UNBC President Dr. Geoff Payne will be taking on a new leadership role, stepping down from his position with the University.
The announcement was made this afternoon (Thursday), where the University stated that he will be joining the Michael Smith Health Research Council BC as the organization’s President and CEO.
Board of Governors Chair Joel McKay said the new role falls under Dr. Payne’s background of health researcher.
“My understanding is he pushed back a few times until it really hit him in the face that this was one of those opportunities you can’t turn down.”
“Sometimes these announcements raise eyebrows, but we can’t forget that we’re human beings, and when you get something that really drives your passion, and it’s a new opportunity and suits your lifestyle, that you have to go after it.”
Dr. Payne was a founding faculty member of the UBC Northern Medical Program (NMP) in 2004, serving in a number of leadership roles including Vice-President Research, the inaugural Assistant Dean for Education and Research with the NMP and as the founding Director of UNBC’s Health Research Institute.
McKay added that Dr. Payne will remain with the University until around the end of the year.
The Board will be meeting later next week to determine the University’s next steps for its immediate transition.
“One thing I can say for certain is that as we determine over the next number of weeks what this process looks like, we are absolutely going to be focused front and centre on finding somebody who is a fit for the University community, who is as passionate about the institution and northern BC, and what it means to be present and communicate well as Geoff has been.” says McKay.
He said finding a President these days takes a while, and could take six months to a year.
Dr. Payne was named UNBC’s sixth President in April 2022, after being appointed on an interim basis in 2020.
He was reappointed last July.
More information can be found on UNBC’s website here.
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