Dawson College will begin the academic year under new leadership, following the appointment of Toby Harper-Merrett as Director General, effective August 10, 2026. With a broad range of experience in organisational development, government relations, and education, Toby brings a fresh perspective to support Dawson in its longstanding mission to educate, engage, and enrich the lives of students.

“I look forward to working alongside Dawson’s faculty, staff and students to build on their visions of the College, and to support its contributions to the strength of Quebec’s social fabric, he said.

Over 20 years of experience in leadership and advocacy

Toby’s career has consistently focused on bringing together diverse partners to deliver innovative programs, reinforce institutions, and advance public policy priorities. He most recently served as Lead Advisor, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, at Cogeco Inc., an international telecommunications company, where he represented the organization before the federal government. Prior to this, he served for over a decade as Executive Director of not-for-profit organizations dedicated to education, social and economic development. Toby previously worked for five years in West and Central Africa for the Faculté des sciences de l’éducation at Université de Montréal. He is fluently bilingual and holds a Master’s degree in Administration from the University of Manchester (UK), project management certification from Stanford University, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Theatre School of Canada.

Proud alumnus of Dawson College

Toby is the first Director General of Dawson College to have attended as a student, graduating from the Liberal Arts Program in 1996.

Speaking about his time at Dawson, Toby said, “I hold great respect for the place of the institution in the community, and the formative power that Dawson has in people’s lives. I will work to ensure the College continues to deliver the pivotal impacts it has had on its over 100,000 graduates.”

Transition and gratitude

Toby’s appointment was approved by the Board of Governors on June 10, 2026. Leanne Bennett‘s term as interim Director General will conclude on August 9, 2026. Since January 2026, she has served concurrently as Academic Dean and interim Director General, stepping into the role on an interim basis to provide leadership and continuity until a permanent Director General could be appointed. The Board of Governors and the wider Dawson College community thank Leanne for her skilled leadership, and for stepping up during this time of transition.

The Board of Governors would also like to thank the outgoing Director General, Diane Gauvin, who ended her term on December 31, 2025. Diane served at the College for five years as Director General and seven years as Academic Dean prior to that. Her steadfast commitment, competence and strong leadership abilities helped the College seize many opportunities and overcome many challenges, cementing its place as the first-choice college in Quebec.