Olds College (OC) has announced two new appointments to its senior leadership team, effective immediately.
Stuart Cullum has been appointed to the new role of chief innovation officer and Tanya McDonald is now officially the vice-president advancement.
Reporting directly to the president, Cullum will drive the college's innovation agenda by aligning programming and applied research with industry and government priorities.
He will also maximize asset development, develop a comprehensive analytics and big data plan, and liaise with key government officials, both provincially and federally, as part of a comprehensive advocacy strategy.
As vice-president agriculture at Northlands, Stuart oversaw the development of innovative programming such as the product introduction program (now branded Alberta Flavour) and the Genomics Showcase.
As executive director of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) applied research and enterprise development division, Cullum and his team attracted more than $30 million in external funding for programming and graduated more than 10 startups from its company incubators.
At Lethbridge College, Collum and his team attracted more than $17 million in external support and established many firsts, including the college's first applied research chair and the implementation of two innovative curriculum pilots in competency based education and modular delivery.
That background makes Collum ideal for his new position at Olds College, according to OC president Tom Thompson.
“With the changes in the province and the nation around climate leadership and the realignment of Alberta's innovation agenda, the college needs to take bold action in the area of innovation so it can position itself for the opportunities that lay ahead of us,” Thompson says.
“Based on the strength and reputation of its academic and research programming and collaborative approach with industry, Olds College has an incredible platform to respond to the provincial and national innovation agendas,” Cullum says.
“I am thrilled to be able to join the Olds College team in order to facilitate this institutional leadership response and maximize its opportunities.”
McDonald had been serving as the interim VP of advancement since Dec. 29 last year. She succeeded Jordan Cleland, who resigned from that position effective Dec. 22 to pursue opportunities as a communications, public affairs and strategic advisor.
McDonald began her career with the college as a research scientist with the Olds College Centre for Innovation. About 10 years later, she was promoted to dean of agriculture. Two years later, she was promoted again to associate vice-president, research and learning enterprises.
She will maintain leadership responsibilities in fund development, including the college's new multi-year fundraising campaign, Beyond, as well as work on corporate communications and marketing plus athletics.
“Tanya's entrepreneurial mindset and success in fund development will position the college community to deliver on the vision and fiscal targets of the Beyond campaign,” a college news release says.
“Olds College has provided me with continuous opportunities for professional growth and with each new position I have been energized by the increase in responsibility, complexity and challenge,” McDonald says.
“I am dedicated to enhancing the college profile and revenue to support an innovative, entrepreneurial learning environment with students as our primary beneficiaries,” she adds.
“I see great potential in both leaders for future-proofing the college,” Thompson says.
"I see great potential in both leaders for future-proofing the college."TOM THOMPSON PRESIDENTOLDS COLLEGE
