From:  Heather Boon, Deputy Provost and Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Date: August 12, 2026
Re: Appointment of Professor Lorraine Ferris as Special Advisor to the Provost

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Lorraine Ferris as Special Advisor to the Provost for a three-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.  In this role, Professor Ferris will work closely with me, and with the Provost, in providing support to academic leaders, including advising on difficult conversations, investigations and alternative dispute resolution.

Professor Ferris brings extraordinary experience to this role. She joined the University in 1993 as a faculty member and currently holds her primary academic appointment with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She has been appointed to a number of academic administrative roles including the Associate Vice-Provost, Health Sciences Policy and Strategy (2007-2013) and most recently as the Associate Vice-President Research Oversight and Compliance from 2013 to 2025 where she was responsible for a range of portfolios including human and animal ethics, financial reporting and audit, as well as environmental health and safety.  She also oversaw the University’s institutional response to allegations of research misconduct and worked with academic divisions around educational programs supporting research integrity and the responsible conduct of research.

Please join me in congratulating Professor Ferris on this appointment and welcoming her to the Provost’s Office.