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Lara Victoria has been appointed as a member of the Delta Police Board by the province of British Columbia. As a provincial appointee and resident of the community, she joins the board in duties related to the governance of the Delta Police department. Lara wishes to bring greater awareness to matters related to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging and indigeneity within the department as well as the community it serves. She believes that the leadership skills learned at Smith School of Business during her MBA program, along with the Certificate of Social Impact, has well-prepared her to execute the responsibilities of this role. 

I began working at Toronto Research Chemicals as an analytical chemist where I, alongside others including fellow Queen’s graduates, help ensure the quality of compounds produced, including many vital to ongoing COVID-19 research.

I joined Statistics Canada as a senior analyst. In addition, as a co-founder of ENAAF Inc., I opened a branded footwear and clothing store in Scarborough, Toronto. I continue the footwear and clothing wholesale and import business as a co-founder.

After graduating from the BMus program at Queen’s, I now currently work as a centre rep for the Royal Conservatory of Music in Pickering, Ont., and manage a music school called The Song Spot in Whitby, Ont. We have almost 300 students and continue to grow each year. I am currently enrolled in the Music Business Management course at Durham College and cannot wait to expand my career from there! I continue to play music regularly in the GTA with various classical and contemporary groups. I hope my fellow alumni have continued their passion for music!

Victoria Granova was honoured as Canada's Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity by IT World Canada for 2021. Victoria is the Founder of CyberToronto, a community-focused cybersecurity organization that runs educational and training conferences for information security professionals in Canada. In December, her conference welcomed more than 700 people to learn from top industry CISOs and executives. She is also a cybersecurity instructor and a Ph.D student focusing on the intersection of psychology, cybersecurity and organizational behaviour. Victoria also recently joined Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Security Technical Program Manager.

On Sept. 25, 2021 myself and Brandon Ratz were married! We met at a wine and cheese party in 2015 at my student house on MacDonnell Street.

I got married this year (on April Fools’ Day!) to Zahin Hussain (Artsci’16). We met while we were at Queen’s, kept in touch, and started dating in 2020 when Zahin moved back to Canada (after working in Vietnam, Philippines, and South Korea). We were quite involved in the Queen’s community during our time there: Zahin was the President of AIESEC Queen’s; I was the President of the Queen’s International Affairs Association; we were both in the executive of the Queen’s South Asian Association; and I was recognized with the Tricolour Award. I have been appointed as the Government of Ontario’s representative in India, where I will be leading the Ontario Trade and Investment Offices. 

Scott and Catherine are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Charlotte Anne, who was born on July 8, 2021.

Just sharing my good news as a hire to Queen’s in January 2020. I moved to Kingston from Georgetown, Ont., to attend Queen’s in 2007, and couldn’t bring myself to leave after graduation. I completed my certified property manager certification in 2018 and was extremely excited to join the Queen’s Community Housing team in January 2020 after eight years in the property management industry. The pandemic definitely made my experiences as a new staff member interesting, but the team I work with has been fantastic and I’m happy I made the transition into this role. I’ve since purchased my first house in the west end, and I don’t foresee moving away from Kingston (or Queen’s) any time soon!

After 40 years working in the aerospace industry, I retired in early 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic altered a few of my assumptions about careers and priorities. Now, I’m combining my management consulting experiences with the love of photography, writing, and all things culinary. And of course, I am glueing it all together in the brave new world of social networking (check out a few of my delish creations @thesauceison). Some other priorities include: bicycling, fundraising for a network of local hospitals and, most enjoyably, relishing in the evolving spirit of a three-year-old granddaughter. Best regards to Queen’s alumni and classmates!

Michael Schauch is excited to share the release of his audiobook, A Story of Karma: Finding Love and Truth in the Lost Valley of the Himalaya published by RMB. The story chronicles Michael and his wife Chantal’s journey into a hidden Himalayan valley that had been closed off to outsiders for generations and how his failed attempt to find and scale an elusive pyramid mountain led him to meet a little girl in a remote mountain village. The encounter with Karma (the little girl) and her family would be the most profound connection of his life, changing the trajectory of all of their lives forever.   

