March 11, 2026 — Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jacquie Ripat as dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences. Her five-year term begins July 1, 2026.
Dr. Ripat is a values-driven, transformational leader and scholar whose work bridges rehabilitation sciences, technology and inclusive innovation.
She has held several leadership positions since joining UM as a faculty member in 2000.
Since 2023, Dr. Ripat has served as the Rady Faculty’s vice-dean (academic affairs). In this role she aligned academic initiatives with the Rady Faculty’s 2024-2029 strategic priorities, while remaining responsive to the distinct contexts of each college.
She has served as the College of Rehabilitation Sciences’ associate dean (research) for five years. A key accomplishment was expanding mentorship and faculty development through the creation of a program for early-career faculty across professorial and instructor streams. Dr. Ripat has also served as director of UM’s applied health sciences PhD program.
In addition to holding leadership roles, she has led an internationally recognized interdisciplinary research program advancing technology-enabled participation for people with disabilities through inclusive and community-engaged scholarship.
Dr. Ripat has pioneered research environments where real-world challenges and academic inquiry intersect, such as the Smart Suite and the SNOWMAN Living Lab.
Dr. Ripat is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, where she earned her bachelor of medical rehabilitation in occupational therapy (1992), master of science in rehabilitation (1998) and PhD in applied health sciences (2011).
Please join Dr. Nickerson in congratulating Dr. Ripat on her appointment.
Dr. Nickerson would like to sincerely thank Dr. Reg Urbanowski, professor and dean of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, for his collaboration, leadership and dedication over the past 10 years.
Working with Ongomiizwin, he was instrumental in building long-lasting partnerships between the college and more than a dozen First Nations communities as part of much-needed reconciliation work. In partnership with the communities, more than 25 individual projects have been initiated addressing health inequities and advancing educational opportunities, housing, health and wellness, and rehabilitation services in First Nations.
Dr. Urbanowski has had a profound positive impact on the college and the Rady Faculty as a whole.