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CICan National Advisory Committees and Programs Committees

As a membership organization, CICan believes strongly in involving member institutions in decision-making and ensures they are consulted and have opportunities to provide feedback and guide our advocacy work in different domains when needed.
The organization benefits greatly from their expertise and seeks their input on a variety of topics.

In addition to our Board, CICan hosts several national advisory committees on which members are invited to sit. This allows us to engage with individuals working at different levels within our member institutions who can provide valuable insights.

CICan National Advisory Committees

The National Copyright Advisory Committee provides strategic advice to help guide CICan’s advocacy activities and its actions to support the needs, practices, policies and procedures of colleges and institutes as they relate to copyright.

Committee Members

The International Advisory Committee supports CICan in achieving its vision, mission and its goal to provide opportunities for members to work with domestic and international partners to foster and advance professional and technical education in Canada and abroad.

Committee Members

The National Indigenous Education Advisory Committee brings together college and institute leaders and professional practitioners responsible for Indigenous education. The purpose of the Committee is to provide input to CICan on advocacy priorities and positions related to Indigenous education and skills development. The committee also serves as a forum to enable college and institute leaders and Indigenous education practitioners to support each other and build capacity to serve Indigenous learners and communities across the country.

Committee Members

Staff Support

The National Government Relations Advisory Committee helps advance advocacy priorities on behalf of members, navigate the federal political and policy marketplace, build strategic partnerships with national stakeholders and advise on national programs and projects CICan delivers by leveraging the capacity and strengths of the college system to address national challenges.

Committee Members

The National Research Advisory Committee provides strategic advice on CICan advocacy priorities and federal government policies and programs which support applied research, and assists in the development of college and institute capacity in applied research.

Committee Members

Committee Members

  • Michael Barr (Co-Chair), Chief Information Officer Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Alberta Michael.Barr@sait.ca
  • Simon Collier, Director, Information Technology New Brunswick Community College (NBCC), New Brunswick Simon.Collier@nbcc.ca
  • Rick Daoust, Chief Information Officer Cambrian College Ontario College Council of Chief Information Officers (OCCIO) representative, Ontario rick.daoust@cambriancollege.ca
  • Adam Gerhard, Chief Information Officer Red River College, Manitoba agerhard@RRC.CA
  • Roy Hart, Chief Information Officer British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), British Columbia roy_hart@bcit.ca
  • Grégory Hersant, Coordonnateur au soutien à la recherche Synchronex, Quebec ghersant@synchronex.ca
  • Ali Hirji, Lead, Emerging Technologies Centre for Cyber Innovation Durham College, Ontario Ali.Hirji@durhamcollege.ca
  • Jared Hougen, Interim IT Manager Yukon University, Yukon jhougen@yukonu.ca
  • Jim Kirk, Director, Digital Innovation & Technology Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Nova Scotia Jim.Kirk@nscc.ca
  • Kathy Knight, Executive Director, Cybersecurity Technology Centre of Excellence Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, Manitoba kathy.knight@mitt.ca
  • John Levay (Co-Chair), Chief Technology Officer Niagara College, Ontario jlevay@niagaracollege.ca
  • Richard MacDonald, Manager of Integrated Technology Services Holland College, Prince Edward Island rmacdonald@hollandcollege.com
  • Leon Noseworthy, IT Manager College of the North Atlantic (CNA), Newfoundland and Labrador leon.noseworthy@cna.nl.ca
  • Terry Peckham, Research Chair, Digital Integration Centre of Excellence (DICE) Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan peckhamt@saskpolytech.ca
  • Ted Pennell, Chief Information Officer Camosun College, British Columbia pennellt@camosun.ca
  • Omair Quraishi, Associate Vice-President, Information Technology Services Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan quraishio@saskpolytech.ca
  • Tony Roy, Directeur, Technologies de l’information et des communications Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB), New Brunswick Tony.Roy@ccnb.ca
  • Katie Tuck, Chief Information Officer University of the Fraser Valley, British Columbia Katie.Tuck@ufv.ca
  • Steve Wilson, Director, Centre for Digital Transformation British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), British Columbia swilson40@bcit.ca
  • Benoit Desautels, Directeur adjoint – sécurité informationnelle et cyberdéfense, La Fédération des cégeps, Quebec Benoit.Desautels@fedecegeps.qc.ca

The CICan National Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee provides input to CICan on EDI related to its strategic priorities and activities in advocacy, building capacity and driving knowledge.It also serves as a forum to support and guide college and institute leaders and professional practitioners to better serve under-represented learners and communities across Canada.

