Michael F. Charles 

Presidential Advisor, Strategy and EDID

Michael F. Charles is one of Canada’s foremost thinkers and builders in the fields of equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and anti racism, recognized nationally for his ability to advise and inspire institutions, governments and partner with Indigenous communities toward a more meaningfully inclusive future. A strategic innovator with deep experience across higher education, government, law and corporate sectors, he has earned a reputation for designing bold, interdisciplinary strategies and initiatives at the enterprise level.

Nationally, Charles contributes to Canada’s EDI-related research and policy landscape through his service on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s EDI Advisory Committee, and as a peer reviewer for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. He is a past Co Chair of Colleges and Institutes Canada’s EDI Advisory Committee, a founding member of Universities Canada’s EDI Advisory Group and an inaugural Board Director for the Scarborough Charter on Anti Black Racism and Black Inclusion.

As the first Associate Vice President, Innovation, Inclusion, Reconciliation & Healing at Centennial College in Toronto, Charles led institution wide transformation for a community of 35,000. His work includes designing and executing one of Canada’s largest culture assessments in higher education; architecting disaggregated demographic data collection systems; modernizing a human rights infrastructure; and developing an inclusive leadership program adopted by hundreds of employees. His vision situates decolonization and inclusion not as an adjunct to organizational strategy, but as a core driver across key performance outcomes.
Charles previously served as Assistant Vice President and University Advisor at Carleton University, where he authored and advanced the institution’s inaugural EDI Action Plan—an integrated, ten point strategy widely cited as a sector leading model for innovation, accountability, and measurable change. As Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion at York University, he led one of Canada’s largest university communities through ambitious reforms that strengthened human rights processes, reduced case volumes, and deepened campus wide engagement.

Beyond higher education, Charles is Principal of Change DeZign Consulting, advising major law firms, multinational corporations, arts institutions, and public safety agencies on strategic transformation. His work with Public Safety Canada, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Law Society of Ontario, the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and Johnson & Johnson, among others, exemplifies his ability to translate emerging demographic, business and cultural drivers into strategic and operational gains—including measurable cost savings, strengthened institutional trust, and more adaptive service delivery.

Charles’ foundational professional decade was spent as a senior lawyer with David & Charles LLP, where he practiced at all levels of court in the province of Ontario and developed a reputation for sophisticated negotiation, litigation excellence, and organizational leadership.  He remains a Member in Good Standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

Charles also serves his local community as a member of the Executive Committee and LGBT Chair for Human Rights Watch Canada, and as a mentor with StepStones for Youth. His past directorships include the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund of Canada and Skills for Change, among other community-focused NGOs.

A sought-after speaker (Law Society of Ontario, Ontario Bar Association, Conference Board of Canada, Canadian Science Policy Centre, Institute on Governance, etc.), published author (The Globe & Mail, The Toronto Star, UBC Press), and respected public intellectual, Michael F. Charles offers Canada a powerful and pragmatic vision: that a truly inclusive society is not merely socially just; it is economically resilient and innovative by design.