The Canadian Bureau for International Education consists of three appointed board officers and twelve elected board members from across Canada and the education sector.
Board Officers
Sean Kennedy
Chair of the Board of Directors
President
Niagara College
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A strong advocate for the value of applied education – in Ontario, Canada and around the world – Sean Kennedy is an experienced postsecondary leader with more than 20 years of experience leading teams in all areas of higher education.
Appointed Niagara College’s sixth President in January 2020, Sean has been a member of the College’s senior leadership team since 2006 when he joined NC as Vice President of Student and External Relations, and CEO of the Niagara College Foundation. He completed an interim assignment as Vice President, Academic and served Senior Vice President, International prior to becoming the College’s President.
Prior to joining Niagara College, Sean held various senior roles at Red Deer College and the University of Alberta.
Recognized as a leader in international education and student services in Canada, Sean has served on the board of directors of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), chaired the Colleges Ontario Student Access and Success Coordinating Committee, and co-moderated the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities Summit on Mental Health and Addictions.
Active in the community, Sean has served on the boards of the Business Education Council of Niagara, Niagara Sport Commission, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Niagara, and the Canada Summer Games 2022.
Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University, and is currently completing his Doctoral studies in leadership in higher and adult education and comparative, international and development education at the University of Toronto.
Roy Daykin
Treasurer
Former Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Corporate Services
SAIT
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With more than 30 professional years in the education system, Roy Daykin brings a wealth of knowledge and post-secondary experience to the CBIE Board of Directors.
As a former key member of SAIT’s leadership team, Daykin oversaw SAIT’s financial, technology and capital planning to ensure efficient and effective operations continue to be in alignment with SAIT’s students-first mandate.
Prior to joining SAIT, Daykin spent the last three years as Vice President, Employee and Corporate Services at Okanagan College in British Columbia. He has extensive institutional leadership experience in finance, human resources, facilities, technology, risk management and business services.
Daykin is a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA). He also holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University.
Daykin is committed to lifelong learning. His scholarly activity includes teaching experience in accounting and numerous works on topics such as improving processes and understanding cost drivers in the post-secondary sector.
Board Directors
Chris Busch
Associate Vice President, Enrolment Management
University of Windsor
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As the current Senior International Officer (SIO) and Associate Vice-President of Enrolment Management for the University of Windsor, Dr. Busch works closely with Executive and Academic Leadership to provide strategic leadership around the University’s international programs, global presence, relationships, and reputation, along with fostering enrolment (all degree levels), mobility, and international learning opportunities across the institution.
He completed his doctorate at the University of Calgary, focusing on investigating current trends and issues within the post-secondary context encompassing higher education. His scholarly and research pursuits center on how organizational culture influences internationalization, or the integration of an international, intercultural or global dimension into higher education’s purpose, function, or delivery. In addition to his doctoral studies, his academic background includes master’s degrees in science (MSc. Molecular Biology) and Business Administration (MBA), a Baccalaureate degree in Biology (BSc.), publication of scholarly works, and over twenty years of experience in the post-secondary sector, including academic instruction, planning, program review, development, and renewal. Outside of the office, he is an avid sailor and CrossFit enthusiast.
Isaac Garcia-Sitton
Executive Director, International Student Enrolment, Education and Inclusion
Toronto Metropolitan University
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A respected leader in the Higher Education sector and former diplomat with over 20 years of experience in international relations and business development, Isaac Garcia-Sitton is recognized amongst the leading voices in international postsecondary education across North America. He is currently serving as the inaugural Executive Director of International Student Enrolment, Education & Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University, and has previously held leadership positions at York University and McGill University in Canada
As a thought leader in the international education community, Isaac has been actively involved in advocating for policy measures to enhance international student support and wellbeing, particularly through his work with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) where he serves as a Board Director and Executive Committee Member. He is also a member of the cross-functional International Education Working Group created to help inform Council of Ontario Universities (COU) advocacy on international education to the provincial and federal governments. In addition, he leads industry best practices in internationalization and global engagement through board and advisory roles in prestigious international associations and organizations, such as the Council of International Schools (CIS), the International Network of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), IDP, and the British Council.
Isaac holds a PhD in Education from York University with a research focus on immigration policy-making as it relates to the recruitment and retention of international students in Canada. As a scholar-practitioner, he studies current and emerging policy issues of relevance to Canadian postsecondary education and has worked extensively towards the advancement of international education in the region. He is a strong proponent of holistic international student support systems and concerted efforts to facilitate international students’ meaningful integration on campuses and transition to societies. For his efforts to positively impact immigrant communities, he was named as one of the 10 Most Influential Hispanic Canadians in 2018 and received the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award in 2020.
