THUNDER BAY – Moira McPherson should be able to hit the ground rolling after being named Brian Stevenson’s permanent replacement at the Lakehead University helm.
McPherson, who took over the role of president and vice-chancellor on Sept. 1, has held the position in an interim role since last January.
On Wednesday, when the announcement was made official, McPherson said she’s excited to officially get started at the job at a school she knows intimately.
“I’ve lived, loved, breathed Lakehead University during my academic and leadership career here. And I’m passionate about us as a comprehensive university and about the vital role that we play in the social, cultural and economic community that we support and that support us.”
First and foremost McPherson said she’s keen to start the implementation of the school’s new strategic plan, which she helped develop under Stevenson, who departed the Thunder Bay school at the end of 2017.
The framework for the plan is to foster academic excellence, social responsibility, local and global partnerships, entrepreneurship and innovation and capacity development.
McPherson said being in the role already demonstrated she had what it takes to lead the university into a very competitive future.
“It allowed myself, with the senior leadership team and really, the whole university, to lay the foundation for this new strategic plan. We’re in a great place now to move forward and to plan to achieve these priorities,” she said.
Board of governors’ chair David Tamblyn said the search for a replacement for Stevenson was wide-ranging, but in the end it was McPherson’s experience and knowledge about Lakehead that pushed her to the top of the pack.
“It’s been a long process in terms of finding a new president and we’re thrilled that after all our searching we decided the best person for the job was Moira. She’ll fit in nicely with the plans that we have under way for implementing the strategic plan,” Tamblyn said.
“She’s familiar with the university, she’s familiar with the culture and she’s going to hit the road running.”
Tamblyn, who did not say how many people they were considering for the role, added McPherson has risen up through the ranks at the university and knows its priorities.
“She’s worked with us in developing the board’s strategic plan and that familiarity makes a big difference. Simply, she was the best person for the job.”
McPherson began her academic career at Lakehead in 1987 as an assistant professor in the department of physical education and athletics and most recently, since 2012, has served as the school's vice-president academic and provost.
