Dr. Urbanowski joined the College of Rehabilitation Sciences as dean and associate professor in 2016. Major achievements as dean include the completion of a strategic plan and subsequent report cards for the college, the creation and implementation of two new research-based tenure track positions, and the establishment of the college’s partnership with eight First Nation communities in Manitoba which represent an innovative, collaborative approach to community engagement with the goal to bring the college’s services to each community based on their self-identified needs.
Dr. Urbanowski received his bachelor of health services administration from Northland Open University. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta, where he earned his bachelor of science in occupational therapy and his master of science in occupational therapy. He then received his doctor of education from West Virginia University.
Prior to joining the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Dr. Urbanowski held the positions of vice-president of strategy and development for Saskatchewan Polytechnic, special advisor to the Government of Saskatchewan’s deputy minister of advanced education, and assistant deputy minister in the Government of Saskatchewan’s ministry of advanced education.
Dr. Urbanowski has been a professor of occupational therapy at the University of Alberta, Chatham College, West Virginia University, Husson University and Dalhousie University. He has written nearly 100 papers and his funded research projects include work on telepresence robots for people with dementia in Manitoba, and work on living with dementia in rural First Nation communities.
Dr. Urbanowski has sat on more than 25 committees at the university, faculty and college levels: including the UM COVID-19 Academic Team, Next Generation Web Experience Advisory Board, and the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty Executive Council.
Nationally, he is a member of the March of Dimes strategic planning committee, and a member of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Heart and Stroke Platform Advisory Group.
