Joseph LeBlanc, an advocate for Indigenous food sovereignty, has made significant contributions to advancing the well-being of Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario, Canada. He is a life-long Northern Ontarian and member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. Before joining the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, he worked for a diverse range of organizations, including academic institutions, Indigenous organizations, charities, and non-profits. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Forest Conservation, an Environmental Management Certificate, and a PhD in Forest Sciences from Lakehead University. Dr. LeBlanc is recognized as a leading expert in Indigenous food systems and community development in Canada. He has also received several awards including a Top 20 under 40 Northwestern Ontario Visionary Award and a Forty under 40 Northern Ontario Business Award.

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Dr. LeBlanc brings to the role a range of skills and experiences that will build on NOSM University’s strengths as a medical school founded on NOSM University’s values of social accountability, collaboration, inclusiveness, respect and innovation. In the role, Dr. LeBlanc will provide vision and leadership in the Office of the President by promoting equity, increasing diversity, and strengthening the culture of inclusion among the School’s faculty, staff, learners, alumni, and friends, in collaboration with community and academic partners.

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