Mr. Léger was appointed to the NB Police Commission in 2017 and was appointed as Chair October 7, 2021 after holding the position of Vice-Chair for nearly 2 years.  Mr. Léger’s expertise relates to the machinery and process of government. His career in the New Brunswick public service extended over 26 years. He served as Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to Cabinet from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that he served as Deputy Minister in the Departments of Health; Post Secondary Education, Training and Labour; and Public Safety where he developed an understanding of policing and law enforcement. During his career in the civil service, he was recognized as a mentor to his peers and to the next generation of civil servants, and for his ability to forge productive partnerships.

In May 2015, Mr. Léger was one of three commissioners appointed to the New Brunswick Commission on Hydraulic Fracturing, a contentious and complex social and economic file. His participation on the commission demonstrated his ability to work on complex issues and build bridges with people with opposing views.

An active member of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), Mr. Léger is currently on the board for the Fredericton chapter. He is chair of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration and the Donald G. Dennison Award for Public Administration created in 2016 for public servants both under the patronage of the Lieutenant Governor. Mr. Léger holds a bachelor’s degree in Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Arts (Philosophy) from the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Carleton University.

Ms. Ward was appointed to the Police Commission in 2021. Ms. Ward graduated from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology 1986). Ms. Ward was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Commission in 2024.

Ms. Ward’s career spanned 32 years with the Correctional Service of Canada in the Atlantic Region where she worked in various positions in institutions and regional headquarters.  Her expertise is in security and in particular in the areas of emergency response, security intelligence, and use of force.   During her career Ms. Ward was a member of the Atlantic Region Correctional Service of Canada Executive Committee.
 

Marie Eve Chartrand was appointed to the NB Police Commission in 2025. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) in 2004 from Université de Sherbrooke and has since worked with Correctional Service Canada in New Brunswick and Quebec, in both penitentiary and community settings. Since 2022, she has taken on an investigation role for their national headquarters to assist in preventing incidents from occurring in the future.

Ms. Palser was appointed to the New Brunswick Police Commission in 2025. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Psychology from Université de Moncton, earned in 2011. Her professional journey began with the City of Moncton, where she supported City Council operations within the Clerk’s office for four years before transitioning to business administration. During this transition, she played a pivotal role in establishing a new bylaw enforcement department by ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. In 2018, she assumed responsibility for all city licensing and judicial file preparation related to offences.

Since 2021, Ms. Palser has managed bylaw enforcement and liability insurance claims for the City of Dieppe. She develops and implements the department’s operational plan, manages the annual budget, and leads the daily operations of bylaw enforcement officers. Committed to fostering positive community relations, Ms. Palser emphasizes collaboration and educational initiatives over punitive actions, when appropriate, to build public confidence and enhance community well-being. In addition, as a Certified Lean Six Sigma professional, she leads process improvement projects within municipal operations.

Ms. Palser actively volunteers on several committees and serves on the Mental Health Review Board and the Family Income Security Appeals Board in New Brunswick. Through her work with the New Brunswick Police Commission, she strives to promote accountability and integrity in policing services across the province.

Ms. Stewart (formerly Maillet) was appointed to the NB Police Commission in 2022. She obtained her undergraduate degree in 2009 from the Université of Moncton, before graduating with her law degree in 2013 from the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Over the past decade, Ms. Stewart has enjoyed working in New Brunswick as a lawyer in private practice, in addition to spending a brief term as deputy clerk of the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick for the Judicial District of Miramichi. In 2020, Ms. Stewart obtained her Mediation for Professionals Certificate from Herzing College and she is currently pursuing her Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, with anticipated graduation in 2023.

Ms. Stewart joins the NB Police Commission fuelled by a strong passion for our justice system and belief in promoting conflict resolution through restorative justice and methods of alternative dispute resolution. Ms. Stewart’s contribution to the NB Police Commission will seek to encourage and promote the fair, independent and trusted citizen oversight of policing in New Brunswick.

Jennifer Smith has served as Executive Director of the New Brunswick Police Commission since 2019. With more than 30 years of experience in public service, she brings deep expertise in police oversight, administrative and criminal law, and organizational change.

Ms. Smith began her career as a police officer with the Miramichi Police Force (1995–2001) before joining the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, where she served for over a decade. From 2013 to 2019, she held senior roles within the Department of Justice and Public Safety, contributing to major initiatives in oversight, investigations, and process improvement.

She has been a member of the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (CACOLE) Board of Directors since 2019, was elected Vice-President in 2022, and became President in 2024.