2007 Alumni of Distinction
Gary Christian
1986 Maintenance Techniques - Industrial graduate
1990 Industrial Mechanic Millwright graduate
Since graduating from two Durham College programs, Maintenance Techniques - Industrial in 1986 and Industrial Mechanic Millwright in 1990, Gary Christian has been a great addition to the maintenance field.
He currently works for the Regional Municipality of Durham as a chief maintenance operator, water, where he is responsible for the direction of a group of maintenance operators and the hands-on delivery of the day-to-day operations and maintenance of various facilities.
Christian, a member of the Durham College Water Quality Technician program advisory committee, contributes practical training ideas and provides program faculty with interactive learning strategies. In addition, he assists seniors in the community with grass-cutting and home maintenance.
John Edward Draper
2005 Journalism graduate
John Edward Draper graduated from Durham College's Journalism program in 2005. He began his career with his student field placement at the college's Innovation Centre.
Draper's sense of entrepreneurship is demonstrated through his business, Together We Rock! Since its creation in 2006, the company has promoted leadership and learning through a series of presentations and a school leadership program designed to promote communities that are accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities.
He volunteers extensively within Durham Region, working with organizations such as Simcoe Hall Settlement House, the Canadian Institute of Child Health, Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School, the WhyNot Marathon for the Paralympics, the Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre and the Catholic Youth Organization. He visits campus often and continues to break down barriers in education and the working environment for people with disabilities.
Gail Elliott
1970 Public Administration graduate
Since graduating from the Public Administration program at Durham College in 1970, Gail Elliott has spent her entire educational career with the Durham District School Board and its predecessors.
Elliott became principal of Lord Durham Public School in 1986, spearheading programs such as Lion's Quest, Rainbows and Peer Youth Negotiation. She was also responsible for the development, implementation and assessment of special education program priorities and processes in response to ministry initiatives and board policies; the co-ordination of services for students with special needs; and the co-ordination of the board's special-education funding process requirements.
She commits herself to her community by participating in the annual Terry Fox Run, Parents as Partners conferences, anti-bullying initiatives, special-education conferences, the Council for Exceptional Children, events in support of violence-free schools and her church's food bank.
Carolyn Luscombe
1995 Entertainment Administration graduate
Since graduating from the Durham College Entertainment Administration program in 1995, Carolyn Luscombe has received more than 25 international nominations for her work with Eclectic Events International (EEI).
In her roles as founder and president of EEI, she relies on her Durham College education to help her provide a wide range of event services to the corporate market. In addition, she has taught Event and Meeting Management at George Brown College for 10 years and believes higher learning should be encouraged in all stages of life.
Luscombe is an active member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) in Toronto, Ontario and has held several board and committee positions. She was a speaker at the ISES Eventworld Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2006 and is a committee member for ISES Eventworld Education 2007. Luscombe has been honoured with prestigious Canadian Event Industry Awards for Spirit of the Industry and Producer of the Year.
Connie Wood
1976 Registered Nursing graduate
Since graduating from the Durham College Registered Nursing program in 1976, Connie Wood has acquired 31 years of nursing experience in a variety of health-care settings, providing quality long-term care, acute care and community nursing services.
Currently, she is a healthy living co-ordinator with the Haliburton Highlands Family Health Team where she is responsible for program development, educational sessions and the promotion of treatment, education and counselling.
Wood's community involvement includes serving the Haliburton Friends Network board for Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario, volunteering for the Haliburton Highlands Health Services and participating in the Access Indicators Panel for the Ontario Hospital Association report card.
2006
Ian Ball
2002 Business Administration - Marketing graduateIan Ball graduated from the Durham College Business Administration - Marketing program in 2002 and has achieved remarkable career success. In addition to obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Ryerson University, his career successes include his position as head of Investor Relations at Goldcorp Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia, playing a critical role in the creation of McEwan Capital, based in Toronto, Ontario, and successfully completing a number of corporate mergers and acquisitions. By the age of 23, Ball was one of the youngest vice-presidents of a publicly traded company in Canada.
He annually supports Durham College through the scholarship and bursary program, helping other students obtain their dream of earning a post-secondary education.
