Journey Alumni Magazine - Fall 2022

FEARLESS PHOTOGRAPHER

Jody MacDonald's adventures on land, sea, and high in the sky

BABES IN THE WOODS

Unravelling an infamous murder case

STOPPING CYBERATTACKS

Protecting Canada’s power transmission systems

PLUS

Meet an outstanding judge and advocate

A young engineer with big plans

Embracing life on James Bay

Lakehead's Journey Alumni Magazine is published twice a year by the Communications and Marketing team, which is responsible for establishing policy, editorial direction, and content for the magazine. The views expressed or implied do not necessarily reflect those of Lakehead University or the Communications and Marketing team

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CONTACT US

Communications, Marketing and Clayton Browne Web Development Director

Editor Tracey Skehan

Graphic Design Melissa Kastern

Telephone: 807-343-8010 ext. 8134

Email: editor@lakeheadu.ca

CONTRIBUTORS

Tracey Skehan, Brandon Walker, Wendy Helfenbaum

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO

Office of Alumni and Annual Giving Lakehead University 955 Oliver Rd., Thunder Bay, ON Canada P7B 5E1

Telephone: 1-800-832-8076

Fax: 807-343-8999

Email: alumni@lakeheadu.ca or online alumni.lakeheadu.ca

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President and Chair Karen Boz

Vice-President Yolanda Wanakamik

Vice-President Paul Popo-Ola

Treasurer Mike Walton

Past President Debra Woods

Director Annette Butikofer

Director James Dennison

Director Lahama Naeem

Director Linda Henderson

Director Jouni Kraft

Director Nathan Lawrence Director Nancy Luckai

Director Michael Michaud

Director Carmen Pekkarinen

Executive Director Mark Tilbury

EXTERNAL RELATIONS TEAM

Vice-President, External Relations Michael den Haan

Associate Vice-President, Rebbeca Truax

External Relations

Executive Director, Government Relations Michael Nicin

Alumni and Annual Giving Director Mark Tilbury

Communications, Marketing and Clayton Browne

Web Development Director

Philanthropy Director Kathryn Davidson

External Relations Coordinator Leigh Kenderdine

Annual Giving Manager Meghan Hanbury

Annual Giving Associate Amanda Gerow

Alumni Engagement Associate Anna Sampson

Alumni and Philanthropy Assistant Anna Gagliardi

Alumni Engagement Intern Maryam Okunola

Campaign Operations Associate Stephanie Giddings

Campaign Research Analyst Amy Silvaggio

Donor Events Acting Manager Diane Robnik

External Relations Associate Jacquie Kent (Lakehead Orillia)

Alumni and Annual Giving Associate Samantha Lennon (Toronto Office)

Gift & Database Administrator Natasha Frohlich

Communications and Marketing Associate Tracey Skehan

Communications and Marketing Associate Melissa Kastern

Media, Communications and Brandon Walker

Marketing Associate

Media, Communications and Jaclyn Bucik

Marketing Associate (Lakehead Orillia)

Development Officer Jennifer McKeown

Stewardship and Student Aid Associate Tara Monteith

Web Development Manager Spencer Ranta

Web Developer Justin Michel

Web Information Designer Stefan Hoard

Web Information Designer Alex Dvornyak

DIRECTORS’ MESSAGE

Going Back to School

Values, as defined by the Oxford English dictionary, refer to “a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgement of what is important in life.”

This definition was taken to heart by your Board of Directors when they set out to define the core values of the Alumni Association. After much discussion and deliberation, they came up with the following five values, which we hope will reflect each and every one of our alumni.

DIVERSITY: We honour the individuality of our alumni and recognize that our Lakehead family is strengthened by our differences.

CURIOSITY: Our sense of curiosity allows us to explore new paths and create new opportunities for alumni because we are always ready to question, challenge, and innovate.

LIFELONG LEARNING: We recognize the importance of lifelong learning and support our alumni in their pursuit of personal and professional development.

RELATIONSHIPS: We bring alumni together, bridging interests, geographies, and cultures, and we cherish the bonds that connect us.

PRIDE: We embrace Lakehead University’s rich history by building upon the best of our traditions and celebrating the accomplishments of our alumni and the University.

As winter turned to spring and pandemic restrictions lifted, the Alumni Association was pleased to participate in several events. In March, we sponsored the Juried Student Art Exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and selected another piece to join our Alumni Art Collection—Nick the Niffler will be on display at Alumni

House for the next year before moving to the Alumni Commons in 2023.

With summer came in-person graduation ceremonies at both of our campuses and the excitement of seeing students turn into alumni right before our eyes as they were presented with alumni scarves. Welcome to the family, Class of 2022!

Rounding out the “return to normal” was the resumption of the Bill Keeler Memorial Golf Classic in August, which raised over $28,000. Thanks to all our sponsors and participants. Finally, don’t forget to mark your calendars for Homecoming, running from October 21-23 in Thunder Bay and October 28-29 in Orillia, and the return of our Varsity Engagement Program this fall.

Karen Boz, BAdmin'92 President, Alumni Association

Mark Tilbury, HBCom’94 Executive Director, Alumni Association

 Board member Dr. Jouni Kraft poses with Nick the Niffler, a sculpture by visual arts student Isabelle Lamee that was purchased for the Alumni Art Collection.

ON THE MAP

Getting Simcoe County Grads Job Ready

The Ontario government is investing $2.56 million in the Lakehead UniversityGeorgian College partnership in Simcoe County. Nearly 3,000 postsecondary students currently benefit from this program, which allows them to earn both a university degree and a college diploma in four years. This partnership is focused on meeting the changing needs of the local economy and preparing graduates with a mix of degree-level education and technical skills.

“Collaborations like Lakehead-Georgian provide students with local opportunities to build the knowledge and skills they need to find meaningful jobs,” explained Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop.

Lakehead and Georgian will each receive $1.28 million in 2022-23 to increase access to higher education and help students get good jobs.

“Since 2017, Lakehead University and Georgian College’s formal partnership has provided students from Simcoe County and beyond with the opportunity to graduate from STEM fields of study with the best degree-diploma learning experiences available,” said Lakehead President Moira McPherson.

New Confederation College Partnership

In April, Lakehead University and Confederation College signed a joint admission agreement for 33 diploma-to-degree programs. This will allow students earning a college diploma to seamlessly transfer to undergraduate studies at Lakehead. By eliminating red tape, time, and costs, the agreement will overcome barriers to higher education and encourage students to continue their postsecondary education after they complete their diploma program.

“If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that access to postsecondary education and the ability for individuals and families to plan long term cannot be taken for granted,” said Lakehead Provost and Vice-President (Academic) David Barnett.

This agreement expands existing diploma-to-degree programs already offered by Lakehead and the College.

Welcoming Interim Orillia Campus Principal

Dr. Linda Rodenburg stepped into the role of interim Principal of the Orillia Campus on July 1, 2022. Dr. Rodenburg has over 15 years of teaching and service experience at Lakehead Orillia and in the external community. Most recently, she’s had a positive impact as the Director of Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning. She's also an alumna with two Lakehead degrees. According to President Moira McPherson, “The ongoing expansion of our Orillia Campus, including the objectives outlined in the Orillia Outlook plan, as well as the growth of our LakeheadGeorgian Partnership, will continue to be top of mind during this transition.”

