Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) is pleased to announce that Honorable Karen Shepherd is the 2010 recipient of its alumni award for distinctive contributions to the public sector.
This award is named after James (Joe) Bissett who, in 1956, became one of the first students to graduate from Carleton University with a master of arts in public administration. He went on to a long and distinguished career in public service in both Canadian and international contexts.
In granting the award, the director of SPPA, Susan Phillips, said: “The award this year is made not on the basis of lifetime career achievement, as the recipient has many more years of public service ahead of her. Rather it is made on the basis of the commitment, courage and analytical insight to take on an unpopular but vitally important position in public service.”
Karen Shepherd was appointed by both houses of Parliament under the Lobbying Act (the Act) as Commissioner of Lobbying on June 30, 2009 for a seven-year term.
As an independent Agent of Parliament, Commissioner Shepherd is responsible for administering and enforcing the Act. The Commissioner’s mandate is to maintain a registry of lobbyists to increase the transparency of lobbying activities, foster greater awareness of the Act through education and outreach, and enforce compliance with the Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.
Commissioner Shepherd holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Carleton University and a Baccalaureate of Arts (B.A.) from Concordia University. She has more than twenty years experience in the federal public service, where she has gained extensive administrative, policy and leadership experience.
Prior to working in the area of lobbying, Commissioner Shepherd held a number of positions in the Industry Sector of Industry Canada, a sector primarily responsible for the development of programs, policies, strategies and services aimed at helping Canadian businesses and industries expand, compete, create and retain highly qualified jobs. One of the key positions she held was Director of Aerospace where she led a team tasked with the promotion of international competitiveness and sustainable growth in the Canadian aerospace sector.
Before joining Industry Canada in 1996, Commissioner Shepherd served in several positions with Revenue Canada, the Office of the Auditor General, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and with Employment and Immigration Canada, gaining significant experience in human resources, policy and program management.