Board of Governors Member
Biography:
Jennifer Lynch, Q.C. was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission in March 2007, at which time she also assumed, on behalf of Canada, the Chair of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Human Rights Institutions, a United Nations-supported body. Ms. Lynch brings to the Commission an outstanding combination of skills and experience gained over 30 years in law, human rights, organizational conflict competence and corporate governance.
Ms. Lynch has served as chief executive officer in both the private and public sectors: leading the international consultancy PDG People Development Global Inc. from 1998 until her appointment as Chief Commissioner; and a federal agency, the RCMP External Review Committee (1992-1998). Ms. Lynch gained her expertise in human rights through quasi-judicial service determining grievance and discipline appeals within the Canadian policing community (1985-1998). She was also a pioneer in women’s rights, at her Ottawa law firm Lynch and Associates and later as a partner of the national law firm, Lang Michener. Ms. Lynch is world renowned for developing the field of organizational conflict competence through the implementation of Integrated Conflict Management Systems (ICMS). The Lynch ICMS Model is the foundation for many of the world’s most advanced ICMS, including the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration, the World Bank, and several Canadian federal departments and agencies. Ms. Lynch is also a respected Alternative Dispute Resolution practitioner, with particular expertise in mediation and the facilitation of complex group processes.
