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Board of Governors

Members of the Board of Governors 2020-2021

Chair, Vice-Chair & Secretary

Chair of the Board

  • Mr. Bradley Merkel, B.Eng., M.B.A.

Vice-Chair of the Board

  • Ms. Jane Allen, B.A., M.A.

Secretary of the Board

  • Ms. Andrea Thyret-Kidd, B.A., M.Ed.

Ex Officio

Chancellor

  • Ms. Santee Smith, B.P.E., B.A., M.A.

President and Vice-Chancellor

  • Dr. David Farrar, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Chair of the University Planning Committee, and Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

  • Dr. Susan Tighe, B.Sc., M.A.Sc., Ph.D.

Elected by the Board of Governors

  • Ms. Jane Allen, B.A., M.A.
  • Ms. Sandra Cruickshanks, B.A.
  • Mr. Paul Douglas, B.Com. (Hons), M.B.A.
  • Mr. David Horwood, B.Com.
  • Ms. Rebecca Jamieson, B.A., M.Ed., O.Ont., CM
  • Ms. Fareen Samji, B.Sc., B.Kin.
  • Mr. Neil Skelding, M.B.A.
  • Ms. Connie Stefankiewicz, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Dr. Emőke J.E. Szathmáry, C.M., O.M., B.A.(Hons.), Ph.D., L.L.D(Hon.), D.Sc. (Hon.), D.S.Litt.(Hon.), F.R.S.C., F.A.A.A.S.
  • Dr. Robert Walker, B.Sc., M. Eng., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Hon.), D.Eng. (Hon.), FCAE

Appointed by the Board of Trustees of McMaster Divinity College

  • Mr. David Huctwith, L.L.B., M.Div.

Appointed by the Alumni Association

  • Ms. Lisa Brown, B.Eng.Mgt., M.B.A.
  • Mr. David Feather, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Ms. Stephanie McLarty, B.Arts.Sc., M.A.
  • Mr. Bradley Merkel, B.Eng., M.B.A.
  • Ms. Jennifer Rowe, B.Com.

Appointed by the Senate

  • Dr. Dina Brooks, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Lia Bronsard, Bacc., M.S., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Laura Parker, B.Sc., Ph.D.

Elected by the Teaching Staff

  • Dr. Juliet Daniel, B.Sc., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Carlos Filipe, B.Sc., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Rafael Kleiman, SB, M.Sc., Ph.D.
  • Dr. Deborah Sloboda, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Elected by the Non-Teaching Staff

  • Ms. Leah Allan, B.Sc.
  • Ms. Melissa Pool, B.A., M.B.A

Elected by the Graduate Students

  • Ms. Ghada Sasa, B.A.., M.ES.

Elected by the Undergraduate Students

  • Vacant

Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council

  • Mr. Jeff Coles, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Mr. Sean Donnelly, B.Eng.
  • Mr. Michael Ferencich, B.Com.
  • Mr. Kevin Nye, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Mr. Tony Valeri, P.C., C.Dir.
  • Mr. Joseph Mancinelli

Honorary Governors

  • Dr. H. Douglas Barber, O.C., B.Sc., M.Sc., D.I.C., Ph.D., D.Eng. (Hon), D.Sc. (Hon.), F.C.A.E., P.Eng.
  • Mr. Colum P. Bastable, F.C.A. (Irl.), LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. Quentin Broad, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Mr. Richard Buckingham, B.Sc., J.D., LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. T. Glen Chambers, B.A., LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. Donald M. Green, C.M.,LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. David A. Lazzarato, B.Com., FCA
  • Mr. Douglas C. Marrs, LL.D.
  • Mr. Edward A. Minich, B.Sc., M.B.A., LL.D. (Hon.), C. Dir.
  • Mr. Barry D. Nicol, F.C.A., LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. Emechete Onuoha, B.A., M.B.A., PGDip
  • Mr. John H. Panabaker, B.A., M.A., LL.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. Donald A. Pether, B.Sc., L.L.D. (Hon.)
  • Mr. Edward B. Priestner, B.A., LL.D . (Hon.)
  • Mr. Edwin A. Taylor, B.A., M.B.A.
  • Mr. Thomas Weisz, B.A., LL.B., LL.M.

Associate Secretary of the Board of Governors

  • Ms. Michelle Zheng, B.Com., M.B.A.

The legal responsibilities of the Board of Governors are set out in Section 9 of The McMaster University Act, 1976.  While the President and senior administrative officers exert the central influence in policy as well as providing the dominant force in management under the authority of the Board, Board members play an important role in the governance of the University, since the Board is the legal owner and the final authority for the institution whose assets and operations the Board holds in trust.  Except for such matters as are assigned by the 1976 Act to the Senate, the government, conduct, management and control of the University and of its property, revenues, business and affairs are vested in the Board. In carrying out its financial responsibilities, the Board must accept full accountability for the finances of the University, including monitoring and authorizing the annual operating budget, prudent investments, and comprehensive fund-raising activities, as well as the obligation to ensure that financial assets are appropriately managed.  The Board receives nominations from the Senate with respect to the hiring, promoting and suspending of senior administrative and teaching personnel, and delegates the appointment, promotion, suspension or removal of all other officers, agents and employees of the University to officers of the University. The Board conducts its affairs by making by-laws, resolutions and regulations to supplement the Act. The composition of the Board of Governors is described in Section 8 of the University Act.