Jennie Carignan
Brigadier-General
Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration
Jennie Carignan became the first woman in the history of the Canadian Armed Forces to command a combat unit. A brigadier-general and commander of the 2nd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force (East), this pioneering woman has over 10,000 soldiers under her command and is the highest ranking officer in the province of Québec.
Jennie Carignan enrolled in 1986 and has since served in numerous command positions, having risen formidably through the ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces. She has served in a number of overseas deployments over the course of her career, including in Bosnia Herzegovina, the Golan Heights, and Kandahar (Afghanistan). In recognition of her military service, Carignan was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Governor General's Order of Military Merit. She was also named one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women's Executive Network in 2011 and received La Fondation de l'Université Laval's prestigious Gloire de l'Escolle medal in 2016.
Brigadier General Carignan is known for her perseverance, resilience, and love of the arts, especially dance. She consistently demonstrates an exceptional ability to resolve complex conflicts, employing a management style characterized by strong interpersonal relationships and a keen understanding of the human element. In addition to her graduate level management studies at Université Laval, Carignan holds a bachelor of engineering degree in fuels and materials from the Royal Military College of Canada. She is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies, where she earned a master of military art and science degree.
Jennie Carignan is married and a mother of four.