Ima Okonny (she/her)

As Chief Data Officer at ESDC, Ima spearheads enterprise-wide initiatives to advance Data Science, Data Management, Data Sharing, and responsible data-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, directly supporting policy development, operational efficiency, service delivery, and results reporting across the department.

Over her 25-year career in the data and analytics domain, Ima has been instrumental in driving significant enhancements to the evidence base and has successfully established Data Literacy programs, Data Strategies, and Policies. She has also led the development of Artificial Intelligence and Data Ethics Frameworks, along with core tools for assessing and managing data-related risks.

Before joining ESDC, Ima served in an executive role at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, where she led a team dedicated to the effective collection, governance, and management of data from federally regulated financial institutions and pension plans. Her career also includes key roles at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, where she led the development of analytical data tools and research databases critical to performance measurement, policy development, program monitoring, and results reporting.

Ima’s earlier experience includes positions with the Canada Revenue Agency and Statistics Canada. Ima’s educational background is in Mathematics, Computer Programming, and Public Management. Her leadership and achievements within the Government of Canada have been recognized with numerous awards, including the prestigious Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ Award by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) and the global Insight 250 award, celebrating her contributions to data-driven insights and impactful leadership.