Our Team
Dr. Youri Cormier
Executive Director
Youri Cormier is currently a visiting professor with the University of Ottawa and formally served as an adjunct professor with the Royal Military College of Canada. He has taught at the Canadian Forces College, Johns Hopkins University, and King’s College London in a variety of disciplines including political philosophy, war & strategy, international relations, land power theorists, operational concepts, and human rights & justice.
He holds diplomas from Concordia University (BComm/BA), the Royal Military College of Canada (MA) and King’s College London (PhD) and held senior executive roles in the non-profit sector in professional theatre, environmentalism, and youth civic & electoral engagement.
He served as a human rights observer in Zapatista-controlled areas of Chiapas, Mexico, and later conducted research on Latin American indigenous insurgencies on behalf of the Canadian Department of National Defense. As a research & speechwriting fellow at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, he contributed to policy papers on climate change and food/water security, NATO-Russia relations, and the use of drones in countering improvised explosive devices.
In 2016, he published the book: “War as Paradox: Clausewitz and Hegel on Fighting Doctrines and Ethics (McGill Queens University Press), which traces the origin and current-day significance of dialectical war theory. It was awarded a prestigious publication grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, was nominated for the 2019 Canadian Philosophical Association Biennial Book Prize, and today lines the shelves of over 800 public and institutional libraries worldwide, having been integrated into university curriculum internationally.
Joseph Varner
Deputy Director – Conference of Defence Associations
Joe Varner is a past Adjunct Scholar at West Point’s Modern War Institute and is author of “Canada’s Asia-Pacific Security Dilemma.” He served as Senior Adviser and Director of Policy to the Minister of National Defence and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada the Hon. Peter Gordon MacKay from 2008 to 2014 as well as Chief of Staff to the Shadow Minister of Defence Hon. Kerry-Lynn Findlay.
Varner also served as a Faculty member with the American Military University from 2001 to 2009 and again from 2015 to 2019 specializing in teaching homeland security and intelligence studies. He is also a Fellow of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society, Royal Society of Arts, Royal Asiatic Society of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies and Royal United Services Institute of Defence Studies. Joe is also a past Senior Research Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies, Research Fellow of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute, the Naval Officers’ Association of Canada and has also been published by the MacDonald-Laurier Institute, Mackenzie Institute, Institute for Security and Development Policy and the Heritage Foundation.
Varner holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in International Relations and a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Acadia University. He is a past Chair of the Board of St. John Ambulance Federal District and a member of the Board of Directors of the Perley Health Foundation. Joe is a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.
Jennifer Giguere
Director of Operations
Jennifer Giguere brings over 20 years of expertise in business operations, stakeholder management and event productions, particularly within the non-profit and charitable sectors. She is a seasoned professional in executing events, having successfully overseen more than 125 events including large-scale exhibitions, conferences, galas, and professional development sessions. Beyond this, Jennifer has extensive experience in donor and member relations, marketing, web development, and managing high-level awards programs.
For the past 11 years, Jennifer has focused on the Canadian defence and security sectors. She has spearheaded initiatives that cultivate learning and discussions with industry leaders, academia, the Canadian Armed Forces, and both domestic and foreign government officials. Her leadership in these programs has facilitated relationship building and business development, contributing to a more capable and efficient Canadian Armed Forces.
Before joining the CDA Institute, Jennifer served as the Director of Domestic and International Events for the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries. She led her team in executing over 15 annual events and initiatives across Canada and internationally. Most notably, she directed CANSEC, Canada’s largest defence and security exhibition, recognized as one of the top five global defence events.
Valerie Aji, CPA, CMA
Financial Officer and Treasurer, CDA & CDA Institute
Valerie Aji is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 15 years’ experience in accounting, Canada and USA in diverse business industries, mainly non-for-profit sector.
Valerie has joined CDA in 2018 and as a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional she has been meeting the accounting needs for CDA, Able to identify and implement process improvements that improve accuracy, consistency, and efficiency. An energetic, motivating, and Effective communicator.
Valerie has a Bachelor of Commerce – Accounting Option – University of Damascus, Syria.
Chartered Professional Accountant, Certified Management Accountant – CPA, CMA Ontario – 2012
Olivier Duhaime
Director, Government Relations
Olivier Duhaime is the Director, Government
and Public Affairs at the Conference of Defence Associations. He has extensive
knowledge and understanding of the political landscape and the federal and
provincial governments. Fluently bilingual, Olivier is well positioned to
provide strategic advice and work with all stakeholders in government.
