Information session

The Practical Side of Interdisciplinary Research: The Ins and Outs of Building Teams Across Faculties

Elizabeth Rogers — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 17:48:47 +0000

The Practical Side of Interdisciplinary Research: The Ins and Outs of Building Teams Across Faculties Elizabeth Rogers Fri, 10/18/2024 - 13:48

This session offers a deep dive into the realities of building teams and working within an interdisciplinary framework. Our panelists will share valuable insights into strategies for developing and advancing research projects with interdisciplinary teams (across all six faculties), highlighting what works well, potential pitfalls, and how to negotiate common challenges.

This session is ideal for researchers at all levels who are interested in or are currently engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations across all six ��ݮ��Ƶ faculties. Following the brief panel presentations, there will be a Q&A session.

The session will be introduced and moderated by Ian Milligan, Associate Vice-President, Research Oversight and Analysis.

The three panelists include:

Adam Molnar (Sociology and Legal Studies)
Lai-Tze Fan (Tier 2 CRC in Technology and Social Change; Sociology and Legal Studies
Neil Randall (Executive Director, The Games Institute; English Language and Literature)

Exploring Careers in the Arts: Alumni Panel

Elizabeth Rogers — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 13:28:40 +0000

Exploring Careers in the Arts: Alumni Panel Elizabeth Rogers Thu, 09/26/2024 - 09:28

Are you curious about the diverse career paths open to Arts graduates? Do you want to learn how other Arts students have made their mark in the world of work after graduation? Come hear from U��ݮ��Ƶ’s Arts alumni at this exclusive panel discussion.

In this session, you’ll have the chance to...

Learn about the inspiring work and career journeys of Arts alumni
Discover how they’ve navigated their professional lives since graduation
Gain insights into the wide range of opportunities available to Arts students
Ask questions and seek advice from those who’ve walked in your shoes

Hear from...

Rosalind Gunn, Director of Communications and Advocacy (English)
Trish Villanueva, Global Head of Fraud Threat Management for Scotiabank (English)
Kelvin Tran, Senior Manager of Revenue Operations & Strategy at Ownr (Legal Studies)

...and more!

Whether you're looking for guidance, inspiration, or simply exploring career options, this is the perfect session for you!

Event will be held online

The Practice of Interdisciplinary Research: Learning Through Successes and Challenges

Elizabeth Rogers — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 18:31:00 +0000

The Practice of Interdisciplinary Research: Learning Through Successes and Challenges Elizabeth Rogers Fri, 06/21/2024 - 14:31

Drawing on diverse experiences working with interdisciplinary teams, this panel session will explore strategies for building and managing interdisciplinary research teams and projects. Panel members cover important topics such as publishing, grant strategies, applying multi-disciplinary research frameworks, and forming durable partnerships across various sectors.

This session is ideal for researchers aiming to deepen their interdisciplinary approach and broaden the impact of their work. The formal panel presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.

Ian Milligan, Associate Vice-President, Research Oversight and Analysis, will offer introductory remarks on behalf of the Office of Research. The session will be moderated by Adam Molnar (Sociology and Legal Studies). The three panelists include:

Talena Atfield (History, Tier II CRC)
Shana MacDonald (Communication Arts, O'Donovan Chair)
Ashley Rose Mehlenbacher (English Language and Literature, Tier II CRC)

Women in Law Career Panel

Alexandra Battaglini — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:56:12 +0000

Women in Law Career Panel Alexandra Battaglini Wed, 02/15/2023 - 09:56

WomeninPreLaw UW is a student club at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ with over 200+ general members from over 25+ different programs. The club aims to empower and educate students about inspirational women in law, with a focus on legal careers, networking, and filling the gap on campus by providing a legal space for students from all programs and backgrounds who are interested in law.

This panel is an in-person event featuring a variety of women in law, bringing together a diverse range of alumni from different programs, careers, and walks of life. The event will be co-hosted by Isabelle and Ciara - co-founders and co-presidents of WomeninPreLawUW.

This event hopes to showcase all sides and educate current students on all of the potential pathways! At the end of the panel, an opportunity for Q&A from the audience, and a chance to network with alumnae will be provided.

