Bridging Inclusivity and Public Policy: Virginia Hatchette appointed visiting fellow in the Faculty of Arts

With more than 15 years in the Ontario Public Service (OPS), Virginia Hatchette returns to her academic roots as Ontario visiting fellow for the Department of Politics and Public Administration in the Faculty of Arts.

Before joining the OPS, Virginia was a psychology professor and researcher at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her award-winning research and teaching centered on social psychology, with a specialty in the area of stereotypes and prejudice.

“The Department of Politics and Administration welcomes Virginia in her new role as the Ontario Public Service visiting fellow‎ at Ryerson,” said Duncan MacLellan, professor and graduate program director, public policy and administration in the Faculty of Arts. “Previous OPS visiting fellows have delivered a positive learning experience for our students, and I have no doubt Virginia’s contributions and unique perspective will be equally impactful.”

Virginia is an experienced senior executive who is known for being a transparent and collaborative leader. Her passion for public policy is based on equity, diversity and inclusion, which aligns with Ryerson’s commitment to our community and supporting the whole person (people first).

Hatchette will teach a course in the Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration program in the winter semester, and work on research and special projects throughout her stay.

"Returning to academia from government is a very exciting transition for me,” said Hatchette. “Ryerson’s Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration program is known for its innovative and practical approach to building knowledge and critical skills. I'm looking forward to bringing a real-world focus to helping students understand how policy is made and implemented."

Hatchette has a strong commitment to public service and is an experienced leader. She recently served as director and secretary of the board of Pride at Work Canada (external link, opens in new window) , a non-profit organization that supports private enterprise to establish inclusive policies and embed (LGBT) inclusive practices in their organizations.

Prior to her role as chief inclusion and accessibility officer, , Hatchette spearheaded the Employment and Training Services Integration (ETSI) at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, a multi-ministry initiative to integrate employment services and training programs across government into a single service. This involved program and cultural change as services were re-focused on helping people with multiple barriers get and keep jobs, and designing and delivering programs for vulnerable workers.

Hatchette’s winter course will encompass a number of real-world policy case studies and program issues she was involved with in the past, as well as current issues that the public sector is facing. The course, she notes, will involve problem-based learning and will be exceptionally valuable for Ryerson graduate students considering a career in this field.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Johanna VanderMaas
Public Affairs
Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x 4630
johanna.vandermaas@torontomu.ca
@RyersonU (external link, opens in new window)