Board of Governors

Dr. Sam Shaw has had more than 20 years of experience in the executive leadership of progressive post-secondary educational institutions in Canada and UAE. During his 14-year tenure as President and CEO of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Dr. Shaw transitioned NAIT into one of Canada’s leading Polytechnic Institutes inclusive of completing plans and raising funding for the construction of NAIT’s Centre for Applied Technology, a 555,000 SF state-of-the-art polytechnic teaching and learning facility. As Deputy Vice Chancellor at the Higher Colleges of Technology (UAE), Dr. Shaw led the restructuring of HCT, secured national and international accreditations while also creating two innovation centers. Dr. Shaw received his PhD from the University of Toronto and his Chartered Director Designation from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. He is owner and Board Chair of Allwest Furnishings Ltd. in Edmonton, Alberta.

Nina Leemhuis is a chartered board director, strategic organization leader and financial management professional with more than 15 years of senior and executive management experience in public sector management and postsecondary education. As Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the District of West Vancouver, Nina provided leadership to a complex and diverse municipal organization within an engaged community, ensuring corporate and divisional alignment with Council’s priorities. She also developed and implemented corporate objectives related to organizational best-practice in human resource management, emergency preparedness, corporate and fiscal sustainability, asset management and community engagement. Previously, as Chief Financial Officer for the District of West Vancouver, Nina provided financial and organizational leadership on a range of municipal issues and matters. Earlier, as Chief Financial Officer of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), Nina provided leadership in the area of financial planning, management and affairs for BC’s most prolific and impactful employer and jobs-oriented post-secondary educational institution which, was responsible for training and educating more than 50,000 students and employing 2,300 full time employees.

Kevin Ong is the Founder of Vancouver Premier College and has enjoyed more than 20 years of success as its Chairman and President. An entrepreneur, business visionary and investor, Mr. Ong first entered BC’s post-secondary education system by establishing Vancouver Premier College of Hotel Management in 1998. After more than 20 years as VPC Chairman and President, Mr. Ong initiated a corporate restructuring while also making a significant investment to enhance VPC’s educational and administrative capacity. Central to this initiative was the establishment of two additional, specialized colleges in 2019 which offer qualified students access to Arts, Science, Business and Management programs through two locations in Vancouver and Richmond. Through additional investments in educational administration, faculty and teaching and learning space, management systems and technology, he has positioned VPC to provide enhanced levels of quality post-secondary education programming in the future. As General Manager of KT PAK International (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., KT PAK International (Thailand) Co. Ltd., and KT Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Taiwan, he continues to support VPC’s strategic and operational plans in his capacity as Vice Chairman and Corporate Secretary of the Board of Directors. He received his formal postsecondary education from Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland as well as from Columbia College in Vancouver.

Dr. Leanne McCarthy has had more than 15 years of senior and executive management experience in post-secondary education and municipal governance. Dr. McCarthy brings significant post-secondary education experience as a past director of both student recruitment, and student services as well as being Executive Director of Continuing Education for a large Canadian polytechnic. Subsequently, Dr. McCarthy gained significant experience in public administration and municipal governance as Branch Manager, Integrated Strategic Development and later as Deputy City Manager, Urban Form and Corporate Strategic Development for the City of Edmonton. Dr. McCarthy currently serves in the capacity of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the City of North Vancouver where she is providing leadership with respect to the City of North Vancouver’s strategic planning processes.

Albert Wang is an educator, business developer and active investor in private and public business and industry sectors including but not limited to computer science, information and communication technology, engineering and post-secondary education. An Engineer by formal education and training, Mr. Wang provided leadership in progressively more senior management positions in a number of Shanghai-based  manufacturing, technology and computer firms prior to joining Vancouver Premier College in 2008. Since joining VPC, Mr. Wang has provided leadership in operational and administrative capacities, and, was promoted to Executive Director in 2012 and to President and co-majority shareholder in 2016. In 2020, as part of VPC’s corporate re-organization in 2020, Mr. Wang assumed the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer, positions which he has maintained through VPC’s recent institutional expansion. Mr. Wang participated in the Master Program of Management Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and, earned his Bachelor of Computer Science from Shanghai University of Science and Technology.

Dr. Kevin Nagel began his second 5-year term as Vancouver Premier College’s President and Vice President, Academic on February 1, 2024. Since joining VPC in 2019, Dr. Nagel has made a significant capacity-related contribution in all organizational and operational areas and has enabled an emphasis on the development of quality post-secondary education programming with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) focus. Dr. Nagel earned his PhD and MA in Educational Administration from the University of Victoria (BC) and his Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership and Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge (UK). Prior to joining VPC, Dr. Nagel was President and CEO of Keyano College; Dean of the JR Shaw School of Business, Faculty of Undergraduate Studies and School of Culinary Arts at NAIT; and, Assistant Dean of Professional and Continuing Education and Director of the Bachelor of Management Program at Concordia University College of Alberta. Dr. Nagel has completed development training in Corporate Governance that includes the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program delivered collaboratively by the University of Toronto and University of Alberta (Edmonton) and ICD.D designation conferred by the Institute of Corporate Directors.