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Meet our team.

Administration

Catherine Thibault

Catherine Thibault, Director

Catherine Thibault has been the director of the University of Ottawa’s Legal Practice Program (LPP) since August 2025. She holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Bachelor of Civil Law (LL.L.) from the University of Ottawa, as well as a Bachelor of Social Sciences with a specialization in international development and globalization. She is currently completing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Fredericton in New Brunswick.

Ms. Thibault has been a member of the Ontario Bar since 2019. A former LPP candidate from 2017–2018, she has mentored subsequent cohorts of candidates. A proud Acadian and Franco-Ontarian, Ms. Thibault has always been committed to ensuring access to justice in French in Ontario. Her passion for this cause began during her time as an intern and then as a project manager at the Association des juristes d'expression française de l'Ontario (AJEFO). She has continued to support Francophones and Francophiles in minority communities through her work with the Ontario provincial government, a Canadian government agency, and the Court Challenges Program.

Since her time as a university student, Ms. Thibault has been involved in various community organizations, serving on their boards of directors and executive committees.

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Élodie Dezard, Assistant

Élodie Dezard studied law in Quebec and in Paris. She holds a master's degree in business law from the Université Panthéon-Assas and a certificate in civil law from the Université de Montréal. Before joining PPD, she worked as an interpreter for an administrative tribunal and as a substitute teacher for various school boards in the Outaouais region. She joined the LPP team in November 2019.

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Quetsia Longendja Bongolo, Legal Project Manager

Ms. Quetsia Longendja Bongolo has been the Legal Project Lead for the Law Practice Program since June 2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal and criminological law from the university of Kinshasa, as well as a College Diploma in Public Relations from La Cité. Her academic and professional career reflects a particular interest in criminal law, public relations, project management, and entrepreneurship. She has also expanded her skill set by obtaining various certificates in areas such as social media and project management.

Focusing on the promotion and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, she is actively involved in the political arena, convinced of their crucial importance in shaping public policy. She also sits on various boards of directors and executive committees.

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George Gao, Legal Project Manager

De Zhong (George) Gao trained as a criminal lawyer. He has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 2023. He studied political science at McGill University (2013) and civil law at Université de Montréal (2017). He is also completing a Master's degree in applied criminology, penology and management at the University of Cambridge in England.

He worked as a judicial assistant at the Federal Court (2023-2024). He has also worked as a civil servant for Employment and Social Development Canada and Parks Canada. Mr. Gao is fluent in French, English, German, Spanish, Mandarin and Welsh. He has a working knowledge of Croatian and Latin.

He joined the LPP team in January 2025.

Advisory Committee Members

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Maître Ronald Caza

Partner at CazaSaikaley LLP

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Maître Laurie Joe

Lawyer at the West End Legal Services and judge of the Ontario Superior Court, Small Claims Division

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Maître Amélie Lavictoire

Executive legal officer and director of the Law Clerk Program at the Federal Court of Appeal

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Professor Pacifique Manirakiza

Vice-Dean of the French Common Law Program at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law

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Maître Andrée-Anne Martel

Director of the Association of French Speaking Jurists of Ontario (AJEFO)

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Maître Ignace Louis-Jean

Lawyer at Legal Aid Ontario and former PPD candidate

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Maître Nadine Rizk

Lawyer at Emond Harnden and former PPD candidate

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Maître Andrée Anne Martel

Director of the Vanier Community Services Center

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Maître Aliciadeea Le Roc

Francophone Legal Clinic of Eastern Ottawa

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The Honorable Marlyse Dumel

Judge of the Ontario Court of Justice