Roger Nippard, Ph.D.

Dr. Nippard is originally from Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and spent the initial portion of his career serving in various school-based positions and at the system level as a Partnerships Facilitator in NL. In 2001 he moved to Alberta and served initially in Northern Lights School Division, in positions including Area Assistant Superintendent, Associate Superintendent – Human Resources, Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent/CEO from 2007-2014. In 2014 he moved to Calgary where he served as Superintendent/CEO of Foundations for the Future Charter Academy, Alberta’s largest charter school until April 2024.

Dr. Nippard holds conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from Memorial University, a Master of Education degree (Educational Psychopedagogy) from the University of Ottawa, and a PhD from Burapha University (Human Resource Development). He is a graduate of the National Staff Development Council Academy, focused on the Standards for Professional Learning, and a certified Global Competence practitioner. 

Dr. Nippard has designed and delivered Leadership Academies for aspiring leaders including delivering courses for Royal Roads University as an Adjunct Professor in the Master of Administration and Leadership Training program. He has also written and delivered modules for the College of Alberta School Superintendents as part of the Leadership Quality Standard and Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard requirements for professional certification.

Dr. Nippard has presented at numerous national and international conferences and has served as President of the Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA), President of the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS) and President of the Association of Alberta Public Charter Schools.

Research

Areas of interest include system education leadership, building leadership capacity and global competence programming. Presentations and formal involvement in research studies include areas of inquiry such as physical literacy (setting of national norms for 15-year-olds), generative dialogue/collaborative inquiry, teacher/administrator, growth supervision, and evaluation, and early literacy development. 

Publications
  • Nippard, R. (2022). Analysis of the Aptitude, Professional Standards, and Administrative Practices of K-12 System Education Leaders in the Strategic Implementation of Global Competence Programming. [Doctoral Dissertation, Burapha University].
  • Nippard, R., Charoenarpornwattana, P., & Chuchuen, R. (2021). Leadership in Culturally Diverse Schools: The Administrative Practices of Canadian System Education Leaders Most Impactful in Student Global Competence Development. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Research in Asia 28(3), Sept.-Dec. 101-121. https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/psujssh/article/view/258958/176761