Diversity at the university
Dingwall names four women to executive committee
There’s more gender diversity at Cape Breton University under new president David Dingwall.
In one of his first decisions as president, Dingwall has named four senior female staff members to his executive committee. The addition of Beth Mason, Shauna Kelly, Rebecca Chisholm and Paula MacNeil doubles the size of the previously four-member committee.
“By being innovative, we are going to advance Cape Breton University and all communities of Cape Breton Island,” Dingwall, who was officially installed as CBU’s seventh president last week, said in a press release. “It is well-known that a primary driver of innovation is the diversity of perspectives. That is what I’ve added here. These four female directors will bring valuable insights, helping to create energetic discussions all leading to strategic action.”
Mason is chief executive officer at CBU’s Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, Kelly is chief of staff at the president’s office, Chisholm is director of marketing and communications, and MacNeil is director of development and alumni affairs.
The executive committee also includes Gordon MacInnis (vice-president of finance), Dale Keefe (academic vicepresident), Stephen Augustine (associate vice-president of Indigenous Affairs and Unama’ki College) and Richard MacKinnon (interim academic vicepresident).
Dingwall, who famously grew up living in the basement of the South Bar school where his father worked as janitor, was elected MP of Cape Breton-East Richmond four times from 1980-1997, and was an influential member of former prime minister Jean Chretien’s inner circle.
After politics, he served as chief executive officer of the Royal Canadian Mint where he grew revenues to more than $100 million in less than two years.