We are thrilled to announce that Neil Bouwer, Vincent Rigby and Olivia Smith will be joining the Max Bell School of Public Policy as Visiting Professors for the 2022-2023 academic year. Their contributions will include holding workshops for policy topics, writing essays for MAX Policy, and coaching in the Policy Lab; and will extend to teaching a case study, organizing an event, and helping our students connect with the federal government.
Neil Bouwer, the Visiting Professor of Practice, is the former Vice-President of the Innovation and Skills Development Branch at the Canada School of Public Service. He has also served as an Assistant Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Privy Council Office of Canada and in many other executive positions across prestigious institutions in Canada. For many years Neil actively supported the Government of Canada policy and data communities, the Advanced Policy Analyst Program and the Free Agent HR Program. Neil is excited to bring his many years of Public Service experience to his work at the Max Bell School of Public Policy.
Vincent Rigby is the Max Bell School of Public Policy's McConnell Visiting Professor for 2022-2023. He recently retired from Canada’s Public Service after 30 years in a variety of departments and agencies across government, including the Privy Council Office, Global Affairs Canada, Public Safety, the Department of National Defence and the former Canadian International Development Agency. His career focused on security and intelligence, foreign policy, defence, and development issues. His last position was as National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister from 2020 to 2021. In addition to his position at the Max Bell School, he is also a senior fellow with the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University, as well as a senior advisor with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C.
Olivia Smith is the McConnell Visiting Scholar for 2022-2023. She was the 2021 O’Brien Fellow in Residence and Affiliate with the Oppenheimer Chair in Public International Law held by Professor François Crépeau. She is also a consultant on labour migration and human trafficking and the Executive Director of the Caribbean Anti Human Trafficking Foundation, a member of the Working Group of Experts on Human Trafficking, Recruitment Agencies, Agents for The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, London, UK, and a Gender Rights Specialized Team member, Amnesty International (Canada). Olivia has worked with several regional and international institutions including the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). She is also a Past Fellow of the University of Oxford in forced migration.
