How Universities Can Help Make Cities Great
September 11, 2015
September 11, 2015
Cooperation among universities, cities and local leaders can be a powerful force for good. As civic actors in their own right, universities play a vital role in shaping civic culture and wellbeing. But what does this kind of collaboration look like in practice, and what is needed that isn’t being done already?
Stephen Huddart kicks off the Big Ideas, Better Cities series by talking about the economic and social challenges facing cities and our post-secondary institutions, and ways that renewed city/university collaboration can generate prosperity and social progress.
Stephen Huddart
President and CEO of The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation
Stephen Huddart is President and CEO of The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, a national private foundation whose head office is in Montreal. The Foundation has played a leading role in developing and supporting social innovation and impact investing in Canada as a founding partner of Social Innovation Generation (SiG). McConnell's newest initiatives include Innoweave, The McConnell Reconciliation Initiative, Cities for People, and RECODE.
Stephen’s career spans several fields and includes leadership positions in the private, public and non-profit sectors. He subsequently held several executive positions with the BC SPCA, where he introduced innovations in humane food labelling, animal-assisted therapy, and humane education. He has also been a documentary filmmaker, a geophysical observer, museum curator and natural food store manager.
Stephen’s community service commitments include advisory roles with Philanthropic Foundations Canada, and Evergreen CityWorks. He has a Masters of Management degree from McGill University.
