W. Roman Petryshyn Ph.D.,C.M.

Biography

Dr. Roman Petryshyn has demonstrated a life-long commitment to creating new capacities and strengthening existing competencies of Ukrainian-Canadian organizations in order to serve the people of Canada and Ukraine.

He is a founding member and co-initiator of the following self-sustaining organizations:

• Canada Ukraine Foundation
• Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre at MacEwan University
• Ukrainian Foundation for College Education (overseeing $12 million in five endowments managed by the MacEwan University Foundation )
• Ontario and Alberta provincial councils of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress
• Alberta Council of the Ukrainian Arts
• Ukrainian Canadian Social Services of Edmonton
• Canada Ukraine Alliance for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons
• Alberta Local and International Education Association

Nationally Dr. Petryshyn served as the President of the Taras Shevchenko Foundation for six years . Professionally he was Director of the Ukrainian Resource and Development Centre at MacEwan University for 28 years (1987 to 2015). There he brought into being the Kule Chair for Ukrainian Community and International Development as well as the Chair for International Health. He partnered MacEwan University with four Ukrainian Universities located in Kyiv, Lviv and Ternopil.

Beginning in 1989 until his retirement , Dr. Petryshyn initiated and co-managed dozens of projects in Canada, Ukraine and Russia, ranging from small to multi-million dollar undertakings in various disciplines. Projects included those in health, agro-business, nursing, deafness, inclusive education and reform of Ukraine’s system of higher education.

Dr. Petryshyn holds a Ph.D. in Race and Ethnic Relations from the University of Bristol in England and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Lakehead University. He has worked with the Governments of Canada, Ontario and Alberta, where he was engaged in multicultural programming. His publications focus on the integration of Ukrainian minorities in Britain and Canada.

Dr Petryshyn is married to Marusia (nee Kucharyshyn) and they have two sons, Damian and Luca. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and an International Member of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine. He was awarded the MacEwan Medallion, the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal .