B.A. Honours (2004) Political Science, University of Windsor
M.P.A (2005) University of Western Ontario
Growing-up in Windsor and watching her Mother complete a Master of English Degree from the University of Windsor, Anne was impressed by the campus, faculty and staff and always knew she wanted to study at the University. She enrolled in 2000 and graduated in 2004, with a B.A. Honours in Political Science, followed by a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Western Ontario, in 2005.
Prior to graduating from the Master’s program, Anne accepted a position with the City of Woodstock, serving as Deputy City Clerk. In this role, she completed a multitude of administrative functions for the Municipality, with daily tasks ranging from supporting City Council and Committees, to drafting by-laws and detailed reports, to overseeing the Lottery licencing program, to performing marriage solemnizations. When asked about this role, Anne says “the training received from the University of Windsor positioned me for success, as strong communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively and analytical reasoning were key elements of the position. Having completed the Civics courses through UWindsor also supported me with being well-versed on municipal matters.”
In 2011 Anne moved back to Windsor to be closer to family and accepted a position with the University of Windsor as the Accessibility and Human Rights Manager in the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility. In this role she managed the Accessibility portfolio for all students, faculty, staff and visitors and completed complaint-based human rights investigations. While serving in this position she established the annual Accessibility Awareness Day and secured funding for door actuators across campus, making the University experience more accessible to all.
With the creation of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), a Canadian Federal Crown Corporation responsible for overseeing the procurement, design, construction and operations of the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project, in 2016, Anne joined the Executive Leadership team at WDBA as the Corporate Secretary/Chief of Staff. In this role, she serves as the governance expert for the Corporation, supporting the Board of Directors and the International Authority (the Board created by the Government of Canada, which has members from both Michigan and Canada). As Chief of Staff, she provides strategic advice to the CEO, directs the Risk Management portfolio, the Internal Audit function and the Government Relations portfolio. In speaking about this role Anne says “being a student of Political Science and serving in a role that involves six levels of government (three in Canada, three in the US) is a dream come true!”
Anne shares that this summary would be remiss without mentioning a very special Professor at UWindsor who was integral in providing guidance and support, leading to her career success. That Professor is Dr. Brown-John. “In the early 2000s, while attending his classes, Dr. Brown-John demonstrated his support, by taking the time to provide me with mentorship and coaching moments. He encouraged me to explore opportunities to work in government (in particular local government) and any time I showed self-doubt, he quickly corrected me by affirming that I had the smarts, commitment and drive to succeed in any endeavor. It is the passion and care of Dr. Brown-John, and Professors like him, that make the Political Science Department at the University of Windsor an amazing place for any student to learn, grow and succeed.”