Contact | CAE | Niagara College

Information about Centre for Academic Excellence staff, including their email address and role, can be found by selecting a team below. For staff phone numbers, please consult the Employee Directory. Please note that due to hybrid work, email is the most efficient form of communication.

Our Teams

Academic Quality

Provides academic quality guidance to Schools of Study, ensuring the success of our programs and compliance with provincial standards.

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Educational Development

Here to answer teaching and learning questions or to provide you with feedback on your course design and materials.

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Learning Technology

Provides faculty with essential tools to develop modern educational content and learning experiences that are engaging for learners and easy to use.

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Partnerships & Quality Assurance

Supports pathways, articulation agreements, diploma-to-degree, PCPP, NC Toronto, and International Education Standards and Quality Assurance.

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Program Innovation

Our mission is to bring dynamic, engaging and student-centred learning experiences through innovative programs and flexible delivery options.

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Our Location

We are located in room L124 at Niagara College’s Welland Campus. For address information, please visit the Campus Addresses and Maps page.

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Senior Director

Provides oversight and strategic direction across the Centre for Academic Excellence.

Jeffrey Post

Senior Director, Academic Quality & Learning Innovation
- [email protected]
Provides oversight and strategic direction across the Centre for Academic Excellence.
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As the Senior Director, Academic Quality & Learning Innovation, Jeff leads a dynamic team within the Centre for Academic Excellence. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, Jeff has dedicated his career to advancing teaching and learning initiatives. His notable contributions to the Ontario Colleges Heads of Quality Management provincial committee have been instrumental in shaping the culture of quality across all Ontario Colleges.

An advocate of data-informed decision making, Jeff holds a Masters of Education in Administration and Leadership from Brock University and is a proud graduate from Niagara Colleges General Arts & Science program.
Glenna Landry

Administrative Assistant
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for any scheduling inquiries. Additionally, I am happy to address your Centre for Academic Excellence general questions and to arrange access to any of our team members.
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Glenna draws on a wealth of experience in support roles from both healthcare and education, and within the community as a volunteer. As such, Glenna refers to a client first philosophy to support the CAE team in their respective, and collective goals of facilitating faculty for greatest benefit to students at Niagara College in the areas of teaching and learning.

Fifteen years as Administrative Assistant and Project Assistant at Niagara College in primarily Student Services departments as well as the International Department, and now the Academic area, have resulted in comprehensive college knowledge proving to be valuable to the diverse CAE team.

Support to the CAE team includes scheduling tasks/meetings that require accommodating the busy schedules of many members of the centre as well as other participants; communication with various internal and external stakeholders working on a variety of training programs, special events, and projects; and preemptively tracking events, workshops, and training being offered throughout the year.

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Academic Quality Team

The Academic Quality team facilitates all aspects of academic quality processes to ensure high quality teaching and learning at Niagara College.

Working with program teams, Academic Quality supports comprehensive curriculum mapping, program review and consent renewal processes from self-study preparations through to continuous improvement action plan development. We provide timely support and guidance to College faculty and leadership on student feedback on courses, internal policies, external standards and requirements, and cyclical program review and curriculum renewal processes to support the development of strategic academic quality initiatives.

Candace Rempel

Associate Director, Academic Quality
- [email protected]
Kristen Nilsen

Academic Quality Consultant
- [email protected]

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Educational Development Team

The Educational Development team at Niagara College provides a breadth of professional development opportunities for all educators involved in teaching and learning at Niagara College.

We support new full-time faculty through the College Educators’ Development Program and new part-time faculty in the Part-Time Teachers’ Development Program. We offer continued support and training opportunities for all faculty throughout their careers at NC including but not limited to topics like accessibility, active and collaborative learning, equity in teaching and learning, pedagogical wellness, assessment and curriculum design, lesson planning, and more.

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Our Educational Developers are available to answer a wide variety of teaching and learning questions or to provide you with feedback on your course design and materials.

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Whitney Ross

Associate Director, Educational Development
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for inquiries about Educational Development Programming and how our team can support you.
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As the Associate Director – Educational Development, Whitney works with faculty, academic leadership, and staff across the college to enhance teaching and learning practices. As an advocate for equitable and accessible learning environments, Whitney is committed to developing educational development programming, resources, and training that support faculty in making teaching and learning environments open and accessible to all students.