Jeffrey S. Boyce
1980 General Business - Marketing graduateJeffrey S. Boyce graduated from the Business Administration - Marketing program in 1980 and has achieved great success in numerous professional fields. He is president and chief executive officer of Sure Energy Inc., a Calgary-based multimillion-dollar publicly traded corporation in the oil and gas sector. Boyce is also the former president and CEO of Vermilion Resources, a $1-billion oil and gas exploration and production company that he co-founded.
Recognizing the importance of community participation, he is an active volunteer with the United Way as well as various community associations and minor league sports organizations. In 2004, he was recognized by Ernst and Young as the Entrepreneur of the Year.
Sheila Corriveau
1988 Public Relations graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Public Relations program in 1988, Sheila Corriveau has held a number of senior positions in the public relations sector, including partner, president and chief executive officer of Porter Novelli Canada. She was also appointed to a global leadership position with Porter Novelli as partner and global network director.
Along with contributing to the long-term growth of Porter Novelli, Corriveau maintains a commitment to the public relations sector and Durham College by consistently working to support students and recent graduates as they find their niche in the communications world.
She has also been recognized for her achievements by her peers, including being awarded Public Relations Professional of the Year at the 2005 (Achieving Communications Excellence) Ace Awards.
2005
Ken Babcock
1985 Sports Administration graduateKen Babcock is the very accomplished athletic director at Durham College and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). A 1985 Durham College Sports Administration graduate, he oversees the marketing, promotion and operations of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre, varsity athletics programs for both schools and summer camps for children. Babcock has given back to Durham Region by developing a program for elementary students that encourages them to stay in school, avoid drugs and develop skills through athletics. In 2000, he was awarded the Durham Region Sportsman of the Year and three years later, was voted the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association Director of the Year.
Chris Bovie
1988 Journalism graduateChris Bovie, a 1988 Durham College Journalism graduate, is the managing editor of the Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington This Week, all of which are Metroland community newspapers. An award-winning reporter when he joined Metroland in 1993, his newspapers have continuously been named among the best in Ontario and Canada during his time as managing editor. Even with a demanding schedule, he has mentored youth at the Durham Family Court Clinic in Oshawa, Ontario, organized and led all aspects of the Durham Regional Spelling Bee and co-ordinated a lecture series in conjunction with the University Of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) to promote discussion around social issues facing Durham Region.
2004
Al Duffy
1976 Business Administration - Operations Management graduateA 1976 Business Administration - Operations Management graduate, Al Duffy founded the Productivity Improvement Centre, known as The PIC Group in 1985. The PIC Group began as a three-day seminar and evolved into an organization that is recognized as a quality assurance leader. It has locations in Oshawa, Ontario and Madison Heights, Michigan and satellite operations in western Ontario and throughout the southern United States. As president and chief operating officer, Duffy is responsible for approximately 1,700 employees and has hired many Durham College graduates and placement students. He also uses his knowledge and leadership skills as a member of the Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club in Scarborough, Ontario, which raises money for Ronald McDonald House through its annual Cruise for Kids event.
Andrew Popko
1987 Public Relations graduateA 1987 Durham College Public Relations graduate, Andrew Popko has built his career on creating firsts for aboriginal groups in the world of business. He is currently vice-president of Aboriginal Relations for Calgary-based EnCana Corporation. His work in the area of aboriginal relations also led to the launch of several First Nations business ventures. Popko's hard work in helping First Nations and Métis communities improve their quality of life was recognized in November 2003, when the Tribal Chiefs Institute presented him with a Lifetime Achievement award for pioneering innovative, capacity-building programs within aboriginal communities. He was also appointed Honorary Chief of the Heart Lake First Nation in August 2003. A year later, Popko began working for the Privy Council Office in Ottawa, Ontario, specializing in aboriginal issues.
2003
Darrell Sewell
1989 Business - Human Resources graduateA 1989 graduate of the Durham College Business - Human Resources program, Darrell Sewell has advanced through a number of positions, including pay equity assistant and manager of Human Resources at The Donwood Institute in East York, Ontario, director of Human Resources at Scarborough General Hospital in Scarborough, Ontario, and director of Human Resources for the Ontario March of Dimes. As chief human resources officer and corporate director of Human Resources for Lakeridge Hospital Network, he is responsible for the entire human resources portfolio, which delivers programs and services to more than 3,500 Lakeridge employees.
