The role of the President is to provide counsel to members on strategies and approaches to government to represent members’ points of view on policy, legislation, or other actions; coordinate research and develop information material to support members’ views or as a response to government requests; forecast and evaluate the effects of public policy on members and keep them informed of developments.

Dr. Macdonald retired as President of PACIU effective September 30, 2025.

Dr. Jeff Zabudsky has over 30 years of experience within post-secondary and polytechnic leadership roles, both in Canada and internationally. Throughout his career, he has championed applied education as a transformative instrument to enrich lives and contribute to thriving communities.

Experience

Prior to his appointment as President of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in 2023, Dr. Zabudsky was Provost for the American University of Bahrain, having also served as CEO for Bahrain Polytechnic. Before his career took him to the Middle East, Dr. Zabudsky was President and Vice Chancellor for Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. He has also served as President and CEO of Red River College Polytechnic and Vice President, Academic at Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology.

Dr. Zabudsky is Chair of the Board of Directors for the British Columbia Association of Institutes and Universities (BCAIU) and Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Skilled Trades Training Consortium. In addition, he is active on the boards for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the Post Secondary Employers’ Association, and Invest Vancouver. Previously, he chaired municipal United Way campaigns for both Oakville and Winnipeg.

Accomplishments

Dr. Zabudsky has been honoured with distinguished alumni awards from Toronto Metropolitan University and Athabasca University. He has also received an award for the employment of Indigenous people from the Inter Provincial Association for Native Employment (IANE) and is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.

Dr. Zabudsky holds a PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Alberta, a Master’s degree in Distance Education from Athabasca University, and a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Dr. Trish Kelly was appointed President + Vice Chancellor at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in June of 2024, after serving in the interim capacity for one year. Prior to that, she held a series of administrative roles at the institution, including Vice President Academic + Provost (2019-23), and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (2017-19). Kelly holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia, an MA from Tufts University, and a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Before coming to ECU in 2011, she was an Associate Professor at DePaul University in Chicago, and the Chair of the Universitywide Honours Program.

As an art historian and educator, Kelly’s writings on contemporary art have been published in various
peer-reviewed venues including Art Journal, American Art, the Journal of Curatorial Studies, and The Sixties: A Journal of History, Politics, and Culture. Her research involves a range of subjects including minimal art and abstraction, art and politics, alternative art networks, and time and duration in new media production.

Throughout, an interest in viewership, and artmaking as a critical form of knowledge production, is central. Her current book project, On-Site: Art, Politics, and Viewers (New York, circa 1970), explores modes of critical and embodied viewership explored in artist run-centres and alternative art networks of the early 1970s.

Kelly is committed to collaborative and inclusive leadership models, and service in the public sector. She
has served on various Boards and advisory committees, including the Food Stash Foundation, which
champions food security, zero waste, and sustainable agriculture; and the Academic Governance and
Strategic Planning Committee of the CDM (Centre for Digital Media, Vancouver BC), which fosters
partnerships between post-secondary institutions.

Additionally, she has been an active member of
AICAD (the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design), serving on the DEI Task Force and
helping to develop and implement the AICAD BIPOC Academic Leadership Institute.

Dr. James Mandigo began his tenure as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley on July 1, 2025. He brings 25 years of experience in post-secondary education, with a focus on student-centred learning, international engagement, and building strong community partnerships.

Dr. Mandigo believes universities play a vital role in supporting the social and economic well-being of the regions they serve, a view that aligns closely with UFV’s mission to engage learners, transform lives, and build community. He has consistently emphasized the importance of collaboration across disciplines and communities to create meaningful educational experiences that help prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world.

Before becoming UFV’s President, Dr. Mandigo served as the university’s Provost and Vice-President, Academic from 2019 to 2025, including a one-year term as Acting President. Prior to joining UFV, he held several senior academic leadership roles at Brock University, including Vice-Provost, Enrolment Management and International; Co-Director, Centre for Healthy Development through Sport and Physical Activity; and Interim Dean, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. He holds a PhD in Physical Education and Recreation from the University of Alberta, a master’s degree from Laurentian University, and a bachelor’s degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.

An active researcher throughout his career, Dr. Mandigo is internationally recognized for his work in physical literacy, life skills development, and sport for social change. He has collaborated with partners including the International Olympic Committee and Right to Play, with a particular focus on violence prevention through education in Central America.

