EQAO Welcomes Chris Day as New Board Chair

TORONTO, Sept. 01, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Chris Day, a seasoned leader with extensive experience in governance and transformation, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) Board of Directors, effective August 29, 2026. Day's appointment comes at a pivotal time for EQAO, as the organization is undertaking a comprehensive review of student achievement and assessment across the province, with a focus on improving results in reading, writing, and math.

Previously, Day served as the Senior Vice President of Burson in Ottawa, where he led a consultancy firm from 2016 to 2025. His leadership experience in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors includes executive roles in health care and municipal affairs. Additionally, Day has held leadership positions in various organizations, including Operation Come Home and Exporail.

Dan Koenig, the CEO of EQAO, expressed enthusiasm about Day's appointment, stating, "We find ourselves fortunate to have as our new chair Chris Day. As EQAO moves forward and continues to build on its award-winning assessment program and research initiatives to provide important evidence-based data to all our partners, Chris’s experience leading the governance of public organizations will be an asset to the agency."

Day echoed Koenig's sentiment, saying, "EQAO has a long history of providing valuable data to empower parents and guardians, educators, and policy-makers in support of positive student outcomes, and it is my privilege to join the agency as Chair. I look forward to working with the rest of the board in this new position as well as with our partners, as we continue to provide crucial data and helpful resources that inform the education system at every level, all in support of students across the province."

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is a board-governed agency of the Government of Ontario dedicated to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of the province’s public education system. EQAO's work is overseen by a board of directors, whose members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and are drawn from leadership positions in diverse fields of expertise, such as education, business, and policy.

Sanjay Dhebar, who served as the Chair of EQAO’s board of directors from 2024 until earlier this year, will be succeeded by Day. Dhebar's commitment to education and student assessment proved valuable to the agency's work, and EQAO's board of directors and staff wish him the very best in his future endeavors.