Elizabeth Chard is a pioneer for women in an administrative capacity in Nova Scotian sports, not to mention Canada-wide athletics. Chard has always been able to make quick decisions and keep her priorities in order; from her days as a student at QEH in Halifax to her almost 30 years as Registrar at Saint Mary’s University.

The fact that Chard was the first full-time faculty member at SMU was what started her interest in administration and sport. She was asked to attend an Atlantic Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Association meeting as a voting delegate, and that was her beginning as a sport administrator.

She went on to serve as a member of the AUAA executive from 1975 to 1980 and was AUAA president between 1976 and ‘78. She was president of the CIAU from 1980 to ‘84 and received the Austin-Matthews Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian intercollegiate sport.

Chard’s volunteer organizational activities include one World and one Canadian wheelchair basketball championship, the Pan-Am Games for disabled athletes, and the Nova Scotia Special Olympics. She has served on the organizing committee for various Atlantic Bowls, was Assistant Chef-de-Mission for Canada at the World University Games in Japan in 1985, and also acted as Chef-de-Mission in 1987 for the games in Zagreb.

Elizabeth passed away on May 5th, 2007.