Tobi Nussbaum

Early life and education

Nussbaum earned an undergraduate degree at Queen’s University, and graduated with a LLB from the University of Victoria. He holds a master’s of public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Nussbaum has also studied at the University of Freiburg and Utrecht University. He speaks English, French and German.

He moved to Ottawa in 1996 to join the Canadian foreign service.

Career

Nussbaum spent more than a decade as a diplomat in the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs International Trade and Development, including posting to the United Nations in New York City and the World Trade Organization in Geneva. He left DFATD in 2008 to become the director of operations for social development policy at the Privy Council Office. In 2012 he was appointed director general of strategic policy at the Canadian International Development Agency. In that position he was responsible for the agency's policy development and research work, economic analysis and international strategy, including policy engagement with multilateral organizations and other donors. He co-chaired the International Network on Conflict-Affected and Fragile States (INCAF) housed at the OECD. He co-founded and chaired the Beechwood Village Alliance, a coalition of residents from five neighbourhoods bordering Beechwood Avenue, and served as president and board member of the Lindenlea Community Association.

In 2014, Nussbaum took a leave of absence from the Foreign Service to run against Peter Clark, the incumbent councillor for Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward. He won the race with over 50 per cent of the vote.

In December 2014, Nussbaum was the only freshman councillor to be appointed as a committee chair by Mayor Jim Watson.