Our Associate Deputy Minister

Karen Ellis
Associate Deputy Minister
Natural Resources Canada

On February 7, 2011, Karen Ellis joined Natural Resources Canada as Associate Deputy Minister. Since September 2008, she was at the Canada Revenue Agency as Assistant Commissioner of the Ontario Region.  She joined the Canada Public Service Agency as Vice-President, Public Service Renewal and Diversity in September 2006, and took on new responsibilities there as Senior Vice-President, Workforce and Workplace Renewal in October 2007.

From December 2002 to September 2006, Ms. Ellis was Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) at the Department of National Defence.  Before joining National Defence, Ms. Ellis occupied the post of Director General of the Multiculturalism and Aboriginal Peoples' Programs Branch at Canadian Heritage. Prior to this, she was Director General, Management Services, in the Government Telecommunications and Informatics Services Branch at Public Works and Government Services Canada.

Ms. Ellis also worked as Senior Officer at the Privy Council Office, where she provided strategic policy advice, critical analysis, and briefings on natural resources and nuclear issues to the Prime Minister, the Clerk, ministers, and senior officials. Before that, Ms. Ellis held various posts within the Department of Industry and Environment Canada.

Ms. Ellis holds a Master of Arts in History from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. She is currently participating in the Advanced Leadership Program.