Tom Urbaniak, PhD, is a respected author on public policy and grassroots action. Professor of political science, director of the Tompkins Institute and university parliamentarian at Cape Breton University in Sydney, Nova Scotia, he has chaired several local and national non-profit organizations, including the National Trust for Canada and Faith & the Common Good (national inter-faith network). A leader and organizer in the Polish community in Atlantic Canada, Tom works effectively with diverse communities. He has served as an official Canadian election observer in Ukraine. He is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his work as a public intellectual and his volunteer service. Tom was married to the late Rev. Alison Etter. He resides in Glace Bay, Cape Breton, with his son, Oliver.