*Please note: That anyone can attend. We welcome and encourage ALL individuals of ALL gender identities to come!*

Alumni Guests:

Jacqueline Armstrong Gates (BA '91, Political Science)

Jacqueline is the former head of the office's advocacy department. She is presently the National Litigation Lead - Product Liability.She has experience working with public and private corporations and partnerships, both large and small, in Canada and the United States. Jacqueline also has experience working for insurance companies and insureds, as well as manufacturers, retailers and self-insured entities.

Jacqueline was recognized for her corporate commercial litigation experience in the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2010, she was named among Lexpert's "Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40" and named among the ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Record's "Top 40 Under 40." In 2017, she was also named the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ's Alumni Achievement Award winner. Most recently, she was the recipient of the 2019 Coulter A. Osborne Award, presented by the ��ݮ��Ƶ Law Association.

Jacqueline is a University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Arts Faculty mentor and a member of the Queen's Law '94 Fundraising Committee. She also delivers Christmas hampers, participates in the Angel Tree gift giving program and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and the Food Bank of ��ݮ��Ƶ Region.

Denise M. Kocher (BA '99, Sociology)

After graduating from St. David CSS, she continued her education at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, where she obtained an Honours Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Sociology, minoring in History and with a certificate in Legal Studies and Criminology. After graduating in 1999, she took the next step in pursuing a career in the law by enrolling at the University of Western Ontario. During her time at UWO (1999-2002) she participated in the Pro Bono Students Canada program and went on to co-chair the program in her final year. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2003. Denise worked as an associate locally, first at a small general service firm and then went on to focus on corporate-commercial law at a regional firm.

In early 2013 with a young family, she re-assessed her career objectives and pursued a post graduate certificate in HR at Conestoga College where she graduated at the top of her class and was invited back to Conestoga as an adjunct profession teaching both Employment Law and Labour Relations. After working as a Human Resources Generalist & Trainer at a local not-for-profit, in 2017 she landed her dream job. She is currently an HR Analyst at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Inc. Her role in Policy Development and Performance Management allows her to utilize her law degree in a non-traditional sense as she drafts policy, conducts workplace investigations, processes corrective actions and terminations and acts as the go-to resource for all things legal – regularly fielding questions from other departments about case law, legislative requirements, contract drafting and best practices.

Nazneen Mukadam (BA’10, Arts Honours, Joint Major Political Science and Legal Studies)

Currently, Nazneen works as a Staff Lawyer for Criminal and Family Law at Legal Aid Ontario and has been for over 8 years. After graduating with her BA at University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, she furthered her education at the University of Windsor, earning her Doctor of Law. After her first year at Windsor, Nazneen enrolled at the University of Monash Malaysia on a summer exchange for Trial Practice and Advocacy, as well as Ethical and Criminal Justice. Previously she has also been a volunteer Case Worker and Litigator at Community Legal Aid for 2 years. She has also completed an International Humanitarian Law Course issued by Canadian Red Cross.

Ashley Ryan (MA '18, Sociology)

Ashley is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies here at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. You may recognize Ashley through taking her research methods course or her previous role as Student Wellness Coordinator at the Graduate Student Association. In addition to her almost completed Ph.D., Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in legal studies with a minor in psychology and a master's degree in sociology. In 2022 she published her research on dining and dashing in Deviant Behavior. Her current work is focused on the motivations behind deviant instigation and the strategies that accompany them. Outside of UW, Ashley spends a lot of her time playing soccer and volunteering with organizations such as the Girl Guides of Canada.

Event has ended.

Stories of Ukraine: A Student Photo Exhibit

Olivia Vanderwal — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 19:15:22 +0000

Stories of Ukraine: A Student Photo Exhibit Olivia Vanderwal Wed, 02/01/2023 - 14:15

“We just want to show our resistance and resilience.” -Halyna Padalko, MA student in Global Governance

Ukrainian students created this photo exhibit to raise awareness and highlight the impact that the war in Ukraine is having on academics and civilians. Through photos, personal stories, and interactive displays, the students hope to show the resistance and resilience of the Ukrainian people.

On Wednesday, February 15 from 2-3PM, you’re invited to join us for coffee, tea, Ukrainian treats, and personal tours of the exhibit in the Hagey Hub second floor foyer. Ukrainian students will share first-hand stories of the war in their country, and visitors will be able to experience Ukraine before and after the war through virtual reality.

If you can't make it on Wednesday, the Ukrainian Student Photo Exhibit will be on display in the Hagey Hub second floor foyer from February 13-17, and we encourage you to visit and show your support.