Sewell has contributed to Durham College in many ways, including serving on the board of directors for the Alumni Association, acting as a business representative for the college's Creating Futures fundraising campaign and offering ideas and advice for diverse college events. His community involvement includes coaching children's sports teams, chairing the annual Ontario March of Dimes charity golf tournament and canvassing door-to-door for the Ontario March of Dimes.
Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann
1988 Registered Nursing graduateA 1988 graduate of the Durham College Registered Nursing program and a career health professional, Lorraine Sunstrum-Mann is program leader of the Maternal Child program at Lakeridge Health Network in Oshawa, Ontario. In this multifaceted role she leads the development of a regional pediatric/prenatal program, a regional child, youth and family mental health program and spearheads a best-practice environment for the hospital's maternal child program. Before taking on her current role, Sunstrum-Mann held a number of positions at Lakeridge Health, including program leader for the family and general medicine program, discharge planning co-ordinator and staff nurse in the emergency department and isolation unit.
Active in her profession and the community, Sunstrum-Mann is a governor of Durham College, past-president of the Durham Northumberland County chapter of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, a member of the Emergency Nurses Association of Ontario and a member of the National Emergency Nurses Affiliation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies from York University in Toronto, Ontario and completed her MBA from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in January 2003.
Amy White
1994 Public Relations graduateA 1994 graduate of the Durham College Public Relations program, Amy White has progressed from summer student to director of Communications at the Toronto Humane Society over the course of her nine-year career in communications. In her current role she reports directly to the chief executive officer and manages eight staff members. White's experience covers a range of communications areas including media relations, crisis communication, government relations, company newsletters, special events and fundraising activities.
2002
Jane Rogers
1987 Public Relations graduateA 1987 graduate of the Durham College Public Relations program, Jane Rogers is a fundraising professional, adept communicator and manager extraordinaire. During her 15-year career she helped raise more than $30 million for a variety of not-for-profit agencies at the local, national and international levels. For the past two years she has served as director of Fund Development and Communications for the WoodGreen Community Centre in Toronto, Ontario
Rogers has given considerably to her community and alma matter, including serving on Durham College's Public Relations advisory committee. Not only does she deliver guest lectures to current Public Relations students every year, but she creates valuable field placement opportunities for them. She is vice-chair of an industry committee, offers free fundraising advice to not-for-profit agencies and is a past board member of Big Brothers of Oshawa/Whitby.
Elizabeth Mathewson
1979 Registered Nursing graduateA 1979 Durham College Registered Nursing graduate, Elizabeth Mathewson has led an active and full career since starting as a staff nurse at Boca Raton Community Hospital in Florida 23 years ago. Success at Toronto General Hospital; Sunnybrook Hospital's Regional Trauma Centre; the Peterborough Regional Health Centre; and St. Joseph's Hospital, along with further education, serve her well in her current role as a nursing professor at Fleming College in Peterborough. Mathewson holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Greenwich in England and is currently working on her Master's degree in public health nursing.
Outside of work, she has eagerly donated her expertise and time. Her volunteer activities include working with the Industrial Accident Prevention Association and the Occupational Health Nurses Association's Peterborough location. As member of the Rotary Club of Bridgenorth-Ennismore-Lakefield since 1977, she has served on its board of directors and assisted with a number of fundraising events and projects.
2001
Jennifer Franssen
1978 Personnel Administration graduateAfter graduating from the Durham College Personnel Administration program in 1978, a twist of fate took Jennifer Franssen across Canada and into an unusual role for a human resources professional. Soon after settling in Ladysmith, British Columbia with her three children, Franssen attended a workshop on earthquakes and volunteered to put together a kiosk of earthquake supplies and information for her children's school.
Her passion for emergency planning grew steadily and in 1994 she landed a position as a full-time emergency planning co-ordinator for Cowichan Valley. She has been called upon many times to assist during snowstorms, forest fires, floods and other emergencies. Franssen has also helped create a 1,500-person emergency planning volunteer team. She continues to spend many hours delivering workshops and offering guidance each week and helps ensure that other areas of British Columbia are prepared for emergencies.
