Ali Blythe

Ali Blythe is Associate Director of Digital Experience on the Communications team at Royal Roads University, where he helps connect current and future students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the public with the university’s academic mission. Over more than eight years at Royal Roads, Ali has worked to bring together strategy, storytelling, and a systems-level view of how decisions shape the university community.

Ali brings particular strength in bridging perspectives across the university. His work regularly involves navigating complex initiatives that require alignment between academic and administrative approaches, with a focus on ensuring this work remains connected to student success and the university’s public purpose. He cares deeply about universities as places of learning, inquiry, and public good, and is committed to representing the staff who support their ongoing evolution.

In 2024, Ali received the Royal Roads Changemaker Award for continuous learning and knowledge mobilization. Prior to joining Royal Roads, he held communications roles with the Government of Alberta, BC Transit, and the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.

He is currently completing a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration and Leadership at Royal Roads, where his research examines how artist- and writer-in-residence programs connect with the academic and societal commitments of public universities across Canada. He also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Writing from the University of Victoria. Through this work, he has developed a strong interest in university governance and how institutions create, sustain, and demonstrate value for their communities.

Alongside his professional work, Ali is a published poet and active contributor to Canada’s literary community, with a longstanding commitment to mentorship and supporting emerging 2SLGBTQ+ writers. He lives with his partner on the Lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples.