
Georgian Faculty Competency Framework
The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Competency Framework is a system meant to help educators consider and engage in conversation about the many roles we assume and hats we wear in our day-to-day professional lives.
We are designers, researchers, inclusive practitioners, changemakers, digital navigators, collaborators, reflectors and mentors. We weave associated competencies into our daily practices, and we grow from emerging, to performing to transforming overtime.
On this page:
- Goals of the Innovative GC Faculty Competency Framework
- Faculty competencies and roles
- Stages of growth in competence
- Earning badges while you grow your teaching practice
- How our badging system works
- Faculty competencies
- Apply for badges
- The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Certificate
- Teaching Excellence Awards 2026
Apply for badges
The Innovative Georgian College Faculty Certificate
Innovative Georgian College faculty try new things (emerging), use best practices and iterate regularly (performing) and support the teaching and learning ecosystem of Georgian (transforming). They are engaged and, in turn, engage others in conversation and action related to excellent teaching and learning. They act as mentors to peers and connect to the strategic priorities of Georgian translating those to their classrooms. Students succeed and flourish in their classes and peers succeed and flourish in the college because of their commitment to Georgian’s teaching and learning community.
Faculty may apply for the final certificate (noted with the badge icon below) after demonstrating transforming competence in the faculty competencies. Faculty may continue to deepen and grow their practice by earning annual stamps to be added to their certificate.

Innovative Georgian College faculty do the following:
- Prioritize trying new things as essential to growth in teaching practice.
- Intentionally use an iterative (continuously improving) approach to teaching that supports student success and contributes to student flourishing.
- Positively impacts the teaching and learning ecosystem and the success and flourishing of faculty peers.
We are so thrilled to celebrate the roles you weave in your faculty journey. Interested in applying for the micro certificate? Please reach out to the Faculty Development team.
These individuals represent the first cohort of faculty who have earned Transformative Badges in all eight faculty roles: Designer, Researcher, Inclusive Practitioner, Changemaker, Digital Navigator, Collaborator, Reflector, and Mentor.
- Mary Dobson
- Madelaine Khan
- Brian Mandeville
- Jarrod Otterman
- Samantha Sullivan Sauer


Teaching Excellence Awards 2026
We have many excellent educators deserving of celebration, and we are asking for your help in honouring their contributions to our teaching and learning community.
What is the Teaching Excellence Award and why is it so important?
The Teaching Excellence Award (TEA) is an annual award to acknowledge and celebrate Georgian’s transformative educators. The award is for faculty by faculty.
Teaching excellence is rooted in cultivating student-centred learning experiences, creating inclusive learning environments, growing teaching practices, branching to community, and championing teaching and learning.
Exceptional educators ignite passion and inspire change, craft meaningful learning opportunities that provide authentic connections for students. Strategically, Georgian has affirmed the impact: Educators who pursue excellence are catalysts for game-changing innovation, flourishing learners, and thriving communities.
Recognition through the Teaching Excellence Award shines light on the often‑unseen dedication educators bring to their work, celebrating those who embody the faculty competencies in Georgian’s Faculty Competency Framework, invest in their learning, and meaningfully contribute to a broader culture of teaching excellence.
Nominations, in the form of complete nominations packages, are due on April 3, 2026. The 2026-2026 Teaching Excellence Award recipient, along with all outstanding nominees, will be announced on April 29, 2026, during our annual Focus on Teaching Conference.

