DAWSON CREEK – The Northern Lights College Board of Governors is pleased to announce that Laurie Rancourt has been selected as the fourth President of Northern Lights College.
The resident of Sudbury, Ontario, was named the successful candidate for NLC’s Chief Executive Officer position, after a five-month search undertaken by the College’s Board of Governors.
Rancourt will replace D. Jean Valgardson. Valgardson, who is retiring, has been NLC’s President since 2005. Her contract concludes in 2011.
Rancourt’s first day as President of NLC will be Feb. 21, 2011, while Valgardson’s last day will be Jan. 28.
Rancourt comes to NLC after holding several senior administrative positions over a 15-year career at College Boreal in Sudbury. College Boreal is a francophone college with seven campuses and 38 access centres across 29 municipalities in Ontario.
Currently, Rancourt is Boreal’s Vice President Corporate Services, overseeing the Finance, Information Technology, Registrar, Marketing, Daycare, Physical Plant and Security departments.
Prior to that, Rancourt was Boreal’s Vice President Academic from 2007 until April 2010. Responsibilities included setting academic policy; ensuring quality of programs, distance education activities and academic services; and overseeing upgrading, literacy and continuing education offerings at Boreal’s Toronto-area locations. She was also the College’s Registar from 2004-2007.
Rancourt began her career at Boreal in 1995 as an instructor in the Medical Radiation Technology program, before moving on to a number of management positions, including: coordinator of Health Science programs, dean of Community Service programs, and manager of Boreal’s Job Connect offices. Prior to joining Boreal, she taught at Cambrian College in Sudbury, and was a medical radiation technologist in a private clinic.
Academically, Rancourt has a Master of Arts Integrated Studies from Athabasca University; a Bachelor degree in Liberal Science from Laurentian University; and a diploma in Medical Radiation Technology. She also is an active community volunteer, having sat as chair or a member of numerous local, regional or provincial organizations.