New Chief Safety & Risk Officer to start in early September

caroline.zentner — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 20:33:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is delighted to welcome John O’Keeffe back to campus as the new Chief Safety & Risk Officer. A seasoned leader in the post-secondary sector, O’Keeffe is no stranger to ULethbridge. He previously served in a similar capacity before returning to the UK in 2017. Now, nearly eight years later, he’s returning — excited to rejoin a campus and community he knows well.

“I am thrilled to return to ULethbridge, a place where I experienced tremendous growth both professionally and personally,” says O’Keeffe. “The opportunity to contribute to the safety, resilience and overall excellence of this institution is something I deeply value, and I look forward to serving the community once again.”

O’Keeffe brings over 15 years of leadership experience in higher education to the role. His expertise spans safety, security, emergency preparedness and institutional risk — critical pillars in building a resilient and future-ready university.

“We’re very fortunate to welcome John back to ULethbridge,” says Deborah Lucas, Vice-President, Finance & Administration. “His familiarity with our campus community is a great asset, and he brings with him an expanded skill set and valuable perspectives gained from leadership roles at other institutions.”

O’Keeffe’s journey back to ULethbridge includes a one-year tenure as Head of Security & Emergency Planning at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Birmingham, UK, followed by more than six years at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). While at NAIT, he progressed from Director of Safety and Security to senior leadership roles, including Executive Director of Risk Management Services and, most recently, Associate Vice-President of Campus Services.

His return comes at a pivotal time as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ advances the goals of the 2025 Strategic Plan, which emphasizes creating a safe, inclusive and empowering environment where people can thrive. Okeeffe’s collaborative leadership style and deep commitment to community well-being align seamlessly with the ULethbridge values of access, quality, connection and belonging.

“I’m so excited to be returning to Iniskim, a place that truly lives and breathes values like access, quality, strong relationships and a deep-rooted sense of belonging,” he says. “These values resonate with me because they align deeply with my own principles and professional goals, to foster environments where individuals feel supported, connected and empowered to achieve their potential. I’m feeling hopeful and ready for the journey ahead.”

With John's appointment, which is effective September 2, 2025, the Safety & Risk Services Department will transition from its current reporting structure under Facilities to report directly to the Vice-President, Finance & Administration portfolio. This realignment reflects the growing importance of safety, institutional risk, and resilience for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and our community.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ welcomes Deborah Lucas as new Vice-President (Finance & Administration)

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:36:08 +0000

An accomplished professional with over 20 years of operational, strategic-planning and change management experience in complex multi-faceted environments has been named the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s new Vice-President (Finance & Administration).

Deborah Lucas comes to ULethbridge having led major initiatives at both Huron ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College and Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Deborah Lucas comes to ULethbridge having led major initiatives at both Huron ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College and Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and excels as a strategically focused problem solver committed to organizational excellence and operational efficiency.

“Deborah will be an excellent addition to the senior administrative team, and I look forward to the perspective and ideas she will bring in her role,” says Dr. Digvir Jayas, ULethbridge president and vice-chancellor. “Having worked extensively in the post-secondary sector, Deborah’s insight will be especially valuable as we continue to finalize our next Comprehensive Strategic Plan and begin to develop our South Campus, among many other initiatives.”

Lucas is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Laurentian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. She began her professional career as CFO/Director – Finance and Administration at Ernst & Young, Caribbean and then as Assistant Vice-President – Financial Services at ICORR Properties Management Inc. She transitioned to the post-secondary sector in 2008 and has been working in that field since, last serving as Vice-President, Finance & Administration at Huron ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College.

“I’m excited to join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and be a part of a community that is committed to student success and academic excellence” says Lucas. “In my role, I am dedicated to fostering an environment that ensures our operations support the teaching, learning and research at ULethbridge.”

Lucas directed the end-to-end creation, architectural planning and construction of Huron’s $65-million, 320-bed residential facility for Huron ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, doubling campus housing occupancy for students. She also implemented a transformative meal plan initiative and led the successful implementation of a Finance ERP System for Huron.

In her roles at Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Lucas worked as a Human Resources Accountant and then in finance and administration leadership positions with the Department of Psychiatry and the Schulich School of Dentistry.

Lucas will begin her appointment at ULethbridge on Oct. 1, 2024.

UNews - Deborah Lucas

New Chief Safety & Risk Officer to start in early September

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��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ welcomes Deborah Lucas as new Vice-President (Finance & Administration)

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