She has led a number of universities in Canada and the U.S. and has served on many boards including the National Bank of Canada, LifeNet, the Club of Rome, Jean Coutu, and as President of the Canadian Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Foundation for International Training, the Canada-U.S. Fulbright Foundation. She has received a number of academic and civic honors and awards from several countries and has a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.