The Honourable Tony Wakeham, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, announced a number of senior appointments today.
These include:
Jamie Chippett is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands, and as Deputy Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, on an acting basis.
John Cowan is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Government Services.
David Drover is confirmed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance.
Judith Hearn is appointed as Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Sharlene Jones is appointed as Deputy Minister of Women and Gender Equality.
Craig Martin is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Energy and Mines.
Darrin Pike is appointed as Deputy Minister of K-12 Education, in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.
Heather Tizzard is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development.
Mike Tizzard is appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, on an acting basis.
These appointments are effective immediately.
Biographical information is below, followed by a complete list of departments and their deputy ministers.
Quote
“I’m pleased to welcome these dedicated public service employees as they take on their new roles. By working together, we’ll support families facing the rising cost of living, strengthen our communities’ safety, improve access to quality healthcare, and responsibly manage our natural resources.”
Honourable Tony Wakeham
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
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Biographical Information
Jamie Chippett
Jamie Chippett started his career with the public service of Newfoundland and Labrador under the Graduate Recruitment Program in 2001. He has served as the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture since September 2022. Previous Deputy Minister appointments include Tourism, Culture, Arts, and Recreation; Service Newfoundland and Labrador; Municipal Affairs and Environment, including responsibility for Fire Services, Emergency Services, and the Climate Change Branch; Municipal Affairs; Environment and Conservation; and Transportation and Works. From February 2017 to January 2019, he also served as the Chair of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board. His earliest executive appointments included the positions of Deputy Clerk of the Executive Council and Associate Secretary to Cabinet and Assistant Secretary to Cabinet, Economic Policy. Prior to his executive roles, Mr. Chippett held a variety of policy-related positions with the Departments of Labrador and Indigenous Affairs; Tourism, Culture and Recreation; Executive Council; and the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat. Mr. Chippett is a member of Newman Sound Men’s Choir and serves on its Board of Directors. He also coaches girls baseball with Mount Pearl Minor Baseball Association as well as girls volleyball in the junior high school system. Mr. Chippett holds a Bachelor of Science, Honours, and Master of Science from Memorial University. He has also completed the Public Executive Program at Queen’s University.
John Cowan
John Cowan began his career with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2000 and was most recently the Deputy Minister for Industry, Energy and Technology. Prior to that, Mr. Cowan was the Assistant Secretary to Cabinet for Economic Policy with the Office of the Executive Council. Mr. Cowan has held various other executive and senior positions with the Government including the Assistant Deputy Minister of Energy, the Executive Director of Planning and Coordination, Director of Electricity and Alternative Energy, Director of Energy Policy, and the Director of Resource and Fiscal Policy. Mr. Cowan has worked with the Office of Executive Council, the former Department of Natural Resources, Intergovernmental Affairs, the former Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the House of Assembly, the Department of Health and Community Services, Department of Finance, and the former Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. Mr. Cowan holds a Master of Business Administration, Master of Employment Relations, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Education degrees from Memorial University.
David Drover
David Drover joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2000 with the Department of Finance. Since that time, he has served in several financial management positions within Treasury Board Secretariat including Manager of Public Accounts and Banking Services, Director of Financial Systems Control and Director of Government Accounting. He has also served in a number of executive roles including the Comptroller General of Finance, Assistant Deputy Minister of Finance for Treasury Management and Budgeting and, most recently, as the Deputy Minister of Finance on an acting basis. Mr. Drover holds a Bachelor of Commerce (co-op) from Memorial University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Judith Hearn
Judith Hearn joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2008 and most recently served as Deputy Minister of Government Modernization and Service Delivery. Before this role, Ms. Hearn served in senior executive positions in a variety of departments including as Deputy Minister in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, the Office of Women and Gender Equality, the Office of Public Engagement, the Department of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development and the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Recreation. Prior to joining the Provincial Government, Ms. Hearn worked in the private sector, engaged in the development and growth of export-oriented technology companies, and as a teacher in the K-12 education system. Ms. Hearn holds a Bachelor of Education from Memorial and a Bachelor of Arts (History) from Carleton University.
