SRDC’s reputation for professionalism, ethical standards, integrity, quality
and objectivity is based on its staff of high caliber. _________________________________________________________________________

Our researchers and analysts come from various fields – economics, sociology, psychology, geography, education, mathematics, public administration and public policy, to name a few.  This multidisciplinary team is made up of over 30 professionals, all with a graduate degree; a third of them hold a PhD.  They all share a passion for raising the standards of evidence in assessing public policies and programs. 

Jean-Pierre Voyer
president and chief executive officer
 

“I find it most rewarding to work in an environment whose objective is to keep policy makers honest by reviewing evidence before they decide on new initiatives, and to do so with colleagues that contribute such a rich variety of skills and perspectives.”

Jean-Pierre Voyer became SRDC’s Chief Executive Officer in 2006 following a first stay as SRDC’s Deputy Executive Director in 2000-2001.  From 2002 to 2006, he was the federal assistant-deputy minister in charge of the Policy Research Initiative, an organization then associated to the Privy Council Office and responsible for conducting research on cross-cutting social, economic, and environmental issues in support of the Government of Canada’s medium-term policy agenda.  From 1994 to 2000 he was Director General of the Applied Research Branch at Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). With a staff of some 90 people and a budget close to $30 million a year, this branch was responsible for conducting applied research and supporting data development in a large variety of social policy fields.  Earlier in his career, he also held positions at Finance Canada, the Privy Council Office, the National Union of Provincial Government Employees, and the Economic Council of Canada.

On numerous occasions, Jean-Pierre has represented Canada at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and at other international meetings. He was Chairman of the OECD Education, Labour and Social Affairs Committee from 1998 to 2000. He currently sits on the research advisory committees of several research projects and organizations, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada’s Program and Quality Committee.

Jean-Pierre holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from Queen’s University and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Université de Montréal. He is a member of the Canadian Economics Association, the Association des économistes québécois, the Canadian Evaluation Society, and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Stéphanie Navarro
executive assistant

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
                                                                                                                –  Confucius

Born in France, Stéphanie Navarro worked for two and a half years in a small French company as a computer technician and administrator. When she arrived in Canada in 1992, she quickly found a job in the public service, working for the National Capital Commission in the Parks Service and Field Management Branch. Throughout her nine years with the branch, she worked as a receptionist, staffing assistant, administrative assistant, technical writer and assistant to the Director of the Gatineau Park. She left the public service in April 2001 and joined SRDC as an executive assistant. Stéphanie held the position of SRDC Communications Coordinator from 2003 to 2006. She has been assistant to the CEO, Jean-Pierre Voyer, since 2006.

Reuben Ford
research director
 

“SRDC offers Canada a unique, critical opportunity to let evidence triumph over instinct and self-interest in its attempts to bridge research knowledge and policy practice.”

Reuben Ford has extensive experience in the design and analysis of Canadian and UK social policy research initiatives. He has lead policy-relevant research spanning education, employment, social assistance, family well-being, and residential mobility. Since 2003, he has directed SRDC's team investigating approaches to increase access to post-secondary education across Canada (Future to Discover and BC AVID). He previously directed the Self-Sufficiency Project, a welfare-to-work initiative for single parents, and helped to design the Disability Supports Feasibility Study and Community Employment Innovation Project evaluation. Before joining SRDC in 1998, Reuben spent five years as a Research Fellow and Senior Fellow at the Policy Studies Institute, a UK non-profit research institute.

Reuben holds a Ph.D. in Geography and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Human Sciences from University College London. Reuben is member of the Canadian Evaluation Society, the Canadian Economics Association, and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.

Susanna Gurr
research director and chief privacy officer
 

“I love the work we do at SRDC. It is gratifying to know that our results and the lessons learned from our work are used in developing policies, programs, and practices to make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.”

Susanna Lui Gurr joined SRDC in 1992, initially specializing in developing, implementing, and evaluating large-scale social experiments. As SRDC expanded its work to include program evaluations, Susanna has focused more on program evaluations, especially with health promotion and population health initiatives. Susanna has directed or played leadership roles on many SRDC projects. She is also involved in writing proposals and developing research designs for innovative projects. Before joining SRDC, Susanna held senior research positions with the Province of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. Throughout her career, Susanna has worked on social and health issues in areas such as income security, employment, early childhood development, poverty, higher education, school reform, health promotion and population health, disabilities and immigration and other issues of concern to vulnerable groups and communities. In addition, she has authored and coauthored numerous publications.

