Class Notes
Maurice Yacowar, BA’62
My new book, After Shtisel, published by lulu.com, marks my 50th year of being published. The book analyzes the third season of the popular Israeli TV show, Shtisel, now on Netflix, and its writers’ intervening dramatic series, Autonomies. My first publication was No Use Shutting the Door, a Fiddlehead poetry chapbook published in 1971. My 20-odd books that I have written include studies of Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Tennessee Williams, Alfred Hitchcock, Paul Morrissey and the British artist John Bratby. I am now retired and live in Victoria with my wife Anne Petrie. My career included various academic positions from serving as dean of humanities at Brock University, dean of academic affairs at Emily Carr College of Art and Design and the dean of fine arts at University of Calgary.
David Eisenstadt, BA’66
I have just written my first book, UNDER THE RADAR — 30 Notable Canadian Jewish Musicians, which was published by Baronel Books in Toronto and is now available on Amazon. “I chose 30 — an end point for journalism stories — but this compilation which started in the early days of the pandemic, took on a new life and really became hobby for me. In fact, “30” was just the beginning. Reader reactions have generated many messages that say . . . ‘I didn’t know that.’ Among other things, that type of response for me has made this work really worthwhile.”
“My criteria identified musicians who are Canadian (not necessarily Canadian-born) and Jewish. My objective was to cover all genres and all genders and they could be alive or dead.”
Denis Smith, BEd’66, Med’67
After 15 years as a classroom teacher and administrator in Alberta schools I moved, with my young family, to Vernon, B.C. In Vernon I taught and finished my career as an elementary principal. During these years, I continued to be active in ski racing as a competitor, coach, official and administrator. I retired from racing in 2006 when an accident during the National Masters' Championships resulted in nerve injuries which caused the loss of much of the function of my left arm. Since retirement my wife, Joyce, and I have done much travelling including six different bike/barge trips throughout Europe. We have two children. A son who is a pediatrician and a daughter who is a partner in a construction company. Our two hockey- playing granddaughters are attending university as is our eldest grandson. The younger grandson is entering Grade 12. Both boys have retired from ski racing.
1970s
Lawrie Mack, BA’72, BEd’79
After 30+ years as a teacher and administrator with the CBE, my wife Diane (nee Musgreave, B.A. '76) and I retired to Lake Lillian, just outside of Invermere. I've been involved with the Columbia Valley Food Bank here, and during my term as Chair I was able to oversee the planning, funding and construction of a new facility, the Albert Cooper Building. For this I was recently awarded a BC Achievement Community Award. Life in the Valley is good!
Connect with Lawrie here.
Alice Bienia BSc.’76 (Geology)
After a very enjoyable 13-year career in the energy industry, I’m now pursuing another passion of mine, writing. Knight Trials is the second book in my Jorja Knight mystery series and is set in Calgary, Alberta. My protagonist, Private Investigator Jorja Knight, is a smart independent woman with a sense of humour, an affinity for fine whiskey, and an uncanny knack for attracting trouble.
In Knight Trials, Jorja delves into a murder case that grows more baffling by the day. When she uncovers a dangerous hidden plot about to unfold, she must decide whether to expose the truth and shatter more lives or keep what she’s found hidden. My first novel, Knight Blind (published in 2020 and now available at most major bookstores as well as through Amazon, Barnes and Noble) was a 2016 Arthur Ellis Award finalist for Best Unpublished Crime Novel.
Connect with Alice on LinkedIn, Twitter, or at alicebienia.com
Charles Hayter, MA'76
I’m thrilled to announce the recent publication of my new book, Cancer Confidential: Backstage Dramas in the Radiation Clinic, from University of Toronto Press.
I am a University of Calgary Drama Alumnus. After graduation, I taught drama, then switched careers and entered medical school. I trained as a radiation oncologist and spent 30 years in the field. During my medical career, I never lost my passion for theatre, mainly through playwriting.
My book shares stories of people living with cancer, woven together by the story of my father’s cancer and death — which occurred in Calgary — and my own journey of self-identity.
Here's a testimonial: "This courageous and splendidly written book deserves to be read by patients, their families, and health care professionals.” — Dr. Philip Hébert
For more information, visit https://utorontopress.com/9781487528171/cancer-confidential/.
Connect with Charles on Twitter, Instagram, email or at 647-449-7476
1980s
Maureen Armstrong, BSW '80
Besides feeling blessed seeing my two grandchildren, Ada, 6, and Cillian, 3, play together in the park, I have written two books since 2018, after returning from China where I taught English for two years in the province of Anhui.
Essences of Tongcheng is written in prose with B & W photographs. Horizons in Tongcheng is a book of journals from free-verse poetry with colour photographs and original collages of student names from classroom name-tags.
