—From the desks of Maggie Matear, President, and Taya Whitehead, Vice-President, Education & Students 

The Education & Students Division is making some structural updates that will help secure a stronger future for Selkirk College. For the last several years, Education & Students has been a single, large division comprised of all academic and student service areas, reporting to Taya Whitehead, Vice-President, Education & Students. Transitioning April 1, 2026, the teams will be divided into two divisions: 1) Academic and 2) Students and External Relations.  

The Academic Division will report to Taya Whitehead, whose title will change to Vice-President Academic and Provost to align with much of the college sector.  

We’re pleased to share that Brier Albano, currently Associate Vice-President, Student Success, will transition to the role of Vice-President, Students and External Relations. In this expanded role, Brier will continue to support the Students portfolio and will also assume more responsibilities around external relations and institutional communications. This will include oversight of the Communications and Public Engagement department, among other duties.  

Within the Students and External Relations portfolio, the Registrar’s Office will expand to include two new areas: 1) Institutional Research and 2) Privacy. Bringing these areas together reflects the growing importance of data-informed decision-making and strong privacy practices across the institution. 

Under the Students and External Relations portfolio, Danny Beatty’s role—formerly Director of International Education—is being redefined as Director, Workforce and International Development. He will now oversee both International Education and Community Education and Workplace Training. This approach recognizes the close alignment between workforce development and international education, creating a more flexible, market-oriented unit. 

Together, these changes will create synergies that increase the impact of our work and support the college’s long-term sustainability. They will strengthen alignment between institutional priorities, student supports, and our work with partners and stakeholders.

This announcement represents the first phase of a broader organizational restructuring currently underway. A second announcement later this month will outline updates to the academic portfolio.