Office of the Vice-President Administration and Finance announces new team members
UPEI's Vice-President Administration and Finance Jackie Podger is pleased to announce the appointment of several key members to her team: Marilyn Barrett, Eileen Conboy, and Emi Abou-Wafia.
"The creation of these senior positions will help ensure that the University is advancing its strategic priorities, especially in areas of student/employee health and well-being," said Ms. Podger. "I look forward to working with Marilyn, Eileen, and Emi and will count on their leadership, strategic thinking, and management skills in their respective areas within the Office of the Vice-President Administration and Finance."
Marilyn Barrett has joined the University in the role of Director of the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre. Marilyn’s extensive health background will be a tremendous asset for UPEI as she takes on the overall leadership, strategic direction, and management for the expanded scope of the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre. She will interact closely with the team of physicians, psychologists, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, nurse, and administrative assistant that will offer an innovative and collaborative approach to health and well-being for students, faculty, and staff.
Previous to joining UPEI, Marilyn was the Director of Primary Care and Chronic Disease Prevention/Management for Health PEI, a position she held since December 2010. Along with a number of management positions with Health PEI, including Manager–Implementation & Change Management for the electronic health record project, Marilyn was also a Clinical Instructor and Clinical Coordinator for the UPEI Faculty of Nursing. She has a Diploma in Nursing from the PEI School of Nursing, holds a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of New Brunswick, and a Master of Nursing from Athabasca University. Marilyn currently sits on the board of directors of the Canadian Nurse's Protective Society and is past president of the Association of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island. In her spare time, she sits on the granting committee of the Community Foundation of Prince Edward Island and is board member of the Cardigan Village Heritage Committee.
Eileen Conboy is UPEI’s new Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Coordinator. As an integral member of the management team, Eileen has already begun to receive and triage sexual violence concerns and complaints, as well as develop and provide information and training to prevent sexual violence on campus. She will be working with departments across the University to develop and facilitate training on sexual violence prevention, bystander intervention, and key human rights areas.
Eileen spent her wonder years in Cornwall, PEI before pursuing post-secondary education off-island. She is a graduate of Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and of the University of Ottawa with a Master of Education in Counselling. Eileen began her counselling career working with students at Carleton University prior to accepting a therapist position with the PEI Rape and Sexual Assault Centre. It is here that she immersed herself in supporting survivors of sexualized violence, representing the centre on committees in the community, and implementing prevention education. In her spare time, Eileen loves creating art, houseplants, sushi, and her cat named Mango.
Emi Abou-Wafia, the new Director of Operations for the Office of the Vice-President Administration and Finance, comes to us from Vesey’s Seeds Ltd. where she held the role of Marketing Operations Manager since 2015. She brings to her new role extensive global experience and a proven track record across a broad range of industries and organizations, spanning from Fortune 500 multi-nationals to private, family-owned companies. Her expertise includes strategic planning, business development, client/partner management, product marketing, marketing communications, and cross-functional and cross-cultural team management. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Egypt’s Alexandria University and a Master of Business Administration from the American University in Dubai, UAE. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, reading and learning about self-improvement, hiking, working out, and salsa dancing.
Emi has hit the ground running and is leading numerous projects and functions in the Office of the Vice-President Administration and Finance including administration, infrastructure, integrated communications, and stakeholder engagement.
Over the next few weeks, many of you will have the opportunity to interact with Marilyn, Eileen, and Emi as they make the rounds to learn about the University and its various faculties, offices and departments—please give them a warm UPEI welcome!
