Northland School Division

The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Shelley Lynn Willier has been appointed as the new Superintendent of Schools and Chief Executive Officer for Northland School Division, effective August 21, 2023.

Cathy Wanyandie, Chair of the Northland School Division Board of Trustees, comments, “We welcome Shelley back to the Northland family and look forward to working with her to continue our pursuit of providing high-quality relevant education for our students. Ms. Willier was selected from a field of excellent candidates. We believe that Shelley’s values of trust, courage, wisdom, and kindness, her Indigenous background, and her overall focus on student engagement are an excellent fit for building on the current strengths of our Division.”

Ms. Willier has maintained an exemplary record over a thirty-two-year journey as an educator. She has excelled as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, and central office leader in school systems. For about five years, she worked with the Alberta government in a manager role. She returns to Northland having had a wide range of experiences, including a period as an Assistant Superintendent and another as an Area Associate Superintendent in the Division.

Ms. Willier has a strong practical and theoretical background in educational leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta. She has also earned a Master of Education degree in Policy Studies, focusing on Indigenous Peoples Education, from the University of Alberta. She is currently enrolled in a Master of Business Administration degree program focusing on Human Resources Leadership through the University of Fredericton.

Shelley comments, “I left Northland in 2019 to be close to my dad, who was in ailing health. We have drafted his memoir, telling his story of surviving residential school. Storytelling is a real interest of mine, and I am very excited to be part of Northland’s story again. In celebrating our individual and collective successes, building relevant curriculum and learning experiences, creating a sense of belonging for all students, and working with parents and communities to support their children, Northland will be a great place to learn and grow. I am honoured to be chosen to serve as Superintendent of Schools.”