Dr. Annette TrimbeePresident and Vice-Chancellor at MacEwan UniversitySpeaker
Profile
Dr. Annette Trimbee is the sixth president and vice-chancellor of MacEwan University, and was recently reappointed to her 2nd term starting in August 2025. Prior to joining MacEwan in 2020, Dr Trimbee served as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Winnipeg.
Under Dr Trimbee’s leadership, MacEwan has developed and is implementing a bold and creative strategic vision, Teaching Greatness: Strategic Vision 2030. Rooted in MacEwan’s unique place in Edmonton’s downtown, Teaching Greatness charts a path for growth to 30,000 students by 2030 by building on MacEwan’s strengths as an exceptional urban undergraduate university.
President Trimbee’s professional journey has taken her from the water’s edge to the city's core, and she brings to MacEwan a wealth of experience and knowledge as a leader in both the post-secondary and the public sectors.
After beginning her career as an aquatic biologist, Dr. Trimbee embarked on a distinguished, 25-year career with the Government of Alberta where she held several senior leadership positions, including deputy minister with Advanced Education and Technology and with Treasury Board and Finance.
In 2022, Dr. Trimbee received the Indspire Award in Education, the highest honour bestowed by the Indigenous community, for her commitment to advancing Indigenization and reconciliation in higher education. In 2024, Dr. Trimbee was recognized as one of Canada’s most powerful women, receiving a WXN Top 100 Award for her leadership as a changemaker, role model and collaborator in our community, and across the post-secondary learning system.
Dr Trimbee believes strongly in ensuring MacEwan is connected to its many communities and external networks. To that end, Dr Trimbee serves on the boards of Edmonton Global, World Universities Service Canada (WUSC), The Conversation Canada, and the Rideau Hall Foundation (RHF).
Previous appointments include serving on the board of Universities Canada, as chair of USports, and as chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. In 2015, Dr. Trimbee served on Alberta’s royalty review panel.
An accomplished academic, Dr. Trimbee holds a PhD (Ecology) from McMaster University, a M.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, a B. Sc. from the University of Winnipeg and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta.