UNB Alumni
Telling our #ProudlyUNB stories
UNBeknownst #43: KJ Conyers-Steede on community-centric innovation and creating sustainable policies for rural Atlantic Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: November 21, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Saint John, Arts, Podcast
Kjeld Mizpah “KJ” Conyers-Steede (BA’18) is director of strategy and partnerships for Inspiring Communities, a nonprofit working to build collaborative relationships for social change in Atlantic Canada. A UNB political science alum, KJ is a seasoned systems thinker with a strong focus on areas such as community-centric strategic planning, human-centered design,...
Read the full postSascha Boulet-Devost (BScKin'09) is reshaping healthcare delivery in rural communities
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 31, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Kinesiology, Inspiring Stories
"We’re either setting new standards or challenging every rule that’s held healthcare back—either way, we're amplifying our impact!" That’s what CEO of Capture Therapeutics, Sascha Boulet-Devost (BScKin’09), says when she reflects on her entrepreneurial journey to reshape healthcare delivery and improve access in rural communities. Through their unique business...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #42: Josh LeBrun on social enterprise and building community
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 24, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni, Podcast, Management, UNB Fredericton
Josh LeBrun (BBA’17) is Executive Director of 12 Neighbours, the tiny-home affordable housing community in Fredericton which has seen success – and global admiration – over the past couple of years. Now complete at 96 homes, the community-focused organization has turned its attention to social enterprise, providing low-barrier, progressive employment opportunities for the...
Read the full postQ&A: Karan Anand, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: October 18, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Young Alumni, UNB Fredericton, Inspiring Stories
Recipient of a 2024-2025 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Karan Anand's commitment to the Faculty of Management student community during his three years at UNB have been exemplary. In his leadership roles with the Business Administration Undergraduate Society (BAUS), Karan has enhanced the society's national presence and led significant constitutional reforms. His participation in various...
Read the full postHow Candace Carnahan (BA'02) is championing workplace safety
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 25, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories
In a world where workplace injuries are often overlooked, Candace Carnahan has emerged as a powerful voice. Recognized in 2024 by Atlantic Business Magazine as one of the 25 most powerful women in business, Candace is a sought-after motivational speaker advocating for workplace health and safety around the world. Candace faced tragedy in 1999, during her time as a UNB student,...
Read the full postSewing the solution
Dria McKenna, BBA student
Posted: September 25, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, Nursing, UNB Fredericton
Connie Smith (BN'83) can still vividly recall the moment she discovered that all eight of her Congolese stepdaughters were using old rags as menstrual products. It was her first encounter with period poverty. It wouldn't be her last. Having relocated from Canada to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following her marriage to her Congolese husband, Connie quickly learned that...
Read the full postA leader in New Brunswick's forestry sector
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 25, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, FOREM, UNB Fredericton
With a background in environmental management and agriculture, Kim Allen’s (BSc’07, MEM’09) journey into the forestry sector was certainly not linear - but her passion for forests and farming have driven her to become a leader in the field. Prior to her current role as Executive Director of Forest NB, Kim served over 11 years in government and private sectors, and worked as a...
Read the full postThings we learned: While travelling and working abroad
Andrew Martel (BCS'15) and Kayla Renee Ossachuk (BA'15)
Posted: September 24, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science, Arts, UNB Fredericton, Young Alumni
Written and submitted by Andrew Martel (BCS’15) & Kayla Renée Ossachuk (BA’15) Two years ago, we started thinking of the idea of travelling around the world for a full year. To be fair, Kayla had been thinking about it for most of her life, but we only started brainstorming ideas back in 2022. At the time, the thought was that we would save up for a year and continue to work...
