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Barry Pitcher says "when you know that what you have passed on to other police officers will eventually save lives, that is a great feeling."
Profile: Sharon Peake
AIDS policy advisor’s work fits personal goals
Sharon Peake’s commitment to the global response to HIV/AIDS made her decide to go public—into the Public Service, that is.
Sharon works as a policy advisor for the International Affairs Directorate at Health Canada. “I provide strategic policy advice related to the government’s global engagement in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” she says.
Interest began at university
But Sharon’s interest in HIV/AIDS began while she was still an undergraduate at the University of Toronto. She studied African development for her bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies, and then focused on AIDS in Africa for her master’s degree at Carleton University.
Sharon joined the Public Service through the Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program, a program to recruit people with graduate degrees and extensive policy and leadership experience.
“I chose to join the Public Service to gain experience and knowledge of the federal response to HIV/AIDS,” Sharon says. “I have experience in the not-for-profit sector, as well as with international organizations, and I felt that I needed to understand and contribute to the government perspective.
Luck and skill
my job is seeing
my education and
previous experience
influence decisions
that will benefit
people living
with HIV/AIDS around
the world."
“I am very much focused on HIV/AIDS and the dimensions that surround it, and I am lucky to have been able to find a good ‘fit’ for my interests and skills.”
A typical working day for Sharon involves researching current events, trends and issues related to HIV/AIDS and consulting with other government agencies involved in Canada’s response to the epidemic. She also writes everything from briefing materials to strategic engagement priorities.
Best part of the job
“The best part of my job,” she says, “is seeing my education and previous experience influence decisions that will benefit people around the world living with HIV/AIDS.”
Sharon says she is also impressed by the cohesiveness in the Canadian government’s response to the global response to HIV/AIDS.
“All government departments working on the response to HIV/AIDS are in very close collaboration, and I work daily with colleagues from across the government. Intersectoral action is an ingrained part of the government’s response to HIV/AIDS.”
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