Leadership - MITT

At the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT), we are committed to ensuring the highest standards of governance and leadership to drive our mission of providing industry-driven, student-focused education.

The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology Act came into force on July 1, 2014, and is the act under which MITT operates.

Governance at MITT

Our leadership structure includes a Governing Board and an Executive Council, working collaboratively to uphold our values of innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.

Board of Governors

The MITT Board of Governors was constituted by the Province of Manitoba in the Fall of 2014. Additional members may be appointed, up to a maximum of 11 members. The board is responisble for overseeing the strategic direction and operational priorities of the college. The board meets monthly or as needed.

Chair:
Ron Brown, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Club

Members:
Ken Webb, President, Intelligent Synthesis, and former Vice-President, Academic, Red River College
Ron Brown, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Club
Randall Kinley, University of Manitoba, Manager of Operations, St. Paul’s College (retired)
Kathryn Atamanchuk, Engineer-in-Residence, University of Manitoba
Dr. Anju Bajaj, STEM Advisor/STEM Educator Holy Cross School
Dr. Gurinder Randhawa, Company Owner, Growing Pathways Immigration
Ariel Dunsmore, Director of Executive and Public Affairs with Manitoba Building Trades
Don Deally, General Manager of Nova Star Refrigeration
Lorelei Hiebert, Health Home Care, WRHA
Mohamed Koroma, Project Management, Ainsworth, President, Sierra Leone Nationals Organization of MB
Dima Vanier, Director of IT, CPA Manitoba, Instructor CPA Western School of Business

Audit and Finance Committee:
Kathryn Atamanchuk (Chair)
Dr. Anju Bajaj
Don Deally
Randall Kinley
Dima Vanier

Governance Committee:
Dr. Gurinder Randhawa (Chair)
Ariel Dunsmore
Lorelei Hiebert
Mohamed Koroma
Ken Webb

Secretary:
Tricia Chestnut, Associate Director, Government Relations and Policy

Treasurer:
Karla Maitland-Moore, Executive Director, Finance and Administration

Executive Council

Executive Council works collaboratively to execute the day-to-day management of the college, ensuring MITT remains responsive to the needs of students, industry, and the community.

Neil Cooke, President and CEO

Neil Cooke brings considerable academic and leadership experience and extensive industry relationships to his role as President and CEO. He was the Vice-President, Academic with the college and the Vice-President, Academic at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario prior to joining MITT. Cooke also served as the Manager of Education and Training for the Manitoba Trucking Association and spent 21 years at Red River College Polytechnic in various teaching and senior administrative roles.

Cooke currently serves on the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is a recipient of the Natural Science and Engineering Council Synergy Award for Innovation and the Province of Manitoba Award for Innovation and Research for Sustainability.

Starting his career in the trades, Cooke is a journeyperson holding interprovincial certification as a heavy-duty technician and provincial certification as a truck transport technician. He also holds a Certificate in Adult Education, a Vocational Education Diploma, a Bachelor of Science in Technical Education and a Master of Education in Post-Secondary Administration.

Colin Kelly, Vice-President, Academic

As Vice-President, Academic, Colin Kelly serves as the academic lead for MITT’s college and high school programming and oversees student support services.

Kelly joined MITT from Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario, where he was the Dean of Engineering Technology, Trades, and Aviation. Prior to that, he served as their Director of Applied Research. Over the years, Kelly has taught at Aurora College in the Northwest Territories and Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. He also has extensive experience co-chairing Confederation College’s capital campaign to build a multimillion-dollar Technology, Education, and Collaboration Hub on campus.

Before moving into academics, Kelly worked in community development with the Ontario provincial government, managing large portfolios in various sectors. He began his career in the forestry industry, as indicated by his Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Guelph University and Master of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University.

For more information, please contact:

Nicole Dupas, Executive Assistant
nicole.dupas@mitt.ca