Dr. Michel Tarko was appointed by the JIBC Board of Governors as President and CEO in October 2012 and is currently serving his third five-year term to 2027.
Dr. Tarko served as JIBC Vice-President, Academic and Provost from 2009 to 2012, and from 2005 to 2009 was Associate Dean and Dean for the Faculty of Health Sciences at Douglas College. Before his roles in academic leadership, he served as a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences at Douglas College from 1988 to 2005, and as a psychiatric nursing instructor in the School of Psychiatric Nursing, Selkirk Mental Health Centre from 1986 to 1988.
In his role as VP, Academic at JIBC, he led the approval of the Diploma in Health Sciences (Emergency Medical Services) and the Bachelor of Law Enforcement Studies degree. He was also involved in granting graduate certificates in Complex Trauma & Sexual Abuse, Dynamics of Conflict, and Intelligence Analysis and Tactical Criminal Analysis.
As President and CEO of JIBC, Dr. Tarko has led the development of three consecutive Strategic Plans and the most recent Strategic Plan, “For the Greater Good,” with the JIBC Board of Governors looking forward to 2027. He has facilitated partnerships between JIBC and other public, post-secondary educational institutions in B.C., across Canada and internationally. He aims to create pathways for student and faculty exchanges and applied research initiatives in the context of social justice and public safety. He is also continuing to build relationships and partnerships with business and industry where JIBC can be a solution to priority issues related to social justice, community safety and public safety training, education and applied research.
Dr. Tarko served as a member and vice-chair of the Board of Directors for the Post-Secondary Employers Association (PSEA, 2014-2016). He also served on the Board of Directors for Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) – as a member (2014-2016), vice-chair (2016-2018), and chair of the Board (2018-2022) – the national association representing Canada’s public community colleges, institutes, CEGEPs and polytechnic teaching universities, representing the British Columbia Association of Institutes and Universities (BCAIU) Presidents Group. Dr. Tarko also served on the Board of Directors of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation in Vancouver (2019-2022) and is currently serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for the BC Council for International Education (BCCIE), a Crown corporation within the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
Dr. Tarko earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) in education from the University of British Columbia. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in criminology from the University of Manitoba, as well as a Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing from the Manitoba School for Psychiatric Nursing. Dr. Tarko earned the Institute of Corporate Directors designation of ICD.D. having completed the Directors Education Program through the Rotman School of Management, from the University of Toronto.