Leadership changes in Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Aug. 16, 2022

Dear Laurier community,

I am reaching out to our community today to inform you that Anthony (Tony) Vannelli is departing from the role of provost and vice-president: academic at Wilfrid Laurier University.

This change is effective today.

Joining Laurier in August 2020, Tony has furthered several institutional priorities, including multi-campus growth, EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and Indigeneity initiatives across our faculties, as well as pandemic response initiatives to ensure continuity in academic services for our students during a time of disruption.

Please join me in thanking Tony for his accomplishments and his service to Laurier. I know the entire university community joins me in wishing him well as he begins an earned administrative leave. Tony will retain his appointment as a professor in the Department of Physics and Computer Science in the Faculty of Science.

The search for our next provost and vice-president: academic will begin in the coming months. In the interim, I am pleased to announce that Heidi Northwood has agreed to serve as interim provost and vice-president: academic.

As many of you will know, Heidi joined Laurier in 2014 as dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and currently serves as senior executive officer, Brantford Campus and senior executive officer, global strategy. In these roles, Heidi has created opportunities and strategies that advance Laurier’s academic mission, built relationships with campus partners and stakeholders, supported academic and administrative leaders, and led the development of an internationalization strategy for Laurier. As part of her interim provost role, she will retain leadership of Laurier’s global strategy and internationalization initiatives.

Prior to joining Laurier in 2014, Heidi was the director of Integrative Programs and the Core Curriculum at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, and a professor in the philosophy department. In addition to teaching and working in the area of Ancient Greek philosophy and science, she led the development of a new core curriculum, experiential learning opportunities and assessment structures, and twice co-led the college's self-studies and external accreditation. Heidi received her bachelor’s and master's degrees in philosophy from Western University and her PhD in philosophy from the University of Alberta.

I am also pleased to announce that Antonio (Tony) Araujo has agreed to serve as interim senior executive officer of the Brantford campus in Heidi’s absence.

Well known across our communities, Tony Araujo will provide senior leadership support on the Brantford campus while continuing to oversee responsibilities in his current role related to risk management and campus operations, including overseeing Safety, Health, Environment and Risk Management and Special Constable Services. Tony has also previously served as interim vice-president, finance and administration.

Please join me in welcoming Heidi and Tony to their new interim leadership roles.

Dr. Deborah MacLatchy
President and Vice-Chancellor
Wilfrid Laurier University