Ms Juliette Gundy
Ms Juliette Gundy is a Canadian diplomat with over 20 years’ experience in the fields of foreign policy, security sector reform and governance. She has worked for the Government of Canada, serving in the Departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister, and has deployed to NATO and United Nations missions. In August 2024, she was appointed to the role of Director of Strategic Communication, Representation and Outreach within NATO Mission Iraq.
After obtaining a Master’s Degree from the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa, Canada in 2003, Ms Gundy worked for the United Nations Development Programme in Eritrea on Mine Action. She then joined the Canadian Department of National Defence as a Policy Advisor in 2004, working in Canada’s integrated military-civilian headquarters on NATO Policy, international disarmament and Parliamentary Affairs. During this time, she also served in Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York as an Advisor for General Assembly negotiations.
Ms Gundy joined Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs in 2008, managing stabilization programming for Sudan and South Sudan. She served in the United Nations Mission in Sudan as a Security Sector Reform Advisor based in Juba (2010-11), supporting whole-of-government planning at the time when South Sudan voted for and declared independence. On a leave of absence from the Canadian Government, she served as a Policy and Program Advisor in the New Zealand civil service (2012-13) in support of earthquake recovery in Christchurch, New Zealand.
After obtaining a Mid-Career Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Ms Gundy served as a Senior Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Privy Council Office, providing advice and coordination in support of Canada’s Prime Minister, Cabinet and the National Security Advisor (2014-2017), with a focus on national security, emergency management and disaster preparedness.
Ms Gundy re-joined Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs in 2017 to establish and lead an international pilot project to increase the deployment of uniformed women to United Nations Peacekeeping Missions, working with Troop and Police Contributing Countries, the UN, think tanks and civil society to create financial mechanisms, partnerships and support innovative research. From 2021-2023, she served as the Head of the African Union Liaison Unit in the Embassy of Canada in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, supporting the expansion of Canada’s relationship with this continental body, including holding the first High-Level Dialogue between Canada and the African Union Commission at the Head of Government level.
Ms Gundy joined NMI in September 2023 as the Deputy Head of the Specialised Programme Coordination Office, and was appointed as NMI’s Director of Strategic Communication, Representation and Outreach in August 2024.
Ms Gundy is a recipient of Canada’s Peacekeeping Service Medal, and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs’ prestigious Award of Excellence for Policy and Program Development.