Connect with Maureen via email or on Twitter at 250-308-5773
Audrey Whitson, BSW’81
I’ve always been a writer; writing has been a constant through my several careers. Now, I think of it as my vocation as I first started writing in Grade 3 and had my first publication credit when I was 11 years old — a poem in the Western Producer.
My novel, The Death of Annie the Water Witcher by Lightning (NeWest Press, 2019) was a finalist for the 2020 Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize, and it is my third book.
Set in rural Alberta, Annie is an elegy for a disappearing way of life; it is set in 2003 at the start of the BSE crisis and in the middle of a drought. Annie is also a remembrance for a dark chapter in Alberta’s history: the eugenics movement. Annie’s story is told in eight voices. As the people of Majestic gather for her funeral, they reflect on how she has touched their lives in surprising ways and how she continues to intervene.
Connect with Audrey on Twitter
Murray Goddard, BA’82 (Psychology)
I am thrilled to say that I was recently invited to give a B.F. Skinner lecture at the international conference of the Association for Behavior Analysis to be held in Boston in May, 2022.
John Blackwater, BSc (Mechanical Engineering) ‘83
I retired in 2021 after a rewarding career spanning nearly four decades and qualified as a Life Member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Rosa Bruno-Jofre, PhD’83
I am a professor and former dean of the Faculty of Education, cross-appointed to the Department of History, in the Faculty of Arts and Science, at Queen's University. And, in 2019, I was installed as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in the Humanities Division of the Academy of Arts and Humanities. I have also received the 2018 George Edward Clerk Award from the Canadian Catholic Historical Association and the 2017 Toronto Dominion Bank Award as one of the Top Ten Most Influential Hispanic Canadians. My most recent books are Our Lady of the Missions: From Ultramontane Origins to a New Cosmology (University of Toronto Press, History Series, 2020); and, along with J.Stafford, I co-authored The Peripatetic Journey of Teacher Preparation in Canada ( UK: Emerald, 2020); and edited, Educationalization and its Complexities: Religion, Politics, and Technology (University of Toronto Press, 2019).
Catharine Dewar, MD’85
I retired from my rheumatology practice in 2020 and moved to Victoria, B.C. with my husband Doug. Volunteering, gardening, renovating our home, reading and writing, socializing and travelling (when these become safe!) will be our focus in retirement. I have fond memories of the Wombats '85!
Trevor Harrison, MA’85 (Sociology)
At the University of Lethbridge's spring 2022 convocation, I was given this year’s Speaker Research Award. The award is based on three criteria: quality, impact and distinction. I have been a faculty member at Lethbridge since 2002. Looking back on my career, I recognise the debt I owe to the universities I attended, including the University of Calgary, and the many faculty and friends I met while there.
Connect with Trevor here.
Gemunu (George) Jayasinghe, BA '85
With the prevailing global need to address Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) metrics, that of below is a recent endeavour between three Commonwealth nations, Canada, UK and Sri Lanka. It is the shipment of approx 6000 refurbished eye glasses from Calgary’s own Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre to Sri Lanka to be given to those in need in Sri Lanka. It was a joint effort by the Lions International, the University of Manchester and the Royal Commonwealth Society Sri Lanka. Cooperation and coordination amongst Commonwealth countries that are meaningful will lead to the betterment of its citizenry and ideals. Project Manager: Gamunu (George) Jayasinghe.
Lead in Canada: Lion Gordon Prusky.
Lead in Sri Lanka: Lion Maheshi Hewage.
Lead at the University of Manchester: Markus Karlsson-Jones.
Susan Wright, LLB’85
Let me start at the beginning of my career — I began in architecture but ended up in law which was the right decision. After a fascinating legal career that took me from the board rooms of Calgary to the streets of Beijing I switched again and am now an author. I write legal thrillers and suspense. My debut novel, Box of Secrets, was short listed for the 2021 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence for Best Unpublished Manuscript. The protagonist, Evie Valentine, is a smart, ambitious lawyer juggling her time between a powerful, demanding client and a charismatic politician campaigning for re-election. The experience is exhilarating . . . until Evie stumbles upon a deadly secret. Two people are murdered. The question now is: will Evie live long enough to follow the trail of deception wherever it may lead? Box of Secrets became an Amazon bestseller for legal thrillers and is available at Owl’s Nest Bookstore, Shelf Life Bookstore, and Amazon Canada.
Diane Butcher (nee MacKinnon), BN’86
I completed my MN (2013) and PhD (2017) in Nursing Education at University of Victoria. I have been working as a Medical Adjudicator for ESDC since 2019 and recently accepted a one-year term as a Medical Adjudicator Consultant with National Headquarters at ESDC. I am working on various quality improvement initiatives related to disability adjudication by RNs.
