Dr. John Semple, Chief of Surgery of Women’s College Hospital, has been elected Chair of the Board of Governors of OCAD University for a one-year term as of November 14. Dr. Semple has served as a member of the board since 2012 and is also an alumnus of the institution.
David P. Holland, was elected First Vice-Chair and Sharifa Khan, Second Vice-Chair. Both will serve one-year terms. In addition, four external members were elected to three-year terms: Dr. Claude Galipeau, Idris Mootee, Paul Rowan and Jaime Watt. These additions to the board follow Mark Robert’s appointment as an external member by the Government of Ontario this past September.
“I am honoured to have been elected Chair and look forward to welcoming the new members of the board who bring such varied experiences and perspectives to our university,” said Dr. Semple.
“The new members of the board bring a wide range of skills and deep knowledge of realms including digital media, strategic foresight, venture investment, health care, industrial design, social justice and human rights,” said Dr. Sara Diamond, President and Vice-Chancellor, OCAD University. “They will add to our momentum, providing guidance to the university as it continues to grow and evolve.”
In addition, eight new internal members were elected to of the Board of Governors by their peers:
b.h. Yael, Professor, Faculty of Art (who will replace Keith Rushton as Senate Chair commencing December 1)
Nicole Collins, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Art
Roderick Grant, Chair and Associate Professor, Faculty of Design
Andre De Freitas, Manager, Financial Aid & Awards
Alvaro Araya, Enterprise Systems and Storage Architect
Ryan Murphy, graduate student
Mariano Martellacci and Emily Rourke, undergraduate students
Background:
Dr. John Semple: Chief of Surgery at Women’s College Hospital
Dr. Semple is a professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. In March 2010, he was named Chair in Surgical Breast Cancer Research by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region.
David P. Holland: President and Chief Executive Officer, Torstar Corporation
Holland began his career at Torstar’s corporate office and has since had senior leadership positions within all divisions of the company. Torstar Corporation is a media company whose businesses include the Toronto Star, Toronto.com, Workopolis, Olive Media and eyeReturn, as well as a majority interest in the Metro chain of free daily newspapers and the Chinese-language paper Sing Tao Daily.
Sharifa Khan: President and CEO, Balmoral Marketing Inc.
At Balmoral Marketing, Khan leads a team of seasoned multicultural specialists to service corporate, government and non-profit organizations, guiding them to connect with diverse audiences in Canada. She is a tireless entrepreneur and sits on many boards, including those of Mount Sinai Hospital and the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto.
Dr. Claude Galipeau: Country Manager, Yahoo! Canada
Dr. Galipeau has held senior positions within many of the giants of Canadian broadcasting, from Alliance Atlantis to the CBC. His board experience includes the Banff Television Festival Foundation, which hosts the Banff World Television Festival, and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) of Canada.
Idris Mootee: Chief Executive Officer, Idea Couture
With more than 25 years of strategic management experience, Mootee has acquired extensive expertise in developing growth strategy and driving transformation. Described as the "the ultimate foresight machine" and "strategic innovation guru," he is an incredibly sought-after board advisor.
Mark Robert: Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Carlu Corporation Ltd.
Prior to restoring the historic Carlu events venue, Robert was Chief Operating Officer at The Art Vault Limited, a publicly traded global e-commerce internet art site. He was Co-Chair of the Art with Heart fundraiser for Casey House for three years and has been involved with the Board of Heritage Toronto, among other cultural organizations.
Paul Rowan: Co-founder and Vice-President, Inspiration, Umbra
For more than 30 years, Rowan has dedicated his career to creating purposeful, intelligently designed products that answer people’s utilitarian needs and aesthetic wants. In 2001 Rowan was granted the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Colleges of Ontario.
Jaime Watt: Executive Chairman, Navigator Ltd.
Deeply involved with equality and human rights issues, Watt has received numerous awards for his service to the community, including Out on Bay Street’s Leader to be Proud of Award. He is a sought-after public affairs commentator who specializes in public strategy issues.