The exhibition is organized by the Ukrainian student community at UW and University for Ukraine (#U4U) Fundraising. U4U is a grassroots humanitarian fundraising initiative by students, staff and faculty from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. It aims to show our solidarity and provide relief for the victims of the war in Ukraine through major Canadian charities. Donate to U4U now.

English Alumni Career Panel 2023

Alexandra Battaglini — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:32:41 +0000

English Alumni Career Panel 2023 Alexandra Battaglini Mon, 01/16/2023 - 11:32

Join us for this term’s Careers for English Majors event!

Hear English alumni working in a variety of sectors talk about how they got into their current career and advice they have for students thinking about the job market. An opportunity for small-group conversations with breakout rooms will follow the panel. The event will be catered so bring your appetite!

Alumni Guests

Galen Naidoo Harris (BA ’19, Honours Rhetoric, Media & Professional Communications)

Galen currently works at Wilfred Laurier University as a Government and Community Relations officer. Before starting his journey at Laurier, Galen worked as a Manager of Community Affairs and before then, a Social Media Developer at the Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre. Galen has and continues to demonstrate professional skills in Marketing, Communications, social media, and Writing Positions in federal governments as well as not-for-profits.

Samantha King (BA ’11, Honours English Literature and Rhetoric)

Currently the Manager, Business Intelligence for Canadian Retirement, Samantha has held a number of roles over her decade-long tenure with Manulife, all of which have focused on people, processes, and data. Blending her empathetic leadership style with a keen ability to explain complex technical concepts, Samantha leverages her skill at storytelling to obtain buy-in and drive engagement from her team members, stakeholders, and customers alike. Outside of her day job, Samantha enjoys volunteering, working with a number of organizations as a board executive, committee member, and event volunteer.

Gaurav Pokharel (BA ’12, Honours Rhetoric & Professional Writing (Co-op))

Gaurav brings 10 years of experience in the executive recruitment industry, having supported global, national, and boutique search firms. He currently works at Massey Henry supporting the sourcing and assessment of senior candidates as well as leads the development of communications related to the recruitment process. Before becoming a Senior Consultant at Massey Henry, Gaurav worked as a Marketing and Communications Lead in Litigation Practice for McCarthy Tetrault. Gaurav also volunteers as a Mentor for several initiatives, including Skills for Change, a not-for-profit organization that provides new Canadian immigrants with a broad range of employment services.

Olivia Vanderwal (BA '15, Honours English Literature)

Olivia graduated from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2015 with a BA in English Literature. Shortly after, she completed her MA in the same field at the University of Ottawa. She worked in social media and digital communications in the non-profit sector for four years and has recently started a position back at ��ݮ��Ƶ as a Digital Communications Specialist in the Faculty of Arts.

Scott Wahl (BA ’95, Honours English (Co-op))

Scott credits UW Co-op Program for launching his 25-year career in tech. He got his start in technical communications and online information systems. Since then he has led a range of teams and functions, including product localization, product management, professional services, and operations Scott is currently Vice President of Product Operations at PointClickCare, a leading healthcare technology provider. Prior to PointClickCare, Scott was Vice President in Global Software at Dematic, where he was responsible for software strategy, product management and project engineering. He also worked at BlackBerry as the Vice President for Software Services from 2008 to 2014. Outside of work, Scott likes to run, read and travel.

Registration for event is closed.

Conversations Café: Careers in Public Service

Saira Mughal — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:06:24 +0000

Conversations Café: Careers in Public Service Saira Mughal Wed, 06/29/2022 - 16:06

Are you interested in working in Public Service?

Join us as we chat with Arts alumni, about how they turned their Arts degree into a career in Public Service.

Hear from Arts alumni about how they've been able to navigate the public services industry as an Arts degree holder, and what opportunities lie within the government and beyond.

This panel event will feature Faculty of Arts alumni working in the field of Public Service. They will share their first-hand experience in navigating the sector, share their personal experience and tips on finding jobs and discuss ways you can make the most out of an Arts degree AND MORE!

Panel will be followed by short breakout sessions.

