Bonnie Ginter-Brown and Gerry Pinkney are no strangers to challenge.
The two recently appointed Durham College executive directors have more than 50 years of combined experience. And since their careers have been spent predominantly in the college environment, they have a unique grasp of the needs of students, faculty and staff.
Ms. Ginter-Brown is executive director of student services and communications, while Mr. Pinkney is executive director of information technology. Their expertise will be in great demand, given the increasing challenges in the fields of post-secondary education and computer technology.
"Bonnie and Gerry are exceptional individuals and Durham College is delighted to have them," says Gary Polonsky, president of Durham College. "The depth and scope of their many accomplishments, plus their highly developed people skills, will be invaluable assets as college heads into the new millennium."
Ms. Ginter-Brown joined Durham College in 1979 to teach post-graduate psychiatric nursing. Since then she has progressed through a number of increasingly important positions including director of clinical supervision, chair of nursing programs and director of counselling and health services, and associate vice-president of student services.
In her current role as executive director of student services and communications, Ms. Ginter-Brown is responsible for admissions, registration, financial aid, work study, peer tutoring, bursaries and scholarships, the centre for students with disabilities, health services, counselling, athletics, liaison with student services, and communications and media services. Since taking on the responsibility in June for communications and media services, Ms. Ginter-Brown has overall responsibility for media relations, special events, advertising, the academic calendar and other college publications.
Ms. Ginter-Brown, who holds a BA from the University of Waterloo, also has extensive experience outside Durham College. Two of these posts are head nurse in admission crisis, and in forensic services and staff education services at Whitby Psychiatric Hospital, plus director of nursing education at Lakeshore Hospital.
"It is an honour to work in such a stimulating and exciting place as Durham College. There's an exceptionally caring environment here, and I thoroughly enjoy working with students who are preparing to embark on their careers," says Ms. Ginter-Brown.
One of her priorities is to further enhance the college's superb reputation, and to produce more Durham information and award-winning publications in Web format. Ms. Ginter-Brown is also developing additional plans for advertising and marketing the college's great range of career-oriented programs.
Prior to joining Durham College in July, Mr. Pinkney gained extensive experience in education and information technology at Seneca College. He began his Seneca career as an analyst in 1974, and was promoted to manager of systems and programming five years later. After taking a six-month secondment as a business analyst at ICI International, he returned to Seneca as manager of systems and programming. In 1986, Mr. Pinkney was promoted to director of computing and communication services.
Before joining Seneca, he was supervisor of programming and operations at McGraw-Hill Ryerson and subsequently at Lily Cups Ltd., both of Toronto. Mr. Pinkney holds a diploma in Business Administration, Computer Studies, from Cambrian College in North Bay.
"One of my chief aims at Durham College is to have Durham recognized as Canada's most technically proficient college and to be known as a leader in distance education," says Mr. Pinkney. "I am enjoying my new role at Durham, particularly the critical importance that information technology plays in helping the college realize its long-term strategic plan."
Media Contact:
Alice Lytwynchuk
alice.lytwynchuk@durhamc.on.ca
(905) 721-3111 ext. 2117
Catherine Shearer-Kudel
catherine.shearer-kudel@durhamc.on.ca
(905) 721-3111 ext. 2162
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