Susanna holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of British Columbia.

David Gyarmati
research director
 

David Gyarmati has over 15 years of experience in conducting social policy research and evaluation in Canada. This includes a decade of pioneering work with SRDC in the design, implementation, and evaluation of large-scale experimental demonstration projects. David’s experience with the tools and methods of program evaluation is vast and includes both research and operations associated with evaluation design, sampling and participant recruitment, program delivery and monitoring, and a wide array of both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. In addition to the use of experimental impact analysis, David also conducts quasi-experimental studies using various econometric methodologies as well as the cost-benefit analysis for SDRC projects. David managed one of SRDC’s largest studies, the Community Employment Innovation Project, testing alternative approaches to support the unemployed and vulnerable communities. He also contributed to a number of SRDC projects that examined the use of financial incentives and other supports to help disadvantaged Canadians make the transition to work.

Prior to joining SRDC, David had both academic research and program delivery experience. He worked with the Centre for Research in Economic Social Policy at the University of British Columbia as well as Human Resources Development Canada, as an Employment Insurance service delivery agent. David completed a Master of Arts Degree in Economics at the University of British Columbia specializing in Labour Economics and Applied Econometrics. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Psychology at York University.

Louise Legault
research director
 

“SRDC provides a unique opportunity for researchers to conduct sound, rigorous research outside of a university setting. The organization is learning oriented, striving for excellence and innovation in the rapidly evolving environment of research.”

Since 2006 at SRDC, Louise Legault has led research and operations elements of the design, implementation, and evaluation of the large-scale Child Care Pilot Project. She manages projects whose objective is to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of programs designed to help families living in minority Francophone communities in Canada. She has conducted research and program evaluations for some 20 years. Louise is a social psychologist with expertise in human motivation, education (child and adolescent), social support, and resilience. She is also skilled in experimental and quasi-experimental research methodologies as well as quantitative statistical methods of analyses. Louise holds a B.A. in Sociology, a B.A. (Honours) in Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Ottawa.

Carole Vincent
principal research associate
 

“SRDC offers researchers unique opportunities to inform public policy debates in Canada by providing rigorous analyses of initiatives and programs that can improve the well-being of all Canadians.”

Since joining SRDC in 2001, Carole Vincent has managed various SRDC projects focused on designing policy responses to address the needs of individuals who face barriers to reaching their full potential on the labour market. She developed and managed a program of research on patterns of work and reliance on employment insurance that brought together a wide range of analyses to provide a better understanding of the barriers that certain workers face in trying to obtain secure year-round employment. She currently manages the Career Motion project, a social experiment designed to provide reliable evidence on whether the labour market competencies of recent graduates from colleges and universities can be improved by providing them with job search and career planning tools that are specifically tailored to their needs.

Prior to joining SRDC, Carole was director of research at the Institute of Research on Public Policy where she lead research in the area of family and social policy and public finance.  She started her career at the Department of Finance in Ottawa. Carole holds a Ph. D. in Economics from Université Laval.

David Cohen
program evaluation manager
 

“I like SRDC's multidisciplinary character, the high caliber of its teams, and its practical, leading-edge approach in the areas of socio-economic policy and program evaluation.”

David Cohen strengths lie in conducting program evaluation and analysis and providing strategic advice on complex policies and programs of an economic, social, international and intergovernmental nature. He has more than 30 years of experience as an economist, policy advisor and executive for three levels of government and non-profit national and provincial organizations.

David’s broad public sector experience includes 20 years working for the federal government including seven years as an executive in central agencies (Treasury Board Secretariat, Privy Council Office, Intergovernmental Affairs) and line departments (Regional Economic Development, Industry Canada). He has worked as special advisor/chief of staff for the Ontario government (Intergovernmental Affairs), as director for the Quebec government (Research Institute on Gerontology/Health and Social Services), municipal governments (Federation of Canadian Municipalities), a public-private economic development organization (Montreal International), and as a socio-economic consultant. 

