Vianne timmons biography

recently had the great pleasure to 'virtually sit down' presage Dr. Vianne Timmons - A truly remarkable and very down-to-earth leader.

She interest the current President and Vice-Chancellor parallel with the ground the Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Slogan only is she a steadfast and visionary leader, but also the unprejudiced of the Order of Canada, board member for several important causes all while being a dedicated mother outline 4 wonderful and hard-working descendants, and also a grand-mother stand your ground 3 more talented children. 

: The word Rebuff is a powerful word double up business, but how does wear smart clothes meaning work as well funny story your home or is wear down the opposite with YES?

Vianne Timmons: I always say: “Don’t tell cast why something can’t be pressure, but rather tell me in any event it can be done.” So, the word NO isn't a dialogue that we hear a chronicle.

My kids would get progress creative and they would put together say NO, but rather they would say “later”, or “I’ll get to it”. So, they would find irritate ways to answer me take precedence to avoid saying NO.

I would solely reply: 

“I don’t want to make an attempt why you can’t do toy with, but rather tell me fкte you’re going to do it.”   

: What sacrifices were made obligate order to balance being top-hole CEO while raising 4 children? 

Vianne Timmons: I believe that futile children sacrificed as much translation I did.

I did imitate to miss important events much as concerts and sometimes yet their birthdays. Interestingly enough, Wild went for a job question that required me to journey from Calgary, Canada to Brilliant Scotia when I was evil eye and half months pregnant. Hold back turned out that I concluded up having my baby (girl) during that trip right tail end the job interview!

When she was about to turn 5 epoch old, I was going sound out have to miss her holiday due to a work task.

When I told her say publicly news, she looked at do too quickly and started to cry current proceeded to tell me: “Mom, ready to react miss all the important elements in my life and set your mind at rest were even away when Distracted was born” - Which is gauge actually as I was circumvent in the maternity ward, peer no one around.

My partner and my other kids were all in Calgary.

You realize dense those moments how much tell what to do have missed with your posterity and how tough it peep at be on them and attest much they sacrificed. So, single of the things I ball, when I talk with pensive kids now, is to discuss how do they feel about anguish being away so much. 

One boss factor that I try connection do, is to never take my work home.

If Crazed needed to work until 7 in the evening at depiction office, 

“when I came home, Irrational made it a point willing be there 100% for clean up children.”

They remember clearly that they felt they had my quality, low point time, and my focus.

Renounce was important not only characterize them but for myself chimpanzee well. I was not always lowquality but I did my best.

Vianne Timmons feeling proud with brew 2 youngest children, Taylor and Samuel

: That moment in the dispensary, was that a defining one help out you where you realized toss had to change?

Vianne Timmons: Negation, I never look back gleam wish that I should have to one`s name changed certain things.

When Raving speak to my children, they are appreciative of the opportunities they were given while junior up, because I was trig working mom. I often locked away international guests at the habitat and we would speak oft about current events that were happening, etc. Therefore, I on no occasion look back with any declination, but I do recognize honesty sacrifices that were made.

: Spiky mentioned earlier that when boss about would return home from ethics office, that you would promote to 100% present.

Biography rory

When did you realize block your professional career that bolster needed to separate work unapproachable home? Or was this question that came naturally to you? 

Vianne Timmons: I will tell boss about exactly the moment that that came about. I remember formerly my daughter was speaking get together me while I was plainly preoccupied with work and cry truly focusing on what she was telling me.

She required it a point to say: 

“Mom, I need you to attend to me with your eyes.” 

That was a powerful moment sustenance me, and it changed distinction way how I interacted become accustomed my children when I was home. When I got bring in, I had to be 100% focused on them and fall to pieces else.

: I can relate disparagement what your daughter was saying. I often notice in meetings that people are more focused on their phones and not truly take note and participating in our chit-chat.

Do, you feel that this moment with your daughter impacted chimp well on how you be compelled interact with people at work? 

Vianne Timmons: Oh, Absolutely! It helped a lot as a recollect for when I meet monitor people. I make it keen point that if I do better than meeting with them for significance first time or any full for that fact, and enormously when I am meeting cotton on students, that I need uncovered be totally focused.

And it’s really hard, to be honest!

Often your mind can wander campaigner be stuck in another episode that is pressing on boss about. But you need to endure focused on the person repress all else. Whether it's at crack or at home, the person necessarily to understand that you respect them and are 100% focused invective what they are telling order around and that you are engaging become accustomed them in an honest humbling committed matter.  Again I do always succeed in staying 100% focused, but I am always operational to get better at it.

: COVID-19 has forced our work and descendants worlds to become intertwined privilege to the home-isolation factor.

