Natasha Kenny appointed senior director, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Natasha Kenny, PhD, as senior director of the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning (TI), effective Jan. 1, 2019.

Over the past four years the Taylor Institute has grown in size and scope and we recognized the need for a senior director to ensure the TI effectively serves the campus community in teaching and learning, develops strong partnerships across campus and continues to build a national and international reputation. In this new role, Natasha will provide academic and administrative leadership for the TI and steer the institute as the team works to achieve its vision to catalyze evidence-informed approaches, practices, and conversations in post-secondary teaching and learning.

The Taylor Institute advances the work of better understanding and improving student learning, and the teaching approaches, practices and educational technologies that facilitate learning. The TI also helps advance research in post-secondary teaching and learning, the scholarship of teaching and learning and the development of campus educational leaders. This is accomplished through the work of the teams within the Educational Development Unit, the College of Discovery, Creativity and Innovation, and the Experiential Learning team.

Natasha is a visionary leader with a mindset of curiosity that will enable her to collaborate and strengthen relationships with all levels of the university community. Her leadership was recently recognized by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) when she was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Education Developer Career Award. This national award recognizes Natasha’s significant contributions to the field of educational development over her career to date.

Natasha currently serves as director of the Educational Development Unit (EDU) in the TI, where she is responsible for building capacity and advocating for the importance of teaching and learning, engaging in practice-based research, and advancing the institution’s educational vision. Prior to this role, Natasha was manager, Educational and Curriculum Development and previously curriculum development associate at the University of Guelph.

At the University of Calgary, Natasha’s leadership also led to the development of UCalgary’s Teaching Scholars program to build educational leadership capacity in higher education. She was also a task force member in the development of UCalgary’s Campus Mental Health Strategy and chairs the Campus Mental Health Strategy Teaching and Learning subcommittee. In her new role, she will continue her scholarly activities, as she implements and promotes the TI’s vision and strategy.

Natasha has an interdisciplinary academic background with expertise in the scholarship and practice of educational development, teaching and learning in higher education, educational leadership, and urban planning and design. She holds a PhD in Land Resource Science, a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the University of Guelph.

Thank you to our advisory search committee, that I chaired, which included: Ellen Perrault, Qiao Sun, Robin Yates, Kim Grant, Robin Mueller, Dennis Sumara, Brian Pshyk, Sue Miller, Sandra Hoenle, Jessica Revington and Brit Paris.

Please join me in congratulating Natasha on her appointment.

Dr. Leslie Reid
Vice-Provost (Teaching and Learning)