Vinitha Gengatharan
Executive Lead, International Strategy
Simon Fraser University
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Vinitha Gengatharan is a senior leader with over 20 years of experience in the higher education sector. She currently serves as the Assistant Vice-President, Global Engagement & Partnerships at York University where she is responsible for advancing the University’s global engagement goals, global learning and the experience of international students. Previously, Vinitha was at the University of Toronto for 17 years where she held several progressively senior roles and led the university’s international strategy and partnerships. She has extensive experience in engaging in the Asia-Pacific region including building institutional collaborations with institutions, industry and government. At the University of Toronto, she established the University’s in-country presence in China. She has served in a leadership capacity on numerous not-for-profit boards including Agincourt Community Services Association, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Hart House Board of Stewards. She is the co-founder of Tamil Women Rising, a non-profit organization that empowers Tamil women and their allies in advancing their professional success.
Régine Legault-Bouchard
Directrice, recrutement et rétention
Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO)
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Régine Legault-Bouchard is a graduate of the University of Ottawa. She lived abroad as an international exchange student and has been passionate about international education ever since. She has worked in national and international recruitment and has held various positions at the International Office and the University of Ottawa for 14 years, the last 3 years as Director of the International Office. Her Master’s research focused on organizational communication, including internationalization strategies and their implementation in a university context. She has presented the results of her thesis and best practices in internationalization at various platforms, such as CBIE’s annual conference in Niagara Falls and Halifax, as well as at the EAIE conference in Liverpool in 2016, in Seville in 2017, and at the APAIE conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2019, as well as for the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie in 2021. Since September 2021, Ms. Legault-Bouchard has been with the Conseil des Écoles Publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario where she serves as the Director of Communications, Community Development and Engagement. Her duties include managing communications, outreach and student recruitment for CEPEO as well as managing partnerships and community relations.
François Gélineau
Vice Rector, International Affairs and Sustainable Development
Université Laval
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François Gélineau is Vice Rector, International Affairs and Sustainable Development, and EDI and Philanthropy Officer. He has been a full professor in the Department of Political Science at Université Laval since 2006, and he served as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences from 2015 to 2022. From 2011 to 2022, he held the Research Chair in Democracy and Parliamentary Institutions. He also served as Director of the Inter-American Studies Centre, Chair of the Department of Political Science, and Associate Director of the Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship. Prior to his academic career, he served as Senior Policy and Research Officer at the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and as Senior Public Opinion Advisor in the Intergovernmental Affairs Branch of the Privy Council Office of the Government of Canada.
As a researcher in the field of electoral studies, he has studied emerging democracies for over 25 years. He has spent several years working with various institutional players in Quebec, Canada and abroad, with the aim of translating scientific knowledge into concrete action for the benefit of democracy. He has acted as an international observer on over 20 election observation missions to various countries throughout the Americas, including Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic.
Larry Rosia
President and CEO
Saskatchewan Polytechnic
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As President and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Dr. Larry Rosia leads the province’s primary provider of technical education and skills training.
Dr. Rosia’s career in education spans more than 35 years, as an Instructor, Program Chair, Revenue Generating Coordinator, Marketing Manager, and Dean. He has more than 25 years of leadership experience in educational administration and has served in advisory roles to community, provincial and municipal committees. He is currently serving as Chair, Director, or Board Member for many Regional, National and International organizations, including: the Business/Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, CANARIE, the Community Colleges for International Development (CCID), the International Mineral Innovation Institute (IMII), Polytechnics Canada, Post-Secondary International Network (PIN), the Chair Academy, the Saskatchewan Labour Market Task Force (LMTF), the University of Regina Senate, and the World Federation of Colleges & Polytechnics (WFCP).
Dr. Rosia is a well-respected ambassador for the post-secondary community and has authored a book titled “The Successful College President.”
Janaka Ruwanpura
Former Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Research (International)
University of Calgary
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Janaka Ruwanpura is the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Research (International) at the University of Calgary, Canada. He is also the current elected Executive Chair of the Commission of International Initiatives of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) as the first Canadian and Non-American to chair any of the councils and commissions of APLU. He was a full professor, Canada Research Chair in Project Management Systems and a founding director of the Centre for Project Management in the Schulich School of Engineering.
Dr. Ruwanpura earned a BSc (honors) from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, an MSc in construction management from Arizona State University, and a PhD in construction engineering and management from University of Alberta. He has been recognized with many national and international awards for teaching, research, innovation, leadership, service, distinguished alumni, graduate education and internationalization. He has brought new international initiatives to the University of Calgary including developing and implementing collaborative degree models, co-developing Global Research Initiatives and Sites and raising funding for research and infrastructure, establishing and promoting new research partnerships in number of countries and lobbying for international development grants. Because of these initiatives the University of Calgary won 6 competitive excellence and innovation awards from various organizations such as CBIE, APLU and the Association of International Educators and Administrators (AIEA). In 2020 he was recognized with the International Achievement Award from the City of Calgary.
Dr. Ruwanpura is a licensed professional engineer in Alberta, a professional quantity surveyor in Canada and a chartered member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Carole St. Laurent
Associate Vice President, International
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
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For more than 30 years, Carole has worked in the field of education for Higher Education institutions in both Alberta and British Columbia, as well as the Ministries of Education and Advanced Education for the Government of Alberta. Carole has held administrative senior leadership roles in a Canadian national and international focus developing expertise in international activities including international partnership development, international recruitment and retention, global mobility and strategic planning.
