Asima C. Vezina joined the Algoma University leadership team as President and Vice-Chancellor on October 23, 2017, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in education.

Asima is well known to the community of Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding areas. She was raised in the communities of Bruce Mines and Desbarats and is one of three siblings of Dr. David and Zahida Croskery.  Asima resides in Sault Ste. Marie with her husband Mitch and two children Eric and Emilie.

Asima believes in the individual and collective strengths within and across an organization, bringing people together collaboratively, in focused action toward a common vision. Her leadership style is characterized by a strong sense of community, teamwork, pride, and accountability, and putting student success and excellence in teaching and learning at the centre of the organization.

Shirley Horn is the first-ever Chancellor of Algoma University, effective June 13th, 2015. She was sworn in at the University’s annual Convocation ceremony, thereby commencing her five-year term.

Horn is from Chapleau, Ontario, and at the age of five was sent to St. Johns Indian Residential School. She was then transferred to the Shingwauk Indian Residential School at the age of seven, where she remained for six years. In 2005, Horn returned to the Shingwauk Indian School Residential School site – now the home of Algoma University – to enroll in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program.  As a rare graduate of both the Residential School and the University, she received a standing ovation at Convocation in 2009. In 2015, she received the Alumni Achievement Award from the Algoma University Alumni Council.

Chancellor Horn serves as the titular head of the institution. She participates in major ceremonies and events, including the annual September Induction as well as Convocation. Horn confers all degrees. By acting as an ambassador of Algoma U, she also helps to raise the profile of the University as well as assist in both relationship-building and fundraising initiatives. Horn provides support to the University President, as requested, and promotes the University’s special mission in regards to Anishinaabe education.

Staggered Terms of Appointment:

Board position: Chancellor
Current status: 2nd term ends June 2020
Term Length: 5 years
Appointed/Reappointed: June 2015
Renewal: No Renewal
End date:June 30, 2020

Learn More

laurie.bloomfield@algomau.ca
705-949-2301, ext. 4314
Office: SH 502

Educational Background:

• ‌PhD (University of Alberta)
• MA (Queen’s University)
• BA Hons (Laurentian-Algoma University)

My area of specialization may be broadly listed as Cognitive Psychology; I am interested in how songbirds, which are vocal learners like humans, pay attention to, and utilize, their vocalizations in their social world. Therefore my research areas encompass the following aspects of psychology: attention, perception, language/communication, and comparative psychology. I teach courses on cognition, perception, and neurobiology, and act as coordinator for the fourth year thesis course where I assist in research design and data analysis.

In collaboration with fellow faculty members and student research assistants, I am also investigating whether birds use particular vocalizations to communicate the discovery of profitable food sources. This is being conducted both in the field and in my laboratory, which has an operant conditioning testing room, a spatial cognition testing room, and a sound-attenuating chamber for recording individual birds. Check out my website for more information and pictures.

On a more personal level, I enjoy reading horror/suspense/sci-fi novels, and baking and decorating cakes. When I have the opportunity to get out of the house, I spend time with my husband and our young daughter at our camp north of the city, riding our four-wheeler or snowmobile. I also enjoy visiting with extended family in southern Ontario during the summer.

For more information, check out my website.

Mark Nogalo is Vice President of Operations at Essar Steel Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Mark has held a variety of positions at Essar Steel Algoma over the past 27 years spanning Operations, Engineering, Maintenance and Energy Management.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University and a Masters of Business Administration from Lake Superior State University. Mark is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.

Staggered Terms of Appointment:

Board position: External *Chair
Current status: 2nd term ends June 2020
Term Length: 3 years
Appointed/Reappointed: April 2014 – 1st term /June 2017 – 2nd term
Renewal: No Renewal
End date:June 30, 2020