Lovett-Doust named one of Canada’s most powerful women

Nipissing University
News Release

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Nipissing University is very pleased to announce that President Lesley Lovett-Doust has been recognized with a 2011 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100TM Award.

“The university community is delighted that our president is being recognized with this prestigious award,” said Paul Belanger, Chair of the university’s Board of Governors. "Dr. Lovett-Doust’s commitment to Nipissing and the communities that the university serves is unparalleled. She works tirelessly to bring her strategic vision for Nipissing to life and to ensure the success of this institution and our communities.”

Dr. Jon Dellandrea, Nipissing University’s Chancellor, joined Board Chair Belanger in congratulating Lovett-Doust on receiving this award.

Nipissing University has had much to celebrate since Lovett-Doust became president in 2009. Her vision for highlighting Nipissing’s long-standing excellence in teacher education helped secure the transformative $15 million gift from Seymour Schulich that created the Schulich School of Education at Nipissing. It is the largest private donation for teacher education in Canada and provided Nipissing with the only named faculty of education in the nation. In 2010, under Lovett-Doust’s leadership, Nipissing opened the Harris Learning Library, a technology-driven centre for learning and sharing that has transformed the campus academically, socially and aesthetically.

Lovett-Doust is a true innovator in Indigenous education. Under her leadership she opened the doors at the university for greater engagement with Aboriginal and Indigenous communities supported by a more comprehensive and directed approach. She supports and helps to develop innovative ways to address post-secondary education for Aboriginal students in the region. A recent example of her support is the panel discussion that called for innovation in Indigenous education where Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo; celebrated author, lecturer and philosopher Dr. John Ralston Saul; and Dr. José Barreiro, Director at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, came together to share their best thoughts and visions for the future.

Lovett-Doust receives the award in the category of Public Sector Leaders. She joins a community of 584 women in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in Canada who have received the Top 100 Award, recognizing the highest achieving female leaders. Winners are selected based on their strategic vision and leadership, their organization’s financial performance, and their commitment to their communities. Elected officials from Nipissing's home community of North Bay, including Member of Parliament Jay Aspin Member of Provincial Parliament Vic Fedeli, Nipissing First Nation Chief Marianna Couchie and Mayor Al McDonald, were among the first to congratulate Lovett-Doust on her award.

“To be recognized alongside such amazing women is very humbling,” said Lovett-Doust. “This award celebrates what Nipissing has accomplished, and I am immensely proud of the university and the people who work and study there. The award may have my name on it, but everyone at the university and in our supportive home communities in North Bay, Brantford and Bracebridge has earned it.”

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s extraordinary group of Top 100 Winners, honouring leadership talent from coast to coast,” said Pamela Jeffery, Founder, Women’s Executive Network. “Our Top 100 Winners form an amazing community of high-achieving women who are inspirations to Canada’s next generation of leaders.”

The Canada’s Most Powerful Woman: Top 100 Awards is Canada’s most recognizable award for the country’s highest achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. The complete list of 2011 Winners can be found at top100women.ca.

Lovett-Doust was celebrated on December 1, 2011, at the Top 100 Awards Gala Dinner at the Allstream Centre in Toronto. The gala is the finale of a full-day celebration that offers Top 100 Winners an exclusive morning of networking and professional development. The morning session was followed by a Summit that allows participants an opportunity to meet Award recipients and enjoy an afternoon of professional development. The theme of this year’s Summit was the Power of Connected Leadership. Details are available at top100women.ca.

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