Class notes

Rev. Dr. J. Robert Hankinson (BA’69) received a King Charles III Coronation Medal for his leadership in interfaith work advancing social justice and community engagement.

From Woozles to the Discovery Centre, Liz Crocker (BA’67) receives national recognition for advancing children’s learning and discovery.

Mary Barker (BA’67) is quoted in Rethinking the Table, contributing insights on women’s leadership and representation in Canadian public relations.

When Dr. Megan Coggins and Dr. (Col) Ronald Dr. Harris (BSc'63) met, serendipitously, aboard Expedition Ship Polaris, they discovered they had even more in common.

Mary Barker (BA’67) was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Public Relations Society-Nova Scotia (CPRS-NS).

The University of Saskatchewan recognized Professor Emeritus Dr. Mel Hosain (PhD'69) for his distinguished teaching career and support of engineering scholarships.

Commercial litigation lawyer Richard Payne (BA’81, LLB’84) was appointed president of the Commercial Law League of America (CCLA), becoming its first Canadian to assume the presidency.

First published in 1995, Roger Thompson’s (BA'89/91, MA'94) MA thesis has earned enduring recognition as a foundational work in U.S. military bureaucratic politics. He now serves as a Research Fellow at Dal’s Centre for the Study of Security and Development and is ranked within the top 100 tutors on language platform, Preply.

In his poignant new biographical-fiction novel about a son’s journey from Africa to Canada, Ben Osemeke (MDE'87) honours his father’s influence on identity, family and hope.

Roger Thompson (BA’89/’91, MA’94) recounts teaching Korean pop star Park Ye Eun in Korea and how those ties continue in his current tutoring work.

Dr. Robert W. Robertson (MPA’84) was named a Fellow of the City and Guilds London Institute for his innovative leadership in higher education and commitment to advancing work-based learning.

Roger Thompson (BA’89/’91, MA’94) honoured his late mentor, Rear-Admiral Fred Crickard (BA’71, MA’93), with a sculpted tribute recognizing his lasting influence and guidance. In return, Thompson was thanked with a command coin.

Donald Murray’s (LLB’84) new book, Howie Morenz: The Greatest Season, explores hockey’s first legend, shaped by his decades of legal experience.

Timothy Lemay (BA’78, LLB’81) retired as Deputy Director at UNCITRAL in Vienna, where he and wife Sonya Brander (BA'81, LLB’85) reside.

Roger Thompson (BA’89/91, MA’94) returns to Canada after seven years teaching top-ranked civic ideals course in South Korea, now launching his online tutoring career with Harvard certification.

Forty years after earning her industrial engineering degree at Dal, Linda Lefler (BEng'85) returned to pursue an MFA in Fiction at King’s. Exploring how engineers are portrayed in literature, she's been inspired by a former mentor with shared connections — who may even get a cameo in a future novel.

The award was presented in recognition of Susan D. Turner's (BEDS'87, MArch'89) contributions to making the Envision Unlimited Dream Home a reality.

The 16 Dal alumni and others were celebrated by Atlantic Business Magazine at a ceremony in Halifax on May 15.

Dr. Brian Todd (MSc'84, PhD'88)'s has retired as a marine geoscientist from the Geological Survey of Canada at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth, N.S., following rewarding, decades-long career.

The reunion dinner will be hosted by alumni Michael and Pat Bonner, Ron Buckley and Jeff Piekarski on September 6, 2025 in New Brunswick.

President and CEO of the University College of the Cayman Islands, Dr. Robert W. Robertson (MPA'84) received the fellowship earlier this year, awarded to individuals who show the extensive impact of their leadership.

Readers of this ultimate, illustrated guidebook by Dr. Beverly Vincent (BSc'83, PhD'88) will deepen their knowledge of the King of Horror.

Wendy Watson-Wright (PhD'86) has been elected Chair of the United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection.

Recently appointed to the Standards Council of Canada’s (SCC) Governing Council, Ahmed Shalabi (BEng'85) has a new work of fiction available.

CEO Tonie Chaltas (Arnold) (BComm‘89) was recognized by WXN (Women’s Executive Network) as one of the outstanding women across Canada in 2023.

Sara Filbee (MBA/LLB'81) published a book to provide leaders and managers perspectives on becoming more effective in increasingly uncertain and complex times.

Sonia Chaudhary (BScPT’00, MHA’09) was the 2025 Chapter Award for Distinguished Service recipient from the Nova Scotia & PEI Chapter of the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Human rights lawyer Adriana Leigh (BA’01) releases book examining trauma sensitivity, leadership, and psychological safety in modern workplaces.

In Fall 2025, Dr. Martha Paynter (MDE'04, BScN'17, PhD'22) released Lawless, a vital, clear, and scholarly guide to abortion access under full decriminalization in Canada.

Stephen Shore (BSc’04), Office Managing Partner at Littler in Toronto, was recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada™.

Brenda Hogan (MBA’03) wed William Woodcock in Toronto, August 2024, joined by Dal student nieces and fellow alumni friends.