Read the full postOffering escape in a world of volatility
Kelly Anderson
Posted: September 21, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Arts, Inspiring Stories
The world’s most prestigious fashion houses, top winemakers and leading luxury retailers might be surprised to learn that John Gerhardt (BA'85), the retailing visionary and international powerhouse in luxury branding and creative direction, grew up in smalltown Fredericton, New Brunswick. But the award-winning innovator says that his formative years, including those spent studying for a...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #41: Shilo Boucher on building a healthy, strong community
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 21, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John, Podcast
Shilo Boucher (BBA’00), is President and CEO of the YMCA of Southwest New Brunswick, one of the largest employers and community service organizations in the province. Shilo attended UNB on the Saint John campus, graduating from business administration in 1999, then worked at two large public accounting firms while obtaining her CPA before landing at the Saint John YMCA in 2006. She held...
Read the full postHigh-performance engineering comes to life
UNB Alumni
Posted: September 20, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, UNB Fredericton, Engineering
From his UNB Coaster Derby car to creating the next generation of high-performance vehicles, Craig Wood (BScME’01), has designed a career in a field he loves. Growing up in Fredericton, Craig was always a car guy, just like his father. It wasn’t surprising, then, that while a mechanical engineering student at UNB, he was part of a team that built and raced what would become a...
Read the full postHow UNB alumni are liberating health data in New Brunswick
Kelly Anderson
Posted: September 20, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Inspiring Stories, Computer Science
In 2018, the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Health set a goal of improving access to digital health services in an effort to transform the way healthcare is delivered in the province. A key part of this commitment was giving patients and families access to their health information, allowing them to better manage their health. What they didn’t anticipate was that a...
Read the full post50 years of reunions, trees and memories for the Class of ’74 civil engineers
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 30, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Insights, Engineering, UNB Fredericton
The UNB Class of ’74 civil engineers graduated as a class of “52 brothers.” Now, 50 years, seven trees and many successful careers later, the group continues to reunite every five years to share stories, memories and support for one another. This summer marked the 50th anniversary for the class, and as they have done every fifth summer since graduating, the group reunited for...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #40: Host Katie Davey on her own work in public policy, social innovation and social entrepreneurship in New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: August 15, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Podcast
In this special finale Season 3 episode, we turn the tables on UNBeknownst host Katie Davey (BA’17)! In her day job, Katie is a public policy expert and social innovator, currently serving as the Pond-Deshpande Centre’s (PDC) Executive Director at the University of New Brunswick. Previously, she was the Director of Policy & Media at the Public Policy Forum, and also served as...
Read the full postVolunteers in action: Craig Haynes, Ottawa Alumni Chapter Network
UNB Alumni
Posted: June 5, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Arts, Young Alumni, UNB Saint John, Inspiring Stories
With a shared love for their alma mater, the dedicated volunteers of the Ottawa Alumni Chapter Network are committed to fostering connections and creating fun experiences for fellow alumni living ‘afar’. At the heart of this group is committee chair Craig Haynes (BA’94), along with members Werner Disselkamp (BBA'92) and Janice Wopling (MBA'13). Craig's journey as a volunteer...
Read the full postWhy forecast modelling in forest management is critical for our future
Kelly Anderson
Posted: May 30, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, FOREM, UNB Fredericton
It’s early on Monday morning in Victoria, British Columbia when Xin Yuan (MScF’12), manager of Forest Carbon and Climate Services for BC Public Service, gets serious. “It’s getting real now. Climate change is affecting people’s lives, whether from wildfire evacuations, dangerous air quality from smoke, drought, floods, increasing temperatures, or forest insects...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #39: Nicole LeBlanc on sustainable communities, tech investment and women in venture capital
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 23, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John, Podcast
Nicole LeBlanc (BBA’00) is a partner with Woven Capital in Tokyo, focusing on investments in mobility, energy, and sustainability that support and accelerate Toyota’s mission to build the safest mobility in the world. Prior to that she was a partner in Denmark with 2150, an urban tech & sustainability fund focused on supporting the growth of sustainable cities. She’s held...
Read the full postUNBers among Atlantic Business Magazine's 2024 Top 50 CEO Awards
UNB Alumni
Posted: May 13, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John, Young Alumni, UNB Fredericton
Atlantic Business Magazine’s 2024 Top 50 CEO Awards were recently announced, and 10 UNB alumni and alumni of the UNB Wallace McCain Institute’s (WMI) Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP) made the prestigious list. Established in 1999, Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEO awards have grown into Atlantic Canada’s premiere celebration of corporate...
