Meet Donna Quan.

With the ink still wet on her contract, the newly-appointed Acting Director of Education for the Toronto District School Board stepped in front of the cameras & microphones Friday morning.

Quan's predecessor Chris Spence quit last week, after being caught in a plagiarism scandal.

Quan admits the last week has been "a little bit stormy", but says the board is ready to move on as a collective team.

Quan says the stability of the system is foremost in her mind as she takes the reins of the biggest school board in Canada.  She admits the TDSB will have to work hard at restoring public confidence as one of the finest education systems in the world.

Quan didn't get into detail about how she planned to boost confidence, saying only that she'd be calling on a "united" TDSB team.

On her 1st day as Director, Quan wasn't ready to dive into whether she'd be making any changes on the board's direction.

She wasn't willing to get into detail either about cures for the TDSB's budget woes.  She said only that she intends to ensure the board's fiscal responsibilities are in line with the recommendations of a Pricewaterhouse Coopers report "as much as possible".  Those recommendations include closing up to 15 schools & the layoff of some 700 board staff.

There's no timeline at this point for hiring a permanent Director of Education.  Quan isn't saying if she's interested.

GETTING TO KNOW DONNA QUAN

-Chinese-Canadian, born in Hamilton

-"Happily married" with 3 "very independent and strong-willed" daughters.  1 is a university student, the 2 others work in education but not at the TDSB

-Is a University of Toronto graduate, with a masters in Educational Administration from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education

-Has 30+ years in education under her belt

-Has been with the TDSB since 1987, says it's in her blood

-Started her career on native reserve in Pine Falls, MB.  Quan calls it the most rewarding experience of her career.  She says it lay the groundwork for who she became as an educator, wanting to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed

-Came back to Ontario to work as an early childhood educator/childcare supervisor, opened one of the 1st non-profit childcare centres

-Has worked as a Vice Principal, Principal, Superintendent of Systems, Safe & Caring Schools, Alternative Programming & Schools etc., also at the Ministry of Education in the information management branch