In her current role as Associate Vice President, International, Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Metro Vancouver, Carole is responsible for providing leadership, oversight and strategic vision to KPU International. The KPU International team is made up of 60+ staff who are dedicated to the recruitment, admissions and success of international students and providing opportunities for faculty and students exchanges, business development and academic collaboration. She has recently served as Chair and Vice-Chair for BC Heads of International.
Carole holds a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education, as well as a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Public Management. She further completed a Certificate in Immigration: Laws, Policies and Procedures with UBC and holds a Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) designation.
Larissa Strong
Director, International
College of the Rockies
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Larissa Strong has worked in the International Education sector for more than two decades in both colleges and universities, and in three provinces. Starting as an International Student Advisor at Niagara College, then Project Manager of Strategic International Initiatives at York University, Manager of International Education at Durham College, Director of Internationalization at St. Francis Xavier University, and now Director of International at the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, British Columbia. She has experience with international student support, establishing international partnerships, managing education abroad programs, student programming and services, managing international projects, and international recruitment and admissions. Her work and passion focus on building and contributing to communities of knowledge that promote international education provincially, nationally, and internationally.
Baihua Chadwick
Vice-President, International
Thompson Rivers University
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With over two decades of experience in British Columbia’s post-secondary education system, Baihua Chadwick has been a driving force in shaping international education at Thompson Rivers University. Grounded in her own global journey—growing up in China, studying in Germany, and forging partnerships worldwide—Baihua brings a deep understanding of how internationalization enriches communities and transforms lives.
At TRU, Baihua leads international education as a dynamic and multi-faceted portfolio that goes beyond welcoming students from over 100 countries and regions. Her work spans transnational education, student services, and global training initiatives, while fostering collaboration across campus to integrate diverse perspectives into academic and social experiences. By connecting students, faculty, and staff with global opportunities, Baihua ensures that internationalization is not just about crossing borders but building bridges within TRU’s community.
This approach involves bringing around 800 international trainees to campus annually for short-term training, along with approximately 150 students through pathways, articulation, and visiting student programs. Over the past 20 years, TRU has built a strong reputation in transnational education by establishing and leading programs like Tianjin University of Technology, Shanghai Institute of Technology, and Cognitive Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies India, offering dual degree opportunities through innovative models such as 4+0, 1+3, and 2+2. These initiatives have empowered thousands of graduates to thrive in global labor markets, cementing TRU’s role as a driving force in international education and significantly amplifying its global impact.
Baihua’s leadership shines in her ability to guide her team through uncertainty while continuing to welcome thousands of students to TRU through diverse programs and pathways. She has worked tirelessly to ensure that every student feels supported, valued, and safe, reinforcing TRU’s reputation as a global leader in international education. By building on a legacy of innovation and excellence, Baihua continues to elevate TRU’s role in fostering transformative international experiences, both on campus and around the world.
Neil Fassina
President
Okanagan College
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Dr. Neil Fassina became Okanagan College’s President in April 2021, drawn to the institution for its reputation for transforming lives and communities.
Fassina holds a PhD in Management from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto, a BSc in Psychology from the University of Calgary and is a chartered professional in human resources (CPHR), and a chartered director through the Institute of Chartered Directors (ICD.D). As an active researcher, he has authored or co-authored a number of refereed articles, a Canadian Human Resource Management text, and pursues research interests in negotiations, applied decision making, and the role of education in shaping societies.
Prior to joining OC, Fassina was the President of Athabasca University (2016-21). He served previously as Provost and Vice President Academic at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the Dean of the JR Shaw School of Business and School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. He has taught as part of his academic career at the University of Toronto, the University of Calgary, the University of Manitoba, and in executive environments.
Elizabeth Vincent
Associate Vice-President, International
College of the North Atlantic
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For the past 22 years, both professionally and personally, have been devoted to the promotion and advancement of international education, both in Canada and abroad, and in creating diverse and inclusive communities in my province. My experience spans both the private and public education sector as well as through my personal small business ventures. In addition to these roles, I also worked at the Provincial Ministry advancing international education across all sectors and levels of Education. It is a continual journey for me and I have appreciated all the opportunities to work in this sector. I feel that my experiences could contribute to the mission and goal of in the advancement of internationalization and identification of continued opportunities for our province.
I have welcomed the opportunity to participate in numerous organizations, tasks force and boards to assist with the advancement of international education, immigration, integration, and promoting diversity and inclusion in our communities and in our country. I was one of the key initial players who helped develop and launch International Education Newfoundland and Labrador (IENL) as a membership organization to promote international activities and diversity, as a Co-Chair for 2 terms in our Province.
All of these diverse lenses, my travel to over 78 countries, work in over 30 countries, and my skill set in all the different jobs that I have held in the past 22 years, I have been fortunate to bring a multifaceted voice to the promotion of the country’s national agenda for international education and inclusion.
