Laura Jo Gunter, NAIT’s president and CEO, announced she will not return to the role when her contract ends in October 2027. Gunter was reappointed for a two-year term in 2025 after her first term of five years finished.
She came to NAIT in 2020 after spending three years at Bow Valley College as president.
A NAIT media release says the decision is “rooted in providing the Board of Governors with enough time to identify the right leader to guide NAIT into its next chapter.”
While Gunter won’t finish for over a year, the post says she will “actively continue in her role to support a smooth and thoughtful transition.”
COVID-19 recovery, 7 school model and Advanced Skills Centre some of Gunter’s major accomplishments
NAIT has seen many changes under Gunter’s leadership, including guiding the institution after the COVID-19 pandemic and reorganizing the institution’s academic structure from four schools to seven. She also led the development of the institution’s strategic plan, The NAIT Effect.
Most recently, Gunter secured funding for NAIT’s newest building, the Advanced Skills Centre (ASC). Construction began in spring with a planned completion date in 2030. The ASC will house an additional 5,000 trades students, bringing the total room for apprentice students to 15,000.
Gunter is NAIT’s seventh president and the first woman to lead the polytechnic. She has spent years working in the post-secondary industry with leadership roles at George Brown College in Ontario and Seneca College in Toronto.
NAIT will begin searching for a new president, who will be appointed by the Board of Governors as outlined in the Post-Secondary Learning Act. The Board will decide the term, salary and conditions of a new president’s employment.
As for Gunter, she has the option to become a full-time instructor in the JR Shaw School of Business according to her employment agreement. But for now, she says she’s proud of what she’s accomplished and is looking forward to the future.
“I am confident that the institution will continue to thrive and grow its impact as a leader in delivering exceptional polytechnic education.”
Feature image via NAIT Content Collective