Samuel LeBaron, MD'89
Since graduation as a med school "Flamingo," I completed a three-year family medicine residency in California, then spent the next 25 years as a faculty member at Stanford School of Medicine, where I developed and led their first required family medicine clerkship and also directed the Stanford Center for Education and Research in Family Medicine. During that time we conducted and published research related to medical education. I also provided hospice care until just a few years ago. In the past few years I began to write creative non-fiction, and just this month University of Alberta Press has published a memoir, "Ordinary Deaths: Stories From Memory," that includes some events from my time as a medical student at the University of Calgary.
Connect with Samuel via email: slebaron@stanford.edu.
Jeff Longphee, BSc (Eng)’89
I recently retired after working for Chevron as a facility engineer and project manager for over 20 years. My career spanned several continents as I worked not only in Calgary but then in Venezuela, Kuwait, Indonesia, Paris, London and Bangladesh. Our current plan is to settle down somewhere on Vancouver Island and travel — if we can? — over the next few years with time to explore new places and return to favourites we have visited in the past.
Dennis Mueller, BSc’82, BSc’85, MA’89
On May 17, 2019, I retired from geoLOGIC systems ltd., a petroleum and gas industry software development company. You’ll still find me living in Calgary, attending Stampeder/Dino football games, and volunteering at the Calgary Zoo.
Connect with Dennis on Twitter
1990s
Katherine Hintz (nee O’Hagan), BEd’90
November 9, 2020, will mark 30 years since I graduated from the University of Calgary. I was a classroom teacher for 15 years and then was a Resource/Special Needs teacher for 6 years in the private and public schools in B.C. I am now entering my second year as a learning assistance teacher in a local public school, and I have thoroughly loved my teaching career!
My son is beginning his first year at a local university and my hope is that he will experience the same type of outstanding supportive treatment and training that I received at the University of Calgary (I think he will)!
Thanks very much UCalgary for training students to be a valuable asset to the various different communities that we serve!
Connect with Katherine on LinkedIn
Lori Akiyama (nee Tiefenbach), BA’91 (Communication Studies)
My husband and I have been living in Montréal since 2018. I work at Concordia University in the Gina Cody School of Computer Science and Software Engineering as a program coordinator for a graduate training program in AI. The program is funded by NSERC and trains the next generation of highly qualified professionals in the technical, social and ethical aspects of the field of artificial intelligence.
I hadn’t taken a French class since my first year at U of C, so my French language skills needed major work after relocating to our new city. Over the past four years I’ve taken classes at Concordia, a private language school and I practise daily on Duolingo.
I’m also the Global Alumni Ambassador for Alumni UBC in Montréal. In addition to my degree from UCalgary, I got a diploma in Marketing and Sales Management from UBC Sauder School of Business in 2009.
Dr. Susan Forbes, BA’91 (Political Science), PhD
My undergraduate degree at UCalgary led to a Masters (Laurier — Political Science) and PhD (Western — Kinesiology). From there I became an academic, as well as having opportunities to work overseeing research projects and working with students on academic probation.
After working in the private sector for years, I eventually began teaching and working in the area of student success which eventually opened up the door for managing the Teaching and Learning Centre at Ontario Tech University (Oshawa), where I currently am. When I first moved into the role we had a mix of hybrid, fully online, and in-person instruction, but like the rest of country, we moved to fully online in March 2020. We continue to operate virtually and that's allowed my team to really work to expand what we do and how we do it.
Theresa Eisenbarth (née Gukert), BFA'92
I am an Alberta painter (professional artist) living in Medicine Hat focusing on painting older neighbourhoods. This summer I've had an exhibition called "Walking the Flats" at the Esplanade Art Gallery in Medicine Hat. It's a unique, evocative and interactive visual story telling exhibit and is the first such exhibition also made available virtually by 3-D technology during the current pandemic. The 3-D tour of the art is available on the Esplanade Art Gallery website. In addition, the gallery has kept me busy over the summer creating videos of me working on a large 70 x 60 inch painting in the gallery. This "live" painting event will be edited and posted to the gallery’s webpage and social media channels after I have completed the large-format artwork. My paintings are in many private collections and are sold in galleries across Canada.
Lisa Johnston (nee Davies), BA’92 (Communications)
After two decades of working in the corporate and magazine publishing world, I just released my first fiction novel Wakeless that’s now available on my website at lisajohnstonauthor.com or via Amazon. The dystopian novel follows the life of Emma, a young woman who has somehow survived the wreckage of the 21st century and is discovered living in a basement hideout. Proclaimed clean, she is moved to Redemption City where she soon learns life is no better in the promised utopia — no one is free and eyes are always watching. Wakeless is meant to entertain adults who enjoy speculative fiction, say . . . novels such as the Handmaid’s Tale, that allow them to escape their own world and visit one vastly different — and even scarier — than their own.
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn
David Goldie, MBA'92
Since April, 2020, I’ve been the Chair, Board of Directors, of the Alberta Energy Regulator.
