Public Policy at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy | University of Toronto

SPPG’s new series featuring standout alumni kicks off with Deloitte consultant and recent MPP graduate Ryan Maisonneuve.

Ryan Maisonneuve graduated from the MPP programme in June of 2017 and is now a Consultant in Deloitte Canada’s Strategy and Operations consulting group in the Public Sector Transformation practice. His work focuses on modernizing and transforming government operations, and helping clients leverage their significant data assets to make better evidence-based decisions. He has experience working in a range of domains including education, human capital, employment, social services, housing, human rights and environment. Prior to joining Deloitte, Ryan spent four years working in the public and social services sectors. 

How did you come to work at Deloitte?

After working in government I realized there were a lot of opportunities for transformation that were not necessarily in my job description. One thing with consulting is, we have the ability to work with our clients and provide recommendations to enhance their processes and better their services. It really gives us a voice to make meaningful recommendations to influence service delivery on a much grander scale. I also think the reason I transitioned  to the private sector was  thinking about my career progression more generally and the skills that I wanted to develop.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Deloitte?

I’ve thought about this, and I think the short answer is the people. There are so many people at Deloitte with different perspectives, skill sets, and expertise – it is a really collaborative environment. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, everyone has their own perspective, and that’s what really makes our team strong – the diversity of people, experiences, and thought. It’s a great working environment and a fun place to be. At the end of the day you can say you had an impact on improving government operations.

How does your work use and build on the skills that you learned at SPPG?

My work builds heavily on the analytic skills I developed at SPPG. The program developed my deeper knowledge of policy and process, and also higher-level ways of thinking when it comes to solving large public problems. SPPG as a program has a big emphasis on evidence-based analysis, which directly relates to my work at Deloitte. We really strive to provide fact-based recommendations, and the training at SPPG really focuses on that.

In retrospect, what parts of your experience at SPPG do you think were the most valuable?

Again, I’d say the people. My SPPG experience wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for the people I met along the way. From the administration to the faculty to the student body, everyone contributed in shaping my SPPG experience. There’s definitely a close-to-home feel with SPPG; the school does an amazing job of making students feel like they have a home within the greater U of T ecosystem. They really care about the students.

I think the courses and the focus on quantitative methods and economics were the most valuable, because it was a skill going into the program that I hadn’t fully developed yet – and that’s what I use the most at Deloitte.

What advice would you give current or prospective students to make the most of their time at SPPG?

Challenge yourself! What I’ve learned is that being open to new opportunities and new ways of thinking is always going to get you a step ahead, and getting involved with extracurriculars is a good way to do that.

I was heavily involved in extracurriculars – I was a consultant for the Public Good Initiative, part of the SPPG student association, a delegate for the Ford+SPPG Conference, co-founded a newLGBTQ+ student initiative at the school. SPPG has all the tools – it’s up to the students to take those tools and run with them. It’s all about not being afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

SPPG does so much to give students the opportunities to work with your colleagues and meet new people, and it’s up to the students to take advantage of those events and opportunities. For me, it’s really about collaborating and learning new things. SPPG really had that prepared and laid out for the students to take advantage of.

Challenge yourself, get involved. That’s what makes the school different – it’s a place where there are boundless opportunities.