TMU appoints Wendy Lawrence as General Counsel, Secretary of the Board of Governors, and Chief Privacy Officer

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Wendy Lawrence as Toronto Metropolitan University’s new general counsel, secretary of the Board of Governors, and chief privacy officer; her new role will begin on September 18, 2023. 

Wendy joins TMU from St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton where she is currently the chief risk, legal & privacy officer. As a member of the executive leadership team and the primary legal advisor to leadership and the Board of Trustees, she provides guidance on a wide range of legal, governance and risk matters. Her role also includes the development of and advice on governance processes and best practices, including hospital by-laws, discharge of director’s duties, and compliance with the new not-for-profit legislation.

Wendy brings broad legal experience on matters ranging from contracts, corporate/commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, privacy law, and administrative law to ensure compliance with laws, informed executive decision-making, and robust assessment of risk during a rapidly changing regulatory and social landscape. With over a decade of experience in the academic hospital sector including The Hospital for Sick Children, she has worked closely with post-secondary partners and has a strong understanding of processes, policies and decision-making in an academic environment. 

An important member of the university executive leadership team, as general counsel and secretary of the Board of Governors, Wendy will lead the development of governance policies and provide governance advice to the President, Board Chair, Committees of the Board and senior administrators of the university. 

She will support the effective operation of the Board of Governors through the development of operational practices and procedures and provide, retain and supervise legal advice on the full range of legal issues that face the university including contracts, commercial transactions, administrative decision-making, real estate and construction, information and privacy, labour and employment, human rights and litigation.

In her role as chief privacy officer, Wendy will be responsible for managing the university’s risk assessment, policy, procedure, and governance as related to privacy.

I look forward to having Wendy join the university.  My sincere thank you to Jennifer MacInnis for filling the role in an interim capacity since Julia Shin Doi’s departure earlier this year. 

Members of the search committee for general counsel, secretary of the Board of Governors, and chief privacy officer are listed below and I want to thank each of them for their contributions to this successful search:

Naomi Adelson
Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation

Molly Anthony
Director, Real Estate, Facilities Management and Development

Vincenzo Carinci
Director, Strategic Procurement and Payment Services

Tony Conte
Executive Director, Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Tanya (Toni) De Mello
Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion

Jen McMillen
Vice-Provost, Students

Krishan Mehta
Assistant Vice-President, Engagement, University Advancement

Jenny O’Donnell
Chief Human Resources Officer

Spiros Vavougios
Legal Counsel, Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat

Mohamed Lachemi
President and Vice-Chancellor, Toronto Metropolitan University