Judith Grant
1997 Law and Security Administration graduateA 1997 graduate of the Durham College Law and Security Administration program, Judith Grant is a full-time constable with the primary response unit at Toronto Police Service's 41 Division in Scarborough, Ontario. Outside of work, she is equally committed to making the community a better place. Grant spends a considerable amount of time at her daughter's school, helping with special events and other activities, and every Christmas she takes part in the Durham Regional Police Service food drive. Other past volunteer activities include answering calls and providing support through the Durham Region Distress Centre in Oshawa, Ontario; educating children about street and bicycle safety; and helping with the Bloorview MacMillan Centre's golf tournament, which raises money for programs for children with disabilities. In recognition of her tireless volunteerism, Grant was awarded a YMCA Peace Medallion in 2000.
Charlotte Hale
1993 Advertising Administration graduateA 1993 graduate of the Durham College Advertising Administration program, Charlotte Hale is described as a person with initiative, vision and tenacity. She mustered the gumption to launch her own photography company while raising three young children on her own and working part-time. Her photos have won awards from Photo Life Magazine, the Toronto Sun and the Celebration of the Arts show in Uxbridge, Ontario. A few years ago she set up the Veni Vidi Studio/Gallery in Port Perry, Ontario, which showcases and promotes original Canadian artwork. Hale is also a longtime member of the Borelians Theatre Company in Port Perry and helped found the Durham Rowing Club, also in Port Perry. One of her current challenges is working toward a Bachelor of Arts in English (Honours) from the University of Waterloo.
Lorelei Hepburn
1994 Environmental Technology graduateSince graduating from the Environmental Technology program in 1994, Lorelei Hepburn has been an innovator, educator and true friend of the environment. In a few short years she built her upstart company, The Environmental Factor, into Ontario's largest privately-owned chemical- and pesticide-free lawn care provider. Her firm has expanded to serve many other areas in the Greater Toronto Area, including Scarborough, Aurora and Mississauga.
Hepburn is a member of the Durham College Environmental Technology advisory committee and founding director, communications co-ordinator and education co-ordinator for the Organic Landscaping Alliance. Last year she was nominated for a YWCA of Durham Region Women of Distinction Award.
2000
Laurie Beaton
1975 Dental Assistant graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Dental Assistant program in 1975, Laurie Beaton has distinguished herself professionally and in her community. She is the founding member and first president of the Durham Region chapter of the Ontario Dental Nurses' and Assistants' Association and has served on the association's board of governors for eight years. Since 1987, Beaton has chaired Durham College's Dental Health advisory committee. She has also generously given her time to groups including the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario in Toronto, Ontario, Camp Can Do, the Durham District School Board, The Eastview Boys' and Girls' Club in Oshawa, Ontario and Big Sisters in Oshawa. Beaton is a Level 2 dental assistant with the office of Dr. George Lysyk in Oshawa, Ontario.
Jeff Denomme
1986 Sports Administration graduateA 1986 graduate of the Durham College Sports Administration program, Jeff Denomme is president and chief operating officer of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. In this role he combines his love of hockey with a rewarding career. Credited as the driving force behind the hall's success and its use of information technology and multimedia exhibits, Denomme also spearheaded its major expansion. Recognizing the important link between his Durham College education and his career, he invites Durham College Sports Administration students to gain valuable practical experience by working at the Hockey Hall of Fame's yearly induction ceremony.
Scot Magnish
1990 Journalism graduateIf it's a Toronto Sun story dealing with crime, injustice, poverty or the unusual, the byline might belong to Scot Magnish, who credits his 1990 Durham College Journalism diploma with helping him land a job at the Sun and gain experience as a foreign correspondent and magazine writer. His series on nuclear power garnered a national newspaper award nomination and he has also helped expose corporate bribes to government officials in the Bahamas. Away from the newsroom, Magnish helps raise money for spinal cord research, supports the Heart and Stroke Foundation, has been a guest lecturer at Durham College and serves as a contact for Durham College students searching for field placements and jobs.
Paul Vessey
1975 Business Administration - Marketing graduateA 1975 Durham College Business Administration - Marketing graduate, Paul Vessey's promotion to chief operating officer at Visa USA marked the latest success in his illustrious 26-year career. In addition to his Durham College diploma, he holds a graduate degree from Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. His current and past board experience includes working with organizations such as CIBC Mortgage Corporation, Equifax Canada, the Toronto Film Festival and Women's College Hospital. Vessey is the director of the Durham College Foundation and spoke at the college's 1999 convocation ceremonies.
