Board of Directors

The King's Board of Directors is responsible for strategic oversight of King’s, including the appointment and supervision of King's President, strategic planning, finances, and risk management. A significant responsibility of the board involves regularly reviewing the university’s mission and ensuring that organizational strategies enable progress towards that mission. The board plays an important role in ensuring King’s institutional autonomy while also ensuring accountability to the public and other stakeholders. For more information, please contact boardofdirectors@kings.uwo.ca

Executive Members

Paul Tufts, Board Chair

Paul Tufts has been an educator for 30 years. He leads Tufts Consulting and also works as a corporate trainer. He is currently the director and treasurer of the Agape Foundation of London, and the director of the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health, and is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute (ADRI) of Ontario. Paul is a former member of the senior leadership team for the Thames Valley District School Board.

Daniel Lang, Vice-Chair and Treasurer

Daniel Lang is a leading expert on university finance and governance in Canada with an impressive record of scholarly contributions. His current research focuses on university affiliation agreements. Daniel is frequently called upon by governments and university administrators for strategy and policy advice. He is a professor emeritus in the Department of Theory and Policy Studies at the University of Toronto, and a member of the U of T Sports Hall of Fame; U of T Scarborough Campus’ Dan Lang Field was named in his honour.

Peter Wilkinson, Vice-Chair

Peter Wilkinson, ’79 BA History, was, most recently, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Canada, the Global Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs for Manulife and the Chief of Staff to the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty. He also held positions with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) and the Government of Ontario, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario; Hugh O’Neil, MPP for Quinte; and Scotia Bank./p>

Dr. Nonie Brennan, Past Chair

Voting Directors

Sara De Candido

Sara is the Chief Operating Officer of London and Middlesex Housing Corporation. She is skilled in business development, systems planning, and stakeholder and government relations management. Sara is a coach for the Alliance FC Soccer Club, and a current board member with Meals on Wheels London. She is a member of Christ the King University Parish.

Kenneth Deane

Rev. Gary Ducharme

A graduate of King's University College in 1979 (BA) and 1982 (MDiv) and student at St. Peter's Seminary, Fr. Gary Ducharme was ordained a priest for the Diocese of London on May 7, 1983. He has served as parish priest in Windsor, Sarnia, Goderich and London. Currently, Fr. Gary is a member of the St. Peter's Seminary faculty, serving as a spiritual director and formator of seminarians.

Larry Frederick

Larry Frederick is a transformational leader, mentor, and coach with a track record of inspiring and motivating individuals to reach their full potential. Skilled in developing strategic plans, managing budgets, allocating resources, and fostering collaborative relationships, he is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces diversity. Larry is a professor of management at Fanshawe College. His education includes an Executive MBA from the University of Fredericton.

Vince MacDonald

Vince MacDonald, Ph.D., is an instructor at Western University’s Faculty of Education, where he has received the Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. He has also been awarded the Prime Minister’ Award for Teaching Excellence in Math, Science and Technology, and the United Way Perth-Huron’s Spirit of Community Award. Vince is a retired Director of Education for the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board.

Randolph Mank

Randolph Mank is a global business executive and a three-time former Canadian ambassador, with over 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors. He is currently President of MankGlobal Inc, supporting clients with business development, government relations, and representation services, and writes and speaks on foreign affairs. Randolph is a Fellow of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Jean-Pierre Morris

Jean-Pierre Morris, MBA, is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for HSBC Private Investment Counsel (Canada). He brings a decade of senior financial sector management to the King’s Board. With a background that includes governance, operations and risk management, he is a diversified, strategic leader with broad experience working with cross-functional teams across Canada and globally. Jean-Pierre holds an MBA from University of Leicester and a Hon B.A., Managerial Economics from the University of Toronto, in addition to several other financial accreditations. He is an avid traveller, boater, golfer, sport and motorcycle enthusiast.

Houssam (Sam) Mourad

Houssam Mourad has extensive executive experience in the financial services industry with expertise in corporate finance, risk management, governance and compliance frameworks spanning a career of over 25 years. A native Londoner, Sam is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP), and is engaging with a practical approach to effecting positive change.

Ilona Niemi

Ilona Niemi, PhD, is a global executive and advisor in financial services with a track record in strategic transformation initiatives, risk management, compliance oversight, and governance. Ilona spent over a decade in global compliance and international public affairs at Zurich Insurance Group in Switzerland and Canada. Prior to that, she held diverse management consulting and government relations roles in Europe and North America. Ilona serves on various advisory boards and organizations, including her co- chair role of industry groups at WomenExecs on Boards. She holds certificates in board governance, risk management, AI, and privacy, and is actively publishing and speaking on boards and compliance.

Michaela Therrien

Michaela Therrien ’18 is an Urban Planner and Data & Outcomes Manager for the City of Detroit. She has worked for several different municipalities within Windsor-Essex County, where she focused on land-use policy, economic development and community development. Michaela holds an honours double major in Sociology and Disability Studies from King’s University College, and master’s degrees in Public Administration and Urban Planning from Wayne State University.

Non-Voting Directors

Adam Bohnet

Dr. Adam Bohnet is an Associate Professor in King’s Department of History. He received his master’s degree from Kangwon National University in Chuncheon in South Korea, and his PhD at the University of Toronto. Adam is a social and cultural historian of Chosŏn Korea (1392-1910), and King’s main non- Western historian in the department.

Braedan Lovie

Jessica Matthys

Jessica Matthys is an Information Assistant at Cardinal Carter Library and has worked in academic and public libraries since 2016. She holds degrees from McMaster and Western universities and is currently completing her Master of Library & Information Science degree at Western. When she’s not at the library, Jess is usually lost in a good book or working on her many writing and art projects.

Chuck Scott

Chuck Scott is currently CEO of Ruck Lane, a Real Estate Venture Capital firm. Chuck has over 30 years of experience in the Global Commercial Real Estate sector including the last 15 years at Cushman and Wakefield where he was the CEO of the Global firm’s businesses in Canada and Latin America.

Based in Toronto, Chuck is a proud graduate of Kings University College (class of 1993) and sits on a variety of Boards including the Real Estate Advisory Board of the Lang Business School at the University of Guelph, Blackdog Real Estate, and Protego Whole Home Solutions.

Joseph Turnbull

Robert Ventresca

Amna Wasty

Paul Wilton

View Board meeting minutes.