Dr. Zarya Rubin (MD’00) launched Outsmart Burnout, a weekly podcast offering tools, insights, and expert advice to help women in midlife recover from stress and burnout.

Paul Bailey (MBA’05, BComm’03) accepted the RISE Award for Membership Achievement on behalf of Meeting Professionals International's Atlantic Canada Chapter at the 2025 World Education Congress.

Architecture alumni Stephanie Hosein (BEDS'08, MArch'10) and Jordan Rice (BEDS'10, MArch'12) are said to represent the best of the company, with "leadership grounded in curiosity, collaboration and the unexpected."

The music alum (BM'00) released "Remembered in Exile: Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia" through Chicago's Drag City Records in April 2025.

The 16 Dal alumni and others were celebrated by Atlantic Business Magazine at a ceremony in Halifax on May 15.

The Honourable Judge Claude Haché (BA'03) was appointed judge of the New Brunswick provincial court on December 16, 2021. He recently transferred from Saint John to Moncton.

Sabreena Delhon (MA'07) was awarded the Coronation Medal for service to Canada in November 2024.

Dr. Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon (BEng'02) describes regenerating pasture land in the South American country of Ecuador in an article from Resource magazine.

Lucas Maxwell (MI'07) has been awarded the British Empire Medal for his work in school libraries and education.

Named 'Writer to Watch' by CBC Books, Charlene Carr (BA'09) continues to be recognized for her most recent books, Hold My Girl (2023) and We Rip the World Apart (2024).

James Sejjengo (MSW'05) has been promoted to Director of Services at Reena, a Toronto-based organization which provides residential, respite and counselling services.

Ameeta Vohra (BA'04) joined the editorial team for the 2024 Women's World Hockey Championship held in New York.

With over 20 years of experience, Nick Tobin (BEng'01) continues to play a key role in shaping Canada’s engineering profession.

Former classmates, Commander Daniel Rice (BEng'05) and Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Brooks (BEng'06), reunited while serving in Baghdad, Iraq.

Amanda Cluett's (MA'06) business has opened a studio in Dartmouth for designing curated gift baskets and boxes.

Asim Khan's (BEng'01, MASc'04, PhD'11) consulting firm Analyze and Improve Inc. is a continuous-improvement brand of choice for mining and natural resources.

Dr. Genevieve Breau (BSc'07, MA'11) is a lecturer in Public Health at the University of Greenwich.

Dal Aggie Tracy Marques (DTech'08) reflects on and appreciates their agricultural journey and lifestyle working in the agriculture and pet industries.

Schulich Law alum Rob Richler (LLB'07, MBA‘07) is now partner at Ontario-based Bernardi Human Resource Law LLP.

Dedicated to uplifting communities, Sura Hadad (DDS'03) has earned recognition for her work.

Finn Magee (BComm’22) returns to Canada’s insurance industry as CEO of Insurtech Canada, driving innovation and collaboration among insurers, startups, and investors.

Natasha Fortin (BSc'24) is interning in Uganda with Reach One Touch One Ministries, focusing on elderly care. Through community outreach and home visits, she’s gaining insight into global health, equity, and sustainable, culturally informed health care solutions for underserved populations.

Faramarz Jalili (MHA'24), now a PhD student, researches the bidirectional relationship between food insecurity and cancer outcomes in Canada.

Dr. Tam Pham (PhD'24) was selected among 250 youths to attend the Y7 Summit in May of 2025, which brings together young leaders from the G7 countries.

Gabrielle Clark (BSc'21, MSc'24) researches animal behaviour, neurobiology, and welfare. Her latest work studies mink perinatal environments.

Perry Yung (JD’20), whose practice focuses on employment law, recently joined the Toronto-based firm as an associate.

For her trailblazing research and advocacy in women’s health, Dr. Rachel Ollivier (PhD'22) has been recognized by WXN as one of Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 award winners in the 'RBC Future Launch Future Leaders' category.

Award winner Dr. Muhammad Usman Asad (PhD'23) has graduated from Dalhousie's Department of Electrical Engineering.

Finn Magee (BComm'22) was recognized by Insurance Business Canada as a 2024 Rising Star.

Lixuan Wei (BComm'22) thanks 'the university he cherishes most' for instilling confidence and courage during his studies.

Youth advocate Stacie Smith (BScK'20) of New Brunswick is the Emerging Leader for Atlantic Canada.

Dal Neuroscience and Psychology alum Dawn Web (BSc'22) is the author of Red Corner, a collection of poems. This work explores identity, love, growth, perseverance and navigating the aftermath of intergenerational trauma.

Nurse Leslie McCarthy (MN'20) is pursuing certification in psychiatry and mental health to specialize in transgender health.

William Mai (BMgmt'23) is working as an analyst at Northback Holdings. He offers advice for fellow new grads, or anyone working towards their goals.

Faculty of Management alum Jennifer Dubois (BComm'21) is happy to be making Nova Scotia her home.

Thomas Sangwine (BComm'20) has earned a promotion with RBC Capital Markets in Calgary.