Biographical notes

Michelle Cameron (BSc [Advanced Major Biology], Dalhousie University, 1992; BSc [Health Promotion], Dalhousie University, 1995) was a teacher and entrepreneur before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002. At Headquarters, she has served as director of the Mission Security and Emergency Management Operations Division, director of the Counter-terrorism and Anti-crime Capacity Building Programs Division, executive director of the Missions Inspections Division, head of the PS752 Interdepartmental Task Force and director general in the Human Resources Branch. Overseas, she has served in Ankara and Kabul and as ambassador to Lebanon.

Jennie Chen (BA [International Relations and Asian Studies], University of British Columbia, 1999; MA [East Asian Studies], McGill University, 2003) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2003. She has served at Canadian missions in Kandahar and Washington, D.C., and in Beijing on 2 occasions. From 2017 to 2020, she was the director for bilateral relations at Environment and Climate Change Canada. She then returned to Global Affairs Canada to serve as director of the Northeast Asia and Oceania Division. Most recently, she was the executive director of the Greater China Political and Coordination Division.

Tina Guthrie (BA [Political Science], St. Thomas University, 1992; MA [Political Science], Carleton University,1995) joined the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in 2002. At CIDA, she worked on a broad range of multilateral environmental issues prior to serving as chief of staff to CIDA’s executive vice-president. She has also served as director of policy and planning, Haiti Program; director of strategic operations and planning, Europe, Middle East and Maghreb Bureau; and director of the International Assistance Relations and Climate Finance Partnerships divisions. From 2014 to 2017, Ms. Guthrie served as minister-counsellor and senior director of the Development Program in Accra. Most recently, she was posted to Haiti as the head of cooperation and coordinator of the International Security Assistance Coordination Group (2022 to 2024).

Marcel Lebleu (BSc [Economics], University of Montréal, 1985) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1987. At Headquarters, he has served as director general of the Regional Trade Operations and Intergovernmental Relations Bureau. Following this, he was regional director of the Trade Commissioner Service’s office for the Québec region in Montréal. Abroad, he has held various positions at the embassies to Cameroon, Costa Rica, Argentina and Spain. Additionally, Mr. Lebleu served as ambassador to Chile (2015 to 2017) and to Colombia (2017 to 2021). Most recently, he was director general of the West and Central Africa Bureau.

Charles Edwin Reeves (BA [Political Science], Carleton University, 1989) joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1991. At Headquarters, he has worked in the Cabinet and Parliamentary Relations Division and the China and Mongolia Division and as associate chief of protocol of Canada. He has also served as director (Asia) in the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat of the Privy Council Office. His overseas postings include 11 years in China, where he served at both the Embassy to China, in Beijing, and at the Consulate General in Shanghai. Mr. Reeves was also the deputy head of mission in Canberra. Most recently, he was a special adviser in the Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister (Indo-Pacific).

Sébastien Sigouin (LLB, University of Sherbrooke, 1993; PhD and LLM [International Relations], Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, 2002) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1997 as a human rights and humanitarian affairs adviser. At Headquarters, he has also served as manager of the International Program and director of policy for the Canadian Human Rights Commission (2002 to 2010). He was also director of strategic planning and operations for Canada’s development assistance programming (2010 to 2015), deputy head of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States (2015 to 2018) and executive director responsible for relations with Central American countries, Cuba and the Dominican Republic (2018 to 2022). Most recently, he was executive director of the Haiti Division.

Elizabeth Williams (BEd, University of Alberta, 1995; LLB, University of Moncton, 1999) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2001. At Headquarters, she has worked in the UN, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Section in the Legal Affairs Bureau and served as director of the Gender Equality Division and as chief of staff and executive director in the Office of the Deputy Minister of International Development. Abroad, Ms. Williams served as second secretary in Amman (2004 to 2005); head of aid in Baghdad (2005 to 2007); first secretary, congressional and legal affairs, in Washington, D.C. (2009 to 2011); first secretary, political, in Damascus (2011 to 2012) and Beirut (2012 to 2014); and counsellor at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (2014 to 2016). She was also the chief of staff and director of outreach at the Canadian Human Rights Commission from 2016 to 2019. Most recently, she served as ambassador to Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua (2021 to 2024).