Dr. Rodenburg is taking over from Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, who completed his term as Principal of the Orillia Campus at the end of June 2022 and is returning to his scholarly research and to the classroom. “My sincerest congratulations to Dean for his significant achievements as principal,” Dr. McPherson said.

 Lakehead External Relations VP Mike den Haan with Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop and Georgian College President MaryLynn West-Moynes at the April 2022 Lakehead-Georgian funding announcement.

 Dr. Linda Rodenburg, interim Principal of the Orillia Campus

Keeping Workers Safe

The Ontario government is working for workers by investing $5.5 million in groundbreaking workplace health and safety research led by the Enhancing Prevention of Injury and Disability @ Work (EPID@Work) Research Institute at Lakehead University. As part of this five-year project, EPID@ Work will help Northern Ontario employers reduce mental health stigma in their workplaces, improve support for workers, and ensure that managers have the tools for the early identification of mental health symptoms.

“Every worker in Northern Ontario should feel safe and supported on the job, and they deserve to come home safe to their loved ones after a hard day’s work,” said Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton. The funding will also assist ongoing research to understand Indigenous workers’ experiences in Northern Ontario workplaces to prevent injuries and provide them with better mental health support.

Helping Hungry Students

The Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) food bank on the Thunder Bay campus had its grand opening in June 2022. Now called the Food Resource Centre, it offers emergency food support to all Lakehead students.

“Food prices are rising, and we’ve seen an increase in students accessing our services,” said LUSU Executive Director Farhan Yousaf. “Our previous space, though, was dark, depressing, and unwelcoming. Things needed to change.”

The new food bank also has a kitchen and a lounge area for students. “It’s a very unique space—I think it’s the first of its kind on a Canadian campus,” Yousaf added.

 Dr. Vicki Kristman is the director of the EPID@Work Research Institute.

 The newly renovated Food Resource Centre located in Room 2014 B in the University Centre.

France's Rennes School of Business

A partnership with the Rennes School of Business in France will allow both Lakehead and Rennes students to enrol in the new International Dual Degree Program and earn two degrees in four years. Lakehead students will go on a year-long exchange in their third year before returning to Lakehead to complete their studies.

“Our collaboration with Rennes will allow us to strengthen our international partnerships and support our goal of developing cultural competencies and global skills necessary for the future,” said Lakehead Vice-Provost, International James Aldridge.

Upon graduation, students will receive both an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Lakehead and a Bachelor in Management from the Rennes School of Business. Learn more at: www.lakeheadu.ca/ internationaldualdegree.

Making the World a Better Place

Lakehead was declared the highest-ranked university in the world with under 10,000 students in the annual Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. These rankings measure the societal impact of universities by evaluating their success in advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the United Nations, the SDGs are “a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.”

“Over the last three years, we have strengthened our commitment to social justice and to Indigenous, social, and environmental sustainability,” Lakehead President Moira McPherson said. “This ranking is so very exciting and reflects Lakehead’s role in fostering a greater understanding of local and global societal issues and inspiring positive change.”

In addition, for the third year in a row, Lakehead was one of the Impact Rankings’ top 100 universities of all sizes—ranking 64th out of 1,406 universities from around the world.

Fostering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Dr. Sandra Jeppesen is leading an international team of scholars and community organizations that will strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices. Dr. Jeppesen—an Orillia campus media, film, and communications professor—has received $448,376 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through their new Race, Gender, and Diversity Initiative launched this year.

“Institutional policies surrounding EDI have become commonplace, but have proven quite inadequate in improving inequality,” Dr. Jeppesen said. “We aim to develop more effective practices throughout organizations.”

Results from their research will spur the development of toolkits and workshops that will assist organizations across Canada through a proof-ofconcept trial run.

Anishinaabe Kendaasiwin Institute Opens

May 30, 2022 marked the launch of the Anishinaabe Kendaasiwin Institute (AKI) at Lakehead University. “Anishinaabe Kendaasiwin”—which loosely translates to “Anishnaabe knowledge systems”—seeks to privilege Anishinaabe ways of knowing. This encompasses championing research excellence defined by Anishinaabe peoples and principles, expanding Indigenous-governed and driven research, and supporting community building and mobilization between Indigenous peoples.

“AKI was founded on the premise that if research is done right, it can play an important role in advancing the visions and needs of Indigenous peoples and lands,” said AKI Director Lana Ray.

AKI began its work by hosting “Telling Our Stories: Indigenous Self-Determination in Data and Research,” a Native American and Indigenous Studies Association regional conference that took place in May 2022.

A Bridge to Victory

Lakehead’s engineering team won first place overall in the Student Steel Bridge Regional Competition organized by the American Institute of Steel Construction and the American Society of Civil Engineers in April 2022. This annual competition challenges student teams to create a 20-footlong steel bridge that’s judged on construction speed, lightness, stiffness, construction economy, structural efficiency, overall performance, cost estimation, and aesthetics.

Fourth-year civil engineering students Damien Grayda, Paul Graham, Philip Duke, Felix Lasalle, and Matthew Scott travelled to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to compete. Their victory in the regionals allowed them to advance to the finals at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, where they placed 11th overall and brought back two awards: second in lightness and second in cost estimation. Lakehead also placed first among the Canadian teams in overall ranking, ahead of the University of British Columbia, which placed 14th.

$1 million for University-City Partnerships

Improving the health of Thunder Bay and Ottawa residents is the goal of a partnership of academic researchers, universities, and municipalities that was awarded a $1-million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Lakehead University, NOSM University, and the City of Thunder Bay are collaborating with the University of Ottawa and the City of Ottawa to address health and safety priorities. Thunder Bay will receive $370K over four years to implement the project. The funding will also evaluate the reciprocal relationship between cities and academic institutions and their ability to improve population health outcomes. Thunder Bay and Ottawa share many challenges linked to the social determinants of health in the areas of poverty, education, housing, racism, childhood experiences, and access to health services.

Collaborating with Writers, Artists, and Filmmakers

English and Interdisciplinary Studies Professor Dr. Cheryl Lousley and her research team received a $319,473 Insight Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. They’re studying how three literary aesthetic modes— the poetic, the documentary, and the speculative—are used by Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian-diasporic writers, filmmakers, and artists to grapple with, and change, debilitating political ecologies. “We will examine how cultural production, political economy, settler colonialism, and environmentality intersected in four periods of the Canadian nation-building project,” Dr. Lousley said. This research will fill a large gap since there is limited social sciences and humanities research focused on racialization and ecology in Canada.

 Students Matthew Scott, Felix LaSalle, Damien Grayda, Philip Duke, and Paul Graham demonstrate why their bridge came second in the lightness category.

 Dr. Cheryl Lousley

VARSITY SPORTS

OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND COACHES ALWAYS APPRECIATE HAVING FANS IN THE STANDS AT THEIR AWAY GAMES!

Coach’s Highlight | Andrew Wilkins HEAD COACH, HOCKEY

“Thank you so much to our Alumni team for setting up these varsity engagement events. Over the years, Lakehead alumni have helped make our road games feel like home games—the support we feel on the road is really incredible. Our student athletes really enjoy these moments and the interaction pre/post game really helps define what being a student or a student athlete at Lakehead is all about. Can't wait to see our amazing alumni at the rink!!”

VARSITY AWAY GAMES: 2022-2023 SCHEDULE OF DATES, FIRST SEMESTER

* Highlighted lines indicate a special Alumni event being held at a game.

