NANDA CASUCCI-BYRNE
Nanda Casucci-Byrne was born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the third child of Italian immigrants who came to Canada seeking a better future for themselves and their children.
She has been the Chief of Staff, Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and the Private Secretary to two Lieutenants Governor since March 2003. In her first nine months in the position she oversaw the Lieutenant Governor’s involvement in two throne speeches, the dissolution of Parliament, the calling of a provincial election, the swearing-in of a new government, two visits by a member of Canada’s Royal Family and the state funeral of a Cardinal.
She has overseen the participation of two consecutive Lieutenants Governor in more than 400 events annually. Some highlights of that vigorous calendar include the hosting of events for the Dalhi Lama, Members of Canada’s Royal Family and Royal Families from Denmark, Japan, Sweden and Belgium and, Presidents or Heads of State from South Africa, the Czech Republic, Mongolia, Poland and other countries.
She is the Executive Lead for four Aboriginal Literacy Programs initiated by former Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman in 2004. She worked with him to raise more than $8 million to sustain the literacy programs in 26 fly-in First Nation communities in Ontario’s north for more than five years. The programs are being continued by the current Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable David C. Onley, where Nanda is working with him to add a large scale computer initiative to the Aboriginal Literacy Programs.
In her previous role as Head of the Ontario Honours and Awards Secretariat, Ontario was positioned as a leader in the Canadian Honours System. The secretariat grew to be one of the largest areas of its kind in the country enjoying a solid reputation for its expertise, resources and innovations. In September 2000, she co-chaired the first National Conference on Canadian Honours and Awards in Regina.
She has held a variety of progressively responsible positions since joining the Ontario Public Service including: Manager of Materiel Management, Executive Assistant to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Corporate Services for three ministries; Regional Consultant for two ministries and Provincial Coordinator of The Young Leaders Tomorrow Program.
While attending university, Nanda was the Research Assistant to the local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). Her work focused on pollution of the Niagara River, a shared international waterway with the United States. She attended International Joint Commission Hearings, prepared position papers for the MPP to present at the hearings and delivered statements at the hearings in the absence of the MPP.
Her first job, upon graduating from university, was to work as the
Executive Assistant to a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, Ottawa.
In 2001, the Government of Ontario presented the Ontario Honours and Awards Team with a special Amethyst Award for Outstanding Achievement by Ontario Public Servants, the highest level of recognition within the Ontario Public Service. In 2002, Nanda was invested with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal by the Lieutenant Governor for her service to the Crown. For her leadership in implementing the Lieutenant Governor’s Aboriginal Literacy Programs she received the Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner’s Commendation in 2005 and invested with the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal in 2006 for advising on and supporting the provincial government’s creation of Saskatchewan’s Employee Recognition Programs. In 2007, Lieutenant Governor Bartleman invested her with the Vice-Regal Commendation for her stewardship of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office.