Connect with David by email
Robb Sulava, BEd’92
I have been retired on disability since 2009. My teaching career was spent in Northern Alberta where I had numerous assignments. Over my career, I taught grades 5 and 7 and was a special ed teacher with grades 10 to 12. I finished up my career as a guidance counsellor. During the start of my teaching career, I taught standing up but I spent the next 15 years teaching from a wheelchair. This was the result of an unknown virus I contracted while travelling in Alaska so I know what viruses can do to you. That said, I had a wonderful career as a teacher and made many friendships with parents and colleagues — but most of all with students. Facebook has given me a way of maintaining these friendships.
Sharleen Gatcha, BA’93
In 2019, I took a plunge to realize my vision to create transformational change. I started a not-for-profit organization, Women+Power, to support women working in Alberta’s power industry.
Our goal is simple — to create a more inclusive and diverse power industry. Currently, women represent only one quarter of the workforce in Alberta’s power industry. Women+Power is striving to overcome the challenges that result from prevalent underrepresentation of women at all organizational levels by building a community to empower women to succeed both personally and professionally. If you’d like to learn more about Women+Power, visit us here.
Connect with Sharleen on LinkedIn
Bruce Palmer, BComm’93, MBA’96
After a 35-year career at RBC, culminating as a Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities, I’ve officially retired. My wife, Ginette, and I plan to divide our time between Calgary and Vancouver Island, and intend to travel the world when things open up again.
Connect with Bruce at gandbpalmer@shaw.ca
Stephen Nagy, BSc’94
I am currently a senior associate professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the International Christian University in Tokyo. I am also a research fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute (CGAI) and a visiting fellow with the Japan Institute for International Affairs (JIIA). After completing me undergrad degree at UCalgary, I went on to finish my PhD from Waseda University in Japan, in international relations in December 2008. Some of my most recent research projects include “Sino-Japanese Relations in the Wake of the 2012 Territorial Disputes: Investigating changes in Japanese Business’ trade and investment strategy in China”, and “Perceptions and drivers of Chinese view on Japanese and US Foreign Policy in the Region.” Besides teaching, I am currently working on middle power approaches to great power competition in the Indo-Pacific.
Ralf Nielsen, MEDes’95
On Sept. 7, I made a career change from working at Colliers Project Leaders (where I was for 11 years) to TransLink as Director, Enterprise Sustainability. I will be applying my sustainability and infrastructure experience that I’ve gained over the last 26 years in transportation, real estate, government, and manufacturing. I'm looking forward to working across the organization to achieve a carbon neutral transportation system by 2050 that is resilient and adaptive to our changing climate.
Connect with Ralf on LinkedIn
Michael John Ryan, DipFA’96
I travelled to Calgary to study at UCalgary for one specific reason — to study under music professor Lois Choksy. Living in Ireland, I had read her books and was so impressed by her implementation of the Hungarian Music Education system based on the philosophies of Zoltan Kodaly. That’s how I came to spend three enjoyable summers in Calgary, attending lectures and performing in choral concerts. I am now the director of the Ryan Academy of Music and owner of Danny Ryan Music Shop in Tipperary, Ireland, where we sell and supply musical instruments to people across the globe. I am also a music teacher and also work as a conductor and violinist. The distance from Calgary to Ireland seems great but it’s not such a long way to Tipperary!
Tawnie Olson, BMus'97
On July 8, my new multi-movement choral work "Beloved of the Sky" was premiered by Grammy-winning vocal ensemble The Crossing, conducted by Donald Nally, in Philadelphia, PA. This new piece that I composed explores and celebrates the creative process using texts by Emily Carr. It was commissioned by the Barlow Foundation for The Crossing, Grammy-nominated Seraphic Fire, and the BYU Singers after Olson was selected from a pool of over 300 composers to win the 2018 Barlow Prize for composition.
Other 2022 premieres of my work include "Rational People," composed for Grammy-nominated Sandbox percussion, and "Mundi salus affutura," commissioned by Tafelmusik.
Connect with Tawnie on Twitter or at tawnie.olson@gmail.com.
Michele Jacobsen, PhD’98
In my 22 years as a professor in the School of Education I am delighted to have been awarded the 2021 Research Excellence Award, Werklund School of Education, and the 2021 University of Calgary Teaching Excellence Award Leadership (Group), with Dr. Hawazen Alharbi, for my design-based research on innovative online faculty development for graduate supervision.
Sholeh Fabbri (nee Alemi), BA’99
I am thrilled to report that the film Last of the Right Whales had its world premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival in September.
North Atlantic right whales are dying faster than they can reproduce. With less than 400 remaining, these great whales rarely die of natural causes. Instead, they are run over by ships or suffer lethal injuries from fishing gear. If we don’t stop killing them, in 20 years they could be extinct. With unprecedented access to film the whale migration, Last of the Right Whales brings a message of hope about the most at-risk great whale on the planet.
