Ann Buller named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women

Centennial College President and CEO Ann Buller is a recipient of the Cisco Public Leaders Award, part of the prestigious 2010 Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards presented on Nov. 29.

A community college graduate herself, Buller has led Centennial College since 2004, overseeing a game-changing transformation to make the college more learning centred. Buller made global citizenship and social justice principles integral to Centennial’s decisions and actions. The college’s Signature Learning Experience, Statement of Diversity, framework for organizational learning, and development of leadership competencies are all key initiatives of her vision for the college.

“My wish is to be a powerful voice advocating for equity and social justice, for women, for the transformative power of education, and for Canada’s colleges," says Buller. "I am blessed to have roles that let me combine my passion and beliefs. The real power in my life is what I see happen every day at Centennial College: students whose lives are changed because of the commitment of our employees.”

Her work at Centennial, including the HYPE community outreach project that provides summer training to youth living in underserved neighbourhoods, caught the attention of the City of Toronto. Mayor David Miller appointed Buller to the Governing Toronto Panel, which helped guide new governmental powers under the province’s City of Toronto Act. President Buller is a member of several pivotal boards and committees, including Invest Toronto, which is mandated to promote Toronto as a destination for businesses to invest in, grow and prosper.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors, thank you for leading Centennial through a transformational change that has strengthened its partnerships in community, business and government, resulted in remarkable growth in enrolment and revenue, and helped us keep our promise to provide our students with a unique learning experience,” says Board Chair David Garner. “You are an inspiration to our students, our staff, the community, and the many women that you mentor and support.”

The Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards is the most recognizable award for the country's highest achieving female leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. The Women's Executive Network is Canada's most influential female audience and the country's leading organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of executive-minded women in the workplace.