Current Member List (Academic Council)
Chair:
Aaron Skillen
Vice President Academic
Email: [email protected]
Administration:
Glenda Giroux
Administrative Assistant, Vice President Academic
Email: G[email protected]
Students:
Ronnie Kasana
(SUCCI President)
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Members:
Stephane Therrien (Aviation, Engineering Technology & Trades)
Professor, Aviation Representative
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Elizabeth Bishop (Part-time Faculty Representative)
Professor
District Campus
Email: [email protected]
Matthew Villella (Business, Hospitality and Media Arts)
Professor, Business & Hospitality Representative
Email: [email protected]
Matthew is a lifelong resident of Thunder Bay. Matthew loves the City of Thunder Bay and is currently working hard to make this a better place to live. Matthew is a proud graduate of Lakehead University with his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education in 2005, and recently completed his Masters in Education at Lakehead University in 2018.
Matthew is currently a professor in the Tourism, Travel and Eco-Adventure Program at Confederation College and is a proud member of the Academic Council. Previously Matthew worked at YES Employment Services for over 14 years as an Employment Counsellor and Workshop Facilitator.
Matthew believes in giving back to the community and has demonstrated this with his various volunteer and community development opportunities over the years. He is currently Immediate Past President of Leadership Thunder Bay, Volunteer and Event Planner for Easter Seals Ontario Thunder Bay, and is proud to sit on the City of Thunder Bay's Sister Cities Advisory Committee. During his time on this committee, Matt has participated in welcoming delegations from our sister cities and has participated in a couple of visits to our sister cites. Matthew was part of the team that developed the now annual culinary exchange between Duluth and Thunder Bay. Matthew is an advocate of strong relationships and works hard to promote Thunder Bay on any of his exchanges and works diligently to ensure Thunder Bay benefits from this program.
Matthew was honored to receive the Citizens of Exceptional Achievement Award from the City of Thunder Bay in 2014, and recently award the Community Champion Award in 2018 through the Northern Ontario Visionary Awards Top 20 under the age of 40.
Eric Weller (Business, Hospitality & Media Arts)
Professor, Media Arts Representative
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Kate Donoghue (Business, Hospitality & Media Arts)
Professor, Communications Representative
Email: [email protected]
Kate is an instructor in the General Arts and Science program. Since starting at Confederation College in 2007, she has taught students across multiple programs. She is passionate about student success and access, and is currently the Chair of the Access and Success Sub-committee. Kate is also a member of the Sexual Assault/Sexual Violence Student Approach Subcommittee and the GAS Program Advisory Committee.
Kate joined Academic Council to provide perspectives from faculty that teach in areas not traditionally linked to vocational programming. She hopes that her experience teaching courses in Communications, Academic Upgrading, General Education, and General Arts and Science will be of benefit to Academic Council.
Janet Kostamo (Aviation, Engineering Technology & Trades)
Professor, Engineering Technology Representative
Email: [email protected]
Janet started teaching mathematics and physics in the School of Engineering Technology, Trades and Aviation in 2002. In 2006-2013, she coordinated the Pre-Technology program and now coordinates the mathematics department, which services the technology, trades, and aviation programs. The role of the mathematics coordinator gives Janet the opportunity to work closely with faculty and students in a variety of programs.
Janet joined Academic Council to become more involved with college-wide activities and felt she could represent her school well, bringing her faculty perspective and teaching experience to academic concerns. Janet also participates on the Academic Council subcommittee, Access and Success.
Richard Kukkee (Aviation, Engineering Technology & Trades)
Professor, Trades Representative
Email: [email protected]
Richard is the Program Coordinator for the Mechanical Techniques, Technician, and Technologist programs located in the Dorion Building. For the last 7 years he has been a member of the Academic Council Program Review Subcommittee and thought joining Academic Council would be a good opportunity to learn more about the operational procedures at the college. Before coming to Confederation College Richard worked for 16 years in the aerospace industry in design, manufacture, and quality assurance. He hopes that his experience in quality assurance can be of benefit to Academic Council.
Michelle Kostick (Health, Negahneewin and Community Services)
Professor, (Negahneewin Representative)
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Chris Pace (Health, Negahneewin and Community Services)
Professor, (Community Services Representative)
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Ruth Bushby, (Health, Negahneewin and Community Services)
Professor, (Health Representative)
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Gavin Hemeon, Union Representative
Professor
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Judy Barton (Academic Upgrading)
Professor
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Kathy Eagan (Regional Rep.)
Professor
Email: [email protected]
Biography
Darryl MacNeil, Counsellor
Email: [email protected]
Darryl MacNeil is a Registered Psychotherapist in the Counselling department located in the Student Success Center. He joined Academic Council to help fill out his knowledge base and gain a better understanding around the academic side of the college. He also hopes to contribute helpful knowledge and insights around student mental health and well being that might be relevant to academic decisions and policies. He is serving on the Ontario College Counsellors committee as well as the Sexual Assault and Sexual Violence committees (policies and awareness).
Darryl is a member of the Academic Council subcommittee, Program Review.
Mandy Wright, Student Success Advisor
Email: [email protected]
Mandy Wright is the Student Success Advisor for the School of Engineering Technology and Trades. She has been employed with the College for 16 years in a variety of capacities supporting our diverse student body. Mandy is excited to join Academic Council because of her passion to make a difference. She wants to engage with our students to ensure they receive accessible supports to allow them to meet their academic and career goals.
Mandy enjoys working very closely with her fellow advisors to share their knowledge and create best practices, which allows students to be aware of all the support services available to them on and off campus. She believes it is important to bring the voice of student needs forward and have a close working relationship with the faculty to support the success of our students.
Mandy is a member of the Access and Success Sub-Committee, Employee Engagement Committee and Confed Day Committee.
Colin Kelly, Dean
Aviation, Engineering Technology and Trades
Email: [email protected]
Colin joined Confederation College in 2011. Since joining Confederation College, Colin has held various positions including Director of Applied Research, Chair in the School of Business, Co-Lead on the College’s Technology, Education and Collaboration (TEC) Hub, and is currently Dean in the School of Engineering Technology, Trades and Aviation. Prior to coming to Confederation, Colin worked with the Ontario Provincial Government for 12 years in community development where he managed a large portfolio of projects in various sectors. Colin also taught at Aurora College (Northwest Territories) and at Lakehead University as a faculty member in Natural Resources Management. Colin’s academic background includes an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph and Masters of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University.
Over the last 22 years, Colin has managed a complex and varied portfolio of over 100 individual projects with a value of over $180 million (CDN). The projects represent many different industrial sectors and capacity building efforts with communities and regions. This diverse portfolio necessitated liaising with the private sector, provincial and federal ministries and their agencies, First Nations, postsecondary institutions, and impacted stakeholders.
Andrea Mickelson, Professor
Academic Program Quality Assurance
Email: [email protected]
Don Duclos, Registrar
Email: [email protected]
Don Duclos is currently the Registrar at Confederation College. He has worked at the college since 2000 in a number of different areas including Information Technology, Curriculum Development, Institutional Research, Student Services, Academic Quality Assurance and the Office of the Vice President Academic. He has been the Registrar for the past 5 years and also manages Continuing Education, Online Learning, Institutional Research, Recruitment, Academic Quality Assurance and is the Chair of the Research Ethics Board. Don is a member of the Ontario Learn Board of Directors and is on the executive representing small colleges on CCVPS. He earned his MA Ed. (Leadership in Higher Education) from OISE in 2010.