Fulbright Canada owes a great deal of its success to the dedicated members of its Board of Directors who provide oversight and guidance in fulfilling the organization's mission of promoting mutual understanding, identifying excellence, and engaging a diverse group of students, scholars, and researchers in international educational academic exchange in Canada and the United States of America. The Board is comprised of distinguished individuals from government agencies, universities, and the private sector, including the Canadian Ambassador to the United States and the US Ambassador to Canada. The members of the Board serve in a voluntary capacity.
Fulbright Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of six dedicated and accomplished new board members:
New Canadian Board Members
Mr. Mark Beckles has over 25 years of experience in financial services. Mark has executive leadership experience in banking, insurance, risk management, and not-for-profit leadership. Mark leads the strategic execution of RBC’s Social Impact portfolios, including RBC Future Launch, RBC Tech for Nature, and RBC Emerging Artists. Mark also leads stakeholder relations to cultivate and maintain key relationships across Canada, including with policymakers, partners, and stakeholders, to advance RBC’s community investment priorities.
Dr. Lesley Brown is the President and Vice-Chancellor of Yukon University. She is an experienced senior academic leader, having served in several administrative roles, including Provost and Vice-President Academic at Mount Royal University, and Vice-Provost Academic, Vice-President Research (interim) and Associate Vice-President Research at the University of Lethbridge. In addition to being a proven leader, Dr. Brown is an accomplished scholar in the field of Kinesiology, with a research specialization in balance and fall prevention in seniors and people with Parkinson’s disease.
Mr. Bill Flanagan became the 14th president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta in July 2020. Born and raised in Alberta, he has been recognized for his transformative and entrepreneurial leadership. As soon as he was appointed, President Flanagan launched the largest and most ambitious academic and administrative restructuring program ever undertaken by a Canadian university. With a vision for the University of Alberta for Tomorrow (UAT), he set the goal of turning the university’s acute financial pressures into a strategic transformation, repositioning the U of A for long-term success.
Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris is a trusted public leader, policymaker, journalist, and human rights advocate. She is currently the Associate Vice-President of Diversity and Human Rights at the University of Guelph and previously served as Ontario’s first-ever Minister of the Status of Women, Minister of Early Learning and Childcare, Minister of Education, Associate Minister of Finance, Member of Provincial Parliament for Halton, and was an award-winning national journalist.
New United States Board Members
Dr. Laurie Patton is the 17th president of Middlebury College and the first woman to lead the institution in its 224-year history. Under her leadership, the college launched several initiatives, including the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation, the Compass residential learning program, and Energy2028, Middlebury’s bold plan to address the threat of climate change after achieving carbon neutrality in 2016.
Mr. Larry Grant’s four-and-a-half decade career as CFO, COO, and strategic executive focused on raising funds, managing business reorganizations, and developing/refining mission-critical strategic partnerships. Mr. Grant served several industry segments (for-profit and not-for-profit), including study-abroad, international maritime, medical devices, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and biological controls.
Fulbright Canada is grateful to all the members who served on the Board, past and present, for their unwavering support and dedication. We would like to acknowledge and appreciate the voluntary service of Dr. Kathryn McCain, Ms. Susan L. Riddell Rose, Dr. Peter Stoicheff, and Mr. Michael Parham, who were instrumental in their visionary leadership and commitment to our long-term success. Their contribution is critical in shaping the next generation of leaders, leading us toward a better future.
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Lesley Brown, Mr. Bill Flanagan, Ms. Indira Naidoo-Harris, Mr. Mark Beckles, Dr. Laurie Patton, and Mr. Larry Grant and thanking Dr. McCain, Ms. Rose, Dr. Stoicheff, and Mr. Parham for their service!