Sharlene Jones
Sharlene Jones was appointed as Deputy Minister, Jobs, Immigration and Growth, in June 2024. Prior to this, Ms. Jones held various Assistant Deputy Minister positions in the Departments of Children, Seniors and Social Development and Immigration, Population Growth and Skills. Ms. Jones began her career with the Provincial Government in 1997 in the Department of Finance. Since that time, she has held several senior leadership positions across various departments including the Department of Finance, Executive Council, Health and Community Services and the former Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, as well as the Multi Materials Stewardship Board. Ms. Jones holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) Honours degree from Memorial University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Craig Martin
Mr. Martin most recently served as Associate Deputy Minister for Energy with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In this role, he was responsible for energy files, including the renewables sector, the oil and gas sector and the electricity sector. He has been with the Provincial Government for over 30 years. He has served in various roles during his career with the Provincial Government, most of these roles with either Department of Finance or Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (the former Department of Natural Resources). Mr. Martin has also served as a Board member for the Society of Management Accountants of NL, Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation, the Marble Mountain Development Corporation, and the Business Investment Corporation. He is a graduate of Memorial University, Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) program, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA).
Darrin Pike
Darrin Pike has extensive senior management and teaching experience in the education system in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 2022, he has been with the Faculty of Education at Memorial University as the Field Coordinator. Prior to this position, he worked with the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association as an Administrative Officer. Darrin has had previous experience as Deputy Minister of Education and Deputy Minister of Advanced Education. He was also the Chief Executive Officer/Director of Education with the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District and Chief Executive Officer/Director of Education with Eastern School District. He has held several other leadership and teaching roles, including Director of the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation; Principal of Ascension Collegiate in Bay Roberts; Program Implementation Specialist with the Avalon West School District; as well as a variety of other teaching positions. Mr. Pike has a Master’s degree in Teaching and Learning, and a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education from Memorial University.
Heather Tizzard
Heather Tizzard was appointed as Deputy Minister for Women and Gender Equality in July 2025. Prior to that, she served as Associate Deputy Minister, Industry and Economic Development, in the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology; Chief Procurement Officer with the Public Procurement Agency; Assistant Deputy Minister, Municipal Infrastructure; and Assistant Deputy Minister, Municipal Finance, with the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment. Ms. Tizzard joined the provincial public service in 2000, holding several progressively responsible positions since that time. Throughout her career, in addition to the above, Ms. Tizzard has worked with Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, the former Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, the former Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and Cabinet Secretariat where she served as Cabinet Officer and Executive Director. Ms. Tizzard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Memorial University and recently completed the Professional LLM graduate program in Administrative Law through Osgoode Hall Law School.
Mike Tizzard
Mike Tizzard joined the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation in 2018 as the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services. Prior to this role, Mr. Tizzard progressed through several senior financial management positions over a period of 13 years with the Department of Health and Community Services. Mr. Tizzard holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Memorial University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.
Department Listing
- Education and Early Childhood Development
- Advanced Education and Skills – Judith Hearn
- K-12 Education – Darrin Pike
- Energy and Mines – Craig Martin
- Environment, Conservation and Climate Change – Valerie Snow
- Finance – David Drover
- Fisheries and Aquaculture – Jamie Chippett (A)
- Forestry, Agriculture and Lands – Jamie Chippett
- Government Services – John Cowan
- Health and Community Services – John McGrath
- Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat – Gillian Skinner
- Jobs, Growth and Rural Development – Heather Tizzard
- Justice and Public Safety – Karen Stone
- Labrador Affairs – Jason Higgins
- Municipal and Community Affairs – Candice Ennis-Williams
- Office of the Chief Information Officer – Blair White
- Office of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation – Jason Higgins
- Office of Women and Gender Equality – Sharlene Jones
- Seniors – Jeannine Herritt
- Social Supports and Well-Being – Tracy King
- Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation – Carol-Ann Gilliard
- Transportation and Infrastructure – Sean Dutton
- Treasury Board Secretariat – Nadine Devereaux