New Commissioners Appointed
On Friday, December 18, the Executive Council, by Order in Council, appointed two new commissioners, Savannah DeWolfe and Robin Thompson, and re-appointed Deepak Prasad for a third term as commissioner.
Ms. Dewolfe works at the law firm McInnes Cooper. Savannah holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management with a specialization in human rights and a minor in law, along with a Masters Degree in Political Management, both from Carleton University. Prior to joining McInnes Cooper, Savannah held various positions on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, working for both the Ministers of Justice and Environment, as well as a Nova Scotian Member of Parliament. During her undergraduate studies, she interned at the United Nations Office in Vienna. Savannah has volunteered with various organizations, including: Start Proud, Meals on Wheels, and the Canadian Cancer Society. Most recently, Savannah has been coaching youth basketball for the Cole Harbour Rockets. Savannah lives in Halifax with her wife, Emily.
Ms. Thompson is Cree Métis and a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation. Robin holds a business diploma, an Advanced major in Social and Criminal Justice from St. Francis Xavier University, and a Juris Doctor from the Schulich School of Law. She is a practicing member of the Nova Scotia Barrister Society. In 2015, she was one of the ten participants chosen world-wide for the Indigenous Fellow Progamme with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. Robin has over 15 years of senior management experience developing governance capacity and economic development with Indigenous communities. Robin is the Governance Manager for the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq, and currently serves on the non-profit board of the Centre for First Nations Governance. Robin lives in Dartmouth.
Mr. Prasad was first appointed to the Commission in 2015. Deepak has studied at various post-secondary institutions such as Kwantlen University College, Justice Institute of BC, Dalhousie University, Laurier University, and is currently attending the London Metropolitan University's doctoral studies in policing, security, and community safety program. He has an extensive background in law enforcement and is currently employed as a police officer in Nova Scotia. Deepak sits on various charitable and non-profit boards such as the St. John Ambulance NS/PEI Council, Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Foundation, and the Canadian Mental Health Association (NS Division). He lives in the Halifax Regional Municipality.