Whitney leads a talented team of educational developers that are responsible for the College Educators Development Program, the Part-Time Teachers’ Development Program, faculty development and training, curriculum enhancements, teaching resources, and more.

Whitney draws on a wealth of experience from higher education and community to support critical examinations of teaching practices and curriculum.
Dana Wetherell

Educational Developer, Faculty Development & Support
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for inquiries related to the College Educator Development Program (CEDP), the President’s Award for Innovation in Student Learning & Success, or assistance with assessments, student engagement strategies, and instructional approaches. I’m also here to help you gain clarity on your values, goals, challenges, and opportunities through personal coaching sessions.
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In her role as Educational Developer Dana designs and delivers workshops and programming, and offers individual consultations, to support faculty in the creation and implementation of effective learning strategies.

Dana is co-chair for the President’s Award for Innovation in Student Learning and Success and project manages the College Educator Development Program (CEDP), and leads sessions covering topics such as effective feedback, group work, engaging and motivating students, effective lesson planning and coaching practices for the classroom.

Dana has 10 years of experience as a Learning and Development Manager in a professional services firm. She holds a Business degree, Adult Learning Certificate, and a Masters Certificate in Organizational Development and Change.  She is also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC).

Whether it’s assisting faculty with their teaching philosophies or brainstorming ideas for course content and delivery, Dana offers a collaborative and creative perspective that focuses on student engagement and motivation, and inclusion. She’s also available for 1:1 coaching and looks forward to connecting with you and helping you to develop and grow as a faculty member within the college.

If you’d like to explore new ideas or have questions related to coaching or your course design, development or delivery, contact Dana at [email protected] or book an individual consultation through the CAE booking system.
Kate Wiley

Educational Developer, Accessibility & Inclusion
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for part-time teacher development, or for any support with UDL, inclusion and accessibility, as well as general support with assessments, student engagement, and more.
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In her role as Educational Developer Kate designs and delivers workshops and programming, and offers individual consultations, to support faculty in the creation and implementation of effective learning strategies, with a special focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Kate has a deep passion for fostering inclusivity and humanizing teaching and learning. Joining the CAE after working as an Accessibility Consultant at Niagara College where she supported students navigating the accommodations process and liaised with faculty and staff to ensure that students were able to access and participate meaningfully in their learning process, Kate brings direct insights into the challenges experienced by NC students. She believes in the transformative power of learner-centered approaches as well as building psychologically safe classrooms for both the learners and the instructors.

Kate currently leads the Part-Time Teachers’ Development Program (PTTDP), helps to facilitate Community of Practices, works to help support the redesign of assessments, and delivers other programming for accessibility and inclusion. Kate has over two decades of experience working with individuals with disabilities. Kate has a background in science and psychology, and masters in adult education. Kate is also deeply invested in the broader Niagara community and currently serves as a member of the City of St. Catharines Accessibility Advisory Committee, a Director on the board of the Niagara Children’s Centre and is a volunteer within her children’s schools. Kate is also bilingual and is fluent in English and French.

Whether it’s assisting faculty with their accessibility and inclusion practices in the classroom, their assessments, or brainstorming new course content, Kate is happy to work with faculty to learn together about new approaches and possibilities. If you would like to meet with Kate, feel free to contact her at [email protected] or an individual consultation through the CAE booking system.
Elyse Lappano

Educational Developer, Curriculum
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for Individual consultations and feedback related to proposed curricular changes, course outlines, teaching & learning plans, format of delivery, and/or assessment and teaching practices.
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As a Curriculum Developer, Elyse spearheads and contributes to course design, reviews, and updates at the College, ensuring alignment with Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) standards. She designs and leads workshops, delivers programming, and provides one-on-one consultations to help faculty craft and implement impactful learning strategies. Whether it’s assisting faculty with their Teaching and Learning Plans or brainstorming ideas for course content and delivery, Elyse offers a collaborative and creative perspective that focuses on student engagement and motivation, and inclusion.

Elyse brings a decade of experience in post-secondary education and holds a Bachelor of Physical Education and a Master of Arts (with a focus on inclusive and adaptive program development and evaluation) from Brock University.

Elyse draws on a wealth of experience from higher education and community to support critical examinations of teaching practices and curriculum from an inclusive lens. Contact Elyse at [email protected] if you have questions about working on course outline and TLP development, knowledge/skills/experience mapping, and authentic assessment and rubric development.

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Learning Technology Team

The Learning Technology team supports faculty and academic staff in selecting teaching and learning tools that best meet the needs of students and using them efficiently and effectively.