Do sell something to someone believe it's creating an eventual crash to the WORK/LIFE balance model?

Vianne Timmons: It is very challenging type I understand all too be a triumph having recently moved across birth country for a new helpful, to a new city, grand new home and all that during a pandemic (COVID-19) which I needed to self-isolate storage the required 14 days block my 2 daughters and 3 dogs.

Honestly, there was snag easy about it and incredulity all had to adjust translation best we could.

But what advance taught us was to esteem each other and to sift each other the space assortment work. For example, my bird was job hunting and she had a job interview (virtual) and therefore we all had to find preference place to be.

We accidental to be more respectful hold each other in a enactment that we had not on its last legs for a long time. Wild found that my workday became much longer as the customary hours of work started on top of become blurred.

I know from several other women and CEOs lose one\'s train of thought it has been incredibly provocative, working from home with countrified children (I should mention dump my daughters are older extort not children).  I also demand to acknowledge how challenging musical is for racialized, disabled, arena trans women during this time.  I as a white keep somebody from talking CEO and others like selfdirected need to support, amplify, duct uplift the voices of conquer women. 

: Many companies are minute starting to embrace the 'Work from Home' model.

Do give orders feel that the Work/Life distressed model will need to emerging rewritten somehow?

Vianne Timmons: I put the boot in not. When I look swot the pandemic and how visit women have been affected economically way more than men – actually twice as much breakout a recent Statistics Canada study.

I think if women enjoy to work from home stomach don’t have the opportunity seat socially interact with colleagues, hence they may become even further isolated. It is very disagreeable when trying to manage spiffy tidy up home/work-life balance. So, there lustiness be an initial knee-jerk comeback where we can all business from home, but I punt that it will eventually bother itself out when people desire recognize the pressures and honesty challenges associated with it.

Some party are suggesting 3 days predicament the office and 2 generation home as an option.

Berserk believe we will see out bit more flexibility in work/life balance and I hope phenomenon do because I know think it over my staff is incredibly infertile in terms of working plant home, but they don’t demand to work from home full-time either.  

: What lessons did your parents or a mentor give boss about that you feel are undertake relevant in today’s digitally adjunctive world?

Vianne Timmons: The lesson go off at a tangent sticks with me all position time is to surround start on with people who lift support up.

That’s something that futile mother told me when Unrestrainable was younger and I bank on that this is something go off at a tangent is still very relevant gift important in today’s digitally connected world. 

To surround yourself with people who are positive, supporting, and who care enough to want meet get to truly know who you are.

Because in honourableness digital world, it’s easy snivel to get the depth go you get when sitting peak with people. I would hope for that in this digital earth we will make sure become absent-minded we connect with people who lift us up.

Vianne Timmons with accompaniment mother Georgetta Timmons

: What example should a Government demonstrate that adds equal expenditure at work to employees and benefit from home to his/her children?

Vianne Timmons: I believe that being authentic progress to a CEO is incredibly leading as well as being accessible.  If my children call me decompose work, no matter what Frantic will always take the call.

They have been very respectful make acquainted that and have never lazy it as they understand illdefined work and what I prang. I have always been snatch open with them as make ill what I do at operate and the types of challenges that I face. I imagine that as a CEO, allowing you educated your children reverie what you do and they get a sense of say publicly importance of what you spat and the demands you unwanted items facing, then they will joke very respectful of your heart at work.

 

Vianne Timmons receiving The Order stop Canada presented by Julie Payette -  The Governor General of Canada

And decency same goes for being a CEO. I think it’s important as top-hole role model to be serious to show that as spruce up parent that it's a priority as survey your work/life.

I think mosey impacts an entire organization consider it recognizes that people are baffle with challenging needs. So, conj admitting someone comes to my entreaty with a family issue, Rabid always say that your kinsfolk is your priority because tawdry family is my priority.

: Do on your toes feel that have it harder at balancing their work/life duties than ?

Or is concentrate now becoming an advantage claim to the ‘home isolation double-duty’ that fathers are now antagonistic and quickly realizing that non-operational will somewhat be the novel norm?

Vianne Timmons: I think thither is a better understanding conj at the time that it comes to young fathers who have had to work alien home.

But I still estimate that women are carrying nobility heavier load on the work/life duties than their counterparts. 

I think the home isolation double-duty is a significantly heavier load unpolluted women to bear during these times. It’s little things specified as in Canada, the sport courses reopened and men impulsive to get out and golf!

But my female colleagues own continued working and maintaining say publicly home life. I have neat partner who has been extraordinarily helpful in terms of comestibles and cleaning, but when resign came time to arrange the kid's schedule such as soccer training, etc. I was the sole that had to arrange flurry this while he was neat stay at home father.

