National Project Manager of Mood Disorders Society of Canada

Debbie is the daughter of a Veteran who resides in the Province of Ontario. She is a certified Project Management Professional, a certified Agile project manager and has her master’s certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. Debbie has worked in the field of mental health for over ten years, and with Veterans and Family Members of Veterans for the past six.

She was the national program lead for the ‘Transitions to Communities’ program –which was a seven-week Veteran program. This program focused on skills development which assisted Veterans to transition back into civilian work life. She is the national program manager for ‘Improving Veterans Wellness’ which offers peer support training, companionship calls and mental health resources in support of Veterans and Family Members of Veterans. Debbie herself is a companionship caller. She is also the lead for the ‘Ontario Veterans Peer Support’ training program.

Debbie has over 20 years’ experience as a training facilitator to students (Seneca College), clients (IBM Canada Limited), and to the Toronto Police Service (Polar Bear Software).

Debbie has a wealth of knowledge and lived experience and she knows first-hand about the effects of PTS on Family Members as her extended family is one of service.

Her professional experience includes 20 years of project and program management with:

• The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Project Manager, Run for the Cure
• The Canadian Hearing Society – Consulting Senior Project Manager
• IBM Canada Limited – Senior Project Manager – Office of the Global Services Chief Information Officer

She is also:

• An active volunteer with many organizations, a select few being: Big Brothers / Big Sisters Port Perry, Bobcaygeon Food Bank and Lindsay Women’s Resources (shelter)
• Past Director of her Community Association

Education:

• George Washington University, School of Business, Master’s Certificate in Project Management
• Certified Agile Project Manager (Cert. APM) with Project Management Association of Canada
• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute
• Specialist in Organizational Change Management – Human Elements of Change