Lethbridge College President and CEO recruitment was led by Boyden Search Experts, Kevin Gregor and Kenny Gregor
This press release was originally published by Lethbridge News Now. Click here to view the original press release.
LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge College has a new President and CEO.
Dr. Brad Donaldson has been named the ninth President and CEO in the college’s history. He comes to Lethbridge from Calgary and will start in his new role on September 6, 2022. Donaldson has over 17 years of post-secondary experience, most recently as the Vice President – Academics at SAIT in Calgary.
He has also served as Vice President – Academics at Red Deer College, Dean of the School of Manufacturing and Automation at SAIT and has held many engineering and senior leadership roles in the global manufacturing sector. Additionally, Donaldson has served on a number of academic and business committees and boards across the province, as well as nationally and internationally.
Currently, he is a member of the Saskatchewan Higher Education Quality Assurance Board and has held positions with the Senior Academic Officers and Provosts Committee in Alberta, Alberta Association in Higher Education for Information Technology Committee, and the Chair Academy, a leadership development organization.
Donaldson holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary, a Master of Engineering degree focusing on workplace design, as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering, both from the University of Toronto.
Michael Marcotte, Lethbridge College Board of Governors Chair said it was a long and extensive process to find the right fit for the role of President and CEO, but the board is satisfied with its decision. The consultation process to select Donaldson included more than 160 stakeholder engagements.
Marcotte said, “Brad has a passion for post-secondary education and a desire to build upon the great work that has taken place at Lethbridge College over the past many years.”
“At the same time, it is an exciting opportunity for our college to embrace new ways of thinking and carve out an even stronger reputation as a leader in our community,” Marcotte stated.
He continued, “Brad is a thoughtful leader who will ensure Lethbridge College continues to provide meaningful education, research and employment opportunities in southern Alberta and beyond. We are excited to have him in this role.”
Born in England, Donaldson came to southern Ontario with his parents and sister after living in Singapore and the United Kingdom. He came to Alberta with his wife Gail and two daughters in 2005.
He said that one of his core values is helping people achieve the best that they can, and he believes the college strives to do the same.
“The college really is a foundation and it has the environment to do that, whether it be students being successful, completing and moving on to their careers or their next phase of their education, or the employees of the college, to really aspire to be great at what they do,” Donaldson said.
He added, “I also am a champion of innovation and [it’s] an interesting world that we live in that will never move slower than we are today, so how do we find ways to keep pace with the changing requirements of post-secondary education, with communities of people. It was just a real great fit for what I value.”
Donaldson added that he views the college as a leader in the community it serves, “including the geographic southern Alberta region, local Indigenous communities, and the business and hiring communities.”
“What’s important for me is to be able to leverage what has been done well in the past, while identifying opportunities to unleash innovation in the organization.”
Donaldson takes over the role of President and CEO of Lethbridge College from Dr. Paula Burns, who resigned earlier this year to become President and CEO of Langara College in Vancouver.