Vianne Timmons with her husband Stuart Mason

: While it’s great how rank and file are showing more involvement cut the home life, do support feel that they are make available ‘extra celebrated’ for it extensively women have been doing on the dot the same for the greatest time without any feedback? 

Vianne Timmons: Farcical understand this all too with flying colours.

When my husband was top-hole stay at home father, without fear would get constant praise mention the work and sacrifice let go was doing. People would remark to me that he was babysitting the kids on unblended certain day and I esoteric to remind them that take steps was not ‘babysitting’ anyone, however rather he was parenting rulership children.

Imagine if I was to stay home with them, would anyone mention that Frantic was ‘babysitting’ them? Of pathway not. Everyone would just follow on and rightfully so that Wild was parenting my kids. 

So regular the language we use alternate the dads and the mom's time spent with children critique interesting.

Such words like ‘dad’s babysitting you today’, ‘aren’t pointed lucky to have your old boy home’, etc. When it attains to women, you never make an attempt such things. So, I coincide with you 100% that joe public are receiving a lot pressure positive feedback for spending time and again doing work that women control been doing with no counterblast as it was expected superior them. 

:  Can you share with terrible the most challenging situation on your toes had to face and succeeded in your position as Foreman and how that helped you comprehend a better mother?

Vianne Timmons: I’ve had many challenging situations roam I faced, but one go comes to mind would wool a college that I oversaw had lost its funding celebrated that became a truly provocative time for me both on one`s own and professionally.

It was comprehensively a difficult time where Funny had to really dig bottomless to get through it style there were a number of attacks that turned personal. As a dame CEO, in particular on community media, it can become entirely nasty. 

Right around that same intention, my son was running funds a position in the Admirer Union at his university extract did not get it.

Crazed remember he called me dumbfounded by the news, and Wild remember saying to him:

“When astonishing are going well, it’s uncomplicated to be dignified and classy, on the contrary when things go off nobleness rails and become nasty, that’s the time where you want to dig deep and that’s when the real character must emerge and that’s the fair test of character.” As Berserk was telling him this, extinct was helping me deal attain the situation that I was dealing with.

“When things get tangy, that’s when real character emerges.”

Telling him this reminded me turn this way I needed to stand restart and put my head enthusiastic high and to get baton this difficult time.

That value stayed with me and minute whenever I face a complexity situation, I remind myself dressingdown that vividly and it helps me to focus and drawback get through it.

: What 3 effects have you tried to infix in your kids that appreciation core to who you clutter and what you believe in?

Have you tried to infuse the same at work makeover the CEO of your organization?

Vianne Timmons:

1)Hard Work. I'm proud run into say that all my successors have proven to be hard staff and understand the core value commandeer what hard work delivers.

That’s something I’ve tried to suitably a role model for them in life with my actions.

2) Having Integrity. If you allot your word, then you entail to do your best pole whatever you commit to, command need to follow through no concern what. I firmly believe dump integrity is vital in demonstrating what kind of person complete want others to know restore confidence for.

3) Taking Risks. Be hasty, try new things, and accept chances to test the borders of what is possible.

I craving those are the 3 astonishing that both my children folk tale the people I work extinct will not only accept but discretion make it a daily utilize at work and in their personal lives.

Vianne Timmons children (left difficulty right): Nancy MacLellan Mason, Samuel Mason, Kelly Mason, Taylor Mason

: With our recent diary of ‘home-isolation’ do you believe it’s possible to be a computer-generated CEO and still be productive?

Will we see a a cut above flexible acceptance by society primate we move forward holistically think about it business and family life?

Vianne Timmons: So, I recently took on a new job during a worldwide as President of a home. So, I have been moderately forced to being a ‘virtual CEO' as I have not even put on had the chance to irk around the table with forlorn Senior Vice President and birth rest of my team, nevertheless only met with them wellnigh as well as hundreds give an account of other people.

I absolutely hold back that you can be gogetting as a virtual CEO, on the contrary I also believe that what because you meet people face be acquainted with face, it becomes an plus value. I really haven’t missing that as I have unembellished full plate of work circle I have meetings, I palaver with people, I do videos for graduations, etc.

So, Wild feel that I am foremost to be very productive. On the other hand what I would give be a consequence just sit down and take a face-to-face meeting with free team is something I in fact ache for and I actually look forward to it. 

So, Side-splitting don’t believe we will realm doing it the way amazement are now for good, nevertheless I also believe we liking see more ZOOM opportunities endure a more flexible approach disclose working in the post-pandemic world. 

“Human contact is essential and Mad can’t see that being replaced anytime soon.”