Rob joined Bernardi Human Resources Law LLP in December 2020. Rob is assisting employees and employers through his role as an employment lawyer, workplace investigator, and trainer.

I have been working as a general dentist for the past 12 years. Recently I started teaching violin on the side. I am married and have a seven-year-old son.

Dr. Amanda L. J. Duffus was promoted to professor of biology at Gordon State College, a unit in the University System of Georgia, U.S. Dr. Duffus has been working at GSC since she completed her PhD in the U.K. in 2010. The majority of her time is spent teaching undergraduates and engaging them in undergraduate research. Her area of expertise is in emerging herpetological diseases an area she has been working in since she graduated from Queen’s.

Craig Jones has co-written Chasing the Blues: A Traveler’s Guide to America’s Music published by Backbeat Books (September 2021). Jones completed his doctorate in international political economy in the department of Political Studies under the supervision of Charles Pentland and went on to teach at Loyalist and St. Lawrence Colleges before returning to full-time research and policy analysis at the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research and the Centre for Studies in Primary Care. He later headed two NGOs: the John Howard Society of Canada, during the rollout of the Harper crime agenda, and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, during the run-up to cannabis legalization. With co-author Josephine Matyas, Jones toured and researched across the Mississippi Delta to produce a traveller’s guide to the headwaters of one of America’s truly distinct contributions to world culture: the blues.

After a 32-year career in the Canadian Forces and a three-year stint as the chief of staff at Campbellford Memorial Hospital, I have retired from the practice of medicine to spend time on my 18-acre estate near Stirling, Ont. There, with my wife Nancy and my stepdaughter Kristin, I lounge by the pool, maintain my grounds, target shoot, and enjoy my vinyl record collection. P.S. I still have that 1973 MGB!

Andy was appointed to the role of vice president and head of Application Services for Fujitsu Americas. Andy lives in Carp, Ont., with his partner Elisabeth Cocco.

Robert McCann, FRSC (BScH ‘89) was named a Canada Research Chair in mathematics, economics, and physics at the University of Toronto in 2021. Robert looks back fondly on the training he received at Queen’s, as he shares his knowledge and discoveries with Canada’s next generation of scientific leaders. He lives in a semi-detached home in Toronto, which he shares with his wife, Carolyn, their three sons (born in 2012, 2014, and 2016), and his mother Daisy. His nearest neighbour is a fellow Queen’s Musical Theatre alumnus from the 1986 production of Company. He would be happy to hear from former associates at Queen’s, including classmates, QMT, Queen’s Orchestra, and Kingston Symphony alumni. Cha Gheill! 

I write children’s books now that I am retired. The Teacup Tree is about a friendship between a tree stump, a lonely grandfather, and his chatty granddaughter, which will melt the hardest heart. The best thing to do after reading this story is for every parent or grandparent and grandchild to give each other the biggest bear hug imaginable and then go outside to hug a tree, together. This beautifully illustrated story is geared for children ages six to nine but will warm the heart of everybody who feels that every moment with their child is precious.

Virginia Heffernan signed a deal with Toronto’s ECW Press for her book on the ramifications of the multi-billion dollar Ring of Fire mineral discovery in the James Bay Lowlands. Settlers in the Wetlands: The Story of the Ring of Fire Discovery is a tale of prospectors and politics and the valuable discovery under the second-largest temperate wetland in the world in the traditional lands of the Cree and Ojibway. The book casts light on the growing global conflict among resource development, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous rights. The book is the product of Virginia’s MFA in creative non-fiction at the University of King’s College, Halifax. Publication is set for early 2023.

William Finn (aka Dohmie) Pfifer-Dohm was born Aug. 23, 2021 at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, U.K. His weight was 3.74 kilograms and rumour has it he is 55 centimetres tall already! Everyone thinks he has strong lungs and we dream he will wear his dad’s Queen’s jacket on campus 18 years from now! 

