Panel C: Office 365 - Campus Challenges and Staff Successes

Aaron MacDonald is the Manager IT Infrastructure at StFX University.   His team’s primary areas of responsibility include design and support for data, storage and voice networks, enterprise systems, datacenter, and computer lab infrastructure.    Over the past twenty years at X he has held various technical, lead, and management roles within the IT Services department.    When not working, Aaron enjoys long distance and trail running & spending the colder months in arenas around the Maritimes, as a minor hockey coach.

Dr. André Roberge is a Physicist and former President of Université Sainte-Anne. For the past 5 years, as IT Director at Université Sainte-Anne he has a lead a small, but dedicated team: it is because of their work that Dr. Roberge has been asked to be a participant on the Office 365 discussion panel.

Debbie Rudderham is the Chief Information Officer for Cape Breton University, where she manages strategic implementations of technology throughout the university, along with their support and ongoing maintenance.  She joined CBU in 2009 after holding technology management positions with the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the Province of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada. Since joining the university, she has played a leadership role in the evolution of CBU’s infrastructure, systems and technical staff.  Debbie enjoys the roles of both project and change management which she uses on a daily basis.  She very much appreciates the interaction and sharing that happens with her colleagues from all Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions through their Shared Services initiatives.

Ron Singer is a Senior Project Management Professional (PMP) / Management Consultant with over 18 years of experience in the information technology (IT) industry.

Ron was responsible for harmonizing the four finance departments as part of the HRM amalgamation 1996. Ron has led many diverse IT projects:

  • Towns of Bridgewater & Windsor - IT Strategy & Assessment
  • NSCC Technical Assessment
  • NSCC Business Intelligence
  • Google Docs Deployments – LaFarge, Ranstad, Aldo, Hudbay Minerals
  • Shared ERP procurement for 10 Municipalities in eastern NS
  • Service NS Vital Stats data exchange with Service Canada and CRA
  • Workers Compensation Board NS -  My Account Custom Developed Portal
  • Atlantic Lottery – Gaming application deployment
  • Office 365 implementation for NS High Ed schools
  • SharePoint for NS Higher Ed (in progress)

In addition to project management, Ron fosters a working environment that inspires a strong and energized team where he has applied proven change management methodologies that contribute to the project success. He capitalizes on the lessons learned to apply a best of breed methodology that aligns with the respective organizations.

Ron is well known and respected for his passion for project management and he often mentors several information technology professionals. Ron is currently the Immediate Past President for PMINS, is currently the Regional Mentor supporting 18 PMI Chapters in the US and Canada.

Currently, Ron manages the Project Management Office for Higher Ed IT Shared Services delivering and supporting all Nova Scotia post-secondary schools through the deployment of Office 365, SharePoint, Azure and other initiatives.

Rocky Wilson would be regarded as a ‘CFA’ as he was born, raised and work in Alberta up until 2014.  He then broke ranks and journeyed to Mount Allison University to work for Helmut Becker.  After serving a 10-month contract as the Educational Technology Consultant, he went back to Alberta to carry out a sessional position at the University of Lethbridge.  In 2015, he began my current position as the Academic Technologist for the St. Francis Xavier University working for John Delorey and the IT Services team.