Dr. Mandigo is the author of one book, ten book chapters, and forty-five peer-reviewed journal articles. He has delivered over 120 invited and refereed conference presentations and received multiple national awards for his contributions to physical and health education, including the Award of Distinction from the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association in 2019, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from Physical and Health Education Canada in 2015.

Bringing more than 30 years of experience in post-secondary education across Canada, Dr. Johnson most recently served as president of the College of New Caledonia (CNC) from 2019 to 2023. Since his time at CNC, he has stayed active in higher education and has been providing consulting services, including working with several institutions on finance and organizational improvement projects. Prior to his time at CNC, he held several senior leadership roles at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, including provost and vice-president academic, and vice-president strategy and business development. 

He began his academic career as an instructor at Mohawk College and later taught at Okanagan University College and Thompson Rivers University, where he also held leadership positions. Originally from British Columbia, Dr. Johnson is widely respected for his collaborative leadership style and his deep commitment to student success and community engagement. 

Dr. Johnson holds a PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Saskatchewan, a Master of Education in Post-Secondary Studies from Memorial University of Newfoundland, a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education from Brock University and a Carpentry Certificate of Qualification and Certificate of Apprenticeship from British Columbia.

A proven leader in public safety and post-secondary leadership, Len joined JIBC as President and CEO in July 2024, coming full circle from his days as a recruit in the JIBC Police Academy at the start of his distinguished 34-year policing career.

With over a decade of governance experience in higher education, Mr. Goerke has served on the Boards of Governors for both JIBC and the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). His previous roles include serving as Chief Constable of West Vancouver Police (WVPD) and Deputy Chief Constable of Abbotsford Police.

Mr. Goerke taught at both JIBC and UFV, earned a master of arts in conflict analysis and management from Royal Roads University and completed the Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business. He is committed to the principles of Truth and Reconciliation.

He served on the Boards of Directors of Klahanee Park Housing Society and the University of the Fraser Valley Properties Development Corporation. He also served on the boards of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police, the Restorative Justice Association of BC, and the Capilano Senior Citizens Housing Society.

Mr. Goerke has been recognized with the Order of Merit of Police Forces, the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Police Exemplary Service Medal.

NVIT is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. John Chenoweth as its new President & CEO. Dr. Chenoweth, a member of the Upper Nicola Indian Band (Okanagan Nation) in the Nicola Valley of British Columbia, brings a wealth of experience and a lifelong dedication to serving Indigenous communities.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Chenoweth has worked to advance Indigenous education and has a deep commitment to supporting marginalized people within the educational system. His journey began with his graduation from the University of British Columbia’s Native Indian Teacher Education Program (NITEP), followed by a teaching career that spanned from 1994 as a schoolteacher to leadership roles as a Principal and District Principal for First Nations Education.

In 2007, Dr. Chenoweth transitioned to post-secondary education, serving in various capacities at NVIT, including Dean of Community Education, Associate Vice-President, and Vice-President Academic. His extensive leadership experience and profound knowledge of NVIT’s mission uniquely position him to guide the institution into the future.

Dr. Diane Purvey is Acting President and Vice Chancellor of Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). Prior to her current role, she served as KPU’s Provost and Vice President Academic since 2021.

Dr. Purvey first came to KPU in the early 1990s as a non-regular history instructor though her primary teaching experience in that decade came at Thompson Rivers University (TRU), when she was hired as an assistant professor in 1998. In 2000, she completed her Ph.D. from the School of Social and Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia and soon after became an associate professor.  Dr. Purvey started her administrative career first as chair of the School of Education from 2000 – 2004 and then as coordinator of its master of education program in 2006–2011, and finally returned to the chair-ship in 2011.

She became Dean of the Faculty of Arts in 2012, the largest academic division at KPU. The Faculty of Arts was the result of a merger in 2012 and Dr. Purvey oversaw not only the creation of standardized processes for the new entity but the addition of new initiatives along the way, such as the popular Arts Speaker series and the City Studio initiative.

During Dr. Purvey’s time as Provost and Vice-President, Academic, she delivered an Academic Plan, shaped teaching in the post-COVID-19 era, and advanced reconciliation, decolonization and Indigenization within the academy.  She was recognized with KPU’s distinguished leadership award in Spring 2022.