The VPFO is pleased to announce the appointment of Elana Mignosa as Associate Vice-President, Finance & Operational Excellence, effective July 6, 2020.
In this new role Elana will co-lead the financial management of the university together with the Comptroller and the Treasurer to advance UBC’s financial services and continuous improvement initiatives. She and her team will provide leadership, vision, strategy, and direction for the university’s Operational Excellence and Financial Operations functions, as well as co-leading the new Integrated Service Centre (ISC) with the Chief Information Officer.
Elana brings a wealth of financial leadership experience from across the public and private sectors. She has previously held positions as the Chief Financial Officer with BC Clinical and Support Services; as the VP, Finance, with the Imaging and Workflow Solutions business of healthcare company McKesson; as Chief Financial Officer with the non-profit Healthcare Benefit Trust; and VP, Trust Administration, with funerary organization the Alderwoods Group.
Elana is an MBA alumna of UBC, as well as holding a Bachelor of Business Administration from SFU and CPA/CGA designation. She is passionate about giving back to the community, and has served on Boards with the Dunbar Community Centre Association, Aunt Leah’s Place, and the Real Estate Council of BC, where she chaired the Finance and Audit Committee. She currently sits on the Board of the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association and the Finance and Audit Committee of Providence Living.
I would like to thank the members of the search committee for their help in selecting Elana to support the VPFO and UBC in this critical role.
I would also like to thank Trish Pekeles for her steadfast leadership while serving as interim AVP throughout the search process. In particular, I want to recognize and thank her for her leadership of Financial Operations and the Procurement Modernization Project. Working collaboratively with faculties and administrative units she has successfully transformed and improved how we buy and pay for goods and services at UBC, making it easier for our community and getting us ready for Workday.
Trish will now lead a new initiative, in partnership with Human Resources, as the Executive Director, Automation. Trish’s new role will lead automation to continue to support and improve effective and efficient administrative operations. This role will continue to report to me with a dotted line to the Vice-President Human Resources, Marcia Buchholz, to ensure that our people, process, and systems are in continuous alignment. Trish will also continue to support the successful implementation of Workday as the Finance Sponsor.
Please join me in welcoming Elana and wishing her success in this new role and in thanking Trish for her contributions in the interim period.
Peter Smailes
Vice-President, Finance & Operations