EDI Outside the Academy

Seminars on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

A key objective of the Future Energy Systems integrated equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) plan is to encourage FES community members to see EDI as an integral, healthy, and welcome part of productive workplaces. We support our community members’ efforts to create safe spaces for all to contribute freely and openly to scientific progress, and this involves supporting ongoing learning in EDI. 

In this series, EDI experiences and insights from professional environments outside the academic world will be explored. Speakers will come from a broad range of careers and vocations, sharing the EDI lessons from their environments, best practices, and advice from their field. Participants will have the opportunity to compare EDI experiences, interpret similarities and differences, and gather unique insights that can be applied to research, teaching, and learning activities.

Speakers

Find below a list of upcoming and past speakers. If you have any suggestions or requests for future speakers, please contact the Future Energy Systems team.

Commander Amber N. Comisso

Executive Officer, HMCS WINNIPEG. Former Personnel Policy Manager, Directorate of Personnel and Training, Royal Canadian Navy. Former National Military Co-Chair for the Defence Women's Advisory Organization (DWAO).

23 March, 2021 at 12:00 - 13:00

After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Economics, minor in English Literature (2nd Class Honours) from RMC in 2001, Cdr Comisso finished Naval Warfare Officer (NWO) training and joined HMCS WINNIPEG, achieving her Naval Officer Professional Qualification (NOPQ) in 2004. In 2005, she completed the Shipbourne Air Controller course and was assigned to HMCS ALGONQUIN, achieving the highest degree (“Alpha”) of air control. Cdr Comisso was then selected as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific (CCFP) for a two-year term. From 2009 to 2012, she returned to RMC as a Squadron Commander.

In April of 2013, she was assigned to HMCS WINNIPEG as the Operations Officer as the ship completed its Halifax Class Modernization (HCM) program. In July 2015, returning from maternity leave and having executed a coastal transfer, she joined HMCS ATHABASKAN as Operations Officer, progressing to Combat Officer in November 2015. Upon completion of her ORO tour in July 2016, she was selected as Executive Assistant to Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic/Joint Task Force Atlantic. In addition to her regular duties, she was elected as the National Military Co-Chair for the Defence Women's Advisory Organization (DWAO) in November 2016, an employment equity position she held for a number of years. She completed the Joint Command and Staff Program at Canadian Forces College in 2019 with a Masters in Defence Studies and was posted to the Directorate of Personnel and Training within Chief of Naval Staff as the Navy’s Personnel Policy Manager. She was appointed Executive Officer of HMCS WINNIPEG in June 2020, deploying to the East China Sea as part of OPERATION PROJECTION/NEON. She was promoted to her current rank in December of 2020.

Her husband is a Legal Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force and they are proud parents to Tessa (9) and Mia (5). In her spare time, she enjoys running, reading and tweeting as @cdnnavylady positive stories about life as a Naval Officer and Mom.