness and support.
- Tracy Ferne - Tracy Ferne is the Assistant Director at the Centre on Public Management and Policy. She joined the University of Ottawa after 18 years in the federal public service where she occupied several management roles in both operational and policy units. She has worked as a manager at the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and she most recently as part of the team at Canadian Heritage working on the bill to modernize the Official Languages Act which received Royal assent in June 2023. Tracy holds an Honours in English and a master’s degree in education from the University of Ottawa.
- Simon Larivée-Boisvert – Simon Larivée-Boisvert is the Administrative Coordinator at the Centre on Public Management and Policy. He previously worked as an Academic Labour Relations Agent at the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Faculty Affairs at the University of Ottawa. Simon holds a Joint Honours BSocSc in Public Administration and Political Science.
Program staff
Key program staff (in alphabetic order)