Michael Sangster – Chief Executive Officer

Michael Sangster comes to the NACC with a vision and passion to work with our 500 Career Colleges to create opportunities for students to chase their dreams.

He is passionate about bringing together our stakeholders, governments, colleges and students together to find common ground and build outcomes that support our communities.

Michael joins the NACC having most recently been the managing partner of the Waterloo Group and Chief Commercial Officer of Pal Aerospace. He was previously the Vice President of Strategic Relations and Federal Government Affairs at TELUS. Prior to TELUS he was Vice President of Sales at C-COM Satellite Systems, and Federal Government Relations and Sales Manager at Assure Health Inc.

He brings with him extensive volunteer experience with many diverse organizations in Ottawa including the Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association, Ottawa Police Gala, Ottawa Food Bank and the Hill Charity Golf Classic.

Michael was granted the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal Award in 2013 in recognition of his service to his community and is an Ottawa Police 2015 Community Leadership Award recipient. He attended the University of Manitoba and completed the Governance Essentials Program for Directors from the University of Ottawa School of Management Centre for Executive Education.

Michael McAllister – Chief Operating Officer

Michael McAllister brings over 30 years of experience in the education sector, including 26 years in the regulated career college space and more than 25 years in the private sector. He has served on the NACC Board for a combined 13 years, holding roles as Chair, Vice Chair, and contributing to key initiatives across the organization. He was also a member of the Executive of the Québec association and a founding board member of TCAF in Ontario.

For the past 12 years, Dr. McAllister has successfully led campus operations at Herzing College in Montreal. A bilingual leader with a strong understanding of college operations, education quality, and sector advocacy, he brings invaluable expertise and insight to NACC. His deep commitment to advancing career education and supporting members across Canada will help guide our ongoing work and impact.

Debbie Archer – Director of Finance

Debbie Archer started working with the NACC when it first opened its Ottawa office in 2013.  She has converted many a set of books to the newest accounting software platform. Be it Sage, QuickBooks, FreshBooks, MYOB or Great Plains.

Organization and determination are two of the many skills she brings to the table. Today, Debbie oversees all the financial responsibilities of the Association.

A native of Ottawa, she enjoys all that Ottawa has to offer by way of greenspace including biking, hiking, gardening or spending time out fishing or swimming.

Misty Comeau – Education Coordinator/Administrative Assistant

Misty Comeau joined NACC in January 2022 as an Administrative Assistant and has recently added on the position of Education Coordinator.  She enjoys the day to day of working with colleges to provide the best education experience possible while delivering quality services in the form of exam support, processing credentials, and so much more.  Her background of childcare provider, various other jobs and volunteer positions as well as being the mother of 2 unique need children shapes her view of what education should be.

Misty firmly believes in advocating and encouraging those who might be overlooked to reach the education goals that might otherwise be out of reach.  She appreciates the dedication of NACC to their colleges and support of students of all abilities to be encouraged to reach their goals.  She firmly believes in the unique opportunity of the Private sector to provide quality education to those who are uniquely skilled to filled vital positions in the job market.  A life-long learner, she enjoys that each day brings something new to experience.

While her dog is her constant companion at work, she can often be found watching game shows while working on a yarn craft or reading and spending time with her family.

Doris Jeanne MacKinnon – Director of Education and Development

Doris Jeanne MacKinnon is an education leader with over 15 years of experience in the public and private post-secondary sector, specializing in curriculum design, program development, teaching, and adult learning. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Queen’s University, as well as a Masters and a Ph.D. in Canadian and Indigenous History from the University of Calgary. Her work in community-based research with educators and Indigenous peoples has led to the publication of numerous books and articles. 

Doris Jeanne brings extensive knowledge of both regulated career colleges and public post-secondary institutions from her tenure as Dean of Academics at a regulated career college in Alberta, as well as Coordinator of New Programming, Learning Designer and Educator in public post-secondary institutions. In her spare time, Doris Jeanne enjoys hiking, cycling, snowshoeing and other outdoor activities with her horses and dogs.

Sarah Riaz – Academic Manager

Sarah Riaz joined NACC in July 2021 as an Exam Invigilator and shortly moved to the administrative role to take on responsibilities of assisting member colleges with their day-to-day requests, curriculum purchases, exam concerns, certificate verifications and various other tasks. Having a strong administrative background in language schools, Sarah has always been passionate about helping students reach their true goals. Sarah has always been a strong advocate of reaching the true potential and enjoys her minor role she plays indirectly in enriching students’ lives, via her position.

Based just outside of Toronto, Sarah always keeps busy with a creative or a personal project.

James Connery – Campus Support Manager

James Connery is a dedicated professional known for his dedication to the field of education and professional development. With a dynamic career spanning over a decade, James has made a lasting impact as a regulated career college director, operations manager, curriculum writer, indigenous liaison, instructor, and Provincial Representative for the Manitoba Association of Career Colleges.

Throughout his career in the sector, James has always believed that the best educational opportunities are found within our sector, and that many potential students with socioeconomic factors would benefit greatly if they only knew about our institutions.

Outside of his professional pursuits, James volunteers his time as a board member for Karate Manitoba and can often be found on the golf course with his grandchildren.

In reflecting on his journey, James Connery remains a firm believer in the potential for education to create positive change. His legacy is one of educational advancement, advocacy, and a tireless commitment to fostering a brighter, more skilled, and inclusive society. He truly believes in the profound impact that one dedicated individual can have on the world of education and beyond.

James joined NACC in July of 2023.

Austin Moulton – Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations

Austin Moulton is the Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations, responsible for supporting a high-quality experience for NACC’s member colleges through communications, events, marketing, and client service. He joined the NACC team in April 2022.

With 5 years of customer satisfaction experience in Public Relations and 3 years in Strategic Project Planning, Austin is a driven, compassionate organization leader dedicated to helping NACC achieve industry prominence.

Austin holds a Diploma in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, which he graduated with honours in 2022.