Committee Members

Committee Members

The National Immigrant and Newcomer Integration Advisory Committee provides input to CICan on immigration and newcomer matters related to its strategic priorities and activities in advocacy, building capacity and driving knowledge.

Committee Members

CICan Programs Committees

Committee Members

Committee Members

The Skills for Success Committee provides input to CICan on the Mapping Skills for Success project initiatives. It will serve as a forum to support and guide the project that will enhance the Canadian information space on Skills for Success, support the creation of policies and programs designed to meet skills demands, and make it easier for Canadians to improve or gain essential skills.

Committee Members

  • Stéphane Côté (Co-Chair) Directeur du Bureau des admissions et du registraire, La Cité
  • Krista Medhurst (Co-Chair), Associate Dean, School of Foundational Learning, Academic and Indigenous Upgrading Programs, Bow Valley College
  • Elizabeth Barbeau, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Community Programs, Langara College
  • Ann Barbour-Stevenson, Professor, Kenanow Faculty of Education, University College of the North
  • Amanda Maknyik, Dean of Teaching, Learning and Program Quality, Durham College
  • Don Moore, Dean, Portage College
  • Hazel Richardson, Director, Academic Planning and Evaluation, New Brunswick Community College
  • Michel Simard, Directeur de la Formation continue et des services aux entreprises, Collège Lionel-Groulx
  • Tiffany Snauwaert, Dean, Community Education & Workplace Training, School of Business, School of Environment & Geomatics, Selkirk College
  • Pam Tetarenko, Associate Director, Training Group, Douglas College

CICan and Universities Canada have convened an advisory group of leaders and experts in education, civil society, and business to provide high-level strategic advice and guidance on the design and implementation of the program. In addition to informing strategic and policy issues, committee members also serve as ambassadors to build awareness and support for the program across their networks.

Committee Members

  • The Right Honourable David Johnston, Chair, Rideau Hall Foundation (chair)
  • John Baker, President & CEO, D2L
  • Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce
  • Larissa Bezo, President and CEO, Canadian Bureau for International Education
  • Margaret Biggs, Matthews Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University
  • Tabatha Bull, President & CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
  • Seren Friskie, Provincial Indigenous Wellness & Engagement Coordinator, Foundry BC
  • Zabeen Hirji, Executive Advisor, Future of Work, Deloitte
  • Elizabeth Kwan, Senior Researcher, Canadian Labour Congress
  • Louisane LeBlanc, Student Representative, Doctoral Candidate and Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Translation, Université de Montréal
  • Sue Paish, CEO, Digital Technology Supercluster
  • Christian Paradis, Former Minister of Industry and International Development
  • Ian Smith, CEO, Clearwater Seafoods

CICan’s Innovative Finance Advisory Committee (IFAC) provide strategic direction and advice to the association in its effort to design and implement a Development Impact Bond (DIB).

The IFAC comprises the following members:

  • André Gobeil, Directeur Général, Cégep de Chicoutimi
  • Bill Chislett, Director, MI International, Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland
  • Erica Barbosa, Global head of Sustainable Finance and Innovation, SecondMuse Capital
  • Jared Lee, Director of Programs, Education Outcome Fund
  • Miléna Castellnou, Principal, Education Outcome Fund
  • Jennifer Brennan, Head of Canada Programs, MasterCard Foundation
  • Marian Gayed, Vice-President, External Relations and Partnerships, Norquest College
  • Nalini Andrade, Manager, International Development Institute, Humber College