Linda Hills, Director of the Centre for Learning, Leadership & Culture (LLC), has been awarded the 2025 Simcoe Hall Vice-Presidential Staff Award. The award recognizes Linda’s exceptional leadership and significant contribution in shaping the University of Toronto’s people development strategy and advancing a transformative vision of leadership rooted in trust, empathy, and inclusivity through the People Leadership Program.
Linda joined the University in 2018 with the goal of reimagining staff development across U of T’s tri-campus system. Under her direction, the Organizational Development & Learning Centre evolved into the Centre for Learning, Leadership & Culture, a dynamic hub that now delivers a wide range of leadership and professional development programs for staff at every level.
Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President of People Strategy, Equity & Culture and Linda’s nominator, noted, “The People Leadership Program is rapidly transforming how leaders across the University are managing teams and advancing work in support of our institutional mission and goals.”
Combining workshops, self-reflection, group coaching, and peer assessments, the People Leadership Program helps leaders build people-first management skills in a workplace increasingly defined by complexity, change, and diversity.
Linda’s commitment to creating inclusive and supportive professional development opportunities extends far beyond a single program. She has expanded the University’s mentorship offerings, ensuring underrepresented groups have equal access through initiatives like the Group Mentoring Program. She has also introduced new institutional competencies into the performance assessment framework, helping embed equity-informed leadership practices across the institution.
As a facilitator, mentor, certified coach and a PhD candidate researching people leadership in academic environments, Linda continues to lead by example, whether developing strategic leadership training for senior staff or guiding the University’s growing AI learning strategy.
Erin Jackson, Assistant Vice-President, University HR, observed, “Linda is a practical, authentic, transparent, and engaging leader who has formed deep connections within the broader learning and development community.”
Linda’s work embodies the values of this award. Her visionary contributions continue to shape a future where leadership at U of T is grounded in respect, inclusion, and a shared commitment to excellence.