Want to receive an invitation to these events? Make sure we have your up-to-date email address and/or phone number. Contact the Annual Fund and Alumni Engagement Office by calling 1-800-832-8076 or by emailing alumni@lakeheadu.ca.

Hacking the Hackers

Q & A with Dr. Amir Ameli

by Brandon Walker

Dr. Amir Ameli is an electrical engineering professor with the Lakehead-Georgian Partnership researching how to stop cyberattacks against power systems. He describes his work as part of the last line of defence against cyberattacks that have already infiltrated power systems.

How did you become interested in researching cybersecurity for power systems?

I was actively looking for a good research topic for my PhD at the University of Waterloo when, on December 23, 2015, the first realworld cyberattack against a power system happened in Ukraine. Fifty substations were targeted by hackers and the supply of energy was disrupted to approximately 225,000 customers for about six hours.

I realized that cybersecurity would become a serious issue for these critical pieces of infrastructure in the near future. My main goal is to devise strategies, tools, and general principles to securely evolve and modernize power networks and to develop more reliable protection schemes.

Why is cybersecurity important for power grids?

It is hard to overstate the importance of electricity to Canada. Any significant disruption of electricity directly impacts our national security, public safety, and economy.

For instance, a power outage in August 2003 in northeastern North America caused a loss of an estimated $2.3 billion CAD to Ontario’s economy and very likely led to the loss of life. Our reliance on electricity has grown significantly

since then and is projected to continue to grow—most notably with the electrification of the transportation sector.

How much could electrical companies save by preventing hackers from getting in?

It depends on the type of attack and its objectives, but to give you a worst-case scenario, a cyberattack that shuts down parts of the United States’ power grid could cost the U.S. economy as much as $1 trillion, according to a report published by Reuters.

What are the goals of hackers attacking power systems?

Some attackers are looking for financial gain, such as cheating power markets or securing ransom payments. The average ransom demand in Canada was $148,700 CAD in the first quarter of 2020 (Canadian Centre for Cyber Security), up 33% from 2019.

Some cyberattacks happen for political or terroristic reasons. For instance, in 2015, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed reports of ISIS attempting to penetrate the U.S. energy system. Attacking a country’s power and energy system can paralyze all other infrastructure as well. In these cases, cyberattacks aim to create country-wide blackouts or cascading failures.

 Dr. Amir Ameli joined Lakehead University in August 2020.

How much do cyberattacks cost businesses and governments annually in North America?

The statistics below provide a sense of the importance, frequency, and detection difficulties of cyberattacks:

• The average cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million USD (IBM)

• Global losses from cybercrime are predicted to be nearly $10.5 trillion USD by 2025 (Cybersecurity Ventures)

• Personal data was involved in 58% of data breaches in 2020 (Verizon)

• 91% of attacks start through phishing (Cybersecurity Ventures)

In basic language, how do you prevent these systems from being hacked?

To prevent cyberattacks, we must identify potential entry points and open ports through which attackers can access the system. Then, through a vulnerability analysis, we can figure out potential cyberattack targets and analyze the impact of attacks against them.

Once this has been done, we develop techniques to monitor the behaviour of critical components and schemes in real-time. If an attack bypasses the preventive measures and performs a malicious activity or succeeds in deviating the normal behaviour of a component or scheme, we can detect it. And, in some cases, we can mitigate cyberattacks.

HACKING THE HACKERS

How does the software you designed respond when a hacker attempts to access a power system?

We have different strategies for discovering and mitigating cyberattacks, for example, learning and detecting the signature of cyberattacks.

The important point is that we don’t have a one-size-fits-all solution— we must tailor solutions to the specifications, features, and needs of each individual application.

In June 2022, Avery graduated from the Lakehead UniversityGeorgian College (LUGC) electrical engineering program and is now working for Innovative Automation in Barrie.

“Having just graduated, it’s really cool to see your work come to life,” she says, "to be able to draw something two-dimensional and transform it into something threedimensional.”

In high school, Avery took drafting, machine shop, and wood shop—classes that gave her the opportunity to make things ranging from firepit rings to a snowboard rack for her sister.

Avery’s woodshop teacher recognized her talent and encouraged her to apply to the Lakehead-Georgian program, which allows students to earn both a degree and a diploma. It was a bonus that as an Orillia native, Avery wouldn’t have to leave her hometown to go to university.

An Engineer with Aspirations

Avery Williams (BEng’22) isn’t afraid of a challenge

by Tracey Skehan

And as she immersed herself in the study of electrical engineering, she began to see the possibilities it offered.

“A lot of people think we’re glorified electricians, but it’s much more than that. Electrical engineering encompasses communications, power distribution, and the development and design of processors and microchips.”

While at Lakehead-Georgian, Avery made time to be part of the campus outside of the classroom. She had a summer job as a communications assistant with Lakehead’s External Relations department and she was a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court—her athletic prowess won her the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year award in women’s basketball.

Today, Avery is well settled into her job as an electrical designer with Innovative Automation, a company committed to being “the first-choice provider of automation solutions to global leaders in manufacturing.”

“We specialize in automotive product development through the use of assembly lines, and we’re the creators of Robo Tape—a system that applies different materials in strips,” Avery says.

Her team oversees the electrical requirements of the assembly lines developed by the company’s mechanical team. This includes the implementation of sensors and safety components such as light curtains.

“Light curtains keep operators safe—it’s an emergency stop that’s triggered when an operator enters an unsafe zone, for example, accidentally putting their hand where it could be injured.”

Avery started with Innovative Automation while still a student, and during the summer of 2021 she worked alongside their lead electrical designers fabricating headlights for Ford F150 trucks.

“We built the lights from start to finish with robot and human operators.”

Next on the horizon for Avery is attaining her professional engineer’s licence, a process that takes four years. In the long term, she envisions working in the green energy field.

“I’d love to harness energy that’s less damaging to the environment. Where we harvest energy is key, for instance, the heat and winds of the deserts make them ideal places for solar and wind energy production.”

“My family has a long history of engineers, including my father, and with my love of science and math, it made sense for me to become an engineer too,” Avery Williams says.

 Avery thinks more people should consider a career in engineering. “People will say to me, ‘Oh, you’re an engineer, you must be so smart,’ but It’s more about perseverance.” Photo courtesy of Innovative Automation Inc.

Joining Lakehead was a life-changing experience for me where I got an opportunity to interact with a very diverse student population and faculty. The Lakehead experience prepared me with learning and leadership skills which have been invaluable in my career.”

Sukhtej Malli BEng’94

OCCUPATION Manager, Learning & Development Coaching, Amazon

In Sharp Focus

by Wendy Helfenbaum

Award-winning photographer, thrill-seeker, and conservationist Jody MacDonald

Jody gets ready to show off her paragliding skills for a TUMI luggage ad.

Alumna Jody MacDonald has had enough adventures to fill most people’s bucket lists several times over. And she has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

A world-class documentary, travel, and action sports photographer who studied outdoor recreation at Lakehead, Jody has spent the past two decades exploring the remotest spots on the planet and capturing their stunning beauty.

From intimate portraits of Bajau sea nomads sailing the waters off Borneo to jaw-dropping shots of skydivers in freefall, Jody shares her visual storytelling skills while raising awareness about climate change.



