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For their exceptional leadership and impact on the U of T community, two staff members – Mary C. Lyne and Terry Gardiner – have received the Distinguished Leader Chancellor’s Award.

The honour is one of  in collaboration with the university. The prestigious program dates back to 1921 and recognizes outstanding faculty, staff and students.

As chief administrative officer of the Rotman School of Management, Lyne has had a profound impact on initiatives ranging from equity, diversity and inclusion, to financial transparency and the COVID-19 pandemic response.  

In honouring Lyne, that colleagues and staff members credit her for building a culture of professionalism, respect and inclusivity. They praise her balanced and strategic thinking, and her great capacity for collaboration and partnerships.

Gardiner, meanwhile, has worked for more than a decade to advance equity, diversity and inclusion at U of T – first at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and then at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, and now as a student mental health and wellness program manager in the Faculty of Law. He collaborates with students and staff on a broad range of programs and activities that support improved mental health and wellness, volunteers as a dance instructor and conducts weekly mindfulness sessions for LGBTQ+ members of the community.

In honouring Gardiner, that his supervisors and colleagues praise him as a thoughtful community-builder, a caring mentor and a true leader who is deeply committed to students and their well-being.