Leading Change in Higher Education: A Gartner Moderated Panel Discussion
Speaker: Debra Christmas, Executive Partner, Gartner Canada
Across Canadian higher education institutions, IT and business leaders are navigating unprecedented levels of organizational transformation. From digital modernization and governance reform to workforce shifts and evolving student expectations, the sector is under increasing pressure to build agility, resilience, and sustainable change practices. This Gartner moderated panel brings together senior leaders from Dalhousie University (Jody Couch, CIO), New Brunswick Community College (Simon Collier, Director of IT), Memorial University (Chris Lake or Alison Randell), and potentially one more Atlantic Canadian institution to explore the realities of driving change in today’s complex academic environments.
Moderated by Debra Christmas, Executive Partner at Gartner and a veteran CIO and transformation leader with more than 40 years of experience, the session will examine practical models for leading organizational change, overcoming cultural resistance, and enabling institution wide alignment. Panelists will share candid insights into what is working—and what is not—when navigating transformation within higher education, including lessons learned from restructuring initiatives, governance redesign, digital strategy execution, and leadership development.
The conversation will also highlight emerging trends influencing change leadership, the evolving role of transformation offices, and how institutions can foster environments where innovation and collaboration thrive. Attendees will gain actionable guidance, peer tested practices, and a deeper understanding of how to successfully accelerate change within their own organizations.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify effective change-leadership models and practices
- Evaluate common barriers to change within academic environments
- Practical strategies to build institutional agility
- Strengthen leadership approaches for driving transformation
Speaker Bio:
Debra Christmas joined Gartner in 2016 and is an Executive Partner with Executive Programs (ExP) focusing on all levels of the public sector and higher education. In this role, Debra provides Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and senior IT leaders, across Canada, with actionable advice based on their business and technology needs.
With over 40 years of experience, Debra is a former CIO for the City of Kingston and Kanata, ON as well as a former VP of Technical Sales for Hewlett-Packard. Debra has led many transformation initiatives and has spoken internationally on the challenges of IT in both the public and private sectors. Certified in several leadership assessment programs, she traveled the world delivering leadership development to first and second level managers.
Debra served on the boards of Canada’s Association of Information Technology Professionals and the Municipal Information Systems Association. A strong advocate for the development of women in technology, she co-authored a book “Please Stay: How Women in Technology Survive and Thrive”, aimed at knocking down barriers and changing the trajectory of professional careers for women in technology. Her 2nd book “We Rise in Power: Amplifying Women of Color and Our Voices for Change” highlights the unique challenges women of color face in the workforce. Her recent book “Please Join: There’s No Place Like Tech” features young girls from 6-16 sharing their hopes for tech