David obtained a Master’s in Economics and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Université de Montréal and pursued doctoral studies in Community and Regional Development at the University of British Columbia.

Shawn de Raaf
senior research associate
 

Since joining SRDC in 1998, Shawn de Raaf has contributed to several of SRDC's large-scale demonstration projects, analyzing a variety of labour and social datasets, conducting literature reviews, and writing research reports and working papers. He is well acquainted with quantitative evaluation methods and has considerable knowledge of labour and social data sources. His particular areas of interest and expertise are wide-ranging, including income security, human and social capital development, workplace and government-sponsored training, labour market transitions, and unemployment issues. Shawn holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Carleton University.

Barbara Dobson
senior research associate

“Being part of SRDC has enabled me to pursue my interests in social policy and program evaluation.”

An expert in qualitative methods, Barbara Dobson has worked on a number of projects since she joined SRDC in 2005. She is currently part of the team evaluating a range of public health projects for the BC Healthy Living Alliance. Much of Barbara’s work has involved issues concerning low-income people and social inequalities. In exploring these issues, Barbara has worked with different groups including the disabled, seniors, the long-term unemployed, and low-income families. Barbara has been keen to develop appropriate and innovative methods in her research. She has tried to actively involve participants in her studies so that the research process is seen to be useful and interesting to them.  Barbara holds a Ph.D in Social Policy from Loughborough University, United Kingdom, and is a member of the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Michael Dowie
senior research associate
 

“SRDC offers the chance to do quality, interesting, and challenging research in a fun atmosphere.”

At SRDC, Michael Dowie has performed a wide variety of qualitative and quantitative research activities. He was a key member of the learn$ave project, a large-scale national demonstration project of matched savings accounts to encourage learning activities and micro-enterprise development among low-income people. Since 2008, Michael has contributed to the design and implementation of a variety of projects related to labour market information. Michael holds a graduate degree in Public Administration from Carleton University.

Marc Frenette
senior research associate
 

Marc Frenette joined SRDC in the summer of 2010. His initial focus involves supporting the work of the Access to Post-Secondary Education (APSE) team in completing two major demonstration projects and to initiate supplementary research projects on the same topic. He also acts as a core research member of the Returns to Adult Education Research Program, a major collaboration between SRDC and the Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network (CLSRN). Before joining SRDC, Marc was a research economist with the Business and Labour Market Analysis Division at Statistics Canada for several years. His primary areas of interest include the economics of education, job displacement and its consequences, and income inequality. He has published several research papers in Canadian and international scientific journals, produced many government research documents, and written chapters for various policy-oriented academic books. He is co-editor of a book entitled Pursuing Higher Education in Canada: Economic, Social, and Policy Dimensions. Marc holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s Degree in Economics from McMaster University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Nottingham.

Isaac Kwakye
senior research associate
 

“I work for SRDC because I believe in the mission of the organization to learn what works to improve programs and policies that affect Canadians, especially the poor.”

Isaac Kwakye has been the data manager for the access to post-secondary education (APSE) project and has successfully managed APSE’s large and highly complex data requirements. He has also filled a number of increasingly responsible positions using his excellent research and problem-solving skills. Isaac has expertise in quantitative research techniques. Prior to joining SRDC, Isaac worked at MDRC for several years with a team of economists on the Impact studies for Urban Change Project to measure the economic effects of the new policies on individual welfare recipients and potential welfare recipients. He also analyzed multiple datasets containing millions of records using different econometric methods, statistical techniques, and SAS programming. Isaac has worked on projects dealing with welfare reform and education and wrote reports for publication. He holds a Master's Degree in Economics, an MBA with specialization in MIS, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics.

Norm Leckie
senior research associate
 

“Working at SRDC affords me the opportunity to work with a group of talented colleagues to assess policy that is focused on improving conditions for the economically and socially disadvantaged – a goal I strongly believe in.”

