Board of Governors

Bicameral Governance

Trent University has a bicameral system of governance. The authority and responsibilities of our two governing bodies, the Board of Governors and the Senate, are delineated in the Trent Act. Both governing bodies are supported by the University Secretariat.

About Debra Cooper Burger 
Chair, Board of Governors

Debra Cooper Burger is a health care leader with proven success in health care delivery, development of integrated health care programs and operations responsive to community needs.  She has extensive experience in health care operations including acute care, long term care and community-based programs. Ms. Cooper Burger started her career in health care as a registered nurse and has a BSc. (Nursing) from University of Western Ontario, a Master of Continuing Education from University of Calgary and is a graduate of the Advanced Healthcare Leadership Program at the Rotman School of Management. Her ongoing professional development includes inter-provincial experiences and international exposure in the United Kingdom, Malta, the Czech Republic, Turkey and the USA. Ms. Cooper Burger has held leadership roles at the Peterborough County-City Health Unit, and Peterborough Community Access Centre, followed by 8 years as Chief Executive Officer at St. Joseph’s at Fleming. In addition, Ms. Cooper Burger served as Chief Executive Officer at the Unionville Home Society in Markham, a non-profit organization that oversees care and housing for senior citizens in York Region. Ms. Cooper Burger currently operates her own consulting service, Cooper Burger Consulting, specializing in not-for-profit operations, governance, human resources, policy and procedure development and management, as well as project management for redevelopment construction projects.  Her volunteer work has included Chair, Board of Directors, Markham Board of Trade, Chairperson, College Compensation and Appointment Council, Chair, Board of Governors, Sir Sandford Fleming College of Applied Arts and Technology. Ms. Cooper Burger’s second three-year term on the Trent University Board of Governors began on July 1, 2021. After her term as Vice-Chair for the 2020-21 term, Ms. Cooper Burger has been appointed Chair of the Board of Governors, for a two-year term that commenced on July 1, 2021.

Information on all Board members can be found on the Board Membership page.