Alumni representation on the Board of Regents and University Senate

With a strong educational background, including a BSc from Mount Allison University and a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Alberta, Dorothy has extensive experience in the energy sector. She spent 15 years at Gulf Canada Resources, focusing on Arctic exploration, reservoir engineering, and project management, followed by 17 years at Imperial Oil Resources as a well-testing expert and reservoir advisor. Her roles included supervising technical teams, negotiating joint ventures, and developing corporate strategies for asset management. Dorothy is known for her leadership, mentoring skills, and ability to apply innovative technologies to enhance operational efficiency.

Phil graduated from Mount Allison in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science, honours in biology. While at Mount A, Phil was a member of the varsity swim team and was Class of 1986 president, receiving the Ruggles-Gates Research Award in biology and the Mount A “Golden A” award on graduation. Phil values the experiences he received at Mount Allison as well as the ongoing friendships.

After Mount A, Phil completed his MD at Memorial University and then completed his specialty training in psychiatry at the University of Alberta. After his psychiatry residency he completed a clinical research fellowship and then remained at the U of A as both a clinician and researcher. In 2008 he moved back to the Maritimes, being named the first Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders at Dalhousie, a research chair position. As a professor of psychiatry he continues with his clinical and research work, being early intervention services for youth and young adults for psychosis.

Phil has held leadership positions locally and nationally with a variety of organizations, including community organizations, such as Board Chair of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada Foundation. His work has been recognized with a variety of awards, such as the Michael Smith Award from the Schizophrenia Society of Canada for research and leadership in schizophrenia (2015), the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s Champion of Mental Health Research/Clinician award (2017), and the 2018 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Prix d’Excellence — Specialist of the Year (region 5).

Christina Vroom is Associate Director, Bequests & Planned Gifts at McGill University. With over 18 years of fundraising experience in annual, major and planned giving, Christina is a passionate facilitator of conversations and relationships that help donors and organizations achieve their philanthropic and fundraising goals. Prior to being bitten by the fundraising bug, Christina worked in marketing and special events. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), sits on the Regroupement des universités québécoises pour les dons planifiés (RUQDP) and is a certified Commissioner of Oaths.

Christina is currently a member of the Visual Arts Centre Board of Directors and chairs their fundraising committee. She previously served on the Mount Allison University Alumni Board from 2009 to 2020 and volunteered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada’s Team In Training from 2009 to 2016. Christina holds a BA and a Certificate of Bilingualism from Mount Allison University, a DSEF from the Université de Strasbourg, and a Certificate of Spanish from McGill University. In her spare time, Christina is a freelance translator and enjoys traveling. 

Garland (or Gary, as he was known in earlier years) comes from a family of Allisonians; his father’s 1934 Senior Cane is now used in the annual Passing of the Cane ceremony.  An honours psychology graduate—Class of 1960—he continued his studies at Dalhousie, Western, and the Queen’s University Belfast, becoming the first Canadian to earn a doctorate in the history of psychology.  Garland was a member of the MtA faculty during the 1960s, the period when the university first announced its intention to focus on liberal arts education, academic rigour, and to remaining small.  He recalls the shared sense of a common purpose that was characteristic of the MtA of that time.  Subsequently, he was a member of the Department of Psychology at St. Francis Xavier University and, for a period, Dean of Arts.

Garland considers himself fortunate to have been taught by skilled and inspiring professors at Mount Allison.  Foremost among them was Dr. Jim Tuck, who both sparked his interests in the importance of good teaching and in the history of psychology, the field that was to become the focus of his academic research.  

While honing his own instructional skills, Dr. Brooks also promoted more broadly the significance of teaching in the region’s universities.  In 1991, he received the Instructional Leadership Award from the Atlantic Association of Universities, and he was also a recipient of StFX’s Outstanding Teaching Award.  Garland’s experience as a student and young faculty member at MtA convinced him of the importance of helping students perform at their highest level.

A specialist in the development of psychology during the 17^th and 18^th centuries, throughout his career, Dr. Brooks published regularly in his field.   He served as the Research Officer for the Faculty of Arts at St. Francis Xavier University and as the chair of the university’s Research Ethics Committee.   He was also a member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council committees.   On his retirement from StFX, Dr. Brooks was named Professor Emeritus.

Always interested in music—performing with the choral society and the conservatory chorale while he was at MtA—Garland continues to play the piano.  Particularly since retirement, he has been actively involved in a range of organizations, several of them connected to the arts.  He was on the boards of the Maritime Conservatory of the Performing Arts and of Bravura Nova Scotia, and he has written extensively on the history of the Conservatory and the Halifax Ladies’ College, its original sister institution.  He has been active in a large number of other organizations and boards, including AIDS Nova Scotia, Churchill Academy, the College of Registered Nurses’  Complaints and Education Committees, the NS Judicial Advisory Committee, and of Nova Scotia’s provincial men’s choir, Nova Voce.

And twenty years after retiring, Garland is enjoying reengaging with academia as the Mount Allison Alumni representative on the Senate.  Angus Campbell, his husband, provides much appreciated technical support for online Senate meetings.

Dave graduated from Mount A in 1979 as a Bachelor of Science with honours in Biology. Whilst at Mount A, Dave played on the rugby team and truly enjoyed his experience at the University, even as DJ at Asylum Disco in the long-demolished SUB.

Dave’s work career has been in finance, with extensive experience and expertise in operations, technology and finance in banking and investments. Dave currently guides the strategy and development of two fin-tech firms. In these businesses, he assists investment firms to significantly improve their environments and support their success. Dave has found that great people not only are the keys to these accomplishments, but they are the most enjoyable to work with. Dave truly enjoys this work and helping these people with their own growth. So much of these foundational values were built during his time at Mount A. Dave also has over 25 years' experience as a board director of investment managers and investment funds with diverse strategies. This has ranged from start-ups to some of the largest investment firms. He has found that supporting decision-making through complex challenges in markets and investment strategies drives him.

Dave also serves on the board of two charitable ventures, one focused on at-risk youth and another on primary education.