1999
Sheri Cooper
1985 Advertising Administration graduateSince graduating from the Advertising Administration program in 1985, Sheri Cooper's 14-year career led to her current position as broadcast director at Media Buying Services TMC in Toronto, Ontario. Cooper has maintained active contact with the college, taking on students through the field placement program and most recently, becoming a member of the Advertising Administration advisory committee.
Cooper supports a North York women's shelter, the United Way and various food banks.
David Fletcher
1984 Mechanical Engineering Technology graduateDavid Fletcher has enjoyed a distinguished career since graduating from the Durham College Mechanical Engineering Technology program in 1984. He has been a business professor at Durham College since 1986 and served as chair of the Alumni Association for two years. Outside of work, Fletcher is involved in a number of community groups such as the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the Oshawa Curling Club and Scouts Canada.
Christina Komel
1987 Early Childhood Education graduateA 1987 graduate of the Durham College Early Childhood Education program, Christina Komel is entering her 10th year as supervisor and owner of Little People's Play School Inc. in Ajax, Ontario. She has maintained a close relationship with Durham College, returning to enrol in Business Administration and Early Childhood Administration programs. Outside of work and her studies, Komel gives her time to the Girl Guides of Canada, Resources for Exceptional Children and other organizations.
William Shepherd
1973 Business Administration - Industrial graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Business Administration - Industrial program in 1973, William Shepherd's career has spanned a number of progressively important positions to his current role as director of Board and Member Services for the Ontario Real Estate Association. Having hired at least six Durham College graduates, Shepherd is an ardent college supporter. He has been involved in a number of community organizations, including Whitby Big Brothers, Faith Place and Little Ark Day Care in Oshawa, Ontario and Homes for Hope in London, Ontario.
1998
Joseph Daniel
1995 Electronic Technology graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Electronic Technology program in 1995, Joseph Daniel has been an instructor at Durham College for both daytime and evening courses. He currently owns Common Ground Automation which provides training in Allen-Bradley automation products to local and international businesses. Daniel chairs the college's Mechtronics advisory committee and played a major role in securing a donation of equipment from Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley for the $12-million Creating Futures campaign.
Thomas Dickerson
1974 Business - Marketing program graduateA 1974 graduate of the Business - Marketing program, Thomas Dickerson was recently named president of General Motors Acceptance Company of Canada (GMAC). Over the past 23 years his career at GMAC has taken him from Toronto, Ontario to Vancouver, British Columbia and Detroit, Michigan, yet he has always stayed involved in community activities. Dickerson has been active with Scouts Canada and coached the Oshawa Hawkeyes Football Club in Oshawa, Ontario to a provincial championship.
John Muldoon
1972 Public Relations graduateA 1972 graduate of the Durham College Public Relations program, John Muldoon is director of Public Affairs for Peel Regional Police. Outside of work, he is very active in numerous committees such as the Canadian Public Relations Society and the Public Relations Committee for Scouts Canada. Muldoon is founder of the Ontario Police Media Relations Network, a board member for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind for the Halton/Peel District, a member of Durham College's Public Relations advisory committee and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
1997
Scott Gibson
1989 Business Administration - Accounting graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Business Administration - Accounting program in 1989, Scott Gibson has made a difference for McDonald's Canada and Durham College. Gibson was able to bring a Durham College placement program to McDonald's head office for the first time, which enabled many students to secure full-time employment.
Now a purchasing manager, he is involved in the development of new products and the maintenance of others. He has already completed his designation of certified management accountant and is now working towards his certified purchasing professional designation.
Gibson realizes he has been given many opportunities and feels that others should have the same advantages. You can catch him at St. Vincent's Kitchen in Oshawa and serving food during McHappy Days. He also helped revitalize the United Way campaign for McDonald's head office.
Gibson is always willing to help and promote graduates of Durham College.
Robert Kowal
1981 Food and Drug Technology graduateSince earning his Durham College Food and Drug Technology diploma in 1981, Robert Kowal has been an ambassador for Durham College in the Canadian food industry as a national sales manager for Quadra Chemicals Ltd. Kowal welcomes the challenges of new technologies and willingly shares them with faculty and students of Durham College.
He is a member of both the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Canadian Professional Sales Association. He is also former director of the Peel Condominium Corporation Board.
As an advocate of continuous learning, Kowal has taken many courses to further his career and is now working towards certification as a professional sales representative.
Over the years he has provided numerous job leads to Durham College graduates and is always ready to help the college with any promotion.
