Loyalist College Board of Governors welcomes new members

Belleville, ON, Oct. 31, 2022 – As Loyalist builds on its vision to become Ontario’s Destination College, the College continues to enhance the strength and capacity of its Board of Governors. Given the Board’s key role in setting the College’s strategic direction, having a diverse and experienced Board of Governors is central to Loyalist achieving its mission and vision. At the Oct. 13 meeting of the Board, Chair Pam Jolliffe and Acting President Mark Kirkpatrick welcomed new Governors Mario Girouard, Josh Hill, Sofin Lalani, Rick Phillips, and Lina Rinaldi.

Mario Girouard is a seasoned executive with 39 years of experience in IT and IT security. He began his career in the Canadian Armed Forces, serving as an Information Technology, Telecommunications and Cryptography Specialist for almost 16 years. After leaving the Canadian Armed Forces, Mr. Girouard worked at SHL Systemhouse and then Electronic Data Systems, assuming increasingly senior roles, including IT Outsourcing Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer. Before retiring, he also worked with Hewlett Packard and DXC Technology. Mr. Girouard studied Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Université du Québec en Outaouais.

Josh Hill is an elected Band Councillor on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Council. Before being elected as a Councillor, he held other roles with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte in the Housing and Infrastructure Departments. Currently, Mr. Hill works for the Belleville Senators Hockey Club as an Account Executive. He serves on the Tyendinaga Education Advisory Committee and the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board Indigenous Education Advisory Council. Mr. Hill is the current President of the Mohawk Agricultural Society and a representative on the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board and the Visit the County Board of Directors. He recently completed the Sports and Entertainment Sales and Marketing Program and Loyalist College and is a past graduate of the Aboriginal Law and Advocacy Program at Confederation College. Mr. Hill also studied Political Science and Native American Studies at Syracuse University and Indigenous Studies at Trent University.

Sofin Lalani is currently enrolled in the Loyalist College Advanced Diploma in Civil Engineering (Technology) program and is a recent graduate of the Diploma in Civil Engineering (Technician) program. Mr. Lalani also holds various roles on campus, including working in the Student Access Lab, as a Peer Tutor in Student Success, and supported vaccination efforts in the COVID Immunization Clinic. Mr. Lalani is a self-motivated and meticulous student with a great desire to learn new things and apply his Civil Engineering skills and knowledge to real-world settings. He is a highly technical individual with practical experience in survey techniques, drafting principles and computer applications. Mr. Lalani is passionate about protecting the environment and being part of the solution to advance and expand infrastructure to improve our daily lives. He joins the Loyalist College Board of Governors as the student representative.

Rick Phillips recently served as the Reeve of Tyendinaga Township and as the Hastings County Warden. He was first elected as Councillor to Tyendinaga Township in 2006 and was elected Reeve in 2010. Previously, Mr. Phillips worked at CN Rail for 33 years, holding leadership positions before retiring from CN and running for public office. He also maintains an active role in the Royal Canada Legion. Mr. Phillips is a member and elder of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Tweed. He has been involved in various volunteer services in his community. Currently, he serves on the Boards of Highland Shores Children’s Foundation, Eastern Ontario Regional Network, Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus, Quinte Hospice Building Committee, and the Belleville General Hospital Foundation. Mr. Phillips has been a resident of Tyendinaga Township for 55 years.

Lina Rinaldi is Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at Quinte Health. She is an experienced healthcare leader with exceptional leadership experience in strategic and operational execution in regional and urban acute and community settings. Before Quinte Health, Ms. Rinaldi was at Closing the Gap Healthcare, where she was the Vice President, Client Service and provided strategic and operational oversight for approximately 2,000 homecare community and clinic staff across Ontario and Nova Scotia. She is also Chair of the Board of Directors of Summit Housing and Outreach Programs, Halton Region, which is a not-for-profit organization supporting individuals with mental health and addictions. Ms. Rinaldi holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from York University and a Master of Nursing (Admin) from the University of Toronto. She is a Certified Health Executive (CHE) with the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL), a graduate of the Rotman School of Management’s Advanced Health Leadership Program (AHLP) and holds a certificate in Legal Aspects of Healthcare Administration from Dalhousie University.

Quotes

“On behalf of our entire College community, I’m pleased to welcome Mario, Josh, Sofin, Rick and Lina to Loyalist’s Board of Governors. It is an exciting time at Loyalist as we become Ontario’s Destination College. Between our strong executive team and experienced Board of Governors, Loyalist has an exceptional leadership team in place focused on the best interests of our students, employees, and the surrounding communities we serve. I’d like to express my sincere appreciation to all of our dedicated Board Governors who generously volunteer their time to advancing our strategic vision and ensuring Loyalist students are successful in achieving their professional and personal aspirations.” – Mark Kirkpatrick, Acting President of Loyalist College

“As the Chair of Loyalist’s Board of Governors, I’m excited to welcome new Governors Mario, Josh, Sofin, Rick and Lina to the Board. With their diverse professional and personal experiences, I know that they will add tremendous value and build on the Board’s strong foundation. I look forward to collaborating with the entire Board of Governors this term as we continue supporting the College community and building on our collective vision to become Ontario’s Destination College.” – Pam Jolliffe, Chair of the Loyalist College Board of Governors

About Loyalist College 

Loyalist College is located on the territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, and the Haudenosaunee people. We acknowledge our shared obligation to respect, honour, and sustain these lands and the natural resources contained within. Ranked one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges, Loyalist College empowers students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential, industry cluster-based education, training and applied research programs. As Ontario’s Destination College, the College provides job-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, the College is perfectly positioned between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Loyalist College offers more than 70 full-time diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs in biosciences, building sciences, business, community service, health and wellness, media studies, public safety, and skilled trades. Continuing education options are available through LoyalistFocus.com, including hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, and through the College’s 100+ university transfer agreements. Loyalist College is a key driver of social and economic health in eastern Ontario. It contributes 3.8 percent of the Gross Regional Product, representing $396.3 million annually to the regional economy – based on an October 2021 report by Emsi. For more information on Loyalist College’s Belleville, Bancroft and Toronto campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit loyalistcollege.com.

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Contact:
Kate Gardner
Manager, Strategic Communications
Office of the President and CEO
kgardner@loyalistcollege.com