Vanessa Chouinard

Biography

Vanessa is an Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, providing departmental support and advice to the Deputy Minister and Minister. Her areas of focus include the Safety and Immigration and Population Growth branches, as well as supporting the strategic outcomes of the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency.

Vanessa began her career in the Oil and Gas sector, and then moved into the professional services industry focusing on strategy, change public management and service improvement. Vanessa found her passion for public service in 2008 when she transitioned to a role with Service Nova Scotia.

In 2014, Vanessa shifted to the social service domain and joined the Department of Community Services as the Executive Director of Policy and Innovation. In early 2020, Vanessa joined the Department of Health and Wellness where she quickly assumed the role as Senior Executive Director of Public Health to support the Department’s Covid response with the Chief Medical Officer of Health. In April of 2022, she was appointed as Associate Deputy Minister of Health and Wellness where she provided leadership to the province’s health system transformation. Vanessa is currently serving as Associate Deputy Minister for Labour, Skills and Immigration.

Vanessa has a passion for growing leaders and supporting people to achieve the best for themselves, and for Nova Scotians. She has a Bachelor of Information Systems from St. Francis Xavier University and an MBA from Dalhousie University.

Previous roles

• Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Health and Wellness
• Executive Director, Policy and Innovation, Department of Community Services
• Senior Executive Director, Public Health, Department of Health and Wellness