Scott Parry
1991 Interior Design graduateA 1991 graduate of the Durham College Interior Design program, Scott Parry works for Global Group International as an architectural and design marketing manager. In 1996, he won Sales Representative of the Year from the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO).
Parry has dedicated many hours to ARIDO and is chair of the largest international interior design exhibition in Canada. In an effort to promote students to prospective employers, he includes their work at the exhibition. He is also a guest lecturer at design schools and attends high school career days promoting interior design.
Outside of work, Parry is a true believer in giving back to his community. He has been involved in many charitable organizations, including the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto, Ontario, Kids Help Phone and more.
1996
Joanne Burghardt
1981 Journalism graduate
From placement student to editor-in-chief - since graduating from the Durham College Journalism program in 1981, Joanne Burghardt has worked as a reporter, news editor, managing editor and for the past five years as editor-in-chief of multiple Metroland Media Group publications. She serves on the board of directors for the YWCA in Durham Region and volunteers her time for a wide range of charitable promotions including the Lakeridge Health Network and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Over the years she has provided numerous placement opportunities to Durham College students and hired several Durham College graduates for employment. Burghardt has made a positive impact on our community.
Stephen Flaro
1975 Business Administration - Accounting graduateStephen Flaro, a 1975 Durham College Business Administration - Accounting graduate, is a certified general accountant with Lakeridge Health Corporation. He is also a supporter of Durham College and his community.
Flaro is associated with numerous community organizations in different capacities including the United Way, Information Oshawa and the Oshawa/Clarington Association for Community Living.
Over the years, he has lent his knowledge and expertise to the college and many individuals, small businesses and new professionals to help them get started on the right accounting path.
Kevin Kelly
1986 Food and Drug Technology graduateSince graduating from the Durham College Food and Drug Technology program in 1986, Kevin Kelly has played an active role in developing a partnership between Durham College and Novopharm Ltd., a national company that works towards creating affordable health-care solutions.
As a laboratory supervisor, Kelly provides hands-on training to students through the college's placement program, opening Novopharm's labs for student tours and attending student career nights to provide information. He is also part of the Durham College Food and Drug Technology advisory committee.
Kelly coaches soccer and supports local charities, such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation. He is also a great ambassador of the college to his company and to the food and drug industry.
Whitney Lake
1984 Registered Nursing graduateAfter graduating from the Durham College Registered Nursing program in 1984, Whitney Lake took her career one step beyond patient care. For many years, Lake was involved with the local Ontario Nurses Association and over the last five years has served as president. She is dedicated to educating her colleagues on public health-care issues and workplace standards.
Outside the hospital, Lake gives a great deal of her time to Cobourg Police Services as vice-chair of its board. She is also chair of several other committees that are developing and studying new initiatives in policing.
Lake is recognized by her family and peers as an individual who is dedicated to enriching people's lives and making them feel more secure.
1995
Kevin Ambeault
1979 Electronic Engineering Technology graduateAfter graduating from the Electronic Engineering Technology program in 1979, Kevin Ambeault climbed his way to success at Hewlett Packard and is now a manager for the Canadian region of the company. He has been recognized by his peers with a Stars Award and by the company with a Top Contributor Club Award for his outstanding contributions and dedication.
Ambeault is also a district commissioner for Scouts Canada in Milton, Ontario where he oversees the smooth operation of scouting programs for people ages five to 26. With the co-ordination of these groups and events, he spends 25 to 40 hours a week helping youths develop a sense of pride in themselves, their environment and their community.
Shelley Jones
1985 Legal Administration graduateA 1985 graduate of the Durham College Legal Administration program, Shelley Jones started college at the age of 16 and upon graduation continued her education by completing her Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies (Honours). Jones has worked in law offices in Oshawa, Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario and is currently a senior paralegal manager/litigation law clerk at Smart & Biggar in Ottawa. She is known for her expertise in the implementation of computerized litigation support systems with her knowledge currently being tapped for a groundbreaking case in patent law.
A military spouse, Jones is also involved in an organization of Canadian military spouses, assisting with cases involving spouses of Canadian military members who are looking to receive pension benefits.
Jones is proud of her foundation in education and shares job developments with graduates of Durham College. She is recognized by her peers and supervisors for her professionalism and dedication as an employee who always strives to be the best.