I worked as an impact producer on this film and invite others to check this documentary out and find out more about these endangered whales plus how you can take action. The film will be released on Jan. 21, 2022, in theatres across Canada.
2000s
Barb Howard, MA 2000
I've just published my fourth novel, this latest one is through the Brave and Brilliant series from University of Calgary Press. The story is about a massage therapist on an Okanagan vacation and is described by Canadian Living Magazine as “A family getaway goes awry in this humorous heartwarming Canadian story.”
Connect with Barb on LinkedIn, whipstock@barbhoward.ca or https://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781773852164/
Dominique Keller BSc’00
Love: The Last Chapter is this anthropology grad’s new film, slated to premiere at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver, running May 6-16. DOXA will make its streams available to audiences across Canada.
Dominique moved into a long-term care facility in Calgary (pre-COVID) and lived with her subjects for one month, followed by frequent visits as a one-woman film team.
It was during this month that she discovered there is far more to the story of long-term care beyond the basics of safety, hygiene and vaccines. That’s why the compelling documentary closely follows the (love) lives of three aging couples in Love: The Last Chapter.
Connect with Dominique on Twitter
Erik Johnson, BComm’02
I was appointed Senior Vice President & Deputy Active Underwriter of Lloyd’s Syndicate Victor 2288. This new position begins in July 2021.
Connect with Erik on LinkedIn
Dianna Gallant, BA’04
I am currently an elementary teacher and writer. I published my first literary fiction novel, Saltwater Joys, in 2018, and its sequel, Saltwater Stranger, is due to be published this coming summer.
Saltwater Joys is set in Ireland’s Eye, a ghost town located on the edge of Newfoundland and Labrador — one of hundreds of fishing outports forced to resettle during the province’s confederation with Canada. The consequences of resettlement for Newfoundland and Labrador's people and culture are illuminated in this intimate tale of one family’s experience across two generations. In 1965, John Lee, a young fisherman, makes a tragic decision that changes the course of his life, pushing him to a self-imposed exile and to the brink of insanity. Twenty years later, John must face the demons of his past. The reader will experience Newfoundland in its vast natural beauty, poetic language, close-knit communities, bountiful hospitality, ghost stories, folklore and colourful culture.
Connect with Dianna on Twitter and Instagram.
You can buy the book on Amazon.
Sabrina Samuel, BA’04
My first book of poems was just published. Called SHE WAS, it’s a collection of poems about remarkable women. In support of the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre (CASASC), it can be ordered through email at $20/book with a $5 delivery charge, outside of Red Deer. There is also a .pdf study guide and reflections available complimentary for your book club. If you’re interested, you can find events related to the work at facebook.com/surrenderliving and surrenderliving.com.
Rhona Stanislaus (née Graney) BAccS’04
My business partner Shannan and I have launched 'Liquid Kudos' an online beverage club (wine & spirits). We promote quality BC wine and spirits to an audience across Canada. It is free to join and there is no purchase commitment, just great wine at great prices shipped direct to you! You must subscribe/join to receive our email wine and spirit offerings. We also host tasting events, in person and online, and plan to offer future travel opportunities, domestic and international, with a wine and spirit focus. We offer business consulting services within the industry in areas such as financial management, export, policy development, partnership development, sales and distribution strategies, etc. You can subscribe by entering your name and email at: liquidkudos.com.
Connect with Rhona on Instagram
Lesley Hinger BMus’06
I've recently been hired as the new co-artistic director of New Works Calgary, along with fellow composer Rebecca Bruton. I'm very excited to work with this organization, which I've long supported as a concert-goer and former board member. I've also recently had the pleasure of teaching music somposition as a sessional instructor in the School of Performing Arts at the U of C, and will be teaching musicianship in Fall 2020 as well.
Heather Hastie, MA'04 (Communication Studies)
I've worked for the City of Calgary since 2006, and have had a varied career. I've supported the Fire Department, HR, Parks and been Communications Leaders for the Communications Services Department. I now have two teenagers, with the oldest in first-year at UOttawa, who is completing the Communications and Political Science program. While I didn't actively encourage her to enrol in this program, being at home during the pandemic gave her a window into my work. I'm now Manager of Communications and oversee a division of 120 communicators who support all departments and business units at the City, as well as media relations, employee communications and crisis communications. I also took a one-year self-funded leave of absence, and travelled to Asia, Africa and Europe with my family. The U of C program gave me the education and skills to achieve all this, and I'm forever grateful for my degree.
