Leadership Team

With over three decades of experience across public service, international development, and international education, Larissa brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to global engagement and institutional excellence.

She has held senior leadership roles in both government and the not-for-profit sector, including serving as Deputy Clerk and Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the Government of Saskatchewan and as Senior Advisor to a Federal Royal Commission. Her transition from a distinguished public service career to international relations reflects a longstanding dedication to global development and cooperation. Larissa has held senior assignments with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the International Centre for Policy Studies in Ukraine.

Over the past 20 years, Larissa has worked extensively in international development and education, advising governments and multilateral organizations on institutional capacity building, governance, public sector reform, access to justice, and the development of legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks. She is widely recognized for her ability to lead with strategic clarity, foster resilient partnerships, and navigate complex intercultural and political environments.

A passionate advocate for the transformative power of education, Larissa believes deeply in its ability to drive social progress, foster mutual understanding, and empower individuals and communities around the world. She is equally committed to advancing Canada’s global role—promoting inclusive engagement, knowledge diplomacy, and international collaboration through education.

Larissa holds a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Regina.

Karen Dalkie joined CBIE in 1998 and has since led a range of global initiatives supporting Canada’s international education and development efforts. She provides strategic oversight of CBIE’s projects funded by Global Affairs Canada and other international clients, while also advancing new partnership and development initiatives with partners across government, academia, and civil society.

Karen plays a key role in strengthening relationships with member institutions, notably through CBIE’s international collaboration missions, which create opportunities for Canadian institutions to build global academic partnerships.

Fluent in French, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian, Karen has worked extensively across the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

She holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University and a Bachelor’s degree in History and Russian from the University of Manitoba. She also studied at Moscow State Pedagogical University and holds a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from Carleton University.

Cindy is responsible for strategic communications and planning, and supports CBIE’s strategic priorities through member, government and stakeholder engagement, events design, and issues/operations management. She brings over 20 years of experience in international and higher education, as well as public administration.

Prior to joining CBIE, she served as Assistant Director of International Relations at Universities Canada, where she led the association’s international engagement strategies, policy development, and government relations efforts.

She also held roles at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Environment Canada, focusing on international affairs, policy development, and research collaboration. At SSHRC, she managed several initiatives to foster interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and international research partnerships.

Cindy holds a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Graduate Diploma in European Integration Studies from Carleton University, and a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies from Trent University, including a year of study abroad at Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand).

Dan Weber brings cross-sector experience spanning government, education, financial services, non-profits, and the technology sector. His background in public policy, partnership development, and innovation supports CBIE’s advocacy agenda on behalf of its members.

He has served on boards and advisory councils for multiple Canadian universities and currently sits on the Board of Governors and Executive and Audit & Risk Committees at the University of Waterloo, his alma mater. He also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s University.

Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, with a focus on Business Information Systems, from the University of Waterloo.

Melissa brings 20 years of experience in communications, partnership development, and program management. In her role at CBIE she provides strategic oversight across CBIE’s membership, events, research, and learning portfolios, ensuring these areas are integrated and aligned with the organization’s mission to support its members. Melissa also plays a central role in convening the sector through CBIE’s annual conference and leads efforts to strengthen the organization’s national and global presence by fostering meaningful relationships with government, member institutions, and industry partners.

Melissa’s career began in international development, where she managed and supported education, economic development, and health projects across Asia and Africa. Her global perspective is further informed by her years teaching communications and English as a Second Language in South Korea, as well as her ongoing role as a part-time faculty member at Algonquin College.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Ottawa, a post-graduate diploma in International Project Management from Humber College, a diploma in ESL teaching, and a certification in Event Marketing from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

Lauren Moore joined CBIE in 2015 and provides strategic leadership across human resources (HR) and corporate operations to support the organization’s priorities. She also leads initiatives to streamline processes and enhance policies that strengthen CBIE’s internal systems and service delivery.

Lauren is a multi-faceted HR professional with over 25 years of progressive experience in union and non-union environments. She has gained valuable insight and expertise working across industries including health care, engineering, industrial and supply distribution, banknote printing, and technology.

Lauren is a Certified Human Resources Professional and Leader (CHRP/CHRL) and a graduate of Seneca College’s Human Resources Management and Business Administration Program.

Catherine Wilde brings over 20 years of progressive experience in international education, global education, and partnership development. Her work centres on multi-stakeholder project management and international relations, with a commitment to advancing CBIE’s international partnership portfolio to support joint initiatives and expand academic collaboration between Canadian and international post-secondary institutions.

Grounded in a strong foundation of collaborative leadership, Catherine began her career with CUSO (now Cuso International), managing a Government of Canada-funded technical assistance program and working with teams across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas. She has since held roles in two Canadian post-secondary institutions at the college and university levels, consistently committed to continuous learning and capacity development.

Catherine holds a Master of Education in Adult Learning and Global Change from the University of British Columbia.

Sabrina is an international business leader with over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, investment promotion, and high-level advisory work across government and private sectors. She has led global initiatives in more than 30 countries on five continents, securing multi-million-dollar contracts and advising clients such as the UK Government, USAID, Orascom, and Petronas.

Her background spans public diplomacy, market entry strategy, and brand positioning across a variety of sectors, including energy, tourism, media, finance, and development. Sabrina has held senior leadership roles at M&C Saatchi and IC Publications and served as CEO of two award-winning communications firms. Bilingual in English and French, she brings a global perspective, entrepreneurial mindset, and values-driven approach to every engagement.

Sabrina holds a BA (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, studied International Relations in Sweden, and earned a Sustainable Business Strategy Certificate from Harvard Business School.

Mélissa leads national research initiatives and oversees CBIE’s professional development portfolio to support the evolving needs of international education professionals across Canada.

Prior to joining CBIE in 2018, she led training and development initiatives for an Australian project management company specializing in international development and education programs across the Asia-Pacific region.

Mélissa started her career in international education in 2006, when she worked at Nipissing University on international mobility programs, student advising, and intercultural programming. She later served as an occasional trainer with the Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC). She brings a deep commitment to cultural humility, collaborative leadership, and continuous learning.

She holds a Master’s of International Relations in Public Policy and Social Research from International Christian University in Japan, where she studied as a Rotary Peace Fellow. She also has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nipissing University and certifications in leadership, intercultural communication, training and assessment, including a Certificate of Leadership and Management from the University of Adelaide.

Lanor joined CBIE in 2018 and leads the team responsible for administering multiple short-term scholarships for Canadian and international scholars that aim to advance Canada’s education relations and engagement in over 30 countries. She also provides oversight to Global Affairs Canada-funded events for international senior academic leaders and scholars that aim to advance the program objectives.

Lanor’s extensive experience working with students, Canadian and international senior academic leaders, government officials, and embassy network representatives helps support the International Scholarships Program’s objectives to increase student mobility, internationalization efforts, and the promotion of Canada as a destination for international partnerships.

Lanor has over 20 years of experience in scholarship management and the Canadian post-secondary and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to her time in Ottawa, Lanor spent 11 years as an administrator in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto.

Lanor holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Toronto.