ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ

Announcing a leadership transition at ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ (December 9, 2024)
To members of the ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ community:

Current President and CEO, Ms. Shawna Garrett, has advised us that she is resigning from ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ to take up the role of Registrar and Associate Vice-President of Enrolment at Sheridan College. This is an exciting professional opportunity for Shawna and builds not only on her significant leadership at ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ but on her more than twenty-five years of experience in registrarial, enrolment, student services and international education portfolios in both secondary and post-secondary institutions, nationally and internationally.

We are immensely grateful to Shawna for her thoughtful and professional work as President and CEO. Under her leadership and with the support of the board and the membership, ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ has increased its funding support, strengthened its engagement with provincial and federal governments and related agencies, and created great value for members of our unique international education cooperative, still the only one of its kind in Canada. Over the past three years, ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ launched Nova Scotia’s Agent Training program, a new Post-Graduation Immigration Support Program, the Study and StayTM – Nova Scotia Foundations Program, and has successfully onboarded MyCredsTM across Nova Scotia’s post-secondary and trades ecosystems. Additionally, ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ has launched iCent app technology to support most of ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ’s programs to connect international students with resources. In addition, Shawna led a review of the governance, finance and risk responsibilities of ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ and its board and has digitized ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ’s financial infrastructure. As a result, ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ is in a very strong position financially and from a governance perspective. Further, Shawna has demonstrated considerable advocacy for international education, provincially and nationally – and I have every expectation that she will continue to advance these themes in her new position. Please join me in wishing Shawna well in her new role as she begins her appointment at Sheridan College on December 9th.

I’m very pleased to welcome Ms. Chantal Brine as Interim President and CEO, on a part-time basis, effective December 9. Chantal is an experienced entrepreneur, human resources and management consultant and is no stranger to ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ, having worked with the organization for over nine years. Chantal was ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ’s partner in the creation of the very first Study and Stay Program. Her knowledge of ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ, its internal operations and mission make her an ideal leader during this time of transition. While Chantal will focus on internal operations, I will take on responsibilities for government relations and liaison with ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ partners. On behalf of the Board, I express gratitude to Chantal for taking on this new leadership opportunity.

The Board will commence the search for a permanent President and CEO early in January 2025.

Robert Summerby-Murray
Chair, ͬ³ÇÔ¼ÅÚ Board of Directors