2000
Read news and updates submitted by fellow alumni by date submitted, news category, faculty of graduation, decade or search for a name. Share your news here.
Angela (Donovan) Jackson, BMOS’00
and Simon-Peter Jackson, BA’98, were pleased to watch their daughter Tessa Jackson follow in their rugby footsteps and play her rookie season for the Western women’s rugby team this past fall.
was appointed to Vice-President, HR Risk Governance & Controls at RBC. This makes Angela one of approximately 500 executives within an organization of 100,000 employees and one of the only Black women currently holding this position.
joined the Sisters of St. Joseph in 2025 for a new career following 19 years working with King’s University College.
with Megan Phillips, BMus’05, wrote the cult musical comedy People Suck, which returns to the Toronto stage July 2-13, 2025 after two acclaimed productions in Australia. The play is directed by Jessica Sherman, BMus’02.
was appointed as a Senior Fellow at University of Toronto’s Massey College.
was recognized as a winner of ApplyBoard’s 2024 International Alumni Award of Impact program. The program recognizes former international students who embody resilience, innovation, leadership and generosity and includes a one-time $1,000 scholarship in each winner’s name at the institution they graduated from.
was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Award and Medal on March 6, 2025 by Toronto Member of Parliament Marci Ien in recognition of her significant contributions to her community, Ontario, and Canada.
renowned for her disability inclusion work, was appointed to the Order of Canada in December 2024. This prestigious honour recognizes individuals across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada.
Jenni Denniston, BA’02, HBA’04
was on a small group trip to the UK in December 2024 and coincidentally met fellow alumni Peter Douglas, MBA’64, and Sue Mather, MD’87. They had fun reminiscing and sharing stories of their respective times in London.
published his fourth novel In The Shadows Of Love with Hera Books in October 2024 and was featured in a Forbes article in December 2024.
Homecoming was always a favourite Ñ the football game, the sea of purple, and the buzz across campus. Now, helping run it as staff feels like a full-circle moment. ItÕs fast-paced, but I still look forward to it every year!
Niharika Khanal, MHIS’01, MHIS’01
is pleased to be working with Grand River Hospital as a business analyst and as a part-time system analyst at St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
Russell Palmer, BESc’08, BSc’08
is the co-founder of Saga, an innovative AI-driven filmmaking application. Recently Saga teamed up with new advisor Alex Jordan of Muse Entertainment.
was appointed Executive Director, Advancement & External Relations at Bayview Glen Independent School.
married Derek Laur in October 2023.
is a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury and has been awarded one of the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation Emerging Research Fellowships.
has his second Project T-Dot art exhibit at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport until January 2025. It showcases his 18-year documentary project on Toronto’s hip-hop legacy and is Canada’s largest exhibit on hip-hop culture.
Julie Campbell, BHSc’02, BScN’14, MN’16
and her family celebrated Homecoming from an aerial view thanks to the Western Cheerleaders.
won the New Quarterly’s 2024 Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest for The Isabel Letters, an essay about his correspondence with Canadian writer, Isabel Huggan, BA’65. Both Geoff and Isabel will appear together at the Wild Writers Festival in Waterloo, November 1-3, 2024.
delivered a TED Talk on radical self-care as part of TEDxEtobicoke in June 2024.
joins the administration team at the Lambton Kent District School Board as an elementary vice principal in September 2024, after 21 years as a secondary special education teacher and coordinator of services.
accepted a new position with the University of New Brunswick as associate professor and chair of applied research in sales.
wrote their debut novel Dotted Lines, available on Oct. 1, 2024. This work of fiction takes place on Western’s campus.
was awarded the University of Toronto Faculty of Music’s Teaching Award. The award recognizes excellence, commitment and innovation in teaching, as well as the recipient’s role in enhancing the student experience.
John Holland, Artist Diploma’01, MMus’04, Artist Diploma’01, MMus’04
published The Lost Tradition of Dvo≈ôák’s Operas: Myth, Music, and Nationalism in October 2023. The book examines Antonín Dvo≈ôák’s operas and vindicates and validates him as an often-overlooked opera composer. This research began at Western.
was elected as the President of the Hamilton Law Association in 2023-24. Hussein is the first Muslim and refugee to become president of an Ontario law association.
competed against 26 other past champions on the top-rated US quiz show Jeopardy! in the Season 39 Wild Card Tournament. His quarterfinal aired on February 14, 2024.
Farah Ismail, BScN’00, MScN’03
is a masters prepared nurse and lawyer. Check out the attached feature in Lexpert Magazine about her journey as SVP, Chief Legal/ Privacy / Compliance at SE Health.
has joined the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), NATO’s new flagship innovation program, as Communications Director. She will be taking up her post in London, UK in early 2024.
retired from Western in July 2023 and is a professor emerita in political science. She now holds the prestigious endowed Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership and is Full Professor of Political Studies at Trent University.
was recognized in November 2023 by WXN as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women in the Amex Emerging Leaders category, recognizing women who have been targeted for successive leadership positions within their organization.
accepted the Executive Director position at the Elgin-St Thomas Youth Employment Counselling Centre. Jodi is passionate about vocational rehabilitation and employment services and continues to be an advocate in her role.
published his third book, Someone Like Her with Orenda Books in August 2023. Awais’ writing has garnered immense critical acclaim and was reviewed by magazines and newspapers in the UK and Pakistan.
published a young adult novel Cultivating Sunshine in March 2023.
got engaged to Colin Duck in December 2021 during a walk at Western. They are looking forward to their wedding in July 2023.
Meg U’Ren, BA’03, BEd’04, MPED’20
filmed an episode of House Hunters International for HGTV which documented their house buying process in Ireland.
is now the Chief of Oncology for Hamilton Health Sciences (Juravinski Cancer Centre).
headlined the It’s You I Like: The Music of Mr. Rogers concert in April 2023.
published her debut book of poetry Safety Razor. These poems are shaped by her education at Western and her subsequent studies at the University of Cambridge in Old Norse language and Literature.
passed away from breast cancer on December 3, 2022. She was a loving, wonderful friend. She leaves behind her husband Scott and two beautiful daughters, Sophie (age 5) and Olivia (age 2). Read more.
welcomed a baby girl in May 2021.
Mickey Kasemphaibulsuk, BESc’09
and family welcomed baby Kylian in 2022.
released her new children’s book, From Head to Heart, a story about bullying and the importance of mental health.
published The Rosetta Mind, the second novel in her science fiction series.
Tristan Squire-Smith, BSc’04, BA’05
published Wrinkly Ranch, a deep dive into COVID’s toll on long-term care facilities.
married the love of her life in August 2022.
began the startup Spently (now UpOrder) that has been acquired by Pantastic. Vincent has joined the Pantastic team as Director of Corporate Development.
Germaine Joseph-Hays, BSc’05, MSc’07
was promoted to Assistant Principal at Corvallis High School in Corvallis, OR,USA and was selected as scholar in the prestigious Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms program.
Dr. Gillian Mandich, BHSc’07, MSc’12, PhD’19
joined the National Board of Directors for The Sunshine Foundation of Canada.
was acknowledged by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of the 2022 Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada in the Changemaker Category. Read more here.
Melanie Levenberg, BA’04, BEd’05
was selected by canfitpro as Canada’s Top Fitness Professional for 2022.
and Vasiliki McInnes, MScN’15, opened a vegan food manufacturing facility in London, Ontario. Read more here.
won the 2022 Canadian General Counsel Award. Read more here.
was promoted to Chief Information Officer at Ontario College Application Service in May 2022.
was appointed as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Family Branch in May 2022.