After a long and circuitous period of discernment, complicated by COVID-19, Paul Peters Derry MDiv (Vancouver), DMin (Chicago) and STM (Winnipeg), was ordained to the “transitional diaconate” by the Rt Rev Geoffrey Woodcroft of the Diocese of Rupert’s Land on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021. Ordained to the Ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Pastoral Care within The United Church of Canada (1990), Paul has wandered and wondered his way into the Anglican communion. When he was ordained the first time, he was “transferred and settled” to the Shared Anglican-United Church Ministry of All Saints’ Anglican Church and St Andrew’s United Church, Sept-Iles, Quebec. His involvement with Anglicanism actually goes back to his participation in the life and work of Canterbury House, the Anglican chaplaincy centre on the Queen’s campus, under the direction of the Rev. Sel and Joan Caradus. What a long and winding road it has been! Paul continues his work as clinical service lead - Spiritual Health Services at Winnipeg’s Victoria Hospital and to his commitment as certified supervisor-educator of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) through the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC).

I’d love to share my newest published work: my fourth oracle card deck was self-published this year. Cat Herbal Oracle Deck and I have lots more .

Happy to announce the publication of my fourth book in October 2021 from Dundurn Press. It builds on my research/writing on coping with modern-day complexity, but this time I take a more personal approach. Hard To Be Human: Overcoming Our 5 Cognitive Design Flaws is my attempt to examine what makes being human so hard some of the time. And along the way, I share some deeply personal anecdotes about my own struggles as they relate to the “5 Big Flaws” of the human brain/mind. I’m still getting mileage from my Queen’s philosophy degree!

Annette was recognized by Humber College as a recipient of the 2021 League Excellence Award. League for Innovation in the Community College is an international non-profit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. It has been dedicated to informing, inspiring, and celebrating innovation in learning, teaching, staff development, and student success. This award specifically celebrates outstanding contributions and leadership.

Three classmates Philip Hamilton (Gatineau) and Kent Rogers (Georgia), and Ralph Yarnell (Vermont) celebrate a combined 129 years of anesthesiology practice, getting together this past summer at the lake. Ralph retired in 2018; Phil now works part-time; and Kent retired in 2021. Ralph and Phil first travelled to New Zealand for training after graduation. Ralph spent years as Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology and Residency Director in Boston and Vermont; Phil worked in the Ottawa area and the UAE in academic and private practice; and Kent was a cardiac anesthesiologist in Toronto and Atlanta. Their wives sustained them in their journeys from Queen’s to the present. Their careers were invigorating and fulfilling, and they remain grateful for the wonderful classmates they met during their medical school years. 

Linda Dawn Thomson published a children’s book, entitled, Finding Us in 2021, published through Friesen Press.

At Queen’s, I majored in Economics and lived in the Animal House (McNeil) residence for the first year. Second year, I lived on University Avenue with the prominent John Wilson (my mentor, who died young tragically), the Dixon brothers, and Dean Manjuris in the warm basement. I graduated from Osgoode and went to Calgary where I lucked into a position with Macleod Dixon, spending about eight years doing oil and gas law, then later banking, M&A, and securities law. From the Calgary highs and lows – marrying Nancy Dougay in 1980, and starting our family – we moved to Ottawa to be in the branch office of Blaney, McMurtry, Stapells to do corporate/commercial law. In 1995, I went to Mississauga to join Keyser Mason Ball to do banking and commerce. In 2000, I opened up my own practice with an Oakville base. Though past the 65-year-old threshold for retirement, I remain in practice.

Allan and Elizabeth live in Eganville, Ont. where both are semi-retired.  Allan served as a Chaplain in the Canadian Forces before being medically released. He then trained in marriage and family therapy and is now a registered psychotherapist and a registered marriage and family therapist. His private practice is Trinity Down Counselling Services. He was recently told by a neighbour in Eganville, "We used to listen to you on CFRC." Allan and Elizabeth have three children. Reconnect with Allan and Elizabeth. 

Gim was appointed the National Chair for the Canadian Bridge Federation Charitable Foundation, a position he has held since 2007. Bridge Clubs run charity games and the CBFCF in turn donates these funds to deserving charities across Canada.