Alumni Guests

Ifrah Arif (BA '21, Political Science)

Ifrah Arif is a Program Officer at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Ifrah was previously a Junior Officer with the same organization, and was also a Junior Program Officer at Canada Border Services Agency. Ifrah has always aspired to achieve a position where she can contribute to the development of a country or an organization, in a competitive and challenging environment. Ifrah is an avid volunteer with a large catalogue of diverse opportunities where she has honed her political, business, and economic skills. Ifrah’s volunteer work includes the United Nations, the Liberal Party of Canada, the World University Service of Canada, the International and Canadian Student Network, and many more. Ifrah is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Migration and Diaspora Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

Kelly Kipfer (BA '02, History and Religious Studies)

Kelly Kipfer holds a Joint Honours Bachelor degree from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (’02) in History and Religious Studies, a Bachelor’s of Education degree from the University of Ottawa (’04) and a Master’s of Arts in Immigration and Settlement Services from Toronto Metropolitan University (’10). She is the current Manager of Community Engagement and Children’s Services at ��ݮ��Ƶ Public Library where she is responsible for the programming, special services, community relationships and children’s department for the system. In fall of 2022, Kelly will move into the role of CEO at the library. Kelly’s background includes extensive work in the settlement and non-profit sectors with significant experience in partnerships, strategic planning, outcome measurement and team-building.

Ryan Kleinau (MPS '17, Public Service)

Ryan Kleinau is a Parliamentary Assistant to the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for the Riding of ��ݮ��Ƶ. As a political and public service professional, Ryan manages both MP Chagger’s constituency office in ��ݮ��Ƶ and parliamentary office in Ottawa. He has also successfully managed two political campaigns, in 2019 and 2021, in ��ݮ��Ƶ. After growing up in Richmond Hill, ON, Ryan completed his Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management (’15) at Carleton University before pursuing a Master of Public Service (’17) at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. Outside of professional life, Ryan enjoys getting out on his bike, hockey, skiing, and time at the cottage.

Alumni in the Hub: How International Exchange Can Benefit Your Undergrad and Career

Saira Mughal — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 18:51:10 +0000

Alumni in the Hub: How International Exchange Can Benefit Your Undergrad and Career Saira Mughal Wed, 06/22/2022 - 14:51

About the event

Are you looking for ways to enhance your undergrad and your future career, and to gain new experiences? Are you unsure of the various study/work abroad opportunities and resources that lie within the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ? With the world opening again, it’s the perfect time to explore different travelling opportunities that can benefit you and your future career.

Join us in our live virtual panel featuring ��ݮ��Ƶ Arts alumni! This event aims to connect Arts alumni who have experience living and working abroad, with current Arts students who are interested in studying/working overseas during their academic and/or professional careers. The objective of this event is to connect students with alumni who can share their advice and mentorship on how to successfully gain the best outcome of living overseas, and to educate current students about the opportunities and experiences available to them.

Meet the participating Alumni guests!

Alumni Guests

Adam Fless (BA '89, Economics)

Adam is currently a Managing Director at AlixPartners, living in Vancouver, BC but working broadly across North America and Europe. Adam is an innovative value creation leader who has over two decades of experience as a private equity operations executive and as a trusted results-oriented consulting partner. Adam has both studied and worked abroad through his whole career from undergraduate as part of the International Trade Specialization, to his MBA at the London Business School to multiple interim and leadership roles on the ground in Europe, the US and elsewhere. Adam believes Canadian University graduates are unique in their experience to work across global cultures globally due to their awareness of multicultural norms and practices and humility and openness in dealing with different points of view. This, however needs to be put into practice earlier in their careers.

Sai Kalvapalle (BA '15, Psychology)

Sai is currently a 5^th year PhD Candidate at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Her research focuses on cognition and communication in organizations, and relational dynamics in contexts such as high-reliability organizing and entrepreneurship. After getting her BA (Hons) in Psychology at UW in 2015, Sai completed her MSc in Organizational and Social Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), in London, UK. Sai also teaches and supervises many courses at the masters and bachelor’s level. A fun fact about Sai is that she has completed each level of schooling in a different country.

Taylor Imrie (BA '16, English Language & Literature)

Taylor is currently working as a Master Programme Coordinator at Luiss Business School in Rome, Italy. Working as a Programme coordinator includes planning and coordinating programmes and their activities, monitoring implementation of programme policies and practices, ensuring programmes stay on schedule and on budget, supporting programme growth and development, as well as student recruitment and planning of student events and activities. Taylor completed her B.A. online while living and working abroad in Italy, which gave her the opportunity to travel to other European cities. She firmly believes that travelling broadens horizons and would highly recommend all university students to do an experience abroad.

