Jody Thomas

Born in Victoria, Jody Thomas recently returned home after over 40 years of working in the federal public service, where she worked at the most senior levels of the federal government. The first woman to serve as Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Thomas went on to serve as Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence and then served as National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister until her retirement in 2024. 

Thomas is a champion of mental health, particularly as confronted by Canadian Forces personnel and their families. She has advocated for the creation of mentorship opportunities to support equity, diversity, and leadership development opportunities toward senior-level public service and has a track record of strong leadership as a public servant working on the most sensitive topics facing the nation.

In recognition of her contributions, Thomas was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 in 2019. She was also honoured with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from Royal Roads University in 2023 and received an Honorary Diploma from the Canadian Coast Guard College in 2025.