After an open and competitive leadership selection process, the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) and the CDA Institute are pleased to announce that Dr. Gaëlle Rivard Piché has been selected as the new Executive Director for the two organizations.
Dr. Rivard Piché holds a Ph.D. in International Affairs from Carleton University (2017) and an M.Sc. in Political Science from the Université de Montréal (2010). She is a Fellow of numerous academic organizations and think tanks including the CDA Institute and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and was a Fulbright Fellow with the International Security Program at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School in 2014 and 2015.
Prior to joining the CDA and CDA Institute, Dr. Rivard Piché was a long-time strategic analyst at Defence Research and Development Canada working variously with NORAD Headquarters in Colorado Springs, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, and the Royal Canadian Navy. She also supports the education and professional development of CAF members as a lecturer at the Canadian Forces College, as well as being a training consultant to the RCMP. With experience in Latin American and Caribbean security issues, deterrence theory and practice, and Arctic security, Dr. Rivard Piché is the co-author of two books on defence and security in the Far North and numerous articles and reports.
“Dr. Rivard Piche possesses the leadership skills, expertise, innovation, and vision necessary to guide the CDA and CDA Institute over the next three to five years,” said Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Guy Thibault, Chair of the Board of the CDA and CDA Institute. “Gaëlle joins us at a critical time for Canada and will work to strengthen the CDA and CDA Institute as Canada’s leading organizations championing the women and men of Canadian Armed Forces. She will expand our reach across Canada, and will lead efforts to inform and educate Canadians about issues of defence and national security.”
Dr. Rivard Piché will commence her role on June 2, 2025.
The CDA and CDA Institute sincerely thank Dr. Youri Cormier for his significant accomplishments in expanding the national and international profile of the organization thanks to new programmes and a remarkable enhancement of the Institute’s research and analysis outputs. His professionalism, dedication and service over the past six years has been exemplary and we wish him the very best with his new endeavours.