Denise St. Marie (MA '17, Studio and Fine Arts)

Denise is a practicing Artist and is currently co-teaching Topics in Studio Practice at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ this spring term, and has been instructing at Brock University’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts since 2018. She has shown in various galleries and outdoor exhibitions including: CAFKA, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche Toronto, the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Art Mûr, Art Souterrain (in Montreal), Markham Museum, the Art Gallery of Windsor, Thames Art Gallery, Malaspina Printmakers (in Vancouver), SNAP Gallery (in Alberta) and the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria in BC. Denise's collaborative work was invited to join an international research project on New Genre Public Art at the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK in 2018 relating to past public installations in Japan, China, parts of North America including including Las Vegas, Chicago, Detroit, Victoria BC, the Canadian Prairies, the Niagara Region, Windsor, London and Montreal. Denise has spoken about her research at the Temporal Belongings Conference at the University of Edinburgh, Free-Exchange Interdisciplinary Conference at the University of Calgary and Empathic Landscapes Conference at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. During her MFA, Denise worked in New York via the Keith & Win Shantz International Research Fellowship, and received funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada in support of her MFA. In 2018, Denise was awarded The Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal via the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ for her contribution to the Academy.

Amy Zhou (BA '17, English & Economics)

Amy is currently an Urban Planner and Researcher in San Francisco, CA, with specific focus on Chinatowns, housing, anti-gentrification, and economic development, and broader interests in surveillance + smart cities, labour, and Asian American/Canadian identity. Amy received her Master of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of California after getting her BA in English and Economics at U��ݮ��Ƶ in 2017.

Conversations Café: Careers in Tech

Saira Mughal — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:56:57 +0000

Conversations Café: Careers in Tech Saira Mughal Thu, 06/02/2022 - 09:56

Are you interested in working in Tech?

Join us as we chat with Arts alumni, about how they turned their Arts degree into a career in Tech.

Being a techie, and an Arts student is not mutually exclusive. Hear from Arts alumni about how they've been able to navigate the tech industry as an Arts degree holder. Collectively, our alumni speakers have worked in the technology sector for decades, with a couple of individuals with experience in tech HR. Come out and learn more about the careers in the tech industry.

Panel will be followed by breakout sessions.

Alumni Guests

Jessica Fung (BA '14, Psychology)

Jessica Fung is a Senior UX Designer at Google based in Mountain View, California, where she works on bringing health features on Google Search to life. Some of her recent accomplishments include launching features to help people find COVID-19 vaccines and healthcare appointment availability. Previously, she worked at LinkedIn on features that help jobseekers find work.

Jessica graduated from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2014 with a Honours Bachelors of Arts, majoring in Psychology. Despite her interests in pursuing further studies in psychology, she found the best balance of understanding people and solving problems for them in her UX career in tech.

Negin Safdari (BA '19, Speech Communication and Business)

Negin Safdari graduated from U��ݮ��Ƶ in 2019 from the Arts & Business co-op program, majoring in Speech Communication and changing her minor too many times to graduate with one. She is a Recruiting & Search Enablement Lead at Artemis Canada, playing professional matchmaker by finding talented, kind-hearted and ambitious humans to change the world. She also helps enable the greater Artemis team to do the same through better analytics, tools & systems, training and more.

Prior to Artemis, she worked in tech sales, marketing, data analytics, event management, executive communications, business systems analysis, and tech implementations. Thanks to her jumping around, and the co-op program, she understands a little bit of a lot, which is helpful as a headhunter. She's passionate about communication and uses what she learned during her degree daily, both personally and professionally.

Denise Roy (BA '17, English Language and Literature)

Denise Roy is a Human Resources Executive, with over 20 years of experience in Human Resources management, specializing in “authentic human resources” practices, organizational behaviour, and talent development. Denise is currently a Professor of Human Resources at George Brown College and Queen's College of Business, Technology and Public Safety, and the Vice President of People and Culture at Upstream Works Software.

Prior to her work in academia, Denise was the Vice President of Human Resources at Cardinal Couriers, a Canada transportation and logistics company. Prior to joining Cardinal Couriers, Denise was the Vice President of Human Resources at IndustryBuilt Software, a leading ERP solutions provider, and one of Canada’s recurrent Great Places to Work. She has also held Human Resources positions at TeraGo Networks, Rogers Communications and Sprint Canada. Denise also previously served as Chair of the Peerscale Human Resources Roundtable, a non-profit member based community organization for technology leaders in Ontario. She was also Chair of the Board for Shakespeare in Action, a non-profit dedicated to fostering literacy, enhancing creativity, and promoting speech arts by making the language and stories of Shakespeare accessible and relevant to young audiences, their families, and communities in Toronto.