Her thirst for adventure travel has taken her to more than 110 countries—mostly on her own— resulting in many awards and accolades. She was named “One of the 25 Most Adventurous Women in the Past 25 years” by Men’s Journal, hailed as one of “Nine Female Adventure Photographers Who Push the Limits” by National Geographic, and chosen as one of “The Best Travel Photographers to Follow on Instagram” by UPROXX.

Indiana Jones in the making Jody’s appetite for globe-trotting began early. Born in Ottawa, she moved to Saudi Arabia at age two when her father took on a telecom project for Bell Canada. Growing up in a gated community with other expat families, Jody attended an international school.

Europe, Africa, and Asia during school breaks. By the time the family moved back to Ottawa when Jody was 16, she began imagining a life where she could be a real-life Indiana Jones, seeking adventures.

Forging a unique path at Lakehead

Jody’s two favourite classes in elementary school were physical education and art, and throughout high school she was drawn to adventure and outdoor sports, which led her straight to Lakehead’s outdoor recreation program—and a way to marry her varied interests.

Her images have appeared in dozens of publications such as Outside, National Geographic, BBC, Men’s Journal, and Forbes. She’s brought extraordinary visual campaigns to life for clients like Disney, HP, Ford, British Airways, and Eddie Bauer.

“I really loved it. There was an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the clubhouse and tennis courts— it was like a resort," she recalls.

The best perk? The company paid for family vacations, which allowed the MacDonalds to travel through

“I dated a guy during my first year at Lakehead who was really into photography, and he inspired me to take an elective photography class,” Jody says. “I thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’”

She enjoyed her time in Thunder Bay. “I had incredible outdoor experiences during my classes and outside of my classes. It was a revelation that I could combine my love of art and adventure and share it with people.”

“In 2010, my partner Gavin McClurg and I sailed from Madagascar to Mozambique. Our first stop was in the Bazaruto Archipelago, which had the largest sand dune we’d ever seen," Jody says. We paraglided across it without helmets or shoes, something no one had ever done before. We accidentally destroyed our dinghy and ended up marooned there for two days and had to sleep in our wings—it was magical.”

 Jody set off on a small Guatemalan fishing boat as part of a TUMI ad campaign.

IN SHARP FOCUS

kiteboarding expeditions for thrillseekers and professional athletes in remote corners of the world. For the next 10 years, Jody circumnavigated the globe twice, photographing kiteboarding, sailing, surfing, and paragliding expeditions—all while battling unrelenting seasickness onboard the 60-foot catamaran she called home.

Jody says that for her, the perfect adventure includes adversity. When facing close calls while paragliding or sailing, rather than being overcome by fear or uncertainty, she embraces these situations because they help her discover more about herself.

“You learn very quickly to see everything as a great opportunity,” she adds.

Coping with the unthinkable

After university, Jody worked as a mountain biking, river rafting, and kayaking guide in British Columbia and Alaska. Her camera was always with her so she could refine her photography skills. She then took a photo editor job for Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) in Vancouver, but quickly discovered that office life wasn’t for her.

When Jody’s boyfriend, Chris Neuman—an American paraglider and bush pilot she’d met in Alaska—invited her to join him on a road trip through the United States in 2003, she decided to leave her job.

But two hours before the end of her shift on her last day of work, Jody received the horrifying news that Chris had died in a paragliding accident in Idaho.

“It was a profound moment, because it was the first time I’d experienced a death in my life, and it was someone I loved,” Jody says.

Life as an extreme adventure

In 2004, Jody met Gavin McClurg, who ran sailing charters in the South Pacific, and she joined him for a stint as resident photographer. When the charter business proved a difficult way to make a living, they sold their boat in Thailand and began offering membership-based

As she sold more images to top magazines, Jody caught the attention of high-profile brands. She became known for her fearless creativity, whether it was photographing incredible images of BMX riders in Kauai or strapping herself onto helicopters and airplanes 17,000 feet in the air to snap skydivers and paragliders.

 Jody exploring Alaska’s Knik Glacier. “Alaska is an iconic American destination to me because it has more than half of the world’s glaciers and the two largest forests in the nation.”

 A woman paddles her dugout canoe in the northeastern islands of Papua New Guinea. “The coast is sprinkled with communities where locals retain subsistence traditions, and they are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet," Jody says.

“Jody was producing mind-blowing work featuring wildlife, action sports, culture, and conservation subjects,” says her long-time friend and fellow explorer Frank Wolf.

“Her incredible eye and ability to access and shoot in far-flung areas, either on the ground, in the water, or in the air from her paraglider make Jody one of the most uniquely talented photographers on the planet,” Wolf says.

When chasing down the perfect photo, Jody looks for a compelling story. In 2010, while on assignment in India, Jody saw a film about Rajan, the world’s last swimming elephant and was determined to swim with him.

“She doesn’t let anything hold her back from following her dreams, she

goes in 100% on her projects, no holds barred,” Wolf says.

In the 1950s, Rajan and 10 other Asian elephants were brought to the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean.

“They were brutally forced to learn how to swim so that they could float logged trees to nearby boats and swim on to the next island,” Jody says.

The time Jody spent with Rajan and his caretaker became a turning point in her career.

“I didn’t know what the story would be, but I knew I wanted to have that experience. In that photo, he looks like he’s smiling, and that picture became my most famous photograph.”

 Jody at a Mayan temple in Guatemala.

 Rajan, an Asian elephant, is now 66 years old and retired. Normally, elephants avoid the ocean because the salt dries out their skin and stings their eyes.

IN SHARP FOCUS

Setting down roots and facing more hardships

In 2016, Jody moved to the mountain town of Sun Valley, Idaho. She had visited her late boyfriend Chris there several times when he led paragliding expeditions, and she had also lived there briefly after he died.

“There is a great community of paragliders here and I fell in love with this place,” she says.

Capturing fleeting moments from behind the lens before they change forever didn’t prepare Jody for her closest brush with danger yet—right before the pandemic hit, doctors discovered a rare, five-inch tumour in her abdomen. They told her she had one to four years to live.

“I was one of eight people in the world diagnosed with the tumour, but after it was removed, they said it was benign and that I was totally fine,” she explains.

Jody sees her health scare, along with the pandemic, and the death of her father last summer as meaningful experiences to draw upon.

“The instances in my life that have been very hard and tragic are also great gifts because they help me realize how precious our time is,” Jody says. “It’s like a smack in the face, saying: ‘Hey! You’ve really got to do the stuff you want to do.’ My greatest fear is squandering my life.”

To conserve and protect Her desire to do something meaningful with her life has motivated Jody to become an engaged environmentalist.

Many of the distant places and wildlife Jody shares with viewers are under threat of destruction or extinction. Living at sea, she has witnessed the ocean’s deterioration. Using her photographic talents as

a tool for advocacy, Jody became active with Sea Legacy, a non-profit charity that protects oceans.

“I want to educate people and inspire them to experience wilderness areas and wildlife for themselves, because I think if they can see how wonderful and irreplaceable it is, they’ll want to protect it,” she says.

Jody recently embarked on yet another big adventure. She’s motorcycling across the Tibetan Plateau—the highest and largest plateau in the world.

“I've always wanted to do this. I don’t know where it’s going to lead me,” she says.

“My hope is to start a YouTube channel, find compelling photo stories along the way, and document everything.”

 Celebrants in India dance and throw brightly colored chalk during the Holi festival to mark the onset of spring.

