About Our President

Dr. Theresa Knott is the 7th President of Sir Sandford Fleming College

Dr. Theresa Knott is Fleming College’s Interim President, effective January 1, 2026. She has devoted her career to education, leadership, and inspiring others.

With a distinguished background in post-secondary leadership, Dr. Knott has held leadership positions at institutions such as Humber College, Niagara College, California State University, Northridge and Trocaire College in New York before coming to Fleming in 2023. She brings a wealth of experience in academic administration and student-centred learning.

Dr. Knott holds a PhD in Social Work from the University of Toronto, where she also earned a Master of Social Work, a Bachelor of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Dr. Knott served as a tenure track faculty member at York University.

In addition to her academic leadership, Dr. Knott has a robust clinical background, including her work as a clinician at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the Child and Youth Psychiatry Unit, and the Women’s Inpatient Unit. She is also a published author of journal articles, book chapters, and research reports, with expertise spanning across many areas, including child maltreatment epidemiology, foster care, racial disproportionality of child abuse & neglect, psychopharmacology of aggression and trauma in professions such as paramedicine and firefighting.

A passionate educator, Dr. Knott has over 15 years of teaching experience in university settings throughout Canada and the United States. Her service includes acting as a doctoral supervisor, academic reviewer, and workshop facilitator on topics including mental health and family services.