Award Recipients

Nalini Andrade joined Humber in 2018 as a Manager of International Development Institute and brought with her 15+ years of experience in post-secondary education institutions and international development. She has been a manager, instructor, mentor and gender expert during her time at Humber and has made a wide-reaching impact across all departments and divisions by raising awareness of how international development contributes to student success at home and globally.

In the past four years, Nalini has grown the International Development Institute from a team of three to 9 full-time positions that have increased Humber's international development portfolio by over 300%, with $10+ million in new projects and research grants. With eight current projects, two in pre-implementation and $1.3+ million in the pipeline for new initiatives, Nalini has made Humber a leader in global polytechnical education and a sought-after partner by educational institutions, NGOs and government ministries for international TVET interventions, especially in the realm of competency-based learning, education pathways and RPL certification, gender equality and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and innovative digital strategies for teaching and learning. Her drive for inclusive education has led collective efforts from Humber and international partners to break ground on initiatives such as the first breastfeeding facility in an educational institute in Kenya, education pathways for women and underrepresented groups in STEM and TVET, and innovative digital solutions for groups that range from grassroots organizations to national agencies.

Thanks to her strategic plan, members of the Humber community from academic and non-academic departments, as well as students from multiple disciplines, have engaged with international development in all activities and phases of a project to ensure it is grounded and aligned with Humber's mission and values. The momentum gained under Nalini's direction will provide students, faculty and staff at Humber opportunities for engagement in years to come.

Peter began his twenty year career in the Longo Faculty of Business as the Program Coordinator of Marketing Management, International Marketing and Financial Services programs. Since becoming an Associate Dean in 2006, Peter has been instrumental in ensuring the Longo Faculty of Business has high standards, innovative programming and a well-earned reputation in a crowded education landscape.

Peter led the development, launch of many graduate certificates such as Financial Planning, Event Management, Entrepreneurial Enterprise and Insurance Management. Peter launched the Global Business Management two year graduate certificate program in 2009 and it has become the most successful graduate program in attracting, and graduating thousands of international students in a variety of industries that include banking, marketing, supply chain and more.

Peter is always willing to support colleagues and students and to help solve problems and find creative solutions not only within the Faculty of Business but also college wide. Below are just a few examples of the different ways Peter has built relationships and offered support to his colleagues.

Over the years Peter has mentored new associate deans, faculty and staff. His colleagues have enjoyed working with him because he has always been sincere, thoughtful and always available to listen and provide guidance on an unlimited number of topics from program planning, curriculum development, collective bargaining, enrollment and most recently hybrid learning. He also had all the answers, either in a spreadsheet or a well-written note with dates and timelines. Many departments across the college including Human Resources continue to seek his expertise on a regular basis on a variety of topics such as union negotiations.

Peter has also been a member of Humber’s Work Load Monitoring Group for over 10 years, where he has shared his expertise and provided invaluable guidance on workload assignments and providing solutions to various types of disputes.

Lastly, for over a decade, Peter has been committed to organizing and executing Humber’s ‘Greatest High School Teacher Contest’, a chance for students to honour that special high school teacher- the one who inspired all students to be their best. The contest was a career highlight for a number of high school teachers who were the recipients of the award, their respective high school also received a one-year tuition scholarship to be granted to a graduating student who attends Humber the following year. More importantly, Peter inspired our students, engaged our faculty and reminded all of us to celebrate great teaching.

Peter not only exemplifies, positivity, innovation and collaboration, but his performance and dedication have made a significant difference in the Longo Faculty of Business and Humber College. His contributions have been extraordinary and the impact of his efforts will continue to be felt in the years to come.

Susan Miller is described by her peers, colleagues and staff as a dedicated leader, fostering a supportive and collegial team environment. Her ability to consistently navigate sensitive issues with compassion and diplomacy sets her apart. Susan brings an honest, down to earth and action oriented leadership that makes sure everyone's needs are heard and guides to the best solution.

All those who were invited to contribute to this nomination, did so with enthusiasm and zero hesitation, as we now come together in gratitude to formally acknowledge Susan's significant contributions to Humber College; which range from helping keep the College safe and healthy as the Management Co-Chair on the Joint Occupational Health and Safety, and Covid-watch committees, to demonstrating equity and inclusion as a leader by ensuring student's voices are heard and staff feel valued; always encouraging management and staff to engage or join her in attending EDI dialogue and workshops, and ensuring accessibility standards remain at the forefront of decisions made to our facilities.

Susan demonstrates sincere commitment to students daily, whether it's by participating in the on-call rotation that Residence management maintains to ensure someone is available 24/7; or driving back to campus on day 1 of her well-deserved vacation to help relocate 1000 residents into several nearby hotels because of an unplanned hydro interruption. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge Susan for her contributions in prior years, but also as we navigated through the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, housing stranded students, establishing quarantine processes in Residence and ensuring food service was available; while remaining on-site for the past two years when many departments transitioned fully to remote-work environments.

During the last 2 years of the pandemic Susan remained adaptable and flexible to very challenging medical conditions, while never losing sight of the social and emotional needs of students. The fact that Humber hasn’t experienced a Covid-19 outbreak in the Student Residence, unlike many other institutions, is a testament to her approach. Susan exemplifies dedicated and compassionate leadership. She maintains a student-first approach in all decisions she makes as Humber's Chief Housing Officer and Associate Director, Residence Operations, prioritizing their interests, well-being, comfort and rights - every day.