1994
Fred Upshaw
1975 Registered Nursing graduateAfter graduating from the Durham College Registered Nursing program in 1975, Fred Upshaw began his career at the Whitby Mental Health Centre in Whitby, Ontario where he worked as a registered nurse. There, he became involved with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), acting as chief steward to the president of the local union.
Upshaw has served as president of OPSEU, which represents 110,000 Ontario public sector workers, vice-president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Labour. He was president of the Toronto region of the Jaycees organization and served as its national director of leadership training. He also coached minor sports in Oshawa, Ontario for 20 years.
Glen Wright
1971 Business Administration - Marketing graduateGlen Wright, a 1971 Durham College Business Administration - Marketing graduate, is chairman and chief executive officer of Wright Mogg and Associates Ltd., in Waterloo, Ontario, a company that specializes in pensions, benefits and actuarial and human resource consulting. In addition, he is president of Compass International and Employment Research Analysis Inc. and a member of the board of directors for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the Spicer Corporation.
Wright has been involved in many different political and community organizations including serving as a Region of Waterloo councillor and as national vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He is a member of the board of directors for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Technology for the Environment and the Waterloo Regional Industrial Coalition.
1993
Terry Boyle
1976 Journalism graduateAfter graduating from the Durham College Journalism program in 1976, Terry Boyle published a small volume of poetry before becoming the editor and publisher of a travel magazine. In 1980 he published the book Under This Roof: Family Homes of Southern Ontario.
Over the next few years, Boyle taught creative writing at Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario and owned a garden centre. In 1987, he hit the airwaves on the radio station CFMX-FM in Toronto, Ontario.
Boyle attended York University in Toronto and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and began teaching special education in 1989. He has completed four books and is working on the fifth.
Francine Fortier
1970 Advertising Administration graduateFollowing graduation from the Durham College Advertising Administration program in 1970, Francine Fortier worked as a writer, photographer and layout artist for the Oshawa Journal (Oshawa This Week), spent two years as an assistant editor with Prudential Financial in Toronto, Ontario and then worked for the Independent Order of Foresters for five years as editor of the Independent Forester.
She then developed a career as an artist and has exhibited her work throughout Ontario and internationally. Fortier is also co-owner of Signs of All Kinds. During this time, she has contributed to the community by volunteering her time to teach art, writing, play production and more.
1992
Ron Backwell
1969 Mechanical Drafting graduateAfter graduating from the Durham College Mechanical Drafting program in 1969, Ron Backwell began his career with Duplate Canada Inc. in Toronto, Ontario as a mechanical draftsman and technician. Backwell returned to Durham College and in 1979 graduated from the Mechanical Technology program. He has completed additional programs at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, the Canadian Institute of Management and North Texas Central College. This award-winning leader has been a professional business manager since 1988 and is currently president and owner of Backwell Quality Systems, a consulting firm.
Among his community work, Backwell has been a member of the Durham College Technology advisory committee, chair of the Quality Engineering Technician advisory committee and a past member of the Aviation advisory committee. He has also been active in many associations and served as a night school teacher.
John Mather
1969 Business - Data Processing graduateNot only is John Mather a 1969 graduate of the Durham College Business - Data Processing program, he is also director of Administrative Computing at the college. Of course his commitment doesn't stop with his job - Mather was one of the founding members of the Durham College Alumni Association in 1985.
Within the community, he was named Rotarian of the Year in 1985, has been active in coaching many teams in Oshawa and has provided administrative support to many associations.
1991
Heather Campbell
1985 Legal Administration graduateHeather Campbell graduated from the Durham College Legal Administration program on the dean's list in 1985. She started her career as a corporate law clerk with Goodman and Carr LLP in Toronto, Ontario. During her first year of employment, the firm decided to computerize its records, so Campbell, along with the Corporate Services department, worked with computer consultants to affect the change. Upon completion of this project, she was ready for a career move. Campbell received a reference from the firm and accepted a job as junior consultant with KPMG LLP, the Canadian member of KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services worldwide.
Natural ability and hard work enabled her to become a senior consultant with the firm and she is still advancing. Her current position involves strategic and project planning and the facilitation and co-ordination involved in implementing information systems.
As a member of the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Legal Technology, Campbell volunteers her time as editor of its quarterly magazine review. She is also a technology manager for The Law Office Management Journal and writes a regular computer software review column for Maclean's magazine.
