U of S VP Research and former board chair named two of Canada's most powerful women
Saskatoon -- Karen Chad, vice-president of research at the University of Saskatchewan and Nancy Hopkins, past U of S board chair and U of S alumnus, have both earned spots on 2013 Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards in the public sector leaders' and Accenture corporate directors' categories. The list of winners was announced by Women's Executive Network (WXN) today.
By Jennifer Thoma
The WXN Top 100 Awards recognize the highest-achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in Canada. Recipients will be celebrated at a Dec. 4 leadership summit and gala dinner in Toronto, and will be featured in the Financial Post magazine. Winners are selected on their strategic vision and leadership, their organization's financial performance and their commitment to their communities.
"I am deeply honoured to be recognized among the many strong female leaders across the country who are making a difference in their communities, companies, and public institutions," said Chad.
With a focus on six U of S signature areas of research, Chad has built strong partnerships with community groups, industry and government that are helping to attract top talent and research investment to the province and to the U of S. These initiatives include the $30-million Global Institute for Water Security, the $50-million Global Institute of Food Security (GIFS) and the $30-million Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation.
"As a highly regarded partnership builder whose personal warmth and exuberance are legendary, Karen is setting a strong pace for university research and innovation in Canada, while advancing the U of S as a member of Canada's U15 research-intensive universities," said Ernie Barber, deputy director of the U of S GIFS and former engineering dean. "She is a very deserving member of this esteemed group of female leaders."
Chad has played a lead role in negotiating the Canadian Wheat Alliance, co-led development of Saskatchewan's International Minerals Innovation Institute, and served as executive lead on both the university's new $140-million International Vaccine Centre and the province's first cyclotron and associated laboratory—powerful new tools for infectious disease and biomedical research and training.
As a kinesiology researcher, she has held numerous grants, including $2 million for community health promotion research, partnering with the Saskatoon Health Region, the City of Saskatoon, and ParticipACTION Canada on a blueprint for action on physical activity and healthy eating that has become a model for communities across Canada.
She has mentored scores of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, received numerous teaching and community awards, and served on many national and provincial advisory boards and committees, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan and Canada.
Hopkins served as a director on the U of S Board of Governors from 2005-2013, and was chair of the board in the last three years of that term. She currently practices business law, with an emphasis on taxation law and corporate governance at McDougall Gauley LLP in Saskatoon.
Over the past decade, the WXN has honoured more than 700 remarkable Canadian women and has created innovative networking, mentoring and professional and personal development opportunities for women in leadership roles.
"The 2013 Top 100 Winners are a testament to the broad range of talent and leadership found in Canada, and we believe that by recognizing and sharing the accomplishments of these women, we are encouraging the next generation to reach higher so that one day there will be no (glass) ceiling, just possibility," says WXN founder Pamela Jeffery.
The full list of 2013 winners is published on the WXN website (www.wxnetwork.com). U of S alumna Shelly Brown also made the 2013 list and served on the university's board from 2002 until 2005. Daphne Taras, dean of the Edwards School of Business, was honoured last year.
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Kathryn Warden
Director, Research Profile and Impact
Office of the VP Research
University of Saskatchewan
306-280-1135
"I am deeply honoured to be recognized among the many strong female leaders across the country who are making a difference in their communities, companies, and public institutions," said Chad.
With a focus on six U of S signature areas of research, Chad has built strong partnerships with community groups, industry and government that are helping to attract top talent and research investment to the province and to the U of S. These initiatives include the $30-million Global Institute for Water Security, the $50-million Global Institute of Food Security (GIFS) and the $30-million Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation.
"As a highly regarded partnership builder whose personal warmth and exuberance are legendary, Karen is setting a strong pace for university research and innovation in Canada, while advancing the U of S as a member of Canada's U15 research-intensive universities," said Ernie Barber, deputy director of the U of S GIFS and former engineering dean. "She is a very deserving member of this esteemed group of female leaders."
Chad has played a lead role in negotiating the Canadian Wheat Alliance, co-led development of Saskatchewan's International Minerals Innovation Institute, and served as executive lead on both the university's new $140-million International Vaccine Centre and the province's first cyclotron and associated laboratory—powerful new tools for infectious disease and biomedical research and training.
As a kinesiology researcher, she has held numerous grants, including $2 million for community health promotion research, partnering with the Saskatoon Health Region, the City of Saskatoon, and ParticipACTION Canada on a blueprint for action on physical activity and healthy eating that has become a model for communities across Canada.
She has mentored scores of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, received numerous teaching and community awards, and served on many national and provincial advisory boards and committees, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan and Canada.
Hopkins served as a director on the U of S Board of Governors from 2005-2013, and was chair of the board in the last three years of that term. She currently practices business law, with an emphasis on taxation law and corporate governance at McDougall Gauley LLP in Saskatoon.
Over the past decade, the WXN has honoured more than 700 remarkable Canadian women and has created innovative networking, mentoring and professional and personal development opportunities for women in leadership roles.
"The 2013 Top 100 Winners are a testament to the broad range of talent and leadership found in Canada, and we believe that by recognizing and sharing the accomplishments of these women, we are encouraging the next generation to reach higher so that one day there will be no (glass) ceiling, just possibility," says WXN founder Pamela Jeffery.
The full list of 2013 winners is published on the WXN website (www.wxnetwork.com). U of S alumna Shelly Brown also made the 2013 list and served on the university's board from 2002 until 2005. Daphne Taras, dean of the Edwards School of Business, was honoured last year.
-30-
Kathryn Warden
Director, Research Profile and Impact
Office of the VP Research
University of Saskatchewan
306-280-1135