She is currently a member of the Town of Georgina’s Heritage Advisory Committee and the Optimist Club of Keswick. Denise completed her Human Resources education in 2005 and received her Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation in 2006. She also has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ and a Master of Human Resources Management from York University. In her spare time, Denise is a hobby farmer, avid fisherperson, Shakespeare enthusiast and vintage car collector.

Conversations Café: Careers in Marketing and Communications

Zahra Sakhi — Mon, 09 May 2022 15:15:45 +0000

Conversations Café: Careers in Marketing and Communications Zahra Sakhi Mon, 05/09/2022 - 11:15

Are you curious about career opportunities in Marketing and Communications?

Join us in a conversation with Arts alumni who are leading the way in Marketing and Communications roles across various sectors.

Director of Communications, Supervisor of Product Marketing, Government and Community Relations Officer, Senior Director of Digital and Brand Manager - these are just a few of the roles that our guest speakers have held throughout their careers in Marketing and Communications. Do you have what it takes? Find out through our panel discussion. (Followed by breakout sessions with individual alumni).

What career opportunities are available in Marketing and Communications?

Careers in marketing and communications are not limited to individuals with Business or English degrees. Find out what could lie in store for you with a career in marketing and communications.

Alumni Guests

Galen Naidoo Harris (BA '19,English Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Writing)

Galen Naidoo Harris is a 2019 graduate from the Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Writing program at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. He has significant personal, professional, and academic experience as a communicator. Since graduating, he has held positions in sales, politics, and PSE. He recently joined Wilfrid Laurier University as their Government and Community Relations Officer and spent the three-and-a-half years directly preceding that working with Member of Parliament and Olympian Adam van Koeverden.

Julie Kalbfleisch (BA '97, English)

With over 20 years of professional experience, Julie Kalbfleisch has consistently utilized her strategic communications skills to help her organizations to the next level. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of positions including as the Associate Director of Communications at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, Manager - Information & Communications at the Region of ��ݮ��Ƶ, and Director - Communications & Issues Management at Wilfrid Laurier University. Currently, Julie is the Director of Communications for the City of Cambridge, while also doing some freelance work as a Communications Consultant for Hospice ��ݮ��Ƶ Region. Julie is a University of ��ݮ��Ƶ (St. Jerome's University) graduate, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature.

Alexandra King (BA '10, Speech Communication)

With 10 years in the CPG and Alcohol Industries, Alex’s expertise extends to brand management, innovation, and channel strategy. She has managed iconic Canadian and North American brands, launched global brands, and built brands from infancy. Recently, she won back the Montreal Canadian partnership for Molson Export in time for the 2021 playoff season and launched a new strategy and campaign for Molson Ultra. Currently, she manages the import portfolio at Molson Coors working on Mexican Cervezas and European beers. Alex is a proud University of ��ݮ��Ƶ Arts graduate ('10) and has her MSc in Marketing from the University of Guelph ('13).

Ivanna Ramnath (BA '12, English Rhetoric and Professional Writing)

Ivanna Ramnath was recently promoted to Supervisor, Product Marketing at Mary Kay Global, where she previously held roles in: Web Merchandising Lead and Senior Product Marketing Specialist. Ivanna's previous professional roles included: Research Assistant, Technical Writing Consultant, Copywriter and Communications Coordinator, and has worked for companies such as University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, Indigo and Microsoft.

Andrea Sweet (BA '97, English Rhetoric and Professional Writing)

Andrea is an experienced marketing and communications leader motivated to solve business challenges through insight-driven strategy and execution. With a unique blend of expertise spanning brand, marketing, communications, and technology – Andrea is the bridge that connects your value proposition to meaningful digital experiences that deliver value to both your organizations and audience. She is focused on transformative approaches and data-backed methodologies, and asks tough questions needed to understand the deepest motivator for audiences enabling teams to break through and create solutions with impact. 

She has worked with high performing national and global brands like University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, Perimeter Institute, The Office of the Governor General of Canada and Sonova. She has been recognized with several awards including Communicator Awards – Award of Excellence for Film and Video: Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education – Best Website and Best Online Publication. Andrea is currently Senior Director, Digital at Argyle - one of the top communication agencies in Canada.