Team

Christine O’Doherty has been Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) since 2017 and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1994. A bilingual lawyer (French and English), she has strong expertise in Indigenous law and administrative law. An experienced manager and effective communicator, she has also played a key role throughout her career in the development and implementation of public and government relations strategies for various high-profile organizations.

A certified trainer and adult education specialist, Ms. O’Doherty has over 8.5 years of experience in continuing legal education at CIAJ. She designs and facilitates specialized workshops, including on judgment and decision writing, tailored to the Canadian judiciary and other legal professionals. She has also contributed to the development of customized programs for courts, aimed at improving writing quality, decision-making effectiveness, and access to justice.

Before joining CIAJ, Ms. O’Doherty taught for 14 years at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal, where she was responsible for the cross-disciplinary skills program for undergraduate and graduate students. This experience allowed her to build strong expertise in instructional design and the delivery of key competencies.

At CIAJ, she oversees the development and implementation of innovative training programs for the judiciary and the Canadian legal community, incorporating participatory and practice-oriented approaches. Her initiatives focus particularly on contemporary issues related to access to justice and improvements in judicial administration.

Alongside her professional responsibilities, Ms. O’Doherty devotes part of her free time to writing novels.

Lise Bujold has enjoyed a long career in association management. She excelled in various management roles, including events, communications and continuing education. She has also supported CEOs as their right-hand person and contributed to the development of strategic and operational plans within Canadian associations. A Certified Association Executive (CAE), Lise is fluently bilingual. She is appreciated for being agile and multidisciplinary. Meaningful friendships, her dogs and the cultural scene contribute to her happiness.

Vicki is a project manager of all the judicial programs at CIAJ since 2014. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Concordia University, an Event Planning Certificate from LaSalle College and as of May 2017, she became a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). When Vicki isn’t planning CIAJ events throughout Canada, she likes to cook and spend time in the great outdoors biking around Montreal. 

Sara-Ann Savoy is CIAJ's Events and Conferences Coordinator. With over ten years of experience in event planning, she has worked in a variety of settings – corporate, agency, and arts & culture – across the country. She holds a certificate in Public Relations from McGill University and studied Sociology at Concordia University and is known for her thoroughness, versatility, and attention to detail. A music and photography enthusiast, she blends structure and artistic flair in all her work.

Trained in marketing and information technology, passionate about artificial intelligence and robotics, Mihai enjoys analyzing data and loves tinkering with automated solutions to save time – and, incidentally, achieve results more quickly. Driven by Kaizen and 5S methodologies, he excels at turning complexity into simplicity while making every process a little more efficient. When he's not optimizing workflows, he enjoys gaining perspective… literally, by admiring breathtaking views from the mountain tops.

Marion has a dual background in communication and project management. At CIAJ, she contributes to strategic planning and the creation of diverse content while optimizing communication tools. She holds a Master's degree in Strategic and Digital Communication Management. Outside of work, she is involved in theatrical and improvisational projects, and enjoys spending quality time with friends.

Pauline is a French recent graduate who works for CIAJ from France. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Economic and Social Administration, specialized in Human Resources from the IAE School of Management (Nancy, France) and a Master's degree in European and International Studies, specialized in International Public Relations (communication) from the Centre Européen Universitaire (Nancy, France). In her free time, Pauline enjoys listening to music, cooking, watching TV series and reading. In the future, she would like to move to Canada.

Sarah is a graduate of University of Ottawa’s Common Law program, having previously obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. She articled at Legal Aid NL and is a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. Throughout law school, Sarah worked as a student intern at CIAJ. In her new position as legal counsel, Sarah is responsible for assisting with the development and management of CIAJ projects, including the research and analysis of legislation, court decisions, and government policies. In this role, she also engages with law students and law faculties to ensure relevancy and legal accuracy of CIAJ’s educational programs. In her free time, Sarah enjoys volunteering, playing guitar, and supporting local theatre.

David recently graduated from the University of Ottawa Common Law program, having previously obtained a master’s degree in Political Studies from Queen’s University. While in law school, he conducted legal research pertaining to law reform for groups such as the Ottawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, and served as the Canadian Bureau Chief of the international legal news site JURIST. In his spare time, David enjoys finding new music, listening to podcasts, and watching his soccer team lose.