Presidential search
The search for a new President and Vice-Chancellor will begin this fall. A 21-person search committee has been formed and includes representatives from the Board of Governors, senior administrative and academic leaders, faculty, students, and staff.
About the position
Responsible and accountable to the Board of Governors, the President provides overall leadership to University of Northern British Columbia in pursuit of its purpose, vision, mission and strategic plan. The President directs and oversees the University academic, research, administrative, and business affairs, and external relations – regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Search Committee Composition
The Search Committee is comprised of the following 21 voting members and 3 non-voting members:
| Position | Source | Selected by | Committee Member 2025 |
| Chair | Board Vice-Chair |
Ex-officio | Jim Martin |
| Vice-Chair | Board Chair | Ex-officio | Joel McKay |
| Committee Secretary (non-voting) |
University Secretary | Ex-officio | Kellie Howitt |
| Recording Secretary (non-voting) |
Office of the University Secretary |
University Secretary | Alexandra Parent |
| Members | Chancellor (if the position is vacant, a Board member chosen by the Board’s Human Resources Committee |
Ex-officio | Darlene McIntosh |
| 3 board members, including 1 regional member |
Selected by the Board’s Human Resources Committee |
Amanda Alexander Todd Whitcombe Jaqueline Reed |
|
| 1 senior academic officers who is a vice-president, provost, vice-provost, or associate vice-president |
Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board in consultation with the President’s Executive Council | Katerina Standish | |
| 1 senior academic officer who is a dean, director, university librarian or university registrar |
Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board in consultation with the President’s Executive Council |
Kimberly Read | |
| 1 senior administrative officer (vice-president associate vice-president, or director) |
Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board in consultation with the President’s Executive Council |
Anne Adeniyi-Faleye | |
| 1 Indigenous member | Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board in consultation with the Senate Committee on Indigenous Initiatives |
Penína Sara-Lynn Harding | |
| 1 undergraduate student | Appointed or elected by undergraduate student society |
Ayaan Punjani | |
| 1 graduate student | Appointed or elected by graduate student society | NAME | |
| Maximum 5 faculty members | Nominations can come from across the university, including self-nominations. Elected by the Senate, with a preference for representation from across the Faculties |
Laurence Charles Scott Zoe Meletis Jacqueline Holler Christine Younghusband Danie Erasmus |
|
| 1 regional representative | Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board |
Joy Davy | |
| 3 employees who are not faculty members, senior academic officer or senior administrative officer |
Chosen by the Human Resources Committee of the Board, in consultation with the relevant employee groups, with a preference for representation from across the employee groups |
Amelia Kaiser Mindy Stroet Guowei Li |
|
| Resource Person – provides human resources best practices advice (non-voting) |
Director, Human Resources | Ex-officio | Jennifer Dawson |
Process
Authority to establish procedures
Under Section 27(2) of the BC University Act, the board has the power, with the approval of the senate, to establish procedures for the recommendation and selection of candidates for president.
UNBC's GV 6.1 Search and Recommendation for the Selection of the President and Vice Chancellor Procedures can be found on the University Policy website.
Search consultant
The Search and Recommendation Committee will decide if a search firm will be used and what search firm will be used to assist the Committee.
Advertising of the Position
The search committee will decide how broadly the job posting will be advertised, in consultation with the search firm if one is used.
University community
The Committee will seek input from the university community with regard to the qualifications and experience the university should look for in a new president.
Confidentiality
The University community will be advised on the process within the constraints of confidentiality.
Comments / Questions
If you have any questions or comments about the search for UNBC's new president, please send an email to unbcboard@unbc.ca.
Updates
October 2, 2025
Appointment of Interim President and Vice Chancellor
The Board Chair announces the Board appointed Dr. William J. Owen as the Interim President, effective October 4, 2025, for a term of up to 18 months.
September 9, 2025
President and Vice Chancellor Update
The Board Chair communicated to the University community that it is expected the search for a new President and Vice Chancellor will take at least one year and will get underway this fall. The calls for nominations for elected positions on the search committee were communicated to eligible groups in mid-August. The positions on the committee that are appointed by the Board's Governance and Human Resources Committee will be discussed later in September.
Over the summer, the Board developed a process for an interim President appointment. A small Board driven search and recommendation committee was formed, and interviews took place. The Board was hoping to announce an interim President and Vice-Chancellor appointment soon.
July 24, 2025
President and Vice Chancellor Update
The Board Chair lets the University community Dr. Payne remains UNBC's President and Vice Chancellor, and he will continue in this role until later this fall. In his email, he communicated that the Board recognizes the importance of a fulsome and inclusive search for our next President and Vice Chancellor and expects such a search to take at least one year. The search was expected to get underway in the fall, with calls for nominations for a number of positions on the search committee to be communicated starting in mid-August.
Given the amount of time the Board expects it will take to recruit a new President, they will be appointing an interim President in accordance with section 27(2)(h) of the University Act, until the permanent position is filled.
June 19, 2025
President Payne to assume new leadership role outside UNBC
The Board Chair announced that President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Geoff Payne has accepted a new leadership opportunity as President and CEO of Michael Smith Health Research BC and will be stepping down from his role at UNBC. The Board is committed to a transparent and deliberate process in the search for the University’s next President and Vice-Chancellor, and eventually selecting a leader who has a demonstrated track record of strong relationship building, excellent communication, and is committed to the university community and Northern B.C.