The Asper School of Business Welcomes a New Associate Dean

The Asper School of Business welcomes Dr. Suzanne Gagnon, Canada Life Chair in Leadership Education and Director of the James W. Burns Leadership Institute, as the School’s Associate Dean of Professional Graduate Programs and Executive Education.  

Dr. Gagnon assumes this role from Dr. David Stangeland who served in this position since 2018. Dr. Stangeland, who played a key role in supporting the expansion and enhancement of the Stu Clark Graduate School during his term, will return to his faculty position in Asper’s Department of Accounting and Finance after a one-year administrative leave.

As Associate Dean, Dr. Gagnon will lead the School’s professional graduate programs. These include three programs within the Stu Clark Graduate School: the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Finance (MFin) and the new Master of Supply Chain Management and Logistics (MSCM), set to launch this fall with its first cohort. Gagnon will also oversee the James W. Burns Executive Education Centre, which provides an extensive range of executive training and professional development programs designed to support advanced leadership skills.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Gagnon to the role of Associate Dean of Professional Programs at the Asper School of Business,” said Dr. Gady Jacoby, Dean and CPA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership. “Her extensive experience in organizational leadership, leadership development and organizational change will strengthen the quality of our professional graduate programs and her expertise in social diversity and inclusion will play a key role in supporting the Asper School of Business’ commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in our ever-evolving global business community.”

Dr. Gagnon joined the Asper School of Business in fall 2018 as an Associate Professor and the inaugural Director of the James W. Burns Leadership Institute, joining the school from McGill University. She holds the Canada Life Chair in Leadership Education and has successfully overseen the launch of the Institute, working with a community and business-based advisory board to enhance leadership education across the University of Manitoba and the Province of Manitoba. Dr. Gagnon teaches two MBA courses and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Asper Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She is an award-winning scholar in leadership, diversity and inclusion, and holds a number of Tri-Council grants supporting her work.

Dr. Gagnon also spearheaded the addition of the Manitoba hub to the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub and its National Indigenous Lead at the Asper School. In 2019, she facilitated the development of Pursuing our Asper-ations, Asper’s current strategic plan (2019-2024). Dr. Gagnon will continue in her roles at the James W. Burns Leadership Institute alongside her new Associate Dean appointment.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues as we grow our professional graduate programs, augmenting our excellent student body and deepening our impact both locally and globally.”

-Dr. Suzanne Gagnon

Asper Staff