Ginny Dybenko Appointed Member of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 7, 2011) - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), today announced the appointment of Ginny Dybenko as a member of the Council.

"I am pleased to welcome Ms. Dybenko to this new role," said Minister Clement. "Her innovative ideas and exceptional leadership will prove to be significant assets to the Council."

In recognition of her accomplishments as Dean of the Wilfrid Laurier University School of Business & Economics, where her leadership helped establish Canada's first MBA in Innovation and Entrepreneurship as well as introduce the BlackBerry to the university classroom, Ms. Dybenko was recently appointed Executive—Strategic Initiatives in the university's Development and Alumni Relations office.

Before joining Wilfrid Laurier University, Ms. Dybenko held a number of senior executive positions at Bell Canada, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Advanced Communications. In that position, she contributed to CA*net, Bell Canada's first national broadband initiative and what was essentially the Internet backbone in Canada. Other accomplishments include the establishment of a Professional Services business unit within Bell Canada and the pioneering of Bell's first successful Electronic Commerce service offering.

Ms. Dybenko has championed and promoted technical programs for youth, serving on and chairing the Youth in Motion Education Foundation, which is notable for its Top 20 Under 20 scholarship competition. She is currently a member of the Greater Kitchener–Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Waterloo North Hydro Board of Directors. She is also Director and Founder of the Waterloo Chapter of the International Women's Forum. In 2008, Ms. Dybenko was named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women's Executive Network, which is one of the founding members of the Canadian Board Diversity Council.

SSHRC is an independent federal government agency that funds research and graduate training at the post-secondary level through national peer-review competitions. SSHRC also partners with public, private and not-for-profit sector organizations to focus research and aid in the development of better policies and practices in key areas of Canada's social, cultural and economic life. For more information, visit the SSHRC website (www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca).