Executive appointments announced

Premier Danny Williams today announced the appointment of individuals to several executive positions as follows:

• Christopher Curran, Deputy Minister, Department of Justice;
• Donald H. Burrage, QC, Associate Deputy Minister and General Counsel, Department of Justice;
• Mary Taylor-Ash, Assistant Deputy Minister (Tourism), Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation;
• Allister Taylor, Assistant Deputy Minister (Lands), Department of Environment and Conservation;
• Bill Duggan, Assistant Deputy Minister (Employment Support), Department of Municipal Affairs; and,
• Marian Fushell, Assistant Deputy Minister � Acting (Primary, Elementary and Secondary Education), Department of Education.

"The provincial public service is fortunate to have such capable and talented individuals to serve in these leadership roles," said Premier Williams. "We wish them well and look forward to their professional guidance and support in advancing our agenda on behalf of the residents of the province."

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960, 690-5500 elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

Christopher Curran
Christopher Curran has worked with the Department of Justice in several positions since 1992, having served most recently as assistant deputy minister (civil law and related services), and prior to that as solicitor, high sheriff, and director of legal policy. He has also served as staff solicitor, Newfoundland Legal Aid Commission; and executive director, Newfoundland Law Reform Commission. A barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland, Mr. Curran has a bachelor of arts and masters of arts (philosophy) from Memorial University, a bachelor of law from the University of New Brunswick, and has studied philosophy at Albert Ludwigs Universitat, West Germany. Mr. Curran also serves as a lecturer in ethics and moral philosophy at Memorial University�s Department of Philosophy, and has served as a tutor in medical ethics at the university�s Faculty of Medicine. He is currently serving a one-year term as immediate past president of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada, a national body that is charged with harmonizing laws among the provinces and territories within Canada.

Donald H. Burrage, QC
Donald Burrage joined the provincial government in 1993 as senior litigation counsel with the Department of Justice, and served in that position until 2001 when he became director of civil litigation. For the past three years he served in the executive position of general counsel for the department as senior legal advisor to government on a range of issues, appearing regularly in the Supreme Court of Canada, and both the Court of Appeal and Trial Division of the Supreme Court of the province. Mr. Burrage has a bachelor of arts and master of business administration from Memorial University, and bachelor of laws from Dalhousie University. He is also an active civic volunteer.

Mary Taylor-Ash
Mary Taylor-Ash has 18 years management experience, primarily in the private sector. Most recently she worked as a tourism human resource consultant. Her previous employment includes executive director, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador; director of sales and marketing, and earlier as director of human resources, The Fairmont Newfoundland; manager of projects and programs, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador; sales manager, Air Atlantic; and, concierge, Hotel Newfoundland. In 2001, she received Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador�s Golden Umbrella Award for contribution to professional development in the tourism industry. Ms. Taylor-Ash has a bachelor of arts (honours) and bachelor of education from Memorial University.

Allister Taylor
Allister Taylor served since 2000 as assistant deputy minister (mines) with the Department of Natural Resources. Prior to that his other positions with government include resource policy and planning analyst with the Department of Mines and Energy, manager of economic impact analysis for the project and program analysis division of the Department of Finance, and senior energy analyst with the former Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Taylor holds a bachelor of arts (economics) from Rhode Island College and has collaborated on a number of major reports in the area of energy efficiency and management.

Bill Duggan
Bill Duggan has been a provincial government employee for 27 years, beginning with the Public Service Commission. In his most recent position as director of policy and planning with the Public Service Secretariat, his primary responsibility for the past several years was the development and implementation of a human resource strategy for the public service. He has also served as analyst with Cabinet Secretariat, and as manager with Treasury Board Secretariat�s Centre for Learning and Development. Mr. Duggan has a bachelor of social work from Memorial University, and a masters of education from the University of Toronto.

Marian Fushell
Marian Fushell began her career in the education system in 1976 as a mathematics and science teacher and has held a number of teaching and administrative positions in the K � 12 school system. She came to government in 1992 as an evaluation consultant with the Department of Education, working in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and French for Grades K � 12. Since 2000 she has served as director of evaluation and research. She has also taught university level courses on student assessment for pre-service education students. Ms. Fushell holds a master of education degree from Memorial University, as well as bachelor�s degrees in both science and education and in July 2006 will have completed a Ph.D. in measurement and testing from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. She is married and has three children, Brian, Tina, and Anthony.

Media contact: Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier (709) 729-3960, 690-5500 elizabethmatthews@gov.nl.ca

2006 05 04                                          2:00 p.m.