The University of Guelph has appointed Dr. Deb Stark as the 19th chair of its Board of Governors. A proud U of G alumna and former deputy minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Stark led her first Board meeting on Oct. 22.
Graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College, Stark received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1982 and has spent more than 30 years shaping Ontario's agri-food policy, advancing evidence-based leadership and decision-making in public service.
Dr. Deb Stark
Stark helped negotiate the first formal partnership between U of G and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) an alliance between government and academia that continues to advance high-impact research today.
Stark says joining the Board is a natural extension of that partnership and her mission of helping the University achieve its goals.
"U of G has never stopped being a caring place, where people are genuinely interested in working towards a common goal," she says. "It really is an honour to be back."
As Board chair, Stark will help guide discussions on long-term strategy, budget priorities and capital planning, ensuring U of G continues to thrive for decades to come.
"I see the Board as different voices that come together to find a path forward for the institution," she says. "A vision needs to be collective."
Raised on a dairy farm near Listowel, Ont., Stark began her career as a mixed-animal veterinarian before moving into government.
As Ontario's first chief veterinary officer, she helped develop the province's approach to animal health emergencies amid global disease outbreaks. As assistant deputy minister and later deputy minister, she led a large staff that contributed to the government's policy and economic agendas.
Building on that leadership, she now contributes her expertise on boards including Veterinarians Without Borders and Canadian Agri-food Automation and Innovation Network.
She says she is inspired by the University's momentum under its newly appointed president Dr. Rene Van Acker.
"Change is never easy, but U of G has the people, passion and purpose to meet this moment," Stark says. "That's what makes this university so special. We don't just invent solutions or technologies; we ask how to use them, wisely, ethically, and why they matter. That spirit has always been here. That is the strength of a comprehensive university."
