13 Questions With: Debra Power

March 11, 2014

Senior IM Analyst, Cogniva Information Solutions

A hero who has inspired you in your career?

I don’t really have a hero, but I have a number of female executives that have inspired me during my career: Lynn Kauffman previous VP PCDocs, Carina Vani Director CGI, and Darlene Kelly COO/CFO Teramach.

The first job you ever held and at what age?

Sold programs and 50/50 tickets at Junior Hockey games here in Ottawa.

Your first position in the library and/or information services field?

I worked to develop a library database for House of Commons Program Review.

Coolest thing in your cubicle or office?

The group of IM Analysts that are super young and have the coolest (and to me the funniest) conversations!

What is your guilty pleasure?

I read totally non work related novels.

Career advice – what’s your top tip?

Look people directly in the eyes when you are delivering good and or bad news.

What useless skill(s) do you possess?

I memorize licence plates. Seriously I have the ability to recall plates.

Proudest moment in your professional life?

Early at CGI two members of my team received awards while I was mentoring them.

If you had 24 hours all to yourself, how would you best like to spend it?

Walk my dog, go to yoga class, take a long bath, drink a glass of white wine (preferably Kim Crawford), read a non-work novel, walk my dog again, and, finally, watch NCIS, then go to bed.

If you didn’t work in the information industry, what would you be doing?

Teaching Yoga and be a personal trainer.

Finish this sentence: “In high school, I would have been voted the person most likely to … “

…be a lawyer.

How do you stay current in your field?

Read and speak to my colleagues. They are the best source of information.

What would you like your headstone to read?

Loyal, Friendly, and mean when needed!