Chief Administrative Officer | gontina@youngdiplomats.ca

Laval, QC

Gontina is a young public policy and administration professional with experience across the federal public service, politics, research, and the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as an Acting Senior Program Advisor at Canadian Heritage, where she works on official languages and multiculturalism programming.

With a strong interest in international affairs and youth engagement, Gontina has contributed to initiatives advancing youth participation in public and international affairs, including through Model United Nations and Young Diplomats of Canada. Her work has included project coordination, event planning, and collaboration with committees and partners. In 2024, she received the Sami-Aoun Medal in recognition of her community involvement.

Gontina holds a Master’s degree in Applied Political Studies, specializing in Public and International Policy, from the Université de Sherbrooke, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal. Her graduate research explored the relationship between Canadian immigration policy and economic conditions. She is currently pursuing graduate studies in law, where her research focuses on immigration, institutional delays, and time as a source of harm.

Of Haitian heritage and based in Laval, Gontina is particularly interested in issues of representation, inclusion, and community engagement.