Senior leadership team

Alex Clark

Alex Clark is an internationally known administrator, researcher, and advocate for well-being and effectiveness in academic work and workplaces. A complexity theorist and researcher of psychosocial aspects of heart disease, he has worked in post-secondary education for 20 years in Alberta. He has held faculty and executive roles at the University of Alberta for more than a decade, and, most recently, was dean of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University. He is past chair of the International Institute of Qualitative Methodology (2011-18), and co-authored How to be a Happy Academic (SAGE, 2018). He was designated a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader / Young Scientist for his contributions to mentorship and leadership in academia.

Catherine Swindlehurst

With more than 20 years of experience in senior and executive academic leadership, Catherine brings invaluable experience to AU. Through a range of roles with the University of Alberta and the University of Cambridge—including Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Vice-President (University Relations), among others—Catherine's expertise spans strategic planning, fund and business development, strategic communications, issues and change management, stewardship, government relations, and community engagement.

Catherine has developed a strong reputation for her collegial approach to create and implement results-driven, strategic, multi-disciplinary partnerships and initiatives that foster diversity and inclusion in growth. A certified executive coach, she holds her BA, MA, and MBA from the University of Alberta, as well as her PhD from the University of Cambridge, U.K.

Priscilla Campeau

Priscilla Campeau is Cree – Saulteaux. She is a member of Muskowekwan First Nation in Saskatchewan and has been a visitor on Treaties 6 and 8 territories for the past 25 years. She has been with AU, working in such disciplines as criminal justice, governance, law and management, and Indigenous Studies. She is currently the lead of Nukskahtowin (Meeting Place), a centre that integrates Indigenous knowledge within the university structures in the areas of program and course development. Priscilla is also the chair of Indigenous studies and teaches an undergraduate course entitled “Indigenous Women in Canada” and a graduate course entitled “Indigenous Knowledge and Education.” Her research interests include Indigenous women, Indigenous knowledge, and the intersections of Indigeneity within the various disciplines, and the inclusion of Elders within those spaces.

Richard Dixon

Richard Dixon, co-chair of AU’s Management department and a faculty member since 2017, has had an outstanding career in leadership across multiple sectors. He served as CEO of the Regulatory and Strategic Affairs Center and has held roles leading strategic development for the Alberta Energy Regulator and Alberta Environment, Government of Alberta. He has pursued his interests in strategic management, ethics and energy through teaching, consulting, and coaching across academia and the private sector.

At AU, he co-led the development and taught North America’s first AI-powered virtual co-op. He was the 2024 recipient of the Craig Cunningham Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence at AU.

Shawn Fraser

Dr. Shawn Fraser is the dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and is a full professor of Health Studies. He previously served as associate dean, teaching and learning in the Faculty of Health Disciplines and as the Master of Health Studied/Master of Nursing graduate program director. He studies health behaviour change and mental stress responses in cardiac rehabilitation patients and also belongs to the learning analytics research group at Athabasca University. He has been involved in graduate programming, teaching, and administration since joining Athabasca University in 2006.

Megan Hall

Megan Hall joined AU in 2012 as a member of Athabasca University’s innovative open-access scholarly publishing house, AU Press. In 2019, Megan became the director of AU Press. Since then, she has worked on numerous boards and committees in the university press and publishing community, including recently as the president of the Association of Canadian University Presses. Megan often presents on AU Press’s innovative publishing model and speaks to the value and sustainability of open-access publishing programs, and has worked with government agencies to explore funding pathways for open access.

Dr. Ramses Ilarraza

Dr. Ramses Ilarraza is an experienced researcher and academic administrator. His scientific career in biomedical lab research, which includes six years of postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Alberta and the University of Manitoba, has focused on the role of the immune response in asthma and other respiratory diseases, among his work in other fields. His research has been highlighted in leading journals in the field of immunology.

As an academic administrator, he previously served as the inaugural Asst. Vice-President, Research and as the Dean of Graduate Studies (interim) at Concordia University of Edmonton. As the lead of the Research Office, he will continue to foster an active, ambitious and inclusive research culture at AU, and expand the opportunities to make a difference through academic research by and for our community.

Stuart Johnston

Stuart Johnston, CPA/CA, is a seasoned finance and accounting leader with over 15 years of experience driving financial transformation, strategic decision-making, and operational excellence. He has led large-scale finance systems and process and cultural transformations, optimizing financial reporting and budgeting for multi-billion-dollar organizations.

As a collaborative leader, Stuart excels in mentoring teams, fostering strategic partnerships, and turning complex financial data into actionable insights. With expertise in enterprise risk management, procurement, contract management, and corporate governance, he is dedicated to enhancing financial efficiency and business performance.

Stuart is also an active board member and community leader, contributing to governance and financial thought leadership.

Dr. Candy Khan

With more than 25 years of progressively complex roles in equity, diversity, and inclusion, Dr. Candy Khan brings vital experience to AU. As a passionate and empathetic leader, she has a reputation for contributing to sustainable, high-impact change across diverse organizations, including post-secondary education institutions and multiple levels of government.

She joins AU from her most recent role as senior manager, EDI, for the Government of Alberta’s Sheriffs Branch. Candy holds her BA, MEd, and Ed.D. from the University of Alberta with credentials in human rights, intercultural development, agile change, coaching, and career development.

