McMaster University

Patrick Deane is the seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of McMaster University, a position he has held since 2010. As President, Dr. Deane is focused on promoting and supporting research, strengthening the connections between the University and the local and global communities that we serve and ensuring a distinctive, personalized and engaging experience for McMaster’s students.

Dr. Farrar has held several roles in University senior administration. From 2007 to 2015, he served as the Provost and Vice-President Academic at the University of British Colombia (UBC).During university presidential transition at UBC from 2015 to 2016, he served first as Advisor to the Interim President and then as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of UBC.

Susan Searls Giroux is Associate Vice-President (Faculty) and Professor of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Her administrative role entails, among other responsibilities, oversight of the undergraduate curriculum across McMaster’s six faculties,faculty professional and leadership development with specific attention to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion and community engagement. Susan has championed the concept and development of CityLAB Hamilton as one of McMaster’s flagship community engagement initiatives.

Kim Dej is associate professor and associate director (curriculum and pedagogy) in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster. In January 2019, Kim began a part-time role as associate vice-provost, faculty, providing assistance to faculties and faculty members in their efforts to improve the undergraduate academic experience, particularly in areas advancing interdisciplinary studies, community engagement, experiential learning, educational access, equity and inclusion, and academic integrity. Kim co-developed McMaster’s first official community engagement course—Foundations of Community Engagement—and continues to serve as a co-instructor on the course.

In June of 2014, Sheila Sammon was appointed the first Director of Community Engagement for McMaster University. Together with her colleagues in the Office of Community Engagement and with the Network for Community Campus Partnerships, she has encouraged and supported principled community engagement for students, faculty and staff. Sheila co-developed McMaster’s first official community engagement course—Foundations of Community Engagement. As professor emerita in the School of Social Work, Sheila brings years of community-based experience to the role. Throughout her academic career she focused her teaching and research on experiential education and curriculum development including models of field education, social sciences inquiry and community based education.

Dave Heidebrecht is the manager for the Office of Community Engagement at McMaster University. He supports community-campus partnerships, coordinates a network of interdisciplinary colleagues, and leads the implementa"on of McMaster’s community engagement strategic plan. Dave also began serving as a co-instructor of McMasters Foundations of Community Engagement course in Fall 2018.

Jeff Wingard brings over twenty years of experience in local poverty reduction and social policy analysis to his current role of Co-Director (Community) in the Office of Community Engagement. For the last decade, Jeff worked as an independent consultant with a variety of community partners including McMaster University, the City of Hamilton, Mohawk College, and the Hamilton Community Foundation, primarily focused on access to education, health inequities, and poverty reduction. Prior to his consulting practice, Jeff served as a senior social planner for the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton for 10 years specializing in poverty reduction and affordable housing.