M. Elizabeth Cannon

Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, OC, is president emerita of the University of Calgary after serving as its president and vice chancellor from 2010 to 2018. A champion for advancing the mission of the university and fostering excellence in higher education, she led the development of the university’s transformational Eyes High strategy and its $1.3 billion Energize campaign through a focus on impact and a strong institutional culture. Before her presidency, she was dean of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary.

Elizabeth is an internationally recognized researcher of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in both industrial and academic environments and has commercialized technology for more than 200 agencies worldwide. Currently, she is a speaker on leadership, strategy, and innovation, as well as co-author of the upcoming book Strategic University Management: Future Proofing Your Institution. She is an active seed-stage investor and mentor, particularly for female-founded companies, and serves on numerous non-profit and corporate boards. Elizabeth has received more than 50 teaching, research, and leadership awards, including being selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, receiving five honorary degrees, and being named an Officer of the Order of Canada.