Norm Leckie has been conducting research and evaluation in labour markets and social policy for over 35 years. His areas of expertise and interest are wide-ranging, and include education, workplace and government-sponsored training, asset-building, youth issues, school-to-work transition, volunteering, human resource management, income distribution, technology, and labour adjustment. Currently, Norm manages learn$ave, a long-term project designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of matched saving incentives and financial literacy training in encouraging low-income adult Canadians to save for and participate in education and training and small-business start-up.

Prior to SRDC, he managed and made major contributions to numerous projects in human resources and related fields at EKOS Research and the Economic Council of Canada. Norm is a member of the Canadian Economics Association.

Karen Myers
senior research associate
 
Karen Myers brings over 10 years of experience in conducting policy relevant research in the areas of social policy, human capital investment, and labour markets. She is the author of numerous reports on adult education and workforce development including Too Many Left Behind: Canada’s Adult Education and Training System. Prior to joining SRDC, she was a senior policy advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. In addition to her research and policy skills, she has several years of applied experience as a training and development consultant in both the private and community sectors. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Queen’s University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Toronto. Her current projects at SRDC are focused on investigating and evaluating innovative approaches to helping low-skilled workers invest in human capital and research their economic potential.

Claudia Nicholson
senior research associate
 

“When I moved to Canada in 1998, I joined SRDC because it was the only research organization in Canada using random assignment methodology to test social policy issues at scale.”

Claudia Nicholson has worked with SRDC since 1998 and has extensive experience in quantitative and qualitative research techniques, but specializes in quantitative research methods. Her areas of expertise include statistical analyses including experimental impact and quasi-experimental analyses, research design, sampling, survey design, collection, and analysis, and working with administrative data.  Her current research focuses on the experimental impact analyses of provincial interventions designed to increase access to post secondary education. Prior to SRDC, Claudia worked as a research analyst at MDRC, a renowned social policy research organization, in New York.  Her publications include chapters in SRDC and MDRC project reports and articles in the SRDC’s newsletter, Learning What Works.  Claudia holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Hunter College, City University of New York.

Boris Palameta
senior research associate
 

“Working at SRDC provides the opportunity to conduct research that is multi-disciplinary and rigorous in the academic sense, but also directly applicable to policy development.  I strongly believe that public policy can be informed and improved by rigorous evaluative research, and I relish both the intellectual challenges and collaborative opportunities that this kind of work brings.”

Since joining SRDC in 2007, Boris Palameta has analyzed a variety of labour and social datasets, contributed to the design of laboratory experiments and demonstration  projects, conducted comprehensive literature reviews, authored a policy position paper on future challenges to Canada’s student financial assistance system, and co-authored three major reports on one of SRDC's large-scale demonstration projects. As a former senior analyst with Statistics Canada, he is well versed in quantitative methods and has considerable knowledge of labour and social data sources. His areas of interest and expertise include behavioural economics, human and social capital development, labour market transitions, and immigration issues. Boris holds a Ph. D in Behavioural Sciences from University of Cambridge.

Taylor Shek-Wai Hui
senior research associate
 

“What impresses me about SRDC is the tirelessness of its researchers in promoting and applying the most suitable and reliable scientific methods in policy study. It is a unique organization with the capacity to identify issues, design sound policies, conduct large-scale demonstration projects through social experiments, collect data and rigorously evaluate programs and policies. It’s satisfying to work with my many expert colleagues at SRDC and contribute to the knowledge of public policy.”

Taylor Shek-Wai Hui joined SRDC as a researcher in quantitative evaluation of social programs. His areas of interest and expertise include experimental and non-experimental methods of evaluation, human capital formation and utilization, social policies, cost-benefit analysis, as well as applied survey and statistical methodologies. Prior to SRDC, Taylor was Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Winnipeg. He holds a Ph. D in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Heather Smith Fowler
senior research associate
 

 “What attracted me to SRDC was its dual focus on methodological rigour and on social policy that helps disadvantaged Canadians, and I continue to be impressed by my colleagues’ high standards and commitment to the work we do. SRDC – and the social policy community – is lucky to have such a dedicated and creative group of professionals, who also happen to be a lot of fun to work with.”

