Joe Baker

Educator & Director, Tourism HR Canada

Joe Baker is a passionate leader within Canada’s tourism, hospitality and education sectors. He is a vocal advocate for a resilient, inclusive, future-forward industry.  He is focused on strengthening hospitality and tourism organizations and people through transformational strategy, coaching, training and talent.

Joe was previously Dean at Centennial College’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts where he led the most significant transformation in the school’s over 50-year history. He designed programs and operations in an immersive experiential learning environment, featuring a fully operational cafe, restaurant and event centre that align graduates with the skills required to serve the future workforce needs of the hospitality industry.

Joe has held senior management roles at George Brown College’s Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts, including Director of Operations, Services and Partnerships. Before joining higher education, Joe worked in hotels and managed restaurants.

With a Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership, a Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality and Tourism Management and his extensive executive education and certifications, Joe has an obsessive thirst for life-wide learning and a passion to apply his experience and education towards which ever challenge is presented next.

He serves on the board of directors at Tourism HR Canada, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario and on SUSTAIN Magazine's editorial advisory board.