Colonel (Ret’d) Alain Pellerin is a former Senior Executive in the Canadian Armed Forces with an impressive 35-year military career.  He has extensive experience in public policy, diplomacy, and problem solving, not only in Canada but also in numerous European countries.

His career with the Department Of National Defence included his appointment with 22ieme Regiment and the Royal Welch Fusiliers (UK), and Command and Staff Appointments in Canada, the UK and Germany. He later served as a Faculty Advisor-Facilitator at the Canadian Forces Staff School, Policy Advisor Peacekeeping at the Directorate of International Policy, Senior Staff Officer Canadian Military Representative to NATO in Brussels, and Director and Deputy Director of Nuclear and Arms Control Policy.

An excellent bilingual communicator and writer with a proven track record as a mediator. He became Chief of Staff at the NATO Defense College following his Military career and ultimately was appointed as Executive Director for the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) and Conference of Defence Institute (CDAI) in 1998, where he remained until his retirement in 2014. He currently serves as an ambassador for the Never Forgotten National Memorial Foundation.

He earned an MA, Summa Cum Laude in International Relations at Boston University; BA, Honours in Economics/Political Science, at the Royal Military College of Canada; a Diploma in Political/Economic/Social/Military Aspects of Collective Security and Defense, at the NATO Defense College; and Executive-level Leadership and Conflict Management one year Course at the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College.

Colonel (Ret’d) Pellerin was appointed Officer to the Order of Military Merit (O.M.M.) in February 1995. In 2010, he was awarded the Brigadier-General George G. Bell Strategic Leadership Shield Award for Strategic Excellence by the Canadian International Council, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to promoting research in and public awareness of Canada’s defence and security interests, and his dedication to this cause through his outstanding leadership and management of the Conference of Defence associations and its Institute. He was invested into the Order of St. George in 2014.