Patricia Mortimer

Executive Vice-President and Secretary General

In the summer of 2011, Patricia Mortimer was appointed Executive Vice-President and Secretary General at the National Research Council. Prior to this, she had served as Vice-President, Technology and Industry Support since March 2006, and for five years as NRC’s Secretary General.

Ms. Mortimer joined NRC in 1979 as a research council officer for the Environmental Secretariat, which published scientific criteria for environmental quality. In 1985, she moved to the corporate policy group of NRC, leading it for many years, eventually adding responsibility for communications, government relations and public awareness. She also spent 10 years as executive assistant to three NRC Presidents.

A native of Ottawa, Ms. Mortimer received her BSc in Biology from Carleton University and an MSc in Plant Ecology from the University of Alberta, in the field of alpine synecology. She is a member of the Canadian Council on Animal Care and serves as Canada's representative for the International Council for Science (ICSU).