Mélanie Robert joined the Canada School of Public Service as an executive faculty member in June 2025. She brings 28 years of experience in the federal public service.
Mélanie has had a varied career that has allowed her to connect and collaborate across federal institutions, as well as directly with international partners, provinces, territories, citizens, academia, business, and civil society.
She started her career as a business analyst, then manager, in the field of emerging communications technology at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. She also served as a senior advisor in the Deputy Minister's Office, and then as a departmental advisor in the Minister's Office, which gave her a broader perspective and a bird's-eye view of the rich interactions between the public service and the political sphere.
Mélanie spent many years at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), gaining rigour, discipline, and a deep understanding of how government works. At TBS, she exercised the challenge function for all foreign affairs and international assistance programs, and later led the Open Government program and managed the Open Data portal. In this role, she promoted increased trust through transparency, open data, and citizen and stakeholder engagement both in Canada and abroad. Under her leadership, Canada was elected Co-Chair of the Open Government Partnership, a global multilateral organization representing 74 countries and thousands of civil society groups.
More recently, she served as Director General of International Relations, Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade Policy at Transport Canada, leading Canada's international transport strategy and representing the country in multilateral forums and at federal-provincial-territorial tables.
Mélanie is recognized for her leadership in driving change, empowering people, and strengthening institutions, and looks forward to helping new leaders emerge in the public service.
Expertise
- Leadership
- People management
- Innovation and change management
- Machinery of government
- Partnerships and stakeholder engagement
- Governance
Credentials
- Bachelor of Science in Communications and Political Science
- Master's Degree in Management (Economic Development and International Cooperation)
- Holder of the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation (ICD.D)