Michelle Ernst, BA’07
My new novel, Zenobia's Business, tells the story of Dorothy and Doug of rural Offrampville, Ontario, who find themselves together in Aleppo on the frontier of a new millennium and decide to join the circus. The fun eventually follows them home again... but things are as odd there as they were away. People tell me it’s funny and so, if you’d like to find out, you can buy it on Amazon and at Indigo.
Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn
Amy Chandler, BA’08
My novel, The Scarlet Forest: A Tale of Robin Hood, which made the Calgary Herald's bestseller list, has recently been re-published in a second, expanded edition. The book blends new stories, based on my academic research, with classic tales and some almost-forgotten medieval legends. Another one of my books, Questionable Quizzes, was also published this year.
Connect with Amy at aechandler.wixsite.com/author
Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, BA'09, (Political Science & International Relations)
I was elected as a municipal councillor for the District of Saanich, British Columbia, on Oct. 15, 2022. I served as an elected official (Social Sciences Faculty Representative on the Students' Union) for three terms, where I met my partner Stephanie Ferguson. While studying at UCalgary, I also ran for parliament in Calgary West (2006 + 2008) and the Alberta Legislature (2008). I was fortunate to attend UCalgary on a Chancellors Club Scholarship.
In addition to now serving on Saanich Council, I chair the AccessBC Campaign for free prescription contraception in BC, and work as the Director of Research for OceansAsia, and help build little free libraries around the Greater Victoria Area. I recently returned from research fieldwork in Gabon, where I studied the strategy of the marine conservation organization, Sea Shepherd, and, some say, I am a leading expert in sea cucumber wildlife crime!
Connect with Teale on Instagram, LinkedIn, email or at 778-678-8325
Julie Baquiran (nee Reynolds) BA’15
We are celebrating our 20th anniversary at my business, The Great Outdoors: Junior Outfitters — Calgary's largest outerwear store for kids. We would like to thank Calgary and surrounding communities for their support over the past 20 years. In fact, they are the reason we’ve been a success and we have loved serving so many families! We strongly believe that kids need to explore the outdoors so they can appreciate the wonder and beauty our world holds. We look forward to outfitting the kids of our community to pursue their outdoor adventures for another 20 years and beyond!
Connect with Julie at shop@thegreatoutdoorscalgary.ca
2010s
Chris Patrick Carolan, BA’11
Crime Writers of Canada recently announced the shortlists for their 2021 Awards of Excellence. Calgary-based writer and UCalgary alumnus Chris Patrick Carolan's debut novel The Nightshade Cabal is a finalist for the 'Best Crime First Novel' award. The winners will be announced on May 27th, 2021.
Released on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic in late February 2020 by Parliament House Press, The Nightshade Cabal is a paranormal steampunk thriller set in the 1880s in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Nightshade Cabal was a Calgary Herald best seller in its week of release and has twice charted as high as No. 2 in its category on Amazon.
Connect with Chris on Twitter
Brian Keating, Hon. LLD'11
I normally spend up to 150 days a year guiding in wild places like the Antarctic and Africa. When I'm home here in Calgary, I have averaged once-a-week opportunities to speak to various groups (conventions, business meetings , schools, etc) about the value of nature and intact ecosystems. Obviously, I'm unemployed now! But a cleared schedule (for the first time in my career), has given me the chance to hike, birdwatch, and otherwise explore our incredibly beautiful Alberta landscapes of parks and protected areas! What a thrill it has been to be immersed in observing the advancing spring, and now the rich greens of summer! I have the luxury of telling the CBC audience every Monday afternoon about some of these observations, celebrating nature. My biggest project now? Focusing on the continued development of greatBIGnature.com, a non-profit effort to get people to think more about the value of nature.
Joan Tu (née Lee), BA/BComm’05, MA ‘12
Joan Tu, a current medical student, published a U.S./Canada medical school admissions book for parents of first-generation pre-med students. The book, Raising Doctors: The Med School Admissions Success Guide for Parents of Future Physicians is packed with information and is meant to help parents support their children as they navigate the increasingly competitive and stressful process of medical school admissions and training. The book addresses both the need for equity and diversity in medicine, and the challenges faced by medical school applicants and trainees today in terms of student wellness.
Raman Gill, MEd'13
I received the prestigious award "Bhartiya Kirtiman Alankaran" Award at the 17th Bhartiya Divas, celebrated in Indore (India) on Jan. 10. It was awarded for my services for the wellbeing of society and humanity. It is bestowed to people across the globe for their contributions in Justice, Education, Awareness, Environment, Technology, Spiritualism, Social and Cultural Spheres — all of which aim to serve society.
On Jan. 19, I also finished a coffee-table book for which I am very proud: Beginnings Of Landscape Architecture In Punjab: An Untold Story, which is about historical events, facts and efforts for the beautification of the Punjab State in India that happened in the late 1960s and early '70s. This work has been much applauded. The book also has many rare black and white pictures and events that the public is unaware of at large.
