Alumni Voices in Education: Ontario Francophonies Moving Toward a Plural Francophonie

Lise Bourgeois, BA. (’85), BEd. (’90) served as President and CEO of "Collège La Cité" from 2010 to 2024, following a long and distinguished career in the field of education. She began her career within Eastern Ontario school boards, where she held several leadership positions before becoming Director of Education at the CECCE from 2003 to 2010. This period was marked by exceptional growth, the opening of several new schools, and a renewed commitment to student success and well-being.
As head of La Cité, she strengthened the College’s role as an essential pillar of Ontario’s Francophonie, with a strong focus on student success, pedagogical innovation, and the development of programs aligned with emerging labour‑market needs. Under her leadership, the institution grew to more than 7,000 students and inaugurated Excentricité, a unique experiential‑learning pavilion in Canada.
Deeply engaged in the Francophone community, Lise Bourgeois serves on numerous provincial and national boards and organizations, including TFO, the Centre de leadership et d’évaluation, and the Centre de planification des services de santé en français. Her leadership has been recognized through several prestigious honours, including the Bernard Grandmaître Award, the Ordre de la francophonie de Prescott Russell, the Ordre de La Pléiade, and the Order of Ontario.

Carole Fleuret is a full professor in the Faculty of Education. She has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Education Sciences, with a didactic method option in French, as well as a Bachelor's degree in orthopedagogy from l'Université de Montréal. Her research focuses on second language didactics, plurilingual repertoires and multilingualism. She conducts studies on the appropriation of the writing, on orthographic development and on the socio-cognitive and cultural components involved in written socialization among minority populations, all from an intercultural perspective. She is also interested in the different models of reception services for newcomers. Following the 2022 publication of the 'Right to Read' report issued by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Centre Jules-Léger Consortium selected Professor Fleuret to co-lead the development and piloting of a reading intervention program for students in Francophone school boards in Ontario. Professor Fleuret also shares her expertise in education trends and research as a regular guest on the francophone radio station UniqueFM.

Najat Ghannou is a recently retired education leader, recognized for her commitment to Francophone communities and the advancement of women’s leadership. An alumna of the Faculty of Education, she has held key roles, including Education Officer with the Ontario Ministry of Education, as well as Vice-Principal, Pedagogical Advisor, and Teacher with the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO). She continues to contribute to discussions on education, inclusion, and Francophone leadership.

Joël Thibeault is a professor of French education at the University of Ottawa and adjunct professor at the University of Regina. His research focuses on the teaching and learning of French grammar within francophone minority settings, the use of children’s literature in the teaching of linguistic conventions, and the integrated teaching of French and English at school. In this regard, he received a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to conduct a study on the integrated teaching of French and English grammar.