August 19th 2025 – CIPS, Canada’s Association of IT Professionals, proudly announces the induction of two new Fellows: Sabina Posadziejewski, FCIPS, I.S.P., ITCP and Ross Phillips, FCIPS, I.S.P. (ret.). This honour recognizes their outstanding contributions to the advancement of Canada’s IT profession and decades of dedicated service to CIPS.
CIPS Fellow Membership is the highest honour awarded by CIPS and recognizes exceptional leadership, service, and professional excellence. Fellow Members have agreed to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct and help to promote CIPS and the association’s initiatives and causes. CIPS Fellow Members have the honour of using the designation “FCIPS” after their name.
This year’s CIPS Fellows Electoral Committee included Trekker Armstrong FCIPS, I.S.P. (ret.), Gerald Caissy B.C.S., MSc. I.S., FCIPS, I.S.P. (ret.), Jon Nightingale Hon. FCIPS, I.S.P. (ret.), and Stephen Ibaraki FCIPS, I.S.P., ITCP. Following a thorough review, both nominees were unanimously approved by the Board of Directors.
Sabina Posadziejewski, FCIPS, I.S.P., ITCP
With over 40 years of ICT leadership, Sabina Posadziejewski has built an extraordinary career spanning Canada, the USA, and Europe. She has been a CIPS member since 1986 and a Certified I.S.P. holder since 1989, consistently promoting professionalism, ethics, and education in IT.
Sabina’s executive leadership has included roles as:
- Chief Information Officer (CIO), Government of Alberta – leading ICT services for the People, Families and Communities sector.
- CIO, Western Economic Diversification (Government of Canada) – guiding federal ICT modernization for 9 years.
- Regional Service Delivery Executive, Shared Services Canada – managing IT services for Western and Northern Canada, leading digital transformations impacting 300+ employees across multiple regions.
Her academic and professional qualifications include an MBA from Queen’s University, a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Alberta, and certifications in governance, organizational excellence, business relationship management, ITIL, and change management.
Key highlights of Sabina’s career include:
- Delivering ICT education and mentorship, from teaching college systems analysis to developing workshops for the CIPS Alberta Mentorship Program for Immigrants.
- Co-chairing the Security in E-Services stream at the IFIP World Computer Congress (2011) and co-editing internationally published proceedings.
- Driving diversity and inclusion in technology, while mentoring emerging ICT leaders.
- Leading complex public sector ICT transformations, including the creation of new organizations, centralizing services, and building exemplary teams that serve vulnerable citizens across Alberta.
- Member of the CSAC Accreditation team, former President of CIPS Alberta, former Alberta Director on CIPS National Board, and played a key leadership role in regulating the I.S.P. designation under POARA.
Sabina remains highly active as an independent consultant, mentor, and public sector advisor, building bridges between academia, industry, and professional associations.
Ross Phillips, FCIPS, I.S.P. (ret.)
Ross Phillips brings over 37 years of experience in the ICT sector, including more than a decade in senior management at ATCO, where he oversaw a $100M IT budget, led regulatory engagements, and developed cutting-edge cybersecurity strategies and Industrial IoT innovation initiatives.
Ross has been a CIPS member for 31 years and an I.S.P. holder for 28 years, dedicating much of his career to advancing both the profession and CIPS itself. He has served in leadership roles at the Section, Provincial, and National levels, including President of CIPS Edmonton and CIPS Alberta, and Alberta Director on the CIPS National Board.
Among his many achievements:
- Unifying Edmonton and Calgary sections into CIPS Alberta, creating a stronger provincial body.
- Chairing Canada’s largest ICT conference (CIPS ICE) and leading multiple committees (Promotions, Marketing, Sponsorship, Program).
- Contributing to the CSA S250 national safety standard for mapping underground utilities, a critical ICT initiative.
- Mentoring future ICT leaders through the CIPS Alberta Mentorship Program.
- Serving as an Advisory Board Member for NAIT’s Bachelor of Applied Information Systems Technology program, aligning ICT education with industry needs.
Ross’s contributions have strengthened both ICT practice in Canada and the role of CIPS as a professional home for IT practitioners. His leadership in governance reform, industry collaboration, and education demonstrates the highest level of professional commitment.
Celebrating Excellence in ICT
The induction of Ross Phillips and Sabina Posadziejewski into the CIPS Fellows community recognizes their extraordinary careers, lifelong commitment to professionalism, and significant contributions to Canada’s IT sector. Both honourees exemplify the values of leadership, service, and innovation that define a CIPS Fellow.
CIPS extends its congratulations to Ross and Sabina for this prestigious achievement and thanks them for their continued dedication to strengthening the IT profession in Canada.
Learn more about CIPS Fellows at cips.ca/fellows