In addition to supporting enterprise-level tools including Brightspace, Teams, and Stream, the team can help to review technology needs and make recommendations about tools, learning design, and teaching approaches. We offer training on a variety of institutional learning tools and can support both individual faculty and program areas in developing their technology use. Faculty are welcome to book individual consultations with our team to work through context-specific challenges or to explore individual opportunities for using technology effectively in their teaching.

Jenn Martin

Associate Director, Learning Technology
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for questions about educational technologies at the individual or program level and how the learning technology team can offer support.
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As Associate Director, Learning Technology, Jenn brings over 20 years’ experience teaching and working in post-secondary education to the Centre for Academic Excellence. During her time at Niagara College, Jenn has worked extensively on different aspects of teaching and learning including technology-enhanced teaching, experiential learning (EL), work-integrated learning (WIL), universal design for learning (UDL) and curriculum development. With a doctorate in Media Studies from Western University, her work currently focuses on using technology to support teaching and learning.

Working with an exceptional team of educational technology and instructional design specialists, Jenn is responsible for conceptualizing and delivering training, developing resources, supporting curriculum, and consulting with individual and groups of faculty. Her team works closely with faculty and staff to assist in identifying and implementing opportunities to use technology to innovate and improve on all aspects of teaching and training.

A significant focus of Jenn’s work is identifying and developing technology enhanced learning opportunities.  Her team supports the use of Niagara College’s enterprise learning technologies for a variety of purposes across different delivery modes.  To encourage innovation, they assist with evaluating tools and technologies in order to recommend suitable options and approaches for a range of course and program needs.
Nick Contant

Educational Technologist
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for Brightspace support, M365 support (MS Teams, MS Stream, MS Forms, MS OneDrive, or MS Document apps), Technology Enhanced learning.
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As an Educational Technologist, Nick provides consultations, course/technology reviews, and training to faculty and academic staff on the effective use of enterprise-level educational technologies for face-to-face, blended, and online delivery formats. He is also an advocate of accessible and engaging online design, providing course accessibility reviews and consultations around media inclusivity, content-delivery, and course layout/structure.

Through completing a Bachelor of Arts in Interactive Arts and Science, and a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, Nick applies student/user centered design and online learning best practices to enhance the use of instructional technologies for both administrative and academic use.

With over 8 years of educational technology support experience at the higher education level, Nick is equipped to recommend learning objects and solutions that work to achieve course outcomes. He also offers trouble-shooting support for learning objects and online learning environments.

Contact Nick at [email protected] if you would like to book a consultation, have a troubleshooting question, or would like feedback on your use of educational technologies. You may also book an appointment through the CAE booking system.
Robert Bertschi

Educational Technologist
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for Support for teaching and learning software, including Brightspace, Teams, and Stream.
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As an Educational Technologist, Robert provides consultations, course/technology reviews, and training to faculty and academic staff on the effective use of enterprise-level educational technologies for face-to-face, blended, and online delivery formats. He is also an advocate of engaging online design, providing course reviews and consultations around media inclusivity, content delivery, and course layout/structure.

Robert has worked in the higher education sector for over 9 years with a strong focus on the design, development, and implementation of educational technologies and educational learning objects. With both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in education, Robert has developed skills around bringing innovation to the classroom and using educational technologies to enhance the learning experience. Robert has also taught in secondary and post-secondary settings, which has strengthened his passion for building student success opportunities through the implementation of educational technologies.
Robert Berge

Instructional Designer
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for ideas on applying learning strategies and structuring courses and material in Brightspace.
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As an Instructional Designer Robert specializes in supporting faculty and departments by designing and developing resources and materials that align with institutional policies and best practices in instruction. His primary focus is on technology-based learning, where he leverages platforms like Brightspace to create visually appealing and engaging courses that enhance the learner’s experience.

With a Master’s degree in History and a Bachelor of Education, Robert has a strong foundation in both content expertise and teaching and learning strategies. He is passionate about exploring the intersection of technology and education, continually upgrading his skills through new courses and certifications to stay at the forefront of emerging trends.

Throughout his career, Robert has developed a diverse skill set, having worked as a Learning and Development Specialist at Niagara Casinos, a Courseware Developer at D2L, and an online curriculum developer at a private high school. His international teaching experience in Asia and Canada has further enriched his understanding of diverse learning needs. Robert is thrilled to be a part of the CAE team and looks forward to working with colleagues and faculty to deliver solutions everyone can benefit from.

