THUNDER BAY – After a search of more than seven months, Confederation College has named its next president who is no stranger to the local campus.
Kathleen Lynch has been chosen to replace outgoing Confederation College president Jim Madder. The Thunder Bay school made the announcement on Thursday.
"It feels great," Lynch said. "I’m thrilled for this opportunity. It’s a bit like coming home because I did spend 14 years of my career here at Confederation College."
Lynch is the former vice-president of rehabilitative care at St. Joseph’s Care Group since January 2014. She spent five years as the dean of health and community services at the college and before that she spent several years as a faculty member. Lynch has also worked with the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, and the Canadian Hearing Society.
"It is a bit bittersweet, because I did enjoy my role at St. Joseph’s Care Group, and it’s hard to leave there too, but this is where I spent the majority of my career so it is nice to be coming back," Lynch said.
Confederation College Board chair, George Patterson, said numerous candidates were considered for the role, but he added it was Lynch's years of experience in the community, particularly her role at the college, that made her the obvious choice for the position.
"The first thing in my mind is she is local," Patterson said. "A Thunder Bay person born and bred with a lot of knowledge of Northwestern Ontario with her positions at Confederation College and St. Joseph’s."
Lynch will officially be taking on the duties of president as of Sept. 4, 2018 and she said her first priority will be to reacquaint herself with the college and the faculty since she left in 2014.
"And also to become familiar with what direction this government is going to take in terms of post secondary education and I don’t think that is very apparent right now," Lynch said.
According to Patterson, there will be challenges for this upcoming year, but he is confident Lynch will be up to the task.
"Our biggest challenge will be determining what the government of Ontario will do, it will also be maintaining our relationships with First Nations, and building some of our new infrastructure programs," he said.
Madder served as president for more than six-and-a-half years before announcing his retirement last January.