Manijeh Mannani

Dr. Manijeh Mannani (she/her) is a full professor of English and comparative literature. Since joining Athabasca University in 2007, she has led and co-led several major faculty and university-wide initiatives and served in various academic administrative roles. A staunch advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, she believes in respect, collegiality, and transparency informing all levels of decision-making. She is keen to enhance what has been working well in the faculty and to introduce and implement new ideas, in line with the mission of the university. She has a distinguished record of scholarly publishing in the areas of classical Persian literature, poetry, and life narratives and has supervised dissertations in a wide range of disciplines within the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Alain May

Dr. Alain May joined AU in 2006. Her research interests are enterprise systems, system implementation, and gender and information technology; she has also done work around user competency and IT outsourcing. She is currently researching the implementation of an electronic health record system in Kibera, Africa’s second largest slum, located in the heart of Nairobi. Alain obtained both her BsC (Computing Science) specializing in software design and her MBA from the University of Alberta. She obtained her PhD in Business (Management Information Systems) from the University of Calgary in 2007. She has taught MBA and undergraduate courses at both Athabasca University and the University of Calgary in all areas of management information systems and organizational behaviour.

Matthew McCreary

Matt McCreary works in the office of the president to support strategic projects across the university and engage with internal and external stakeholders.

He brings rich skills from across the post-secondary sector in strategic planning, strategy development and alignment, stakeholder and community relations, change and issues management, and integrated communications. Matt has a Master of Arts in Communications and Technology, for which his research focused on crowdsourced strategies to advance inclusive organizational change in universities.

Before joining AU in 2023, Matt supported strategic communications and engagement for the offices of the president, provost, and other units at the University of Alberta. He has also worked at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and in the non-profit sector.

Jessica O’Connell

Jessica is a strategic leader, systems thinker, and relationship builder with over a decade of experience driving impact in community-minded practices across non-profit, post-secondary and international development sectors. With experience spanning volunteer engagement, sustainable development, experiential learning in curricular and co-curricular contexts, alumni engagement, fund development, partnerships and events, Jessica is a convener and connector, stewarding and leading across systems and organizations.

Prior to joining Athabasca University, Jessica held leadership roles at the University of Calgary, most recently in Alumni Engagement, where she stewarded the partnerships, recognition, and engagement portfolio across campus and in service to alumni.

She holds a Master of Science in Global Development Challenges from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Calgary.

Pauline Smeltz

Pauline Smeltz joined Athabasca University in 2019 as the deputy chief human resources officer and assumed the position of chief human resources officer in Aug. 2023.

She has been actively engaged in key strategic initiatives and operational transformation efforts to accelerate growth and strengthen our values-based culture, both internally within HR and across the organization.

She brings over 20 years of experience leading HR efforts in public, private, and not-for-profit sectors where she specialized in organizational and workforce transformation, organizational culture, labour relations, and change management to improve performance and growth.

Smeltz holds a bachelor of arts and a master of arts from the University of Bombay, and a master of business administration in human resources from Royal Roads University.

Tyler Tollefson

Tyler is an experienced lawyer and an accomplished corporate governance executive with a strong reputation as a trusted advisor and a team-focused leader who successfully builds and maintains collaborative relationships. Tyler served for several years as General Counsel and Vice-President (Legal Representation) for Legal Aid Alberta. He has provided senior executive operational and legal leadership in support of a Fortune 500 executive leadership team, as well as boards, committees, and projects in the technology, finance, and energy sectors.

A certified executive coach, Tyler earned a B.Sc. (Biology) and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Saskatchewan and went on to earn MBA degrees from Cornell University and Queens University.

In addition to his work experience, Tyler brings a wealth of community engagement and volunteer experience, most recently serving as the Small Business Chair for the Campaign Cabinet of the United Way Alberta Capital Region.

Ray Welshman

Ray Welshman is a collaborative and experienced executive accomplished in building and leading diverse teams in complex organizations. A leader who embraces change and thrives in organizations that are dynamic and entrepreneurial, Ray is an engaged people-leader who gets great satisfaction in developing and leading high-performing talent.

Ray started his career in the Canadian military in 1986. In 1990, he helped develop and eventually lead one of the first IT departments in the Canadian Army. Ray built his leadership skills through successive training and operational deployments, including the first Gulf War, the United Nations, and NATO/NORAD. He successfully applies the skills and experiences gained there to this day.

In his civilian career, Ray has held senior leadership roles in telcos, government, health, consulting, publicly traded, and private industry. His recent roles include Senior Vice-President Business Technology and Enterprise Risk at Alcanna Inc. and Senior Vice-President Information Systems Enablement at Servus Credit Union.

Ray is currently the president and owner of Welshman Consulting Services, realizing his career ambition to bring his 30 years of experience to bear in a consulting firm.

He and his wife, Carol, have 3 children and currently live in Edmonton, Alberta.

Shauna Zenteno

Dr. Shauna Zenteno is the dean, Faculty of Science and Technology, and an associate professor, Biology at Athabasca University. She is the former program director for the BSc Human Science program and the former chair, Centre for Science. In her 18 years at AU, she has also held the roles of vice-dean, operations in the Faculty of Graduate Studies. She participates in a number of external partnerships and is the Athabasca University representative on the NSERC leader’s network. Shauna is a member of the Athabasca River Basin Research Institute. Her research is focused on the metagenomics of microbial communities in northern Alberta water as a determinant of aquatic system health, in collaboration with Bigstone Cree Nation and researchers at AU and the University of Calgary.