Nipissing University’s Alumni Association is proud to honour Gord Kerr with the Alumni Achievement Award.

Kerr graduated from Nipissing with a Master of Education (MEd) in 2006, and earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University in 1984.  Kerr became involved and interested in education when his own children entered the school system; that interest quickly grew into a passion which led to more than 13 years of volunteer service on several school councils, board and provincial level committees, as well as his MEd at Nipissing. 

Kerr directly influenced the Ontario Ministry of Education’s new Parent Involvement policy as a member of the Parent Voice in Education Project and by presenting his Nipissing MEd Research Paper to Gerard Kennedy, Minister of Education at the time; Dr. Avis Glaze, Chief Student Achievement Officer for the Province of Ontario and an honorary degree recipient from Nipissing University in 2007; and Kathleen Wynne, MPP and, at the time, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education.  The new policy created a Parent Engagement Office within the Ministry of Education and elevated the focus and resources provided for involving parents in their child’s education.

Kerr is the head of Marketing for Home Equity and Lending at RBC Royal Bank and the director and founder of the Parent Involvement Centre, which provides teachers, principals and leaders of school volunteer programs with strategies and resources to engage parents and the community in education in helpful ways.  In 2006, he was elected as a Trustee for the York Region District School Board.  He recorded a Leading and Learning module on Engaging Parents for the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat that is used for training principals and vice-principals across Ontario, and leads a module on parent involvement and engagement for Nipissing University’s Principal’s Qualification course.

The Alumni Achievement Award is presented annually to an alumnus who demonstrates leadership abilities and community involvement and who displays significant accomplishment in their chosen profession. Kerr will be presented the award at the annual Alumni Awards and Convocation dinner, taking place Friday, June 5, at the Best Western in North Bay.

“The alumni association is very proud to recognize Gord Kerr with the alumni achievement award.  He has accomplished such a great deal, especially in education.  It is very inspiring that he has made such a significant impact on Ontario’s education system, all stemming from a passion that grew out of volunteerism,” said Brendan Wilson, Alumni Association president.