Dr. Paul J. Byrne

President
Grant McEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada

Paul Byrne is the third president of Grant MacEwan College. Paul's thirty-five year career has also seen him in leadership positions at three colleges in Canada as well as work in the private sector with General Motors.

Dr. Byrne's academic credentials include a Ph.D in educational administration from the University of Alberta, a Masters of Education from the State University of New York, a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction from Brock University, and certificates from Ryerson University and the League for Innovation. His Doctoral research was a comparison study of two British Columbia Colleges. He has completed post doctoral work at Harvard Graduate School and Ryerson University.

Paul’s commitment to enhance access and barrier free transfer for learners is a key attribute that he brings to the presidency. He has a strong belief that the soul of a college is the staff and their commitment to serving the needs of students.

Throughout his career he has participated on or chaired an extensive number of community and post-secondary organizations. Paul is a member of The Edmonton Police Foundation Board, the Leadership Academy-a US based organization for the development of leadership, the US Community College Baccalaureate Association and past Chair of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He has served as Chair of the Alberta Council of Presidents, the Jobs for the Future Committee of Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Association of Canadian Community College Transfer and Mobility Task Force, Alberta Centre for International Education, the Edmonton United Way Cabinet and Chair of the 2003 Meet the North Conference. Dr. Byrne received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Alberta Commemorative Silver Medallion. Venture Magazine named Paul as one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people in 2000 and 2004.

Internationally, Paul has participated in projects in South Africa, Uganda, India, Mexico, and Japan. In October 2002, he travelled with the Minister of Alberta Learning on an educational mission to South East Asia ( Japan, Thailand, China, and Vietnam). He has taught several strategic planning workshops for education and training officials in Vietnam. He participated on the Prime Minister's Team Canada Trade Mission to Latin America ( Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico). His career and interests reflect a personal and professional commitment to lifelong learning, development of partnerships and collaborations as well as a global focus.

Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is the province's largest college with four campuses, over 70 diploma and university transfer programs, applied degrees and undergraduate degrees, a budget of $128 million and serves more than 42,000 learners annually. Internationally, the College has offices in China, Ecuador, Ukraine and Russia. Grant MacEwan's mandate includes the offering of diplomas, applied degrees and undergraduate degrees.

Dr. Diane Troyer

President
Cy- Fair College
North Harris Montgomery Community College District
Cypress, Texas

Dr. Diane K. Troyer was appointed as founding president of Cy-Fair College in October 2000. In this role she led the planning, design, construction and implementation of the first college to be developed in the 21st century. Cy-Fair College is located in suburban northwest Houston and is one of five North Harris Montgomery Community College District colleges. Opening in fall 2003, the college now serves more than 10,000 students in its third year. Under Dr. Troyer’s leadership, Cy-Fair College has been developed as a national model for innovation, community responsiveness and collaboration with a unique learning signature dedicated to learning engagement for each student. The college has developed a rich array of learning strategies and support systems to support student success.

An advocate for strong community partnerships, Dr. Troyer implemented two major collaborations in the founding of Cy-Fair College - a joint community library and an emergency services complex. The Harris County Public Library Cy-Fair College Branch is a jointly funded venture with Harris County serving the region with comprehensive community library services as well as academic and learning resources for students. The college also collaborated with the local emergency services district to fund both a community fire station on college land and the Emergency Services Education Center, which is a state-of-the-art fire and emergency training complex. In both of these partnerships, the community is served far better because of the linkage of the college and community.

In addition to external collaboration, Cy-Fair College has been developed with a focus on streamlined and responsive service to students. The college’s One-Stop Enrollment Center, integrated Continuing Education model and Learning Commons are all examples of the collaborative innovation that is at the heart of the college.

Dr. Troyer has served on a number of national professional organizations including the board and executive committee of the American Association of Community Colleges and the International Advisory Board of The Chair Academy. She served as president of the National Council for Occupational Education and was recognized by NCOE with the John F. Grede Board Service Award in 2001. She received the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from Phi Theta Kappa in 2004, and has been inducted into the El Paso, Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Her community dedication includes service to numerous community organizations and she received Cy-Fair Independent School District’s Friend of Education Award in 2004.

Dr. Troyer received her doctorate in community college administration from the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas at Austin where she was recognized as an Outstanding Graduate in 1997. She also holds a master’s in health education from the University of Texas at El Paso and a bachelor’s in dental hygiene from the University of Nebraska. Prior to becoming the founding president of Cy-Fair College, Dr. Troyer was president of NHMCCD’s Tomball College in Tomball, Texas, vice president of instructional and student affairs at Harford Community College in Maryland and faculty member and administrator at El Paso Community College.