Office Staff
Sylvie Bédard
Executive Assistant since 2016
Sylvie Bédard joined the Office of Senator Rosa Galvez in October 2025 as Executive Assistant. She studied Computer Technology at Algonquin College in Ottawa and has built a diverse career spanning both the public and private sectors. Her professional experience includes positions at Nortel, Atomic Energy of Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada, and the Senate of Canada, where she has worked for the past nine years. She is bilingual in French and English.
Diego Montes Ferro, M.A.
Parliamentary Affairs Advisor since 2025
Diego Montes Ferro is a legislative advisor at the Senate of Canada with more than five years of experience in government, international negotiations, and climate policy. He has contributed to negotiations under the Paris Agreement (COP24–COP27) and the Montreal Protocol, supporting work on climate finance, energy-efficiency initiatives, and the phase-out of HCFCs. Before joining the Senate, he worked in Colombia’s Ministry of Environment, including in the Minister’s Office, where he advised successive Ministers, coordinated bilateral cooperation, and prepared high-level materials for multilateral engagements. He holds a Master of Arts in Public and International Affairs from the University of Ottawa and is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
Cheryl Soullière, MSc., BSc. (Hons), BA., DipSustainability
Parliamentary Research Assistant since 2023
Cheryl Soullière grew up in Northern Ontario. She attended the University of Guelph earning an Honours Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics with a minor in Microbiology. After working as a Quality Assurance Technician, Laboratory Technician, and Research Technician Cheryl earned her Master of Science in Biology from the University of Waterloo. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, a Diploma in French Language II, and a Diploma in Sustainability, also from the University of Waterloo.
Cheryl has been involved in her community for more than 30 years as a member of Girl Guides of Canada. As an accomplished scientist with a keen interest in human societies, language, culture, environment and health, and climate change she has developed distinctive research expertise. She is passionate about sustainability, protecting the environment, food security, and equity. Cheryl’s interdisciplinary background brings a unique perspective and unparalleled skill to her work which focuses on research and analysis for committee work and communications including Op-Eds and Senate speeches and statements. She is fluent in English and continues to develop her intermediate French proficiency.
Alexandra Toutant, J.D., LL.L., LL.M.
Special Assistant since 2024
Alexandra Toutant is a lawyer who is passionate about environmental law. She recently completed her LL.M. in Environmental Law and Global Sustainability at the University of Ottawa, having earned her LL.L. and J.D. from that same university. She focuses on issues relating to sustainable finance, environmental law and equality law.
Prior to working at the Senate, Alexandra clerked at the Federal Court of Canada and worked at a global law firm. She has volunteered for several legal clinics, including an environmental law clinic and a clinic for people with disabilities. She is bilingual in French and English.