Read the full postTransforming healthcare through systems thinking and design
Kelly Anderson
Posted: May 2, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Nursing, Inspiring Stories, UNB Fredericton, UNB Saint John
Ali McGill (BN’02) recently returned to UNB as a researcher and assistant professor in the Faculty of Nursing, and she’s thrilled to be working in a progressive, community-centred environment. Ali is working at the Fredericton Downtown Community Health Centre to study how immigrants are accessing healthcare in our region, and design a system that works. Ali uses a systems thinking...
Read the full postAaloak Jaswal brings global digital transformation and humanitarian experience home to UNB
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Computer Science, UNB Fredericton, Inspiring Stories
When a UNB alum makes a critical societal impact in countries around the world, it’s a big deal. When an alum brings that experience home to New Brunswick to make a critical impact in our backyard, it’s huge. That’s why UNB is so excited that Aaloak Jaswal (BScCS’93, D-TME’93) has returned to Fredericton to take on the role of innovation director for the new...
Read the full postProviding a more sustainable alternative in the electric vehicle market
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, Engineering, UNB Fredericton, Young Alumni
Isaac Barkhouse (BScEng’19, M-TME’19) is pretty satisfied with his career to date – and he’s only 30. As co-founder and chief technology officer for Victory Advanced Technologies, he’s developing rugged, high-performance, sustainable electric motors that power the green transportation transition. Prior to that, he co-founded and was CTO at Potential Motors, helping...
Read the full postNever too late to create something new
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: Inspiring Stories, Arts, UNB Fredericton
At 94 years old, Virginia Bliss Bjerkelund (BA’51) has claimed the titles of storyteller and successful author. But although she’s travelled extensively throughout the world and lived in the U.K. for a good portion of her life, it’s her ancestry and home in New Brunswick that captured her creative interest. With the publishing of her second book in 2023 (her...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #38: Dr. Jen Woodland on integrated health research and the importance of knowledge translation
UNB Alumni
Posted: April 18, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Nursing, Science, Arts, Podcast, UNB Saint John
Dr. Jennifer Woodland (MA’09, PhD’15) is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at UNB’s Saint John campus and an Integrated Health Initiative researcher who teaches within the Bachelor of Health program at UNB. She has a PhD in experimental psychology from UNB, with a focus in multisensory perception. Jen has over 10 years of experience in health research...
Read the full postUNB grad returns to Fredericton to lead the Chalmers Foundation
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 25, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Inspiring Stories, Management
Charles A. Diab (BBA’83) came from Toronto to study at UNB in Fredericton in 1980 by chance. He hadn’t felt the value from his first year of college in Ontario, and while his parents were on vacation in New Brunswick, they picked up an application from UNB. “It was the summer and I figured it would be much too late to apply, but I tried it anyway and got in,” he...
Read the full postUNB Associated Alumni celebrates the UNB Saint John 2024 Graduating Student Leaders
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Saint John, Young Alumni, Inspiring Stories
Twenty six graduating students from the UNB Saint John campus have earned 2024 Graduating Student Leadership Awards for the remarkable initiative they’ve taken during their time at UNB. The award recognizes students in their final year of studies who have made outstanding voluntary and extracurricular contributions to the campus, their academic program, and the university...
