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Keyano College's interim president and CEO named to the post permanently

Last Updated Aug 26, 2016 at 1:38 pm MDT

Dr. Tracy Edwards (L), President and CEO of Keyano College and Kara Flynn (R) , Chair of the Keyano College Board of Governors, speak to the media following Edwards' interim appointment to Keyano in February.

Dr. Tracy Edwards has been permanently named the President and Chief Executive Officer of Keyano College after having served in the role in an interim capacity since February. She will assume the position permanently as of September 1, 2016.

“I want to thank the Keyano College Board of Governors for this opportunity,” said Dr. Edwards. “From the senior leadership group to our faculty and staff, we have a strong and collaborative team. This fall I look forward to engaging our community as we develop Keyano College’s new Comprehensive Institutional Plan. Working together, we will deliver high quality post-secondary education and will be a resource to the community as the region rebuilds.”

Edwards was named the interim President and CEO to replace Kevin Nagel, who resigned the post on February 2, on the same day it confirmed the college would eliminate of as many as 24 full-time jobs.

When she was appointed, Edwards was tasked with finding solutions to the financial struggles the college was facing because of the economic impact across the community of the low price of oil and with working internally and externally to shape the vision of the college to provide services that would put students and the community first.

“Over the last several months Dr. Edwards has demonstrated her capacity to lead Keyano College,” said Kara Flynn, Chair of the Keyano College Board of Governors. “Her commitment to the College has brought stability during a tumultuous time. The Board recognizes this stability is crucial for our organization to move forward as we recover from the wildfire and the economic challenges that preceded it.”

The college said Edwards has extensive experience in post-secondary education throughout Canada and the United States. From 2005 to 2012, she was the President and CEO of Lethbridge College, where she was responsible for 15,000 students and over 800 staff. Under her leadership, the college launched a new student residence, significantly grew institutional reserves, changed institutional governance to be more collaborative and inclusive, and progressed a new Trades, Technology and Innovation Centre resulting in $55 million in funding from Alberta. She also held the same position at Lakeland College. For three years she was the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Learning Officer at Valencia College, in Orlando Florida, and has also worked at Warren, Michigan’s Macomb Community College, and at Nova Scotia Community College.

She has received numerous awards and achievements, including YWCA Woman of Distinction, a Distinguished Graduate of the College Leadership Program at UT Austin, and a key to the City of Lethbridge. In 2012, Dr. Edwards received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Alberta Chapter. She was also given a Blackfoot name by Blood Tribe elder Francis First Charger as well as an honorary membership in Local 2003, Métis Nation of Alberta. She also serves as a Director on the Travel Alberta Board.

Dr. Edwards earned her Doctor in Education (College Leadership) from the University of Texas at Austin. She holds a Master of Education (Educational Administration) from St. Mary’s University, Halifax, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, also from St. Mary’s University. She has recently completed her Institute of Corporate Directors designation through the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto and the University of Alberta.