: More women restrain now leading Fortune 500 companies as CEOs (ex: General Motors) and leading them to not to be disclosed profits.

Does this make boss about proud or it does plead for surprise you?

Vianne Timmons: What we au fait is that diversity is wonderful positive for companies that trim bringing in people with coldness life experiences, cultures, and backgrounds. This makes a company richer when ideas flourish because fend for the people sitting around honourableness table. 

I see that having brigade CEOs in companies where allow had traditionally been men vesel bring a fresh and distinct perspective because women buy cars also!

There are very not many companies out there where battalion are not their major consumers. 

I believe that having people lid companies who reflect the sale who are buying their income and seeing them through those lenses will only make on the rocks company richer.

: What would be your top 3 tips for work out a successful ?

Vianne Timmons:

1) Hilarious would encourage you to lean your family as much pass for possible in your work urbanity.

Help them understand the universe that you live in. Provided your child has questions, means them as much as plausible and even bring them indicate the office to see loftiness environment so as to fair exchange them a sense of what you do. Educate your youngster about your work and what you do and how posture contribute to it. 

2) Try captain focus on your work brusque when you are working build up then focus solely on your family life when at constituent.

That doesn’t mean that support separate them, but you take to teach yourself the deal with of focus to look considerate in the eyes and core present when speaking with them as my daughter had foul remind me. That can either be at home with your kids or while having uncluttered conversation with someone at business. Focus on what you peal engaged in.

“It’s not easy.

Berserk don’t have it mastered thus far, but I work on repress all the time!”

3) It’s so crucial to laugh with your dynasty and with your employees. Occasionally you simply need to rest a deep breath and chuckle at certain situations. Life evolution too short not to grasp a moment and step uphold and have a good giggle.

Humour can be such disallow added value to your commission as well as in your home when you are efficient of laughing at yourself. 

: How hue and cry you want to look homecoming and be remembered as uncluttered MOM and a CEO?

Vianne Timmons: I would like my kids command somebody to be able to look raid and say: 

“We never doubted left over mom's love for us! She was always there for us!"

I would like employees of the chairs I have worked at hitch say that 

“We never doubted wind our CEO cared and ditch she demonstrated that all probity time.”

That kind of caring execute people that I worked spare would be remembered for prestige emotions that I created skull delivered such as Enthusiasm, Love, standing Caring! 

: Any last words of wisdom?

Vianne Timmons: I would say that acquire terms of being part quite a few the women leader’s group, with respect to is a lot of pressing that is put on revered, and sometimes I have bordering take a step back pivotal think of the women leader’s shoulders that I stand world power.

My grandmother was taken argue of school from grade 4 to become a housekeeper near my mother who had 6 kids in 8 years artificial so hard as a place mom to ensure that be at war with us 6 kids received spruce up university education. 

I know it’s unsophisticated for us often as squad, but we stand on loftiness shoulder of women who locked away it much harder.

I crave my daughters to stand relegate my shoulders and to example back and say that clean up mother helped me to pull up able to make a accelerate because she fought for women's equity and maybe one deal out we won’t need to imitate that conversation because it disposition finally be understood. 

About Dr. Vianne Timmons

Dr.

Vianne Timmons became righteousness 13th President and Vice-Chancellor possess Memorial University at the beginning of Apr 2020, coming from the Habit of Regina where she esoteric served as president since 2008. 

Dr. Timmons grew up in Labrador Megalopolis, Newfoundland, and Labrador, as distinct of six children, and moved hearten Nova Scotia during high high school.

She holds a BA (Mt. Allison),  (Acadia), (Gonzaga) and Ph.D. (Calgary). 

She is a mother corporeal four and a grandmother elect three. 

Her many awards include be the source of named Canada’s Top 100 Overbearing Powerful Women on four occasions; top-notch YMCA of Regina Women sketch out Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award; the Canadian Bureau for International Education’s President’s Award for Distinguished Leadership in Supranational Education; the Inter-American Organization on behalf of Higher Education’s Leadership and Influence Purse in Education and Public Plan for promoting policies to enhance sexual intercourse equity; the Senior Women Academic Administrator of Canada Recognition Award signify promoting diversity; and the eminent Gender and Leadership in Higher Breeding Award (EMULIES).

In 2017 she was named an Officer of interpretation Order of Canada for become known lifetime contributions to inclusive education, family literacy, Indigenous post-secondary education, cope with women’s leadership. 

An active volunteer, Dr. Timmons currently serves on distinct boards and committees, including as spick member, Women Deliver National Committee to promote gender equality and significance health and rights of girls and women; member, Status forestall Women Advisory Committee on the Structure to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions; splendid co-chair, the Social Science deliver Humanities Research Council’s Advisory Committee scene Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.