At Lakehead University, health matters.

For over 50 years, we’ve trained the bright minds of tomorrow to respond to the diverse needs of our communities in Northwestern Ontario.

Our unique, hands-on learning environments ensure that we prepare a talented workforce that’s leading and building a healthy society, now, and for future generations.

We foster collaborative, community-engaged training and research that tackles issues that matter—and projects that benefit—people and communities in the North.

Together with our communities, Lakehead has become a powerhouse for positive change that will be there for our children and our grandchildren.

Who were the Babes in the Woods?

by Tracey Skehan

The groundskeeper was clearing brush in Vancouver’s Stanley Park in 1953 when something crunched underfoot.

The man had stumbled upon skeletal remains buried beneath layers of leaves and debris. The bones were small, but they appeared to be human.

When officers from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) arrived, they quickly established that it was a crime scene.

Two children had been bludgeoned with a hatchet laying nearby and covered with a fur coat. Detectives also found two children’s aviation caps, a woman’s size 7½ penny loafer, and a lunchbox containing petrified food.

It was obvious that the murders had been committed years earlier, around 1947, but no one had ever reported the children missing.

Dubbed the “Babes in the Woods Case,” it would become Vancouver’s oldest unsolved crime.

“These murders have haunted generations of homicide investigators,” said Inspector Dale Weidman, the current commanding officer of the Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section.

Over the decades, investigators were able to determine two crucial

facts: they were the skeletons of two young boys and these boys were half-brothers. Originally, it had been assumed that the smaller skeleton was that of a girl.

What the police couldn’t discover were the identities of the children.

That is until February 2022— nearly 70 years later—when the case broke wide open. The police revealed that the children were seven-year-old Derek D’Alton and six-year-old David D’Alton.

Inspector Weidman explained that they “…presumed that the person who killed Derek and David had

likely passed away. But at this stage…it was always about giving these boys a name and finally telling their story.”

The Lost Boys

The key to unlocking the Babes in the Woods mystery was found by Lakehead University’s Paleo-DNA Lab. In March 2021, Redgrave Research Forensic Services contacted the Lab on behalf of the Vancouver Police.

Redgrave planned to use techniques from the emerging field of genetic genealogy, and they needed the Paleo-DNA Lab to assist them because of its expertise handling ancient and degraded DNA.

“Ancient or degraded DNA is anything that’s been sitting out in the environment for a period of time,” explains Lab Manager Stephen Fratpietro. “Sunlight and water damage, for example, make DNA degrade rapidly.”

Fratpietro, who has several degrees from Lakehead, volunteered with the Paleo-DNA Lab when he was a chemistry student before being hired by the Lab in 2001.

When Redgrave got in touch last year, Fratpietro says, “They sent us a tooth and a piece of the cranium from each child to extract nuclear DNA that could then be sent to

 Stephen Fratpietro (BSc’97/HBSc’98/ MSc’01/BEd’01) says: “It’s gratifying when we’re able to solve a mystery and make a difference.” Other high-profile cases the Paleo-DNA Lab has unravelled include identifying a member of the disastrous 1845 Franklin Arctic Expedition and the Titanic’s Unknown Child.

 The boys’ bodies were found in Stanley Park in Vancouver—a 400-hectare rainforest on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Credit: iStock/Orchidpoet

another lab for whole genome sequencing.”

Redgrave didn’t provide any background information about the samples to ensure that the results weren’t biased.

“They just mentioned that it was a high-profile case, and nothing else,” Fratpietro says.

It took about a week to extract the DNA.

“We sterilize the surface first, then crush the bones into powder and chemically break them down so that we’re dealing with a solution,” Stephen says. “Then we isolate the DNA from the other components in the solution.”

Unfortunately, they couldn’t get enough DNA on the first attempt.

So, in August 2021, Redgrave sent a larger piece of the older boy's cranium. On this second attempt, Fratpietro’s team was able to extract enough material for the DNA to be sequenced.

This allowed Redgrave to compare the brothers’ DNA to the DNA databases of private genealogical and ancestry companies. When they ran their search, Redgrave found a relative—one of the boy’s maternal grandparents.

VPD lead investigator, Detective Constable Aida Rodriguez, said that a family member had uploaded a DNA sample with the express purpose of learning what had happened to their relatives.

“The story that had been handed down to them was that the boys had been removed from the residence by the [social services] ministry,” the detective constable said.

“Even though this family member did their best to talk about the boys and try to get the story, the only response they got from family was silence. The absence of the boys was never discussed.”

Solving a 70-Year-Old Mystery

In a media release, the Vancouver Police Department said they believed that Derek and David were descendants of Russian immigrants who came to Canada at the turn of the 20th century.

The police also revealed that the boys attended the Henry Hudson Elementary School in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood and that one of the boys’ close relatives lived near the entrance to Stanley Park.

Eve Lazarus, an author, journalist, and host of the true crime podcast, Cold Case Canada, was able to add more details to the account of the Babes in the Woods case when she interviewed Derek and David’s great-niece, Ally Brady.

Brady only became aware of her uncles’ existence while looking through a family album with her grandmother Diane, who was reluctant to talk about her younger brothers Derek and David.

“I remember my mother sharing stories with me about her mother’s poverty and how they used to

BABES IN THE WOODS

jump out of windows at places they were renting in Vancouver to avoid having to pay because they were just so poor,” Ally said in a 2022 story written by Lazarus.

In 2020, Brady submitted a sample of her DNA to 23AndMe while Brady’s mother Cindy submitted a sample from Diane to MyHeritage in the hopes of discovering if Derek and David were still alive.

One police theory was that the boys were killed by their mother who then committed suicide, which would explain the presence of the fur coat and the women’s penny loafer at the site of the murders. Lazarus, though, has doubts, especially since the boys’ mother Eileen Bousquet died in 1996 at the age of 78.

For Inspector Weidman, finally identifying Derek and David brings a sense of resolution as well as sadness.

“Although significant folklore has surrounded this case for years, we must not forget that these were real children who died a tragic and heartbreaking death.”

 Journalist Eve Lazarus says that Eileen’s granddaughter Cindy doesn’t believe that Eileen killed her children. Cindy described Eileen as a lovely, gentle woman. In talking to Derek and David’s family, Lazarus also confirmed that Eileen was of both Métis and Russian heritage. Credit: Vancouver Police Department

An unexpected phone call in May 2019 changed Evelyn Baxter’s life.

When she answered, the woman on the line identified herself as then Attorney General Caroline Mulroney. Mulroney told Evelyn that she was no longer a lawyer—she’d been appointed a judge of the Ontario Court of Justice.

“At first I thought it was a prank call,” Evelyn laughs.

When she realized it wasn’t a joke, she was overcome with emotion. What followed next was a whirlwind of activity undergoing initial training and winding up her previous work chairing the Grassy Narrows & Islington Band Mercury Disability Board in Kenora. This is the board that administers disability pensions for people poisoned by mercury dumped in the English and Wabigoon River systems by two paper companies— an environmental and human catastrophe that began in the 1960s.

Then, on July 8, 2019, she was officially sworn in as a judge and became known as the Honourable Justice Evelyn Baxter. Her swearing-in was a combination of the court’s usual format enhanced with Anishnaabe tradition and ceremony.

