Vianne Timmons biography

Universities Canada board director

Dr. Vianne Timmons became the 13th president and vice-chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland in April 2020, after serving as president of the University of Regina for more than 12 years.

Dr. Timmons is a director on the board of Universities Canada.

Dr. Timmons grew up in Labrador City as one of six children and moved to Nova Scotia during high school. She holds a BA from Mount Allison University, a B.Ed. from Acadia University, a M.Ed. from Gonzaga University in Washington and a PhD from the University of Calgary.

A teacher by training, she maintains a wide-ranging research program emphasizing family literacy and inclusive education. Her credits include nine books, 12 book chapters, 40 peer-reviewed articles, 30+ funded research projects (as principal or co-investigator) and more than 200 invited lectures.

Her many awards include being named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women (WXN), a National Inclusive Education Award, a Humanitarian Award (Red Cross), a Community Literacy Award (Canada Post), and the first Gender and Leadership in Higher Education Award (EMULIES). She received the Indspire Award for Education in 2019 and, in 2017, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for her lifetime contributions to inclusive education, family literacy, Indigenous post-secondary education and women’s leadership.

An active volunteer, Dr. Timmons has served various postsecondary and other organizations, including as president of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, chair of Universities Canada’s Standing Committee on International Relations and member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.