Who should I nominate?
We invite you to nominate peer/peers who demonstrate the following:
- Dedication to professional growth and learning as an educator.
- Regular reflection to enhance their practice.
- Creation and facilitation of exemplary learning experiences for students.
- Collaboration and connection to students, peers, the college community, and external partners.
- Making a difference through their teaching practice.
- Innovation and a growth mindset in teaching and learning.
- Demonstrably embracing Georgian’s Faculty Competency Framework roles such as designer, researcher, inclusive practitioner, changemaker, digital navigator, collaborator, reflector and mentor.
Step 1: Review the nomination package requirements including the submission form.
Step 2: Consider how your nominee demonstrates the qualities outlined in the package.
Step 3: Choose a nomination team (3-5 people including yourself) that represents the breadth and depth of the nominee’s impact. We suggest including diverse perspectives from students, community and Georgian peers and managers.
Step 4: Connect with the nomination team and collaboratively choose and curate relevant, recent, and accurate evidence from at least three diverse contributors (e.g., peer, manager, alumni, current student(s), community partner(s)) with no more than five, to support the nomination package including examples of teaching excellence, innovative practice, collaboration and community connection, and support of student success.
Hint: Ask team members to draft testimonials to illustrate the nominee’s impact. Ensure student voice is strongly represented by inviting students onto the nomination team and/or collecting high‑impact student testimonials.
Be sure to include:
- Evidence that illustrates the positive impact on student learning and success, and on the teaching and learning community.
- At least one piece of evidence from within the portfolio and/or program.
- At least one piece of evidence from outside the portfolio and/or program.
- At least one piece of evidence directly from a current student or recent alumni.
- Testimonials to illustrate the nominee’s impact. Ensure student voice is strongly represented by inviting students onto the nomination team and/or collecting high‑impact student testimonials.
- Evidence that clearly reflects the nominee’s commitment to developing their faculty roles as outlined in the Georgian Faculty Competency Framework.
Step 5: Tell the nominee’s story using a narrative approach; clearly describe the impacts made by the nominee and how they align and relate to the Georgian Faculty Competency Framework and the nomination criteria.
Step 6: Refine your nomination package based on the nomination form requirements.
Step 7: Seek feedback from your nomination team.
Step 8: Submit your nomination using this form (Teaching Excellence Award 2026 – Nomination Form – Fill out form) by the deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026.
A recipient is selected based on the breadth and depth of their impact. Reviewers will look for evidence that spans multiple groups and constituents. Student voice plays a significant role in the decision‑making process; testimonials are reviewed for accuracy, recency, and relevance to the nominee’s teaching impact. Reviewers will look for a variety of examples illustrating teaching excellence across different faculty roles, supported by strong, relevant evidence.
We use the following guide for the nomination review process to ensure consistency across submissions. Please see the reviewer form below for your reference as you gather evidence supporting the nomination. You should not complete this form – it’s for us.
| Demonstrations of teaching excellence (To be completed by reviewers) | |||
| Criteria | growing | blooming | |
| The nominee approaches teaching with a positive outlook that inspires those around them. | |||
| The nominee is committed to their own growth and learning as an educator. | |||
| The nominee creates and facilitates exemplary teaching and learning experiences. | |||
| The nominee is collaborative and connected to students, peers, the college community, and/or external partners. | |||
| The nominee actively innovates their teaching and learning practice. | |||
| The nominee supports student flourishing and success. | |||
| The nominee influences transformative change – in students, peers, their program, and the broader teaching and learning ecosystem. | |||
| The nominee embodies faculty roles and competencies. | |||
Thank you for taking the time to nominate a peer whose impact you’ve experienced! Your time and consideration are valuable gifts that also impact our teaching and learning community.
Previously recognized educators
Team Award: Ashley Priest, Tiffany Yao and Karina Mejia
Karen Dowan
David Liu
Tim Quick
Team Award: Michele O’Brien and Rob Theriault
Sherry LeBars
Tracy Mitchell-Ashley
Stephen Waller
Arthemise Lalonde
Sue Lemmon
Amanda Quibell
Richard Rinaldo
Anthony Tilotta
Jennifer Varcoe
Jarrod Otterman
Hanna Shrolyk
Danica Vukmirovic
Clem Bamikole
Daphene Francis
Eleanor Gittens
Janette O’Neill-Scott
Jill Esmonde
Larry White
Marilyn Nigro
Marilyn Watson
Mary Dobson
Rob Davidson
Hairstyling team
No conference
Gail Hussey
Kelly Duggan
Lynn MacKinlay
Mary Spencer
Randi Dermott
Rich Freeman
Steve McDonald
Baking and Pastry Arts team
Terry Hrynyk
Rhonda Bell-Allen
Gisele Beausoleil
Cindy Korpatnicki
Nicole Barbato
Daniel Travers
Joachim Schimdt
Toni Cano
Sam Bilamjian
Michael Agema
Amy Goruk
Samantha Sullivan Sauer
Terry Heittola
Sarah Hunter
Alanda Theriault
Deb Witmer
Jaret Wright
Brandy Mullen and Thea Jones
Tamara Fisher-Cullen
Anne-Marie McAllister
Scott McCrindle
Avinash Thadani
Katherine Wallis
Jill Dunlop, Karen Bell, Suzie Addison-Toor, Josh Barath
Michele Baron
Ross Bigelow
Jill Esmonde
Martha MacEachern
Susan Stott-Hood
Kim Stubbs
Bonnie Lee Clarke
Joy Martin
Barry Weese
Lydia Crawford
Catherine Dewhurst
Kath Gradwell
Jack Lesage
Lianne Smith Stow
Catherine Wareham
Kathy Weatherall
Bryan Hunt
Debra Morrow
Susan MacNeal
Anthony Borgo
Steve Miller
Joan Morgan
Jeff Walther
Terry Bell
Karen Halliday
Nancy Noldy-Maclean
Ruthann Krant
Rob Theriault
Ruth Yole