Justice for All

Celebrating Evelyn Baxter’s Inspirational Legal Career

by Tracey Skehan

“As a lawyer, being appointed to the bench can be the epitome of one’s career. It was my aspiration,” she says.

This wasn’t just a personal achievement for Evelyn, who is from the Marten Falls First Nation and grew up in and around Thunder Bay.

“I’m the first Indigenous person from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) appointed to the bench,” she explains.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation represents 49 First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, including Marten Falls. As far as she is aware, in 1993, Evelyn became the first member of a NAN community to be called to the bar in Ontario.

“I come informed from my upbringing as an Indigenous person,” she says, “and it’s important for First Nations communities to see other Indigenous people working in the justice system.”

As a judge, Evelyn spends most of her time presiding over criminal, family, and child protection matters. She is based in the Kenora court but presides in Fort Frances, Rainy River, and Atikokan when needed.

“In addition, our court travels to many NAN fly-in communities in the north where we usually hold court in community centres and school gyms. It’s a unique part of the job.”

The idea of entering the legal profession took hold of Evelyn early. As a youngster, one of her favourite TV shows was the lawschool drama The Paper Chase.

“It made the law seem fascinating, and I announced to my parents that I was going to be a lawyer, although I don’t even know if I knew what a lawyer was,” she says.

Her parents always supported Evelyn’s path to law school and instilled in her and her sisters the importance of education. Evelyn would go on to study political science with a minor in law at Lakehead, and she credits Lakehead with cementing her desire to become a lawyer.

“I have fond memories of my undergraduate days. Lakehead was the perfect choice for me because I was still young and not quite ready to leave home to attend university,” she explains.

Evelyn subsequently earned a law degree at Queen’s University in 1991 and then spent the next 10 years in Toronto. She primarily practiced criminal law and, even at

 Evelyn (BA, Political Studies, 1988) looks forward to a meaningful career as a judge and is grateful for her husband’s support.

this early stage of her legal career, became a tireless advocate for Indigenous and social issues as well as Aboriginal and treaty rights. Her goal was to redress injustices faced by Indigenous people and to create a more compassionate society for all Canadians.

Evelyn worked in legal and political advisory positions with, and for, Nishnawbe Aski Nation for over 25 years. She was also the Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services executive director and chaired Chiefs’ assemblies for the Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation. In addition, she was an adjudicator with the Ontario Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, which compensates victims of crime for losses or injuries they sustained.

Her fierce commitment has had an impact on Northwestern Ontario, including at Lakehead’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. She was NAN’s representative on the committee that created the law school, a member of the law school’s Anishinawbe Omaa Minowaywin (AOM) Advisory Committee, and briefly served on the student law clinic advisory committee.

“Lakehead gave me my foundational start, so I wanted to give back in some way,” she says. Evelyn has forged a legacy at the national level as an adjudicator with the Indian Residential Schools Independent Assessment Process. She travelled across Canada from 2009 to 2019 listening to the testimony of residential school

JUSTICE FOR ALL

survivors and determining the level of compensation they would receive for abuses they suffered while students at these schools. It’s noteworthy that the Baxter family commenced one of the first national class actions that led to the residential school settlement.

“Although my grandparents, my mother, and my aunts and uncles, as well as many cousins, were sent to residential schools, I didn’t expect to hear the things that I heard—the cruelty of it,” she says. An essential component of Evelyn’s role was to encourage and approve healing plans for survivors. This allowed them to receive counselling and therapy and ensured they could buy medical equipment—such as hearing aids—to cope with physical, sexual, or psychological injuries inflicted upon them as children.

“We adjudicators heard around 40,000 stories,” Evelyn says. “It gave me more insight into people’s traumas and why they behave the way they do. It explains what I’m seeing in my courtroom in the people that come before me. It’s intergenerational trauma, and it’s pervasive.”

Some of the survivors sent her heartfelt letters telling her that by listening and believing them, she had made a difference in their lives.

Today, she sees many people continuing to struggle with social and family issues, mental health, and addictions. That’s why Evelyn wants to use her role as a judge to be an instrument for change.

“We must find a better way to address these issues before they’re criminalized and wind up in a courtroom because by the time people come to court, the damage has been done. We can’t lose sight of the human beings who are suffering.”

 At Evelyn’s swearing-in ceremony, former NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler (left) presented her with a special gift. When she’s not working, Evelyn likes to spend time with friends and family. She also enjoys travelling, reading, crocheting, and baking.

Lakehead students are in good hands with champions like Lahama Naeem and Farhan Yousaf on their side.

“We want to give students the opportunity to learn, grow, and create happy memories,” Lahama says. She’s the president of the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU).

Farhan, LUSU’s executive director, agrees.

“It’s about investing in students and breaking down barriers to the university experience. It’s especially crucial coming out of the pandemic with inflation on the rise. We don’t want finances to hold students back.”

In honour of its 40th anniversary last year, LUSU has made a record-breaking gift of $150,000 to create new student bursaries and an additional gift of $150,000 to go to areas of greatest student need.

Their kindness and generosity will offer a lifeline to young people struggling to get by—it’s all part of the organization’s commitment to students.

“LUSU provides essential services, like our health plan and the uPass for public transit, that create a more equitable playing field for students,” Lahama says.

For Students, by Students.

One of their most recent achievements is the expansion and renovation of LUSU’s Food Resource Centre.

“Food insecurity is increasing,” Farhan says, “but there’s a stigma attached to using a food bank, so we created an inviting space—like you’re walking into your kitchen to grab something to eat and then having lunch in your living room.”

Farhan and Lahama both have a stellar history of helping their fellow students.

Lahama, who graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Science in June 2022, has served on Lakehead’s senate, established university clubs, organized fundraisers, and, as LUSU president, she represents the voice of students to all levels of government, the University, and community groups.

She’s also had an impact with the henna art business she started in high school, which she used to connect with the Thunder Bay community.

“A lot of people weren’t familiar with Muslim culture, and it was a great way to break down stereotypes,” she says.

Then, when the pandemic hit, Lahama began selling cupcakes online through her business Bakeology Thunder Bay and

donating the proceeds to local charities.

“I love baking—I watch a lot of Cake Boss.”

Farhan juggled a heavy workload at LUSU with his academic studies before graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering. He served four years as LUSU’s operations and finance VP and is now capably steering the organization as its executive director. Throughout his time at Lakehead, Farhan has excelled at improving international students’ lives and fostering multiculturalism through events like LUSU’s Culture Days. He’s also a founding member of the Racialized Young Professionals Network.

Now, LUSU is stepping up with bursaries for both Orillia and Thunder Bay campus students based on financial need. They’ve also ensured that international, Indigenous, disabled, and trans students are eligible for bursaries. Combined with their second gift, LUSU is throwing the doors to a university education wide open.

“Our tagline says a lot,” Farhan notes. “LUSU is ‘For students, by students.’ We create a space for all students to reach their true potential through mentorships, financial support, spaces, and clubs.”

 Lahama Naeem and Farhan Yousaf are committed to doing everything they can to support students on their journeys—like creating new bursaries and expanding the Food Resource Centre.

LUSU’s generosity is changing lives

A Knight on a Bold Quest

Entering the World of Avalier in a Debut Children’s Book

by Tracey Skehan

A mythical monster in an awkward predicament is the subject of Val Murray’s picture book, Kate and the Dragon.

It’s a story that has roots in the author’s childhood—Val is a Lakehead English student who grew up north of Toronto on 10 acres of protected wetlands.

