Camosun Board elects new Chair

Camosun College

Left to right: president Lane Trotter, in-coming board chair Tanya Clarmont and out-going board chair Monty Bryant.

Clarmont assumes the role on Aug. 1, 2023, taking over from outgoing Board Chair Monty Bryant.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Tanya as the new Board Chair of Camosun College. I also want to thank Monty Bryant for his skilled and passionate leadership as our Board Chair of the last three years,” says Lane Trotter, President of Camosun. “The college remains committed to delivering applied, innovative and relevant education to our learners, which is reflected in our new 2023-2028 Strategic Plan.”

Clarmont was appointed to the Board of Governors on July 31, 2019, and was appointed to the role of Vice Chair in 2021. She became Chair of the Audit Committee and joined the Board Executive Committee in 2021, and was the Board liaison to the Camosun Foundation Board of Directors for 2020/21. Tanya is Teme-Augama Anishnabai on her father’s side and her community is Bear Island Reserve on Lake Temagami, Ontario. She is also French Canadian from the Ottawa Valley on her mother’s side. She acknowledges and embraces both sides of her cultural background.

Clarmont moved to the Traditional Territory of the Lekwungen speaking peoples in B.C. to further her education, while also continuing her career with the Friendship Centre Movement, which dates back to 2001. She works for the Victoria Native Friendship Centre as Director of Community Action and Learning, which aligns well with her commitment to lifelong learning for and about Indigenous peoples. She previously held positions at the provincial and national level of the Friendship Centre Movement. Clarmont also works as a consultant, with her most recent work being centred around the topics of Reconciliation, TRC Calls to Action, UNDRIP and Indigenous Financial Literacy. Clarmont graduated from the University of Victoria with a B.A. in Fine Arts focused in Creative Writing and attended the Banff Arts Centre in the Aboriginal Emerging Artists Program. She also holds a double Humanities B.A. in Native Studies and Law & Justice from Laurentian University in Sudbury.

“It is a great honour and pleasure to be elected as the new Chair,” says Clarmont. “Serving on the Board at Camosun with the support of my colleagues has allowed me to continue a close connection to education that supports people and communities. With the varied and strong backgrounds of Board members, along with an outstanding President and administrative staff, we are well placed to deal with whatever the future may bring. Thank you to Monty for his excellent leadership.”

Monty Bryant was elected as the Chair on Aug. 1, 2020. Monty has a Bachelor of Arts, a Master’s in Education, and a Doctorate in Education as well as a qualification as a Registered Technician in Radiography. He previously was Associate Superintendent of the Greater Victoria School District and worked as a teacher, vice principal and a principal. Monty has served on the boards of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Conservatory of Music, and the Belfry Theatre.

Bryant will serve one more year on the Board of Governors.

“It was a privilege to serve as Chair and I look forward to my final year as a board member,” says Bryant. “Education is very important to me, and I hope as the Chair I was able to contribute to the continued growth and success of Camosun.” 

As Chair, Bryant led the process to hire President Lane Trotter and oversaw the development of the college’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan. Bryant served as the Liaison to the Foundation Board, was Chair of the Board Executive Committee, and was on the Board Audit and Finance Committees. He led the Board through an in-depth review of their governance policies.

Camosun College is a public post-secondary institution. The Board of Governors administers the college on behalf of the B.C. Government and the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.