Read the full postQ&A: Julia MacPherson, UNB Alumni Student Leadership Award
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Engineering, Young Alumni, Inspiring Stories
Recipient of a 2023-24 Alumni Student Leadership Award, Julia MacPherson is a member of the UNB REDS Field Hockey club and plays a leadership role as club vice-president, extending her leadership in sport to serve on the board of directors for Field Hockey New Brunswick. In addition to her commitment to athletics, Julia is deeply engaged in the faculty of engineering where she is...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #37: Victoria LaBillois on economic reconciliation in Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: March 20, 2024 12:00:00 AM ADT
Category: UNB Fredericton, Management, Podcast, Arts
Mi’gmaq entrepreneur Victoria LaBillois (BA’91, MBA’04) is the owner of Wejipeg Excavation Inc. and co-owner of Wejuseg Construction Inc, and oversaw the completion of a major wind park in Gaspesie, Quebec, where the companies trained and engaged over 100 Mi’gmaq tradespeople. Victoria has served both the First Nation and federal public service, working at...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #36: Tosin Ajibola on blending social good with technology in Canada
UNB Alumni
Posted: February 16, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Podcast, Inspiring Stories, Engineering, UNB Fredericton
Social and technology entrepreneur Tosin Ajibola (MTME’20) moved from Nigeria to Canada to earn a master of engineering degree in technology management and entrepreneurship from UNB. Out of that hands-on program, he and other newcomer classmates co-developed Welkom-U, an innovative online platform that puts newcomers, immigrants, and international students in touch with the things they...
Read the full postBusiness is blooming for Sophie Sharp (BA/BEd'22)
UNB alumni
Posted: January 26, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Young Alumni, UNB Saint John, Arts, Education, Inspiring Stories
From Lower Millstream straight to kitchen tables across New Brunswick, life has become a lot more colourful thanks to Sharp Brook Flower Farm. For UNB recent graduate Sophie Sharp (BA/BEd’22), agriculture has always been an important part of her life growing up on a dairy farm. This passion led Sharp and her sister, Ellen Folkins, to open their own space to the community and share their...
Read the full postThe many ways this nurse practitioner is saving lives in small-town New Brunswick and around the world
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Nursing, Inspiring Stories
When Kelly Dunfield (MN'03, C-NP'03) graduated from UNB’s inaugural class of the nurse practitioner program in 2003, she was thrilled to be back into clinical practice once again.After years of nursing and health care experience in occupational health, surgery and emergency nursing in Saint John and her hometown of Sussex, she had moved into emergency room management and quality risk...
Read the full postUnderstanding current and future challenges for Canadian forests
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 22, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: UNB Fredericton, FOREM, Inspiring Stories
As Science Director, Forest Health and Biodiversity at the Atlantic Forestry Centre in Fredericton, Christy Arseneau (BScF’97) supports a team that is developing the science and technology to assess and effectively respond to threats to Canada’s forests. As Canadian lead in the development of a North American Blueprint for Wildland Fire Science collaboration, a large portion of her...
Read the full postGrowing the global SABIAN brand in rural New Brunswick
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 18, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Inspiring Stories, UNB Fredericton, Management
While Meductic might not be a place that’s widely known even within the Province of New Brunswick, let alone internationally, the flagship company that calls this small village home certainly is. SABIAN is world-renowned in the music industry, and the company behind it is considered one of the largest manufacturers of cymbals globally, distributing its products to more than 80...
Read the full postUNBeknownst #35: UNB Chancellor Wade MacLauchlan on the role of universities and education in our collective future
UNB Alumni
Posted: January 18, 2024 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Podcast, UNB Fredericton, Law
H. Wade MacLauchlan (LLB’81) is a well-known Canadian legal expert, academic, university administrator, politician and community leader. As premier of Prince Edward Island from 2015-19, he led an expansion and diversification of PEI's economy and the growth and rejuvenation of the province's population, while contributing to historic, regional initiatives in immigration, infrastructure...
Read the full postHow Ian Church and UNB became a world leader in ocean mapping
Kelly Anderson
Posted: February 21, 2018 12:00:00 AM AST
Category: Engineering, Inspiring Stories, UNB Fredericton
We know very little about our ocean floors; in fact, only 10-20% of the terrain is mapped to modern standards. Dr. Ian Church (BSCEng‘06, MScEng’08, PhD’14), head of UNB’s Ocean Mapping Group, says “we know more about the surface of Mars than our oceans.” Mapping the shape of the ocean floor – which includes dramatic mountains and gorges greater...
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