Dr. Steven E. Franklin, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University, extended his congratulations to two members of the Trent University community who were inducted to the Order of Canada on December 30, 2011.

“Trent is pleased to see two contributors of the University community acknowledged with this prestigious, national honour,” said Dr. Franklin.

Ana Lopes founded Saralex Communications in 1995 to help clients with communication strategies to reposition their companies in the digital economy. In addition to her work as a philanthropist at several prominent not-for-profit organizations, Ms. Lopes served as a member of the Trent University Board of Governors from 1998 to 2005 and is also an honorary governor. A moving force on the Advancement Committee, which later became the Advancement & Communications Committee at her urging, Ms. Lopes chaired or co-chaired this committee as well as serving on the Executive Committee for three years.

Ms. Lopes was involved with fundraising from her first year on the Board, serving on the Campaign Planning Committee and as chair of campaign communications for the Beyond our Walls campaign. She was responsible for the development of campaign materials and took a leadership role as co-chair of the highly successful Peter Gzowski College Campaign which exceeded its goal of $1.25 million. Together with her husband and Trent alumnus Don Tapscott, she established the Tapscott-Lopes Business and Society Lecture Series, bringing prominent speakers to the University to address issues of values and ethics in business and society.

Dr. Mary Ferguson-Paré recently retired as vice-president, Professional Affairs and chief nurse executive at University Health Network comprising Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret Hospitals. She was also the vice-president of Nursing Services at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care; the vice-president of Professional Affairs, Human Resources and Organizational Development at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre; and vice-president of Nursing at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital now the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in Toronto.

Dr. Ferguson-Paré served a leadership role in both the acute care and long-term care sectors in nursing education and institutional and community nursing in psychiatry, addictions therapy, Victorian Order of Nurses, family practice and student health. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing and at York University.

"The Trent-Fleming School of Nursing is a treasure in Ontario,” said Dr. Ferguson-Paré. “The patient-centered values of the program are aligned with the practice of nursing and the philosophy of the healthcare system I have advanced during my career. I am deeply honoured and very proud to be appointed a member of the Order of Canada for my contribution to the profession of nursing and improving the quality of patient care."

The Order of Canada, one of Canada’s highest civilian honours, was established in 1967, during Canada’s centennial year, to recognize a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation. Over the last 40 years, more than 5,000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order.