The Honourable Tony Wakeham, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, announced the following changes within the executive of the Provincial Government.
These include:
Carol-Ann Gilliard is appointed as Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, effective August 10, 2026.
Judith Hearn is appointed as Deputy Minister of K-12 Education, in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, effective August 10, 2026.
Sharlene Jones is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development, effective August 3, 2026. Ms. Jones will also continue to serve in her role as Deputy Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Office of the Executive Council, until August 6, 2026.
Katie Norman is appointed as Deputy Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Office of the Executive Council, effective August 7, 2026.
Lynn Taylor is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, on an acting basis, effective August 10, 2026.
Darrin Pike is appointed as Special Advisor, in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, effective August 3, 2026.
Biographical information for the appointees can be found in the backgrounder below.
Quote
“These changes within the executive will strengthen leadership across the Provincial Government and ensure we are well positioned to address priorities and meet the needs of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. I am confident these individuals in their new roles will continue to make valuable contributions to the public service and to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I wish them all the best as we continue to build a brighter future for all of us.”
Honourable Tony Wakeham
Premier, Newfoundland and Labrador
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BACKGROUNDER
Biographical Information of Executive Appointments
Carol-Ann Gilliard
Carol-Ann Gilliard has served as Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation since 2025. Prior to her appointment, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism, following her role as Director of Sector Diversification with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology. Since joining the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Ms. Gilliard has held several leadership positions, including Director of Tourism Product Development, where she led the Provincial Tourism Product Development Plan. Before entering public service, she served as the CEO of Hospitality NL for seven years and held various policy, communications, and management roles.
Ms. Gilliard holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Judith Hearn
Judith Hearn joined the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2008, most recently serving as Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Skills and Acting Deputy Minister of K-12 Education in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. She has served as Deputy Minister for a variety of departments, including Government Modernization and Service Delivery; Municipal and Provincial Affairs; Seniors, Wellness and Social Development; Tourism, Culture, and Recreation, the Office of Women and Gender Equality and the Office of Public Engagement. Ms. Hearn has also previously served in a series of senior executive positions focused on trade and export, business, innovation and economic development. Before joining the Provincial Government, Ms. Hearn worked in the private sector supporting the development and growth of export-oriented technology companies and taught in the K-12 education system.
Ms. Hearn holds a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Carleton University.
Sharlene Jones
Sharlene Jones most recently served as the Deputy Minister of the Office of Women and Gender Equality and prior to this role, was the Deputy Minister of Jobs, Immigration and Growth. Ms. Jones has held an Assistant Deputy Minister position in the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills as well as various Assistant Deputy Minister positions within Children, Seniors and Social Development.
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.
Katie Norman
Katie Norman has served as Associate Deputy Minister of Health and Community Services since January 2026. Prior to that appointment, Ms. Norman served in a range of Assistant Deputy Minister roles, including Immigration, Enforcement and Resource Services, and Public Engagement, and Executive Director of Planning and Coordination. In 2007, Ms. Norman began her career in intergovernmental affairs policy, serving in both the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and later the Government of Alberta. In 2015, Ms. Norman was recognized with a Newfoundland and Labrador Public Service Award of Excellence.
Ms. Norman holds a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University, a Master of Laws in Administrative Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in political science from Memorial University.
Lynn Taylor
Lynn Taylor most recently served as the Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism and Parks with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. In this role, she provided strategic leadership to advance the province’s tourism sector and provincial parks system, working collaboratively across government, industry, and community partners to support sustainable growth, innovation, and economic development.
Prior to her current role, Lynn served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Well-Being in Executive Council and as Special Advisor, Health Transformation, where she supported government-wide initiatives to improve health and social outcomes for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before joining the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, she was Manager of Quality of Care Newfoundland and Labrador, a health system research and evaluation program within the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University, leading work focused on health system performance, quality improvement, and evidence-informed decision-making.
Ms. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Kinesiology (Co-operative) and a Master of Business Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Darrin Pike
Darrin Pike has extensive senior management and teaching experience in the education system in Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Pike was appointed as the Deputy Minister of K-12 Education in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in October 2025. Prior to this position, he worked with the Faculty of Education at Memorial University as the Field Coordinator and the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association as an Administrative Officer. 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.