Athabasca… Joy Romero and John Trefanenko have been named to the Athabasca University Governing Council as the chair and a public member, respectively, announced Advanced Education Minister Denis Herard. The three-year terms are effective immediately.
“Mrs. Romero and Mr. Trefanenko have a long and proud history serving the community and have shown strong leadership skills,” said Herard. “They will bring in-depth knowledge and a wealth of experience to their roles on the Governing Council, which will benefit the students and staff of the university for years to come.”
Romero is the Director, Bitumen Production for the Horizon Oil Sands Project at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. in Calgary. She is an active volunteer in the community, including mentoring students, setting up high school engineering co-op programs, and serving as a school trustee. She currently advises National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada post-graduate research programs and is Chair of the Extraction Research Group of the Canadian Oilsands Network for Research and Development.
Romero is serving her third term on the Governing Council and has most recently served as Vice Chair.
Trefanenko is currently the Mayor of St. Paul, where he has served on council for more than 20 years. He has been involved in community leadership since the 1970s, serving as a member of more than 35 boards and committees relating to education, social services, and municipal affairs. His most recent contributions have been to the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association, the Native Adolescent Treatment Center Advisory Board, and the St. Paul Housing Foundation.
Athabasca University is the largest post-secondary institution specializing in online and distance learning in Canada. The university is committed to increasing accessibility to post-secondary study and to meeting the educational needs of the workplace. It is based in the town of Athabasca, but has learning centres in Edmonton, Calgary and St. Albert. In 2005-2006, the University had about 32,000 students enrolled.