Congratulations to Dr. Jenny (Lobb) Ingram, who recently received two significant honours: the Seniors CareNetwork Visionary Award 2021 and an appointment to a new Advocacy Panel of the Ontario Medical Association. As a geriatric medicine specialist, she founded the Kawartha Centre – Redefining Healthy Aging, which is a dementia clinical and research facility in Peterborough, Ont. The Visionary Award 2021 cited her two-decade role in the development of 12 nurse practitioner-led complex senior’s medical clinics called GAIN Teams (Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Network). The pandemic response failed persons with dementia leading her to a new advocacy role. Dr. Ingram will bring this passion for senior’s rights to the OMA’s Advocacy Panel as one of seven appointed physicians.

After graduating from Queen’s, I returned to Ottawa and eventually began work on my MA thesis in political science for Carleton University, comparing Indigenous land rights in Canada and Australia. As part of my research, I travelled to Canberra, Australia, in 1978 where, without having ever planned to do so, I applied for and was accepted into the law school of the Australian National University. After graduating from the ANU Law School in 1981, I spent a couple of years in private legal practice, followed by several years as a corporate in-house lawyer before joining the Australian Public Service in 1990, the year I also got married in Adelaide. Some of the highlights of my career were helping draft and implement legislation to set up Australia’s sports drug agency and the National Environment Protection Agency, a national regime for the recognition of Indigenous native title, as well as spending three years in Darwin in the Northern Territory as manager of the Aboriginal Land Rights legislation section. My final position before retiring was as General Counsel and Senior Legal Officer in the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC). Just thought some might be interested in which direction my degree from Queen’s ended up taking me — some major and unexpected changes in direction that I would have never thought of at the time of my graduation.  

Jim Campbell has been Director, Development at the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra since October 2018. This is his first opportunity to work in the world of the performing arts. In his community volunteer roles, Jim is President of the Alberta Wilderness Association and also serves on the board of the Centre for Suicide Prevention. Contact Jim.

I retired in 2021 from the Queen’s University Library system after 35 years.  I retired from IT project management consulting in 2002, and returned to teaching. I retired from teaching high school mathematics and science in 2008 and picked up the pace on my old hobby: building computer models of various kinds of dynamic systems. In 2010, I started to study economic models and the issues around economic sustainability. I quickly came to the conclusion that modern economies are somewhat unstable. I also realized that they are entirely unsustainable if they do not have an ever-increasing feedstock of energy. I now regularly make presentations about my models at a variety of economic and other conferences, and I am a guest lecturer from time to time in various universities.

Storme Blais (nee Genge, my Facebook name) enjoying the eighth year of retirement from CBE and winters in Mexico with Jim MacNichol, celebrating 21 years together! Facebook contacts welcome.

On July 9, 2021, I completed 47 years as a Judge in the Criminal Division of the Provincial Court of Alberta, presiding primarily in Calgary. In that part of my life, I served as President of the Alberta Provincial Judges Association, and for 12 years as the Assistant Chief Judge in Calgary and Region. In October 2021, I will complete 55 years as a member of Lions Clubs International, the largest and most responsive service club organization in the world, with 1.4 million men and women members in close to 50,000 clubs in 213 countries and geographic areas. I was privileged to serve as the International President in 1987-1988. In that office, I was able to visit close to one hundred nations and to meet with many heads of state, ambassadors, premiers, governors and municipal leaders. In addition, I was invited to speak at the UN and at the Houses of Parliament in London, England. In my blended family, I am the proud father of four wonderful girls, 11 outstanding grandchildren, and six marvellous great-grandchildren. When I consider the many privileges I have enjoyed in the first 81 years of my life, I count my three years attending Queen’s to be at the top of the list. I’m a proud member of the Tricolour Guard.