Campbell is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Administrative Studies at York University in Toronto, Ontario. She is also an active member of the Durham College Legal Administration advisory committee.
Lynn Chaytor
1985 Public Relations graduateLynn Chaytor graduated from the Durham College Public Relations program in 1985. She is a founding member of the college's Alumni Association and served on the Public Relations advisory committee.
Chaytor is now the president of her own company, Creative Impact, which specializes in public relations, video scriptwriting, brochure writing, copywriting, event planning and producing newsletters for clients such as London Visitors and the London Convention Centre.
She has co-ordinated the Rubber Ducky Race and Jump Rope for The Heart and Stroke Foundation, raising close to $200,000; represented Durham College as a successful alumna at a community conference in Ottawa; and served as a member of the provincial steering committee for National Access Awareness Week.
She organized the London PUC Participation program, and in 1988, co-ordinated Team Ontario's training camp in preparation for the Canada Summer Games. Chaytor has also helped to arrange Labatt's 24-hour Relay Race, which raises money for London's three hospitals.
In her spare time, she canvasses for the Canadian Cancer Society and collects money for Amabile, an award-winning children's choir. She also has a personal interest in theatre and music.
Joan Gates
1977 Registered Nursing graduateJoan Gates graduated from the Durham College Registered Nursing program in 1977. She has worked at the Whitby Mental Health Centre since February 1978 and now maintains the status of general nurse II. Gates is also president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) local and has been extremely proactive in promoting health and safety for all patients and staff within hospitals and the nursing profession. She is an active member of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO).
1990
Barbara Cassel
1977 Registered Nursing graduateBarbara Cassel is a 1977 graduate of Durham College's Registered Nursing program and president of the Durham Region chapter of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario. She is also a member of the Durham College Nursing Diploma advisory committee. Cassel currently works as a visiting nurse for Saint Elizabeth Health Care in Toronto, Ontario. Previously, she held the position of psychotherapy nurse at the Whitby Mental Health Centre and correctional nurse at the Whitby Jail.
She is a member of the Ontario Correctional Nurses' Interest Group, the Nurses Christian Fellowship, Nurse Healers - Professional Associates International, Canadian Parents for French and more. Married with three children, Cassel is enrolled in the University of Ottawa's post-Registered Nursing program offered via Durham College's distance education program. She was the speaker at Durham College's winter convocation in 1996 for Nursing and Engineering Technician graduates.
Cassel is an advocate for crib safety including being interviewed for numerous media reports that highlight her efforts to heighten awareness of crib safety issues. Her hard work was rewarded with a regulation change requiring that a fixed mattress support system be put in place for all new cribs issued by Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs.
Dave Thom
1973 Business - Data Processing graduateDave Thom is a 1973 graduate of the Business - Data Processing program at Durham College. As a student he was president of the Student Association in his final year. After leaving Durham College, he joined Maple Leaf Foods in its data processing department as a master console operator. Shortly thereafter he was chosen to program its least-cost formulations, which select ingredients for daily production based on the cost of each morning's ingredients. Later he moved to the production floor to perform a cost accounting function for the cooked meats division.
In his spare time, Thom teaches scuba diving and works on getting his private pilot's license at the Oshawa Airport. He married his wife Kathy in 1975 and they have a son named Adam.
Later in his career, Thom's interests changed to the confection business and he became a plant accounting manager for Cadbury Schweppes in Scarborough, Ontario. After five years, he was promoted to controller with Warner Lambert Canada.
Trudie Zavadovics
1988 Public Relations graduate
1989 Journalism graduateOne of the first three recipients of the prestigious Durham College Alumnus of Distinction award, Trudie Zavadovics is a graduate of the college's Public Relations and Journalism programs.
In 1990, when she received the alumnus award, she was using her journalism skills reporting for the Whitby Free Press and writing the column, Both Ends of the Scale, for Oshawa and Whitby This Week.
Zavadovics has worked tirelessly in the field of child abuse prevention and was a founding member of Outreach Abuse Prevention, a grassroots pioneer organization focusing on streetproofing and abuse prevention techniques for children.
She has also hosted two cable television series, including Heavy into Fitness, a talk show focused on body image issues, coupled with a yoga class. The other, The Trudie Show, was a call-in talk show dealing with community issues such as AIDS education in schools.
Zavadovics currently works in the field of holistic health care as a stress management specialist.
