What You Need to Know
Jennifer Garrett, Assistant Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Precinct Branch of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), won the 2026 APEX (Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada) Leadership Award, presented by Telfer Executive Programs.
The Certificate in Complex Project & Procurement Leadership (CPPL) supports complex project and procurement leaders in achieving the next level of leadership excellence.
Women in Leadership: Focused and Boundless supports women leaders in discovering their leadership purpose. The next cohort begins in October 2026 – register by October 2, 2026.
Charting a unique course through the public service can be challenging, but for leaders like Jennifer Garrett, jumping into new opportunities has led to an exciting and diverse career full of leadership challenges worth tackling.
Jennifer Garrett, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Parliamentary Precinct Branch of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), is the winner of the 2026 APEX (Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada) Leadership Award, presented by Telfer Executive Programs. Ms. Garrett was nominated for this award by other Government of Canada executives and won the award in recognition of her outstanding leadership that presents a role model for the public service, resulting in improved programs, services or initiatives.
After having the opportunity to speak with Jennifer following her win, she is a truly inspiring leader, dedicated to delivering results for Canadians on files of national importance, while leading her team with integrity, collaboration, and a values-forward approach.
Jennifer’s Leadership Journey
Ms. Garrett’s public service career has spanned a wide range of departments and disciplines. Beginning in real property, she went on to take on leadership roles in information management and information technology (IMIT), major crown project management, defence procurement, and large-scale infrastructure projects. Her career has provided exposure to some of the Government of Canada’s most complex and high-profile files, reflecting a consistent willingness to apply her skills in new and challenging domains.
“I have been so privileged as a public servant in that I've been always given such faith, responsibility, and interesting work," she reflected. "I am not someone who can do what I would call a typical bureaucratic job. I've always had the privilege of doing really interesting and challenging work.”
Collaborative, Values-Based Leadership
“It's similar to what we're doing here with Parliament. Our Parliament is a physical representation of our democracy, and we have to protect it. To a certain extent, I think I've had a bit of an easy job of garnering support and buy-in from people to rise to the challenge of those kinds of endeavors. But what do I do day-to-day? I try to be strategic and very transparent with people, and I'm solutions oriented. I always work on building relationships. My team deals with a lot of difficult decisions where people don't always agree. What gets us through that is doing our jobs well and establishing good working relationships. If you're honest, and you're willing to listen and have a conversation, those relationships that you build will sustain you through the disagreements and you will find a way to resolve them.”
Ms. Garrett continues to give back to those coming up through the ranks of government, helping to develop the next generation of leaders by generously sharing her experience and expertise. “I have an open-door policy. I always say: once part of my network, no matter where I go and what I do, you’ll always be part of my network,” she reflected. “I have people that I haven't worked with in years that I still mentor informally. They reach out to me - I help people prepare for competitive processes. I have career chats. I make it very well known that I'll meet with anybody who wants to have a chat about anything at any time. Sometimes it’s a little bit difficult to get into my calendar and you may get a call back at odd hours, but if your competition really is tomorrow and we really need to talk, I'm going to make the time. If you're willing to be flexible, I will always call you back.”
Jennifer also believes fiercely in servant leadership, and that all levels of a team are on equal footing in service of the mission. “I work in a workstation, just like everybody else that's working in this organization - I haven't had an office in 10 years. I practice what I preach. If I expect people to be in the office, I'm in the office too. I'm not hierarchical; we're a very flat organization. Most people in the organization know me, and I hope they feel that they can approach me. I am very clear about how I conduct myself personally, which allows me the ability to demand the same of the people that work with me.”
On the 2026 APEX Leadership Award
Jennifer’s journey through the public service and life experiences has informed her leadership approach through the years. “I was thinking before our chat - do I owe some of this APEX Award to bossing my little brother around?” she laughed. “From the time I was little, I was always somebody who was trying to step into a space of leadership if I saw that there was a vacuum. Equally, I will step back and I know when to follow as well, which I think is an interesting part of who I am. A lot of my leadership comes from who I am and how I was raised, and I attribute that back to work ethic. I was born and raised in Owen Sound. It's a beautiful part of the country, a place where people work really hard, and are thankful for the jobs that they have. I was taught early on that you have to impress your boss to get ahead, and that what interests your boss should fascinate you. I've been fortunate to have very good bosses along the way that have been informal mentors and a guiding light for me.”
Advice to Fellow Leaders
Ms. Garrett has many pearls of wisdom with fellow leaders in the public service on how to show up for yourself, your team, and for Canadians:
“The first thing is to be passionate: don't do a job that you don't feel passionate about. Trust me - even if you think you're cornered, you're not. Challenge the status quo. The public service doesn't advance with people who keep living by the policy without challenging the status quo to make things better. Stake your leadership and the approach you’re taking by asking yourself, ‘would Canadians understand? Would Canadians support what I'm doing?’ And if they do, you're probably on the right track.”
“In terms of career development, always have a plan. I'm an example of the fact that the plan will likely change. I never thought I would follow the path that I have. But always have a target, because if you don’t have a target to work toward, then you will never get there. But always be open and flexible to what opportunities come your way.”
Her final thoughts? “Nothing we do - except for rocket science - is really rocket science. Never underestimate your ability to adapt and learn a new domain if you've got the interest and the will.”
Congratulations, Jennifer! Telfer Executive Programs is incredibly proud to recognize your inspiring leadership.
For other complex project leaders looking to achieve the next level of leadership excellence, the Certificate in Complex Project & Procurement Leadership (CPPL) has been specifically designed to build the skills and competencies needed to thrive in this challenging domain.
For other women leaders looking to discover their leadership purpose for the benefit of themselves and their organization, Women in Leadership: Focused and Boundless has been specifically designed to support women as they step up to the next level of their career path. The next cohort begins in October 2026 – register by October 2, 2026.