Heather is not quite sure how an undergraduate degree in English literature led to doing research on helping young people access post-secondary education, but is quite sure that a passion for learning, collaboration, and social justice have been key elements along the way. Prior to joining SRDC, she did research in women’s health at the Institute for Population Health and in mental health at the Centre for Research on Community Services, both at the University of Ottawa. She has worked in health and social policy for over 20 years, in program planning and development, evaluation, and research roles. 

Heather holds a Master’s degree in Social and Community Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University and is enthusiastic about linking health and social policy through research and collaboration with stakeholder communities. She lives with her family in Ottawa’s west end, from which she thoroughly enjoys the commute to work along the Ottawa River bike path. Heather has been a member of Canadian Evaluation Society for several years.

Doug Tattrie
senior research associate
 

“SRDC has always produced some of the finest, most credible, policy research in Canada.”

Doug Tattrie has contributed to most of SRDC’s randomized experiments including learn$ave, Future to Discover, British Columbia Advancement Via Individual Determination (BC AVID) project, the Self-Sufficiency Project, and the Earnings Supplement Project. His work included designing surveys, analyzing data, and writing report chapters. He also made major contributions to the design of randomized experiments. For example, he designed a randomized experiment of firms to test tax policy for research and development. He managed academic research papers using data from the Self-Sufficiency Project and the federal-provincial symposium, Making Work Pay. Doug has a Ph.D. in Economics from Queen’s University.

Jenn Dixon
research associate
 

“Working for SRDC has provided me with the opportunity to continue working in the field of health promotion and population health.”

Jenn Dixon is currently part of the team evaluating the BC Health Living Alliance’s initiatives and is increasing her skills in various research methodologies. Prior to joining SRDC in 2008, Jenn worked on various population health projects, such as the monitoring of the implementation of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and as a Tobacco Reduction Coordinator with the Fraser Health Authority. Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Jenn holds a Master’s in Population and Public Health from Simon Fraser University, as well as Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychology and Health Promotion from Dalhousie University. Jenn is a member of the Canadian Evaluation Society, the Canadian Public Health Association, and the Public Health Association of British Columbia.

Elizabeth Dunn
research associate
 

“I have admired the work of SRDC researchers since the launch of its first project – the Self-Sufficiency Project. SRDC conducts high caliber research on socially relevant issues and keeps the best interests of the less advantaged in the spotlight. I think this is a great focus and I am very pleased to be part of an organization that aligns social conscience with quality work.“

Elizabeth Dunn combines an academic background in sociology with experience in the fields of education, research, and employment. She holds a Bachelor of Education and a Masters of Arts in Sociology from the University of British Columbia.  Her work as a teacher as well as a liaison with communities has provided an excellent base for her research concerning education and community issues. From 1993 to 1998, she managed one of the two BC field offices for the Self-Sufficiency Project and has provided a variety of employment services. She brings well-developed skills as a qualitative researcher to the SRDC team, including experience with in-depth interviews, focus groups and surveys. She is currently a member of the research team for BC AVID.

Sophie Hébert
research associate
 

“It is enormously fulfilling to be part of a group of professionals who are innovative, rigorous, and dedicated to their work of improving social programs in Canada.”

Since joining SRDC in 2007, Sophie Hébert has worked as analyst and survey coordinator for the BC AVID and Future to Discover pilot projects. Sophie has experience in evaluation design, cost-benefit analysis, survey design and implementation, interviews and focus groups, and quantitative data analysis. Her publication contributions include chapters for SRDC’s research reports, articles in academic journals as well as published and internal reports for others organizations. Prior to joining SRDC, she held a number of positions in the public and private sectors where she worked as performance auditor, research coordinator, and project and policy evaluator. Sophie completed Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Economics at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Judith Hutchison
research associate
 

“SRDC offers a unique opportunity to better understand Canada’s policy-making process and to assist Canadian governments with future policy making through rigorous program evaluation and research, with a particular focus on disadvantaged groups.”

Judith Hutchison has conducted quantitative and qualitative research for SRDC demonstration projects, including Future to Discover and British Columbia Advancement Via Individual Determination. Before joining SRDC, Judith gained several years of front-line experience in program development and delivery to preschool children. She was also involved in experimental research with children and youth and taught university-level statistics. Her research interests include issues facing marginalized populations and mixed-method longitudinal panel studies. Judith holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick in the field of cognitive development.

