KATE ROSS, ED.D
SHINE Program
Dr. Kate Ross has worked in post-secondary education for over 39 years. She began her career developing co-operative education programs (Integrated Work Learning) at Camosun College. Adding one program a year for 10 years, her leadership resulted in Camosun having the largest community college co-operative education program in western Canada. She then took on the role of Registrar & Director, Student Services at Camosun, eventually moving to SFU to take on the role of Executive Director, Enrolment & Registrar and then AVP, Enrolment Services & Registrar at the UBC. She has received the Frank Gelin Lifetime Achievement Award issued by the BC Council on Admissions & Transfer and the ARUCC Outstanding Achievement Award. She has also been nominated twice, once in Victoria and once in Vancouver, for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards.
Her career has been focused on improving ways to support students to achieve their full potential and to find ways to improve and create access for those students who might think post-secondary is out of their reach. This focus resulted in the development of recruitment strategies and financial supports to increase participation of former youth in care, students with high ability who had financial need, and Indigenous students.
Kate was appointed to the BC Council on Admissions & Transfers, an inaugural member of the Admissions Committee and chair of the Research Committee. She also co-chaired Education Planner BC, leading the modernization and development of the provincial post-secondary application service. She was appointed to the Degree Quality Assurance Board for BC and continues to volunteer with Aunt Leah’s Place Education Committee.
Kate holds a BA (University of Alberta), a MA in Leadership (Royal Roads), and EdD in Educational Leadership (SFU) where she also received the Dean’s Medal for the top graduating student in the Faculty of Education.
In retirement her life is full as she loves to travel, hike/walk, practice yoga, sing in a choir, read, cook, and spend time with family and friends and support amazing initiatives like Beedie Luminaries.
