Dr. Ann Cavoukian is Ontario's first Information and Privacy Commissioner to be reappointed for a second term. Initially appointed in 1997, her role in overseeing the operations of the freedom of information and privacy laws in Canada's most populous province was extended to 2009. Like the Auditor General, she serves as an officer of the legislature, independent of the government of the day.

Dr. Cavoukian is recognized as one of the foremost privacy experts in the world. In 2003, a leading privacy publication announced Dr. Cavoukian as The Privacy Manager of the Year. In 2005, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) presented Dr. Cavoukian with the HP/IAPP Privacy Innovation Award and later that year, she was made a member of the European Biometric Forum's International Biometric Advisory Council. Most recently, in November of 2006, Dr. Cavoukian was honoured by the Ontario Bar Association (OBA) for "her outstanding contributions to protecting privacy rights in Ontario, her inclusive leadership role in involving both the public and private sectors and her success in promoting understanding of and respect for access to information and privacy rights."

Dr. Cavoukian is also widely regarded as a distinguished speaker and is frequently called upon to present at major forums around the globe. Following a speech at the 2006 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) conference, Dr. Cavoukian once again received the designation of IABC All-Star speaker as a result of outstanding audience evaluations. Most notably, Dr. Cavoukian was invited to join the prestigious "Women of Influence" speaking series, appearing in major centres across Canada in 2006.

Dr. Cavoukian's published works include a book entitled Who Knows: Safeguarding Your Privacy in a Networked World (McGraw-Hill, 1997), written with Don Tapscott, and, most recently, The Privacy Payoff: How Successful Businesses Build Customer Trust (McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2002), written with journalist Tyler Hamilton.

Dr. Cavoukian joined the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner in 1987, during its start-up phase, as its first Director of Compliance. In 1990, she was appointed Assistant Commissioner. Prior to joining the IPC, she headed the Research Services Branch for the provincial Attorney General. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in criminology and law, and lectured on psychology and the criminal justice system.