We follow the sun – July, August, September – on Lake Champlain islands in northern Vermont; seven months in Lima (Miraflores), Perú, from November through May; and two months (coming and going) on Fripp Island, South Carolina. I’ve been retired since 2015, after 48 years of teaching Spanish and coaching cross-country skiing, hockey, and track at WRA in Hudson, Ohio. Warmest regards from myself and Rossana Raffo. 

We moved back to Florida after a three-month visit to Arpaillargues, Uzes, and Nimes in southern France and a year in Dennis Port, Cape Cod. We decided to shelve our plans to apply for a long-term visa to live in France due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cape Cod was too cold for us, so we opted for the warmth and palm trees of southwest Florida. We now live in Venice, where we are gardening and mowing our lawn as well as converting our pool from chlorine to salt treatment. 

My highlight of the COVID-19 pandemic? I edited Canoe for Change: A Journey Across Canada by Glenn Green and Carol VandenEngel, published by Friesen Press in 2021. This book chronicles the trans-Canada canoe trip over three summers by a Kingston couple who raised funds for Loving Spoonful, highlighting awareness of food sustainability. It was the thrill of a lifetime for me. I felt like I, too, had canoed across Canada!

Since graduating, I have become a teacher at I-Shou International School in Taiwan. I am a physics and science teacher. My students inspire me to try my best and to deliver engaging and differentiated lessons to them every day.
I have had the opportunity to bring maker-learning into my classroom with tools like Scratch, MakeyMakey, and Falstad simulation. To the current students at Queen’s, I want you to know that, as a team, anything is possible. I could not have made it through the year without my fellow teachers helping and working with me. You will find your school and your team that will support your teaching and learning. Lastly, in class, try to think of yourself as a curator of learning and not a keeper of knowledge.

After graduating, Emma immediately began a career in business development with IMRSV Data Labs with Queen’s alumnus Bennett Brown (MIB’15). In January 2021, Emma joined Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), as a stakeholder relations specialist. DOT is an international non-governmental organization based in Ottawa founded by Queen’s alumna Janet Longmore. DOT works at the intersection of youth leadership, social entrepreneurship, innovation and digital transformation. It supports young women to develop and lead social impact in their communities. DOT’s global network of youth has created opportunities for over one million community members across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and among the Indigenous in Canada. She says, “Being a Queen’s alumni has truly opened doors due to the reputation Queen’s and Queen’s students hold within the business community.”

I retired from the City of Toronto a year ago, where I was an engineer in transportation asset management for 20 years; prior to that I was at the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario for 10 years. After retiring, I moved to Montreal and am living in the neighbourhood I grew up in. These days, I’m mostly repairing and painting at the cottage and bought a new car. In general, I am doing that which was not possible when there was no time because I was working full time.

Steve Trumper recently retired as CEO of CreateTO, the City of Toronto’s real estate agency. Steve has had a long and adventuresome career in law. He spent many years as a partner with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt in Toronto, and lived overseas in Hong Kong and Bermuda. Steve is enjoying this new phase of his career pursuing his passion for city building and finding solutions to our affordable housing crisis. Contact Steve.

We are pleased to share that we are now a complete Queen’s family, as our son Justin has graduated from Queen’s Medical School (Meds’21) in a virtual ceremony. He joins his older sister Meghan (Law’16) as an alumnus of Queen’s and we are very proud of their accomplishments! We would love to hear from friends in our 35th class year at Paul.K.Tait@ontario.ca.

Annette was recognized by Humber College as a recipient of the 2021 League Excellence Award. League for Innovation in the Community College is an international non-profit organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. It has been dedicated to informing, inspiring, and celebrating innovation in learning, teaching, staff development, and student success. This award specifically celebrates outstanding contributions and leadership.

Now retired from his prison law practice, John has authored numerous op-ed columns for The Lawyer’s Daily on various aspects dealing with corrections. John also served on the Law faculty at Queen’s as Director of the Correctional Law Project (now the Queen’s Prison Clinic). John’s book, Pine Box Parole: The True Case of Terry Fitzsimmons and the Quest to End Solitary Confinement, is scheduled for release on Sept. 1. Pine Box Parole is Book 9 in the Durvile True Cases Series.