Ms. Denise Amyot

Denise Amyot is an internationally recognized leader in governance, higher education, and leadership development, whose work increasingly focuses on longevity as a driver of institutional resilience, workforce renewal, and social impact. Her career spans nearly four decades across government, postsecondary education, and global organizations, providing her with a rare systems-level perspective on how societies and institutions must adapt to longer and more complex life courses.

Denise served for over ten years as President and CEO of Colleges and Institutes Canada, the country’s largest postsecondary association and a global leader in employment-focused education operating in more than 25 countries and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The organizations she has led have consistently been recognized as Employers of Choice and have received awards for inclusion and sustainability.

Earlier in her career, Denise spent nearly 30 years in the Government of Canada public service, including three appointments as Assistant Deputy Minister. Her responsibilities spanned public policy, talent and human capital management, education and skills development, labour markets, multiculturalism, as well as scientific, social, cultural and economic development.

Today, Denise is widely viewed as a model of a Purposeful Third Act. She serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, many at the international level, including Qatar Foundation’s Board of Directors, and works as a consultant, mentor, and certified professional coach and is a sought-after speaker. As a participant in Stanford University’s Center on Longevity Catalyst pilot program, she is helping institutions reposition learning, work, and contribution across longer lives. Denise was recently appointed to the Canadian Institute of Aging Older Adult Advisory Council.