Danielle Patry
research associate
 

Danielle Patry came on board with SRDC in April 2010. Danielle has field experience (recruiting schools, coordinating testing, and organizing data collection) and is familiar with various phases of research, from proposals to publications. She obtained a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Ottawa, which examined the role and effect of career development on academic self-determined motivation.

Natalie Conte
researcher
 

"By providing relevant and sound evidence to governments, SRDC contributes to their policy making capacity, and in turn, strengthens governments’ policy response to the important issues of our day. Playing a role in this endeavour along with such a friendly team of coworkers is truly satisfying."

Our Toronto office welcomed Natalie Conte in May 2010. Natalie is working on projects dealing with family literacy and adult learning. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Public Policy at the School of Public Policy and Governance (SPPG) at the University of Toronto.

Sabina Dobrer
researcher
 

“At SRDC, I enjoy working with colleagues who are dynamic, enthusiastic, and innovative people from diverse professional backgrounds. I’m enthralled by their values and commitment to create positive change and sustainable benefits for the well-being of all Canadians.”

Sabina Dobrer joined SRDC in 2007 to develop and program systems for the BC AVID and FTD projects that better process and analyze program management and attendance information. She has also contributed to data analysis and report writing for these projects. Before joining SRDC, Sabina worked for the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and spent time in the Health Services Research Department of the Israeli Ministry of Health as a Project Assistant. Sabina holds a Master's Degree in Demography and a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Paul Lalonde
researcher
 

Paul Lalonde is currently working as a team member of the Child Care Pilot Project. His participation in this large-scale SRDC project marks his first professional experience in the field of research. Paul graduated in 2004 with an undergraduate degree in mathematics and completed a second undergraduate degree in international studies and modern languages, both from the University of Ottawa.

Dominique Leonard
researcher
 

“As a young researcher, it is enormously fulfilling to be part of SRDC – an organization which values its employees and which has a clear vision for the role rigorous research should play in informing policy decision-making on issues of concern to Canadians.”

Dominique Leonard has been an SRDC researcher since 2008. She has worked as data and operations manager for the Child Care Pilot Project, a multi-year demonstration project in Francophone minority communities across Canada, and more recently as a major contributor to the review of postsecondary access and retention programs funded by the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. Dominique has experience in program operations, data management, protocol design, interviews and focus groups, and both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Her publication contributions include chapters for SRDC’s project reports and articles in academic journals. Prior to joining SRDC, she held a number of positions at the University of Ottawa, most notably as research coordinator with the Student Academic Success Centre. Dominique is completing her Master’s in Education at the University of Ottawa, specializing in teaching, learning, and evaluation.

Glenn Thompson
research analyst
 

“On the one hand, I consider it unfortunate that the idea of evidence-based decision-making needs to be promoted at all. On the other hand, I feel that I am privileged to be a part of an organization that is committed to the practice of sound evaluation techniques.”

Glenn Thompson joined SRDC as a full-time member of the Child Care Pilot Project (CCPP) team earlier in 2010. In addition to CCPP data analysis, he is helping identify validated French instruments to measure children’s developmental progress in language acquisition and reading acquisition. His interests include reading acquisition in children, quantitative analysis of lexical properties, and applied statistical analyses. Glenn holds a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Ottawa.

Lorraine Lefebvre
research coordinator
 

“It is fun to work for SRDC. I love the way everyone gets along so well, works together as a team and shares ideas and experiences. I am very happy to be working on the Child Care Pilot Project since it provides me with diversity in my job, brings out my creativity and gives me a sense of autonomy. The key to this project is ongoing adaptation, and that is something I enjoy.”

Within the framework of the SRDC’s Child Care Pilot Project, Lorraine Lefebvre has been bringing together children, parents, school administrators, and daycare coordinators and educators in Orleans, Ontario since 2007. She plans and coordinates the work of child evaluators and individuals conducting parent surveys. Basically, she looks after data collection in the field. Before she joined SRDC, Lorraine was a specialized teacher in the field of child behaviour, with a career that began in 1967. She has given courses in Ontario, Quebec and Belgium to educators, child care workers, psychologists and administrators of various centres responsible for young children and teens. In Belgium, she also served as a consultant and contact for psychologists and administrators working in various sectors of child development.