“There weren’t a lot of people to hang out with and we didn’t have a TV, so my sister Kate and I spent a lot of time entertaining ourselves with books and our imaginations,” Val says.

Kate was a daring kid always ready to seek out challenges, like having pretend sword fights with sticks and curtain rods.

“It’s why I named my main character after her,” Val explains. “Even the name Katherine means ‘warrior.’”

Years later, in 2019, Val was taking a children’s literature course with Dr. Chris Parkes, and, for their final assignment, he gave the class the option of writing a children’s picture book.

Val drew upon her youthful escapades and a writing prompt she remembered seeing on the microblogging website Tumblr that asked users to write about a dragon stranded on a tower. She then worked on her story for three years before self-publishing it in February 2022.

The result is an epic tale about “a knight named Kate and a wizard named Sebastian who investigate an unusual dragon situation.”

The story is also a celebration of inclusivity and a rejection of gender and racial stereotypes—an influence from author Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson fantasy series.

Val envisions Kate and the Dragon as the first in a series of at least six books called The Avalier Adventures. She’s hoping that book two— Sebastian and the Royal Heir —will be out sometime this fall.

She’s had an enthusiastic reaction to her book from adults and children alike, including at a daycare centre reading. “There’s nothing like 50 preschoolers treating you like a rock star to boost your confidence,” Val says.

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Kate and the Dragon, visit Val’s website: valleylilymurray.ca

 Val says that as a child, “I read everything I could get my grubby hands on. I slept with a book under my pillow, and I had a book open in my desk at all times.”

The beautiful images in the book were created by Sarah Johnston one of Val’s childhood friends who is studying illustration at OCAD University.

Northern Lights and Ice Roads

by Tracey Skehan

“We can see eagles, hawks, and seals from our backyard,” Jacob Vander Ploeg says.

Jacob (BScN’13) and his wife Meagan (Meg) (BScN’11) are fellow nursing grads living in the fly-in community of Attawapiskat First Nation, Ontario, on the edge of James Bay.

The couple work for the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA)—a health-care network that supports communities along the James Bay and Hudson Bay lowlands.

Jacob is the director of patient care while Meg is WAHA’s pandemic task force coordinator and staff educator.

She and Jacob met in church while the two of them were Lakehead students.

“My Christian faith is the foundation of my life,” Meg says. “I also enjoy crocheting while Jacob reads books by the fire. My friends joke that we are practicing for our eighties.”

“I’ve always been involved in church life,” Jacob adds. “Right now, I’m pursuing a master’s degree in divinity.”

After Jacob graduated from Lakehead, the newlyweds began looking for nursing positions in Thunder Bay, but there weren’t any openings.

“We applied for nursing and personal support worker jobs across the province without success,” Jacob says, “so we reached out about nursing station positions.”

This led to jobs in Moose Factory, Ontario, at WAHA’s Weeneebayko General Hospital.

“I started as an inpatient department nurse and then cross-trained to the emergency room and obstetrics,” Jacob says. “I also became our Ontario Nurses’ Association bargaining unit president and an advanced cardiovascular life support instructor for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.”

Meg worked as an operating room nurse and then became a non-violent crisis intervention course instructor, which better fit her interests in administration and advocacy. This opened the door for her to become WAHA’s staff educator in 2017.

Then, in 2018, they moved to WAHA’s short-staffed Attawapiskat Hospital.

“At that point, though, the director of patient care position was vacant, so they asked me to apply,” Jacob says.

Meg remained the staff educator.

“I coordinate education for all of WAHA’s sites, so I was able to continue this role in Attawapiskat," Meg says. “In February 2021 I also became their pandemic task force coordinator.”

Their willingness to try a different path has brought fulfilling careers.

“I feel like I can make a positive difference through staff development, and through that, patient care,” Meg explains. “In the north, a lot of social and political divides are muted— everyone goes to work in the same ugly rubber boots.”

Jacob has become adept at managing the hospital’s nurses, nurse practitioners, health-care aides, and registration staff.

“I don’t think I’d have become the top health care person for a community at the age of 26 if I was in the south, but if you’re good at your role, you advance quickly here.”

Their adopted home has given Meg and Jacob a deep sense of fellowship.

“People often come up north because they’re adventurous, they care about others, and they want to invest in the community. Those are great people to have around,” Meg says.

 The James Bay lowlands are dominated by tundra, rivers, and muskeg bogs. It’s the traditional territory of the Cree people who refer to the region’s waterways as Weeneebayko, which means “of the two bays.”

 In the winter, Meg and Jacob drive 10 hours on ice roads before reaching a paved highway that takes them to stores where they can buy supplies and groceries.

TURNING POINTS

1990s

Colin Ballantyne (BAdmin’93) was awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his work as a volunteer with Scouts Canada and the 1st Port Nelson Scouts in Burlington, Ontario. This medal recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields. For more than 20 years, Colin has been involved with the Scout movement including organizing training courses for thousands of youngsters in the community, co-founding the Burlington Area Canoe Camp, coordinating the Burlington Area Competition Camp, and working as camp chief of the Burlington Scout/Guide Co-op Camp.

Jennifer Ebert (HBA’95) became the commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Newfoundland and Labrador in April 2022. She joined the RCMP in 1997 and has served in various capacities during her 25-year policing career, most recently as the commanding officer of the RCMP in Prince Edward Island. Her postings have taken her to the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island. Jennifer has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lakehead as well as leadership certificates from several other universities and institutes. She lives with her husband and youngest child in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Newfoundland.

Mark Naipaul (BEd’93) was featured in an issue of Dal News celebrating 2022 Dalhousie University graduates. Mark, who was born in Trinidad and grew up in Toronto, recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Recreation at Dalhousie. He will be returning to Dalhousie this fall to start a Master of Science in Physiotherapy. After graduation, Mark would like to use physiotherapy

and recreation therapy to help veterans with PTSD and physical injuries. In addition to his Bachelor of Education degree from Lakehead, he has a BA in Physical Education from Western University.

Scott Paddington (HBCom’99) has been promoted to Everest Reinsurance Canada’s chief agent and chief underwriting officer. Since joining the company in 2010, Scott has increased the growth and profitability of the Everest portfolio and, in his new role, he will oversee Everest’s Canadian reinsurance business operations. Prior to his career with Everest, Scott worked as a financial advisor at Nesbitt Burns, in an insurance role at Empyrean, and in a reinsurance position at Guy Carpenter Canada. He’s also worked in various Canadian banks where he developed expertise in both capital markets and global risk management. He holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Lakehead University.

2000s

Dr. Geoff Heggie (MSc’05) was promoted to vice-president of exploration with Clean Air Metals in March 2022. Clean Air Metals is a Canadian-based platinum and palladium exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals project in the Thunder Bay region of Ontario. Geoff previously worked on the Thunder Bay North Project for seven years. He earned his BSc in Geology at the University of Saskatchewan, his MSc in Geology at Lakehead, and his PhD at the University of Western Australia. Geoff is an expert in ultramafic/ mafic hosted Ni-Cu-PGE deposits and on mid-continent rift geology in North America. Previously, Geoff was the exploration manager at Clean Air Metals.

