Classes

Want to be in Classes?

Send us your photos and news through the online submission form.

1975

Posner, Harry (BA Psychology)

A self-published poet, author, editor and poet laureate of Dufferin County, Ont., Harry organized and executed Orangeville’s first-ever Day of the Poets festival in May 2018. Over the past year, he also promoted poetry in schools and seniors’ clubs and at public events. His new book, Malware, came out in September.

1976

Lantz, Paul (BA Computer Science, LLB Osgoode ’80)

After 36 years in Moosonee, Ont., Paul will retire this year as executive director of Keewaytinok Native Legal Services, a community clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario. While he says working in the remote north of Ontario was challenging, Paul also found it greatly satisfying. He is looking forward to focusing on his passions of photography and computers once he relocates to southern Ontario.

1979

Spencer, Nina (BA Psychology)

Identified by the National Post as “one of Canada’s leading motivational speakers,” Nina started out in corporate human resources and organizational development before becoming a conference keynote speaker for businesses and professional associations. Author of two Canadian bestsellers (Getting Passion Out of Your Profession and A Time to Creep, A Time to Soar), Nina is also a speaker coach, voice-over professional, and frequent guest on TV and radio programs. In 2011, she reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the topic of her latest book.

1985

Gokhale, Veena (MES)

Veena worked with a dynamic non-profit organization in Tanzania from 2005 to 2006. Soon after, she wrote her first novel, Land for Fatimah (Guernica Editions), published in 2018. A passionate foodie, in 2015 Veena launched Slurrrp, a business offering cooking classes to people interested in preparing Indian vegetarian dishes.

Mullen, Carol (BA English)

A two-time Fulbright Scholar (China in 2015 and Canada in 2017), Carol recently published Creativity Under Duress in Education? Resistive Theories, Practices, and Action, a book providing contemporary perspectives on the role of creativity in education.

1988

NAIMPALLY, ANURADHA (MFA Dance)

Anuradha graduated, married and moved to Austin, Texas, where she raised her two children and continued her dance career. In 1989, she established Austin Dance India, an organization through which she conducts various creative projects. A sought-after speaker, performer and ­collaborator, Anuradha often tours as a solo Bharatanatyam dancer. She is a member of ART 2030, a group of global artists passionate about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Last year, Anuradha was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame for her contributions to the field of dance.

1990

Richard, Marc (BEd, MA Dance ’09, PhD Education ’13)

After completing his PhD in 2013, Marc began his current full-time role as co-ordinator of the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program at Sheridan College. Earlier this year, Marc was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow by the Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education, Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the university and college level.

1994

Mazerolle, Kelly (BA Spec. Hons. English, BEd Glendon)

For the past 10 years, Kelly has been teaching at Lakeland College, where she is head of the Early Learning & Child Care program. The author of several articles presented at national and international conferences, Kelly published her first book, The Mentors Among Us, in August 2018. She has been happily married to Steve ­Mazerolle (BA Hons. Math for Commerce ’92 Glendon) for the past 24 years. They have two children, two dogs and three cats, and currently reside in Alberta.

2001

Selby, Rowena (MES)

Rowena met Nicolas Houde (MES ’01), who would become her husband, while they were both completing their degrees at York University. Since graduation, they’ve moved to Montreal, where they have three children. Rowena currently works at Vanier College as the manager of international and continuing education, while Nicolas is a professor of political science at Université du Québec à Montréal.

2002

marchiotti, nancy (BA Hons. Psychology)

Nancy has spent most of her career in human resources, specializing in learning and development. Since 2018, Nancy has served as the learning and development manager at Toronto’s FreshBooks, a leader in cloud-based accounting software. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peel-Halton. Currently, Nancy is studying to obtain her Certified Training & Development Professional designation with the Institute for Performance & Learning.

2008

FRANCO, TANIS (BA Creative Writing)

Tanis, an archivist at the University of Toronto, had their first book of poetry, Quarry (University of Calgary Press), published in January 2018. After graduating from York, Tanis obtained a master of library and information studies degree from McGill University as well as a master of arts in English and creative writing from Concordia University.

2009

Klibanov, Igor (BA Spec. Hons. Kinesiology & Health Science)

Since graduating from York, Igor has published four books on fitness and nutrition, including Stop Exercising! The Way You Are Doing It Now, published in 2014. A personal trainer and health and wellness speaker, Igor has given talks at some of Canada’s largest corporations, including RBC, Intact Insurance and IBM. In 2015 and 2016, he won two young entrepreneur awards from the City of Markham.

2011

Ramjohn, Naresa (BScN Hons.)

For the past seven years, Naresa has been working as a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Humber River Hospital. Recently accepted into the Saint James School of Medicine in Anguilla, she aspires to become a neonatologist and return to Canada to open her own clinic.

2012

cerjanec, robert (BA Political Science)

Chief of staff to Ana Bailão, deputy mayor of Toronto and the city’s housing advocate, Robert has played a key role in advancing housing policy in Toronto. During his time at York, Robert was a member of the York Federation of Students and the Student Centre Board of Directors, and one of three leads who negotiated the successful agreement to build the University’s new Second Student Centre.

2014

NGUYEN, Mai (PhD Political Science)

Mai joined Maple Leaf Strategies, a public affairs, government relations and research consulting firm, in 2018 as a senior government relations consultant. Prior to that, she served as a ­political and policy adviser to the previous minister of government and consumer services, where she was instrumental in helping the former Ontario government draft and pass legislation protecting consumers in the marketplace. A journal article she ­published while studying at York – “Consulting No One: Is Democratic ­Administration the Answer for First Nations?” – has recently been republished as a chapter in Leading-Edge Research in Public Sector Innovation.

2015

Elhawash, Sara (BA Hons. Political Science)

After graduation, Sara landed an internship within the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community & Social Services as a summer student. Three years later, she became a permanent, full-time employee with the ministry, working as an enforcement services officer. Beyond this role, Sara remains active in the community. She is currently the recruitment co-ordinator for Young Diplomats of Canada, helping select delegates to attend high-level geopolitical and global governance summits, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, and the Y7 and Y20 Summits.

In Memoriam

Cox, Robert Warburton (PROFESSOR)

A professor of political science at York University, Robert was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2014 for his contributions to the field of international political economy. Beloved by generations of students, he held visiting professorships at several international universities, including Yale and the Graduate Institute of International & Development Studies in Geneva. He died on Oct. 9, 2018.

Ellis, Jack Barry (PROFESSOR EMERITUS)

Jack was a professor emeritus and former associate dean of environmental studies at York University. An avid traveller, voracious reader, consumer of current events and activist for causes he believed in, Jack passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 26, 2018.

Haub, Erivan (SUPPORTER)

A longtime supporter of York University and one of the original benefactors of the Schulich School of Business, Erivan was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, where he became a successful entrepreneur, building the Tengelmann Group into an international retail empire spanning Europe and North America, including the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P). He passed away on March 6, 2018, at age 85.

Meech, Carol Crockett (MBA ’85)

Carol received her MBA from York University at the ripe age of 56, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Born in Pueblo, Colo., in 1929, she had originally come to Toronto shortly after graduating from Wellesley College as an economics major in 1951 to marry her (predeceased) Canadian husband, Richard C. Meech (LLB Osgoode ’50, QC), son of Richard G. Meech (BARR Osgoode ’22, QC), and raise their five children. One of the first docents at the Royal Ontario Museum, Carol educated tour groups for over 20 years in geology, paleontology and dinosaurs. She died on Sept. 12, 2018.