An accomplished academic leader, professor and research scientist, Dr. Lesley Rigg has served as Brock University’s President and Vice-Chancellor since November 2022.

Previously, the forest ecologist and biogeographer led the research enterprise at Western University as the institution’s Vice-President, Research. Prior to arriving at Western, she served as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Professor, Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary, where she led one of the largest Faculties on campus spanning six departments and five multidisciplinary programs.

Her experience also includes significant leadership at Northern Illinois University. There, she served as Vice-President for Research and Innovation Partnerships and other roles including Associate Dean Research and Graduate Affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, was an executive committee member of the Ontario Council on University Research (OCUR), and the recipient of many honours, including the Alberta SHEInnovator Award and the Women of Inspiration, Vision Builder Award for Western Canada. Rigg’s partner is David Goldblum, an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at Western University.

Rigg earned her bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies from York University in Toronto, her master’s degree in geography from the University of Colorado and her PhD in geography and environmental studies at Australia’s University of Melbourne. Her teaching career began as an Assistant Professor at Northern Illinois university, where she taught for over 17 years.