John McBride (HBSc’07/MSc’10) has been appointed vice-president of exploration at Nighthawk Gold—a Canadian-based gold exploration company located roughly 200 km north of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. John has extensive experience advancing exploration projects, particularly in Canadian field-based geology searching for precious metals, base metals, and diamonds. Other roles John has held include exploration manager at Generation Mining Ltd. and senior exploration geologist at Marathon Gold Corp., where he managed the exploration programs for the Valentine Lake Gold Project in Newfoundland. He’s also a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists in Ontario, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Kristofor (Kris) Tuuttila (HBESc’03) was appointed the director of sustainability, permitting and community relations with Clean Air Metals in March 2022. Clean Air Metals is a Canadian-based platinum and palladium exploration company focused on developing its Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals project in the Thunder Bay region of Ontario. Kris comes to his new position with 19 years of management experience in environmental consulting for projects across Canada and he’s been instrumental in signing several partnership agreements to provide economic and training benefits to First Nations communities. In addition to his Honours Bachelor of Environmental Science from Lakehead, Kris has a diploma in Environmental Engineering Technology from Confederation College.

2010s

Sarah Pelletier (BA’10) is following in the footsteps of her late father Phil Pelletier, who was a trustee with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board (TBCDSB) for nearly 25 years.

Like her father, Sarah believes that it’s critical to have Indigenous voices on the Board to represent Indigenous students, so she was very pleased to be elected as a TBCDSB trustee in the spring of 2022. Sarah herself graduated from St. Patrick High School in Thunder Bay and has three children who are TBCDSB students. As a trustee, her portfolio of schools includes Our Lady of Charity, St. Ann, and St. Martin.

Patrick Penner (HBScF’15) became the general manager of the McBride Community Forest Corporation in the village of McBride, British Columbia, in January 2022. The aim of the McBride Community Forest is to give direct control of the forest to the people of McBride and to give community members the opportunity to stimulate economic activity. Patrick first arrived in McBride in 2017 when he was hired by Optimum Resources Ltd. as a forest engineer. He later worked as a geographic information specialist and a project manager at Optimum. Patrick also worked as a forestry technician at Sumac Forest Information Services in Thunder Bay after he completed his Honours Bachelor of Science degree from Lakehead.

In Memoriam

Melissa Coates (BSc’92) passed away due to COVID-19 complications on June 23, 2021. Melissa was an internationally renowned bodybuilding champion, fitness model, and professional wrestler. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, she graduated from Lakehead University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She rose to fame in the early 90s as a pro bodybuilder and was ranked 9th in the world in women’s bodybuilding and was featured extensively in fitness magazines such as Muscle & Fitness. Then, in the early 2000s, Melissa launched a successful pro wrestling career and competed in the WWE. She

TURNING POINTS

was also a TV and movie actress. A celebration of Melissa’s life is planned for the fall of 2022 in Thunder Bay. If you wish, donations in her memory may be made to the Melissa Coates Award at Lakehead University.

David Raymond Jarraway (HBA’71/ BEd’72) passed away on March 5, 2022, after a courageous battle with cancer. David was born in 1949 and grew up in Thunder Bay. He earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Education at Lakehead University and then taught with the Lakehead Board of Education for 14 years. While teaching, he completed an MA in English at the University of Toronto in 1977 and subsequently left the Lakehead Board to pursue a PhD in American Studies at Brown University. He spent 27 years as a University of Ottawa professor before retiring in 2018. David was an avid world traveller with his partner Ian.

Walter Wieckowski (HBCom’74) passed away on May 22, 2022. Walter was born on June 22, 1951, in Germany, but while still an infant, his family immigrated to Thunder Bay. After receiving his Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Lakehead, Walter and his wife Carol moved to Toronto where Walter earned a law degree at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977. After graduation, he opened a law firm in Hamilton, Ontario, but returned to Thunder Bay in 1981 because he and Carol wanted to start a family. In Thunder Bay, Walter established another law firm where he practiced civil litigation, corporate/commercial, real estate, and will and estate law. He was also a deputy judge for many years. Walter is remembered as a loving father and an avid minor league hockey trainer, coach, and manager.

KEEP IN TOUCH

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HOMECOMING

Friday October 21 - Sunday October 23, 2022 – LAKEHEAD THUNDER BAY

Friday, October 28 - Saturday October 29, 2022 – LAKEHEAD ORILLIA

Lakehead Thunder Bay

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, October 21

Lakehead Celebrates - a dinner honouring our Alumni Award Recipients and Honorary Degree Recipients

Men's Varsity Hockey

Saturday, October 22

Athletics Wall of Fame Induction Ceremony Grand Opening of the Wolf Den

Women's and Men's Varsity Basketball games

Sunday, October 23

Farewell Brunch

Lakehead Orillia

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, October 28 TBD

Saturday, October 29 TBD

* View the full schedule for Lakehead Thunder Bay and Lakehead Orillia on the Homecoming website

HONORARY DEGREE

LAKEHEAD RECIPIENTS

Lyn McLeod Honorary Doctorate of Laws

Chief Perry Bellegarde Honorary Doctorate of Laws

Karl Subban Honorary Doctorate of Education

WALL OF FAME

Induction Ceremony

Saturday, October 22

Celebrates

Dinner and Reception

Friday, October 21

Distinguished Alumni Award

- Thomas Doherty, ’94, ’95, ’06

- Michael Gravelle, '69

Exceptional Alumni Award

- Ivory Tuesday, ’09, ’17, ’19

- Tasia McKenna, ’11

- Marissa Reckmann, ’06

Trailblazer Award

- Sami Pritchard, ’17

Alumni Legacy Award Ambassador of the Year

- 2009-2010, 2012-13 Men's Basketball teams

- Scott Morrison

- Tasia McKenna

- Jeff Richards

Lakehead University Athletics is excited to announce the 2022 Wall of Fame inductees. Among those being honoured are: To read the full article visit: thunderwolves.ca/lakehead-universityathletics-to-induct-2022-wall-of-fameclass-in-october/

Honorary Membership

- Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell

Registration and tickets available at: lakeheadu.ca/ homecoming

- Laird Van Damme, ’82, ’85

- The Tamblyn Family - Dolores Wawia, ’83, ’85 (posthumous)

- Liz Murray, ’86, ’88 - Daniel Blekkenhorst, ’13

There are many ways to get involved as a Lakehead alum!

• Board or Committee Member

• Chapter member or Ambassador

• Guest Speaker or Panelist

• Events and more!

Visit alumni.lakeheadu.ca for more information and to apply!

ANNOUNCING THE 2022-23

Alumni Entrance Award Winner

Zoe McGuiness Khani

Frame your Success

For 39 years the Alumni Association of Lakehead University has been bestowing the Alumni Entrance Scholarship. It is one of the largest donor-funded awards at Lakehead University.

Zoe is following in the footsteps of her stepdad Darren Lentz (HBOR/BEd'96, MEd'07) to Lakehead University. She will be beginning her Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WISHES TO THANK ALL OF THIS YEAR’S APPLICANTS.

Frames can be purchased at: lakehead.mdf-store.ca

MAKING an IMPACT

Lakehead University is the highest-ranked university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students for its global impact according to the 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

Lakehead placed in the top 70 in the world based on our e orts in advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting the University’s commitment to social, cultural, and environmental sustainability, as well as good health and well-being.

Lakehead University is finding solutions to the world’s greatest societal challenges through academic programming, research excellence, and collaboration.

lakeheadu.ca/ THE

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