Connect with Raman on email or at 403-585-9675
Michalis Andronikou, PhD’13 (music)
Besides teaching composition and theory at Ambrose University, I still compose music. In order to deal with ugliness in these trying times, I decided to focus on beauty. “Aphrodite” is a work that I composed in the summer of 2020, inspired by the myths related to the birth of the ancient goddess, in an attempt to re-approach the primordial essence of beauty. It was performed by the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Petros Stylianou, in November 2020. More of my music can be found here.
Raman Gill, MEd’13
In August, I won the "Positive Voice of Calgary-South Asian Community" by the Asian Tribune from Edmonton for my volunteer work for the past 12 years in the community and in May, I received the Star 2020 online certificate from London’s World Book Records for bringing public awareness about COVID-19 to our community. After two years of sleepless nights — for a host of reasons — I also published an e-book on Kindle, Sleep Good — Get the Sleep you Deserve. I use my Education degree in much of the advocacy work that I do.
Katie Rainsford (née Harris), BSc'13 (Kinesiology)
Since graduating, I've been working at a NW Calgary dance studio (Free House Dance Plus), running the office administratively and teaching young dancers (ages 3-18, in Jazz and Tap styles). I got married last year here in Calgary. I spend my free time exploring the city and surrounding areas, travelling to Kimberley, B.C. to see my family and gardening in the summer.
Connect with Katie on Instagram
Merlin Thompson, PhD’13
I am very happy to announce my book, More than Music Lessons: A Studio Teacher's Guide to Parents, Practicing, Projects, and Character, has been published by Rowman & Littlefield. Written for teachers of today’s culturally diverse generation, More than Music Lessons breaks new ground with its timely vision of inclusive music studio instruction and meaningful steps for bringing student-centred teaching to life. Filled with real life stories, sensitive solutions, inspirational ideas, and more than 50 practical instructional tips for music teachers of all levels and disciplines, this must-read guidebook demonstrates how teachers may thoughtfully build on, and exercise, what’s already there as well as break through barriers and empower their teaching. It’s all about engaging students in personally and socially meaningful explorations with a most remarkable goal in mind — the flourishing of our shared humanity.
Connect with Merlin on LinkedIn or at: merlin_thompson@shaw.ca
Jeremy Adamson, MBA’16
After working in data science and analytics for the better part of a decade, and I saw that almost all companies were making the same mistakes. I wanted to contribute to the practice in some small way so I spent a year writing a book. Turns out the writing part, from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., day in day out, was the easy part. Marketing it is far more difficult!
That said, the book, Minding the Machines: Building and Leading Data Science Teams, was released last August and in a nutshell it explores the tasks, strategies, methods, and frameworks necessary for an organization beginning their first foray into the analytics space.
Jeremy is the Director of Intelligence and Analytics at WestJet Airlines.
Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn
Karina Pillay, MD’16 (Class of Narwhals)
I am still hopeful that the Prime Minister may choose my merit-based Senate application. As a family physician working during a health crisis, I know it's challenging to focus on politics which is why I was happy with the results that placed me as the top “true” independent in Alberta. I have served as Mayor of the Town of Slave Lake for nine years and now, I have the privilege to care for patients as a family physician. With my rugged, northern Alberta rural roots and having lived and worked in Calgary, I understand and value our diverse perspectives that shape Alberta. I remain optimistic that the PM will see it that way, as well.
Connect with Karina on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and karinapillay.ca
Dr. Maha Al-Zu’bi, PhD’17
Since I completed my PhD at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design in 2016, I've joined several international organizations (e.g., GGGI, Global Communities) dedicated to supporting sustainable development and promoting green economy in developing countries and emerging economies. Currently I am a researcher with agriculture water solutions at the International Water Management Institute (IMWI). IWMI is an International non-profit research organization with its headquarters in Sri Lanka and it responds directly to the demand for innovative, scientifically tested water management solutions for sustainable development. I am also involved in managing internationally-funded projects where I help foster interdisciplinary approaches to real-world energy, water, climate change and environmental issues. Having a long-standing interest in the interplay between environment, development, and policy, I am committed to supporting organizations and initiatives that strive to improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and secure peaceful relationships.
Mike Thorn, MA’17 (English)
I completed my master’s in English literature four years ago with a thesis called Ghosts and Shadows': Epistemophobia and the Disintegration of the Human Subject in John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness under the supervision of Dr. Anthony Camara.
Last February, Journalstone published my debut novel, Shelter for the Damned.
