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A strong advocate for the value of applied education – in Ontario, Canada and around the world – Sean Kennedy is an experienced postsecondary leader with 20 years of experience leading teams in all areas of higher education.

Appointed Niagara College’s sixth president in January, 2020, Sean has been a member of the College’s senior leadership team since 2006, when he joined NC as vice president of Student and External Relations, a role in which he oversaw the development of the College’s new branding and community engagement strategies and was responsible for Enrolment & Registration, Student Services, Alumni Services, Athletics, Marketing and Recruitment, and International. In addition, he was the CEO of the Niagara College Foundation, responsible for leading the College’s fundraising efforts.

From September 2011 to June 2012, Sean served as Niagara College’s interim vice president, Academic, with responsibility for all academic operations of the College, including programs, pathways and educational development, research and innovation, and the College’s learning enterprises.

Since 2014, Sean has served as vice president, and currently senior vice president, International, leading the College’s global engagement and rapidly growing international activities, including international partnerships and student mobility, student recruitment and services, English Language programs, and overseas projects, campuses and training.

Prior to joining Niagara College, Sean was dean of students, and then associate vice president, Student Services and International Education at Red Deer College in Alberta. After serving as a student leader with the Students’ Union, Sean held various roles at the University of Alberta from 1990 to 2000, including director of the Student Ombudservice and director, Undergraduate Student Services in the Faculty of Education.

Recognized as a leader in international education and student services in Canada, Sean has served on the board of directors of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and a number of international advisory committees. He has also served as chair of the Colleges Ontario Student Access and Success Coordinating Committee, and as co-moderator of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Summit on Mental Health and Addictions.

Active in the community, Sean has served on the boards of the Business Education Council of Niagara, Niagara Sport Commission, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Niagara.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta and a Master of Public Administration from Queen’s University, and is currently completing his Doctoral studies in leadership in higher and adult education and comparative, international and development education at the University of Toronto.

A sports and outdoors enthusiast, Sean holds a Level III National Coaching Certification in cross-country skiing. He and his wife, Kerry, live in Fonthill and are the proud parents of two sons, Aidan and Neil.