RDC welcomes Dr. Peter Nunoda as 11th President

From RDC Communications

Red Deer College’s Board of Governors has introduced Dr. Peter Nunoda to the College community as the institution’s incoming President & CEO, succeeding Joel Ward after ten years.

Dr. Nunoda, who holds a Ph.D. in History, brings an extensive list of skills and more than 30 years of post-secondary experience to the College. Dr. Nunoda has been the President of Vancouver Community College (VCC) since August 2014. He served as Vice President, Academic and Research at Northern Lights College (NLC) for three years, prior to leading VCC. Under Dr. Nunoda’s guidance, domestic enrolment grew three per cent and the number of international students skyrocketed 75 per cent at NLC through a Strategic Enrolment Management Plan.

From 2007-2011, Dr. Nunoda was the Dean of Faculty of Health at the University College of the North. Before that position, he served as the Director of Access Programs and Program Director for Aboriginal Focus Programs at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Nunoda was also an instructor in the Departments of History and Native Studies for 12 years at the University of Manitoba, where he conducted research projects on various topics, including Aboriginal health education and Aboriginal student retention. His subject matter expertise in Aboriginal health also led him to a position with the Indigenous Health Unit at James Cook University in Australia.

During an extensive search that lasted more than 15 months, RDC’s Board of Governors identified Dr. Nunoda as the strongest candidate to lead Red Deer College through an exciting time of growth and change as it becomes Red Deer University. The Board of Governors thanks Leaders International, an executive search firm, for their assistance in hiring Dr. Nunoda.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Peter Nunoda as the 11th President of Red Deer College,” says Morris Flewwelling, Board of Governors Chair. “His attributes and experiences at the college and university levels, along with his significant work with Indigenous communities, make him the ideal candidate to lead RDC through the continuing growth and transition to become a comprehensive regional teaching university.”

In addition to Dr. Nunoda’s expertise and work experience, he is a big proponent of collaborating with, and connecting with, the community. Along with Central City Foundation, VCC has hosted Fair in the Square, connecting over 3,000 community members at a festival of food, music and activities. In partnership with Vancouver Trolley Company and funding from Telus, the VCC Dental Clinic hosted Tooth Trolley for pre-registered children and their families, providing free dental exams, seminars and fun activities.

Dr. Nunoda looks forward to using his past experiences in the post-secondary sector, supporting learners and communities, to lead Red Deer College into the future.

“This is an exciting time for Red Deer College as we transition to university status. The future is very bright as we work together to achieve what this community and region have dreamed about for a long time,” says Dr. Nunoda. “It is our responsibility to make the vision of a high quality comprehensive post-secondary institution a reality for the generations to come. I look forward to working with our many stakeholders on this transformational journey.”

Dr. Nunoda and his wife, Joanne, have three children, Erin, Emily and Ethan, who all attend post-secondary institutions in Canada. He is an avid golfer and a dedicated hockey fan.

Dr. Nunoda will commence his duties as RDC President on September 3, 2019.