Here are a couple of testimonials:
"A full-throttle descent into visceral terror, Shelter for the Damned grabs you by the throat and never lets go. This haunting tale heralds the arrival of Mike Thorn as a horror writer to watch." — Jeffrey Reddick, creator of Final Destination
“A terrifying descent into suburban addiction and male shame, Shelter for the Damned is a gripping, uncanny tale cut from the same cloth as Stephen King and John Carpenter.” — Daniel Goldhaber, director of Cam (Netflix)
Bita Malekian, BSc (Eng)’18
The Water Movement in Calgary is an online platform that bridges the connection between Indigenous water treatment operators and experts, nation-wide, by providing a collaborative, interactive, and accessible platform where they can connect, share ideas, and access learning videos. As the founder of Water Movement, I was thrilled when we were recognized by L'Oreal Paris in their Women of Worth Campaign.
Urchit Bhatiya, BSc'19 (Kinesiology)
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, I have been concerned for the mental wellbeing of workers in the healthcare sector. These workers are bearing the brunt of the horrors of the pandemic, and as a result, are experiencing significant levels of burnout, anxiety, and overall distress. I've had my own mental health journey and know the one of the most intimidating things about accessing help lies with the stigma. That’s why I've created the COVID-19 Healthcare Peer Support Hub: a safe, virtual, anonymous group to talk things through with your peers in the healthcare field. I vet all the members by checking their professional email addresses, and closely moderating the Hub to ensure a great experience. To request an invite, just fill out the form.
2020s
Danika Kelly, MSc’20
While studying risk and gender for my Master’s, I realized a market opportunity: software that could track and analyze female persons as ... well, females instead of just small males. Since then, I have launched My Normative and established a research partnership with the UCalgary to prove that My Normative can track the previously untrackable — female hormone variation. Working with my alma mater on this project has been incredibly fulfilling. If you’d like to check out my work, visit here.
Syameena Pillal, BA’20
Despite ending my final year online, I'm glad I didn’t defer it, as I think about my current situation which finds me in Nairobi, eating delicious food and enjoying the warm weather. Life didn't turn out the way I thought it would post-graduation, but I'll always remember my UCalgary years with fondness for the friends I made and the memories it created. I graduated in a much different world than when I first started university, but for now, lounging on a beach by the Indian Ocean seems like a good choice to ring in 2021! As they say in Swahili, "Fuata mani yaendako" (go with the flow).
Connect with Syameena on Instagram
Rahim Sajan, BSc'01 (Kinesiology), BEd'03, MEd'20
I finished my Master's in Education just as this pandemic started! 2020 also marked the year I started my walkabout from TEDxCalgary — after 10 years of serving as its curator. I have now started a new civil society adventure that is focused on nation- and province-building. The premise is than an even better Alberta and better Canada is possible, post-COVID-19.
Dr. Sochi Iwuoha, PhD'20 (Geology and Geophysics)
I have been elected to the volunteer Board of Directors of CAUSE Canada and will be serving as Vice-Chair of the Board for the 2022/23 term.
CAUSE Canada (headquartered in Calgary, Alberta) is a not-for-profit organization that delivers community development programs in hard-to-reach rural communities in Central America and West Africa.
The group is working to reduce infant mortality, improve access to education for youth, reduce child marriage, and provide support for entrepreneurship through microfinancing.
Connect with Sochi via email or at 403-678-3332
Kendall Titchener, MBA’21
After graduating last year, I launched a podcast about environment, social + governance (ESG) called Green Bull Radio, that’s available on all major podcast platforms. I was recently nominated for a BC Cleantech award for my work with the podcast and am a Leading Change Capital delegate as part of Globe Series. In the first episode I sat down with finance professor, Yrjo Koskinen, from UCalgary to discuss the fundamentals of ESG compliance, transparency, and trends. Tune in here
Connect with Kendall on LinkedIn, Twitter (@kendall_titch, @greenbullradio), and Instagram
Ravina Anand
Currently studying with the Cumming School of Medicine, Anand co-founded the social enterprise known as the Female Laboratory of Innovative Knowledge (FLIK) in 2019. The startup began as a media company that served as a means for sharing stories about female founders from around the world through interviews.
Recently, less than two years after its launch, Anand and business partner Michelle Kwok sold FLIK to Vancouver-based Rumor Avenue which buys, builds and scales tech companies. Anand will continue to serve as business development and operations partner for Rumor Avenue.
Connect with Ravina on LinkedIn
Vanaja Balasingh, PDBN’21
I am delightful and honoured to announce that I was a guest speaker at December’s IHI MEF 2021 conference. I gave a virtual presentation titled the "Increasing Operating Theatre Utilization in Ambulatory Care Center, HMC- Qatar with the collaboration of Value Improvement Project."
Joining my presentation was a huge number of other speakers from different tracks in the field which was very exciting. The Institute of Healthcare Improvement Middle East Forum focuses on the quality and safety in health care and is indeed one of the biggest specialized conference in the region.
Connect with Vanaja on Twitter
Remember — the University of Calgary Alumni Association is always interested in where life has taken you. Please stay in touch and we will help share your ongoing journey.