Chief Superintendent (Retired) Al Rivard served 34 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and New Brunswick. In the RCMP, he held a broad range of positions of increasing responsibility at Headquarters, Canadian Police College and in provincial contract divisions. These positions progressed from peace officer to senior executive levels in operations, training, protective and administrative areas.
Warrant Officer (retired) Brian McKenna served in the Royal Westminster Regiment of the Canadian Army Reserves for 19 years between 1995 and 2015. He was attached to the 39 Brigade Group Headquarters for seven years, and did three deployments attached to the PPCLI: two with the 2nd Battalion to Bosnia, and one with the 3rd Battalion to Afghanistan.
Brigitte Laverdure, retired AirFrame Technician, was born in Magog, QC, and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1980. Early in her military career she was transferred to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, where she served for 7 years. During that time, she received a certificate of professionalism for detecting a very critical anomaly on a specific device.
In 1988, she transferred to Bagotville in the same capacity and also became an Air Cadet instructor. After 19 years of loyal service, an accident in 1999 caused her to leave the Canadian Armed Forces.
Sergeant (retired) David MacLeod Served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 27 years and was medically released in 2010. He completed multiple overseas tours, including Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. While serving, David earned a BA in political studies (U of Manitoba) and a MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding (Royal Roads).
Commander (Retired) Heather J. Armstrong served 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces followed by 10 years in various senior civilian positions in Military Personnel Command at National Defence Headquarters.
Lieutenant Commander (Retired) Heather Mackinnon was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She attained a Bachelor of Science from Dalhousie University in 1967, a Master of Science (Diplom Biologin) from Maximillian Ludwig Universitat (University of Munich) in 1976, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia in 1977.
Jacquie Hannigan is the spouse of a medically released Veteran who served in the Royal Canadian Navy until his release in 2016. Although their family’s time with the military has ended, the Canadian Armed Forces is still an important part of their lives. Their personal experiences gave her a passion for helping Veterans and their families, and she takes great pride in helping those who have served our country.
Jane Hall (nee Greenwood) served 21 years in the RCMP (1977-98). Her last post was as Training NCO (Cpl.) for Surrey Detachment. Post-service she authored The Redwall; a Woman in the RCMP (2007 General Store Publishing House), in addition to serving as Chair of the Women in Leadership: Public Safety Leadership Development Consortium 2009-2013, Chair of the RCMP Veteran Women’s Council 2013-present, past president of Police Futurists International (PFI) 20118-19, and as a member of Women Veterans Research Network (WREN) 2019-present.
Major General John (Jay) Milne (retired), MSM, CD, served 38 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Signal Officer in the Regular Force, and then an Armoured Officer in the Primary Reserve. He has commanded at the troop, squadron, unit, and brigade levels, and has served in different capacities at the National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ).
Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Kimberley Unterganschnigg has proudly served Canada for over 40 years. After 9 years in the naval reserve, Kimberley had a highly successful 28-year career in the regular force as an Air Force Logistics Officer. Highlights of her military career include deployments in support of the Gulf War, UN peacekeeping, and the war in Afghanistan. She was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal and the Order of Military Merit. Upon retiring from the military in 2016, she spent three years in the Public Service with Status of Women Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Colonel (Retired) Pierre Allard was born in Ottawa. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy under the VENTURE Officer Training Plan in 1964. In 2001, he retired from the Canadian Armed Forces with more than 35 years of service.
Professional historian Rebekah Mitchell is a Veteran spouse, mom to three children, and a lifelong learner. She understands the sacrifices of military family members as her grandfather-in-law, aunt, uncle, brother and husband have all devoted years of service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Following her husband’s medical release from the CAF, she has publicly discussed transitional challenges Veterans and their families face after service.
Shauna is a proud Metis Veteran whose service with the CAF was as a Medical Assistant in the Reserves from 1995-2002. She left the Reserves to begin Post-Secondary Education at the University of Manitoba. She is current completing her M.A. in Native Studies at the University of Manitoba and plans to begin work on her PhD shortly.
Tim is a proud indigenous (Sahtu Dene) Veteran, having served 10 years (1983-1993) in the military before starting his undergraduate degree in Political Science and his professional career. From 1998-2006, he was a Negotiator and an Intergovernmental Relations Analyst for the Government of the NWT. Tim moved to Ottawa for his MA in Canadian Studies at Carleton and he was asked to join the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) in 2010 as the Advisor to the TRC Chair, Senator Murray Sinclair.
