100 Alumni of Influence

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Elizabeth Dowdeswell,BSHEc’66, LLD’94

Liz Dowdeswells eclectic public service career, which has included serving as Undersecretary General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, has spanned provincial, federal, and international borders and transcended traditional disciplinary lines. Her global vision and pragmatic managerial skills were shaped in Saskatchewan in positions as Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth, educational consultant, university lecturer, extension worker, and high-school teacher. She also served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Environment Canada and led a number of public inquiries into such politically sensitive issues as Canadas unemployment benefits program and federal water policy.