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Partnerships & Quality Assurance

Partnerships & Quality Assurance plays an important role in building relationships with partner institutions to create clear academic pathways for Niagara College graduates, often providing them with opportunities for advanced standing in their target credentials.

We are responsible for renewing expired articulation agreements, and ensuring seamless transitions between institutions. Additionally, we conduct regular academic program reviews for Niagara College programs offered at offsite partner locations ensuring alignment with college and ministry standards. Leading the self-study evaluation for the Standards of Practice for International Education (SPIEQAA), we ensure compliance and excellence in international education. We also collaborate closely with Alumni, Recruitment, Career Services, and Global Campus Operations to support outreach initiatives that guide students on their academic and career pathways.

Joyce Bott

Manager, Partnerships and Quality Assurance
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for outgoing pathways development with partner universities, renewing expired articulation agreements, quality assurance for partner program deliveries, Niagara College Toronto, and International Education Standards.
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Having earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo, a Mining Engineering Diploma from Northern College, a Computer Network Operations certificate from Niagara College, and a Master of Education from Brock University, Joyce facilitates meetings and workshops with partner institutions to ensure academic quality in partner agreements. This includes developing and maintaining pathway & articulation agreements with partner institutions (to encourage student mobility), as well as developing, maintaining, and reviewing programs/operations at partner institutions involved in co-branded agreements (i.e., Niagara College Toronto). An important part of the review process includes generating detailed curriculum map visualizations to help reveal opportunities for improvement in co-branded programs offered at the partner institution.

Joyce’s skills are focused around data science and technology. This includes using data modelling, research, and statistics to provide actionable insight for program improvement. Joyce is well versed in data visualization software (i.e., Tableau, Power BI, SSRS, and MS Power Query), statistical packages (i.e., SPSS and R), and leveraging SharePoint and Microsoft Power Platform to streamline processes.

Joyce brings over 20 years of data analysis experience to the Centre, including 7 years in the private sector, and 12 years in the public sector. For questions related to partnerships, pathways, and articulation agreements (including diploma-to-degree agreements), you can email Joyce at [email protected].

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Program Innovation Team

Program Innovation helps build and create new, dynamic, engaging, and student-centred programs with innovative and flexible delivery options.

We are committed to thorough research and data collection to help inform decisions on creating new programs and ensure graduating students will have the skills and experience to successfully get jobs in the region. We develop or revise Programs of Instruction (course descriptions) to map to Vocational Learning Outcomes to be approved by the Credential Validation Service. We also process new program proposals through Niagara College internal committee approvals as well as funding applications through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. We invite Niagara College schools and employees as well as external organizations to contact us through our web links to discuss and suggest new program opportunities that respond to local and regional needs.

Greg Unrau

Program Innovation Manager
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for any inquiries into new program proposals and the application process and approval.
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Our mission is to bring dynamic engaging and student-centred learning experiences through innovative programs and flexible delivery options. New program development requires thorough research and data to help inform a well-defined curriculum providing students with the skills that employers demand within the community and region.

Greg brings a broad range of experience over 20 years in post-secondary education as a professor, curriculum writer, assessment leader, and program developer overseas (Singapore, United Arab Emirates) and in the CAAT system. Greg also served as the Associate Dean in the School of Media at both Mohawk and Niagara and as an educational consultant with NC International, NC’s Centre for Academic Excellence and the Ontario Council for Articulation and Transfer. Prior to his career in education, Greg was a successful writer, producer, director, creative executive and postproduction coordinator in Film and Television. Greg also holds a MA and Med and has a keen interest in blending AR/VR and serious games as an engaging part of the educational experience in developing new programs and alternate learning strategies.
Emma Maclean

Program Innovation Research Associate
- [email protected]
Reach out to me for inquiries on survey tools and sites, or survey creation.
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Emma joins the CAE after a successful eight years with the Michener Institute of Education at UHN in Toronto as a Research Analyst. She brings many skills to the table including data research, survey design and development, data visualization, program evaluation, and project collaboration and management. Emma has also worked as a Labour Organizer for SEIU Healthcare, and a Research Assistant out of the Population Health Research Institute at Hamilton Health Sciences. Emma’s work in labour and student market research and data analytics will be an important factor in decisions to create new and innovative programs at Niagara College.

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