News Detail
Lisa Jane (LJ) de Gara '10 (Strathcona)
Update on her Master's program and life after McGill working for the Alberta government.
"I graduated from McGill University in 2014, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Shortly after, I moved on to the University of Saskatchewan to complete a Master of Public Administration (MPA). The MPA is a specialized graduate degree to develop evidence-based policy for governments and large organizations – using data and analysis to produce the best results for citizens.
"As part of my Master’s, I worked at the Government of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education, where I put my skills to the test and developed a variety of literacy and engagement policies in education. I graduated in 2016! Then I moved back to my hometown of Edmonton, where I started work with the Government of Alberta’s Treasury Board and Finance Ministry, in Insurance Policy.
"In 2017, I was fortunate enough to be promoted to Policy Coordinator at Alberta’s Ministry of Infrastructure. I’m working on some fascinating projects, including developing an All-Alberta method for naming and placing monuments, a re-purposing plan for the Royal Alberta Museum’s old site, and—probably the least exciting but most important—a provincial strategy for parking.
"If you’re at all curious about working in policy or government, or about Public Administration as a field, please shoot me an email at lj.degara@usask.ca."
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
