Our new era begins

The 2022-23 school year marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The dynamic team of Principal Rosemary Evans and Board Chair Jim Fleck C.C. ’49, P ’72 will remain honoured in our history as leaders who secured the future of our school. After 10 years on the Board, Jim retired in December 2022, passing the reins to Peter Buzzi ’77, while Rosemary prepared for her retirement in summer 2023.

New UTS Board Chair Peter Buzzi ’77 is profoundly dedicated to the principles of access in admissions, and brings more than 37 years of financial expertise to the table. His UTS connections run deep. He first joined the Board as a director in 2019, and also served as chair of the UTS Foundation from 2019 to 2022, and as a director from 2010, as well as on the Project Steering and Access and Admissions committees. In his professional life, he retired from his role as vice chair and co-head of the Global Mergers and Acquisitions Group at RBC Capital Markets in April 2023. At RBC, Peter advised Canadian and international clients on some of Canada’s largest mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings. A graduate in systems design engineering from the University of Waterloo, he also holds a master of business administration degree from Harvard Business School. He remains close-knit with the Class of 1977, many of whom remain friends since their days at 371 Bloor.

Dr. Leanne Foster, who served as head of school at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby for eight years, was selected as the new UTS principal, to start in August 2023. She comes with a wholehearted commitment to further our school’s ongoing efforts on anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion, and foster a greater sense of belonging for everyone at our school. Before Trafalgar, where she transformed the academics program while enhancing equity and inclusion, her trajectory progressed through roles at Branksome Hall and St. Clement’s School, as well as the Toronto District School Board. There, she was a special education consultant for eight years, after launching her career as a kindergarten teacher. She holds a master’s from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and PhD from the University of Toronto. Always an optimist, she is a proponent of joy, fun and laughter in education .

Vanessa Grant ’80, a long-time director of the UTS Foundation became its chair in June 2022. Sandy McIntyre ’71 succeeded Andre Hidi ’77 as chair of the UTS Board’s Finance Committee in January 2023 and Kath Hammond ’87, P ’20 became vice chair.

With our new leadership and renewed school in place, we are ready to chart a course for our future, evolving the UTS culture to create a stronger sense of belonging for all the students at our school.