Kim Joncas
community coordinator, Cornwall, Ontario
 

 

 

 

 

Robyn Carson
research assistant
 

“I believe in the importance of SRDC’s research and methodology because of the difference they can make to social programs and policy.”

Robyn graduated with an Honours degree in Psychology from Concordia University in 2007. Her experience in child research began in Montreal at the Jewish General Hospital. Later, she came to Ottawa and joined the SRDC team as a member of the Child Care Pilot Project.

Elizabeth Rodgers
director, Human Resources and Corporate Services
 

“Since I joined SRDC in 1996, it has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with its dynamic and passionate workforce.”

Elizabeth has over 20 years of professional business experience in the non-profit, staffing, accounting, and high-tech sectors. From 2004-2007, she was a board member for the Charlotte Birchard Centres for Early Learning (CBCEL) and she has been a member of a local network of human resources professionals since 1999 and the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPAO) since 2000. Elizabeth obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Windsor in 1989, a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in 2003, and Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate in 2004.

Le Thu Nguyen
controller
 

“SRDC has been one of the milestones in my professional career where I have found opportunities to grow and develop. I wish to continue making significant and positive contributions to the organization.”

Le Thu Nguyen is responsible for all SRDC financial operations including accounting, budgeting, internal financial reporting and analysis to the management team. She also liaises regularly with auditors, bankers, and statutory authorities. Le Thu has over 10 years of extensive financial management experience gained in diverse industries and sectors including not-for-profit and privately-owned organizations. Before joining SRDC in January 2003, Le Thu worked for Welch LLP, an accounting firm in Ottawa.

June Lane
payroll and benefits officer
 

“SRDC’s work with municipal, provincial, and federal governments and other agencies has helped underprivileged Canadians for many years.  I’m privileged to be associated with an organization with this track record.”

June Lane has worked for SRDC for eleven years. She has contributed to the effective operations of SRDC in various areas including office administration, accounting, project operations, and project and corporate payroll.

Bob Gorley
corporate services officer
 

Bob Gorley joined SRDC some 10 years ago and continues to provide services in accounts payable and corporate support. In previous positions, he contributed as purchasing officer for IT services at the Economic Council of Canada and worked as corporate services assistant for Queen's-University of Ottawa Economic Projects and Canadian Policy Research Networks.

Ronda D. Louis-Jeune
office administrator
 

“SRDC thinks beyond its borders. It’s rewarding to be part of this proactive organization, which seeks to improve the well-being of all Canadians.”

Ronda D. Louis-Jeune joined SRDC in August 2009 and is looking forward to being involved in the organization’s growth. Ronda obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences with a minor in Psychology at the University of Ottawa.

Sophie Dharamshi
administrative assistant
 

“I feel proud to work for SRDC – an organization that is committed to helping the underprivileged and improving the social conditions of communities for a better future.”

Sophie Dharamshi has gained extensive administrative experience in the non-profit sector. Prior to joining SRDC, Sophie worked for IAM Cares Society, an employment program helping people with disabilities or a chronic condition who want to re-enter the work force.  Working directly with clients and seeing the results has given her the passion to continue working in an environment that strives to make a difference in the community.

Christopher Mallory
publications production manager
 

“SRDC is acknowledged as a leader in policy research and program evaluation and I’m pleased to contribute to its enduring success.”

Christopher Mallory joined SRDC in September 2008 to meet the publication needs of the organization. He is responsible for developing corporate communications products, including Web sites, newsletters, and promotional material, and coordinating SRDC's conference participation. Christopher brings to SRDC over 15 years of experience of publication management in the public service. He came to SRDC from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada where he worked as Report Production Manager, as well as technical, French and English plain language editor. He also served as communications officer at Government Telecommunications and Informatics Services and the Government Telecommunications Agency. An avid cyclist, you may find Christopher in several places, on the sidelines of the soccer field cheering for his two sons or on stage singing his heart out in various opera productions.