Prior to joining the CDA Institute, Olivier worked on
Parliament Hill as an executive and policy advisor for a Member of Parliament
and then for two Ministers’ offices (Infrastructure and Foreign Affairs). His
judgment and strategic thinking skills allow him to find effective ways to work
with elected officials and their advisors, senior public servants and
stakeholders. Olivier also has extensive experience in managing federal and
municipal political campaigns as he was involved in the last three federal
campaigns (2015, 2019, 2020) and the last municipal campaign (2021).
Olivier holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communications from
the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
Pauline Baudu
Managing Fellow – Climate Security Programme
Pauline Baudu manages the CDA Institute’s Climate Security Programme, including its annual Montreal Climate Security Summit. She has extensive research experience, as a consultant and academic, in advising policymaking and defense circles on the climate/security nexus, with a particular focus on the Arctic region and on NATO’s climate-security action. She is a member of the NATO Research Task Group on the Effects on Climate Change on Security, coordinates the Climate Security Association of Canada, and participated in the consultation process to inform the creation of NATO’s Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence. She is also currently pursuing a PhD in Political Science at Université du Québec à Montréal.
Prior to joining the CDA Institute, she worked with leading policy, military and academic experts on climate and Arctic security in the U.S. and Canada, including with the Center for Climate and Security (Washington DC), the Wilson Center Polar Institute and Environmental Change and Security Program, Arctic Security Consultants (Ottawa), Arctic360, and as a research co-lead at the U.S. Naval War College with a group of international scholars and naval officers studying naval deterrence in the Arctic.
Her work is further informed by her nine-year experience in human rights and asylum law. In particular, she served as a public official at the French National Asylum Court, and previously with the United Nations Human Rights Office in Geneva and with diverse civil society organizations on migrants’ rights and non-discrimination. She is a graduate from the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs in Defense and Security (MA), and holds degrees in Crisis Analysis and Humanitarian Action (MA) and Applied Linguistics (BA). She is fluent in French, English and Spanish.
Isabella Aung
Fellow – Research Coordinator
Isabella Aung is a doctoral candidate in Political Studies at Queen’s University where she studies how contemporary authoritarian power is both contested and sustained through social media. She earned an honors degree in International Relations with a minor in Mathematics from Linfield College, Oregon, and an MA degree in Political Science from Simon Fraser University. She also completed a semester abroad in Politics, French, and Arabic at the University of Nottingham, UK, with first-class honors standing. Her research interests include Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), women of Color’s electoral representation, and grassroots women’s activism against authoritarianism.
Louis-Benoît Lafontaine
Research Coordinator
Louis-Benoît Lafontaine holds a Master’s degree in International Studies (International Security) and a Master’s degree in International and Transnational Law. During the fall of 2021, he acted as an intern at the Network for Strategic Analysis. He previously worked as a research assistant in international law at Laval University and for the Quebec Government. His research interests include the space occupied by international law in the foreign policy of states, lawfare, and the economic impact of international security issues.
Lauren Mannix
Research Coordinator
Lauren Mannix is a Research Assistant on the Digital Content Team at the CDA Institute. In this capacity she enjoys researching current challenges in international affairs, security and defence, and figuring out ways to make these issues more accessible to broader audiences for greater awareness and understanding. Her current research interests include the intersecting societal and security implications of AI and big data, influence operations and narrative warfare online, and the erosion of trust in institutions. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in anthropology with a minor in professional communication from the University of Victoria and is an alumna of the 2022 NATO Field School and Simulation Program at Simon Fraser University.
Hannah Fitzpatrick
Graphic and Digital Communications Coordinator
Hannah Fitzpatrick is a graphic designer and communications specialist with a passion for efficient communication. With her experience in professional outreach, content production, and marketing, Hannah brings her creative energy and a supportive approach to the CDA Institute team.
In previous roles, Hannah has overseen internal and external communications, produced bilingual content, led podcast production, created promotional media across a variety of physical and digital mediums, and managed professional relations with national media partners. Her strategic planning and engagement skills have significantly expanded social media presences, gaining substantial followings in short timeframes. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in English and French from Queen’s University.
Kawtar Kathi
Events and Administrative Coordinator
Kawtar Kathi is a recent graduate of the University of Ottawa in International Development and Globalization with a microprogram in Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Social Innovation. She brings her passion for fostering positive change to her role as the Events and Administration Coordinator.
