CARB-TCMPA is pleased to welcome Jennifer Bertrand, MA, CAE, ACC, as Executive Director. Ms. Bertrand is joining the organization as its first full-time staff position as part of the Board of Director’s strategic priority to build internal organizational capacity.
For almost 20 years, Ms. Bertrand has served in the public and not-for-profit sectors, most recently as the Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the College of Opticians of Alberta (COA) where she supported the college through the COVID-19 pandemic and significant changes to the regulation of health professions in the province. Prior to her work with the COA, Ms. Bertrand served as the Registrar of the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) and had the opportunity to lead implementation of a new competency-based assessment framework, including high-stakes entry-to-practice examinations for the profession. Ms. Bertrand has also enjoyed serving on various boards and committees for organizations such as the National Alliance of Canadian Opticians Regulators (NACOR), the Alberta Federation of Regulated Health Professions (AFRHP), the Canadian Association of Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA), and Technology Accreditation Canada (TAC).
On a more personal note, Ms. Bertrand has a long-term interest in eastern religious philosophy and holistic approaches to managing health. During a period of illness, she worked with a Registered Acupuncturist and TCM Practitioner and was impressed by the comprehensive assessment process and effectiveness of the treatments. She hopes to draw on her experiences as a patient and bring her passion for the profession to her work for CARB-TCMPA.
Ms. Bertrand’s initial activities for CARB-TCMPA will include building internal infrastructure, evaluating the Pan-Canadian Examinations Program, and completing an organizational assessment for the Board of Directors. This will include meeting with key stakeholders in the spring of 2023.