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Geneviève Côté (LLL ’92) is the general manager of the Festival international de la chanson de Granby. She also sits on the boards of the Fédération du Mouvement Desjardins, the Polaris Music Prize and the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Québec. Geneviève discusses her journey building bridges and celebrating diversity as a bilingual music executive in the Canadian entertainment industry.

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While we encourage you to listen to the full conversation, here are some highlights from Geneviève's chat with Gwen. Read the article

Phil De Luna (MSc ’15) is a scientist and research capitalist working to advance climate technology. He is currently an expert, sustainability at McKinsey & Company and was named to the 2019 Forbes Top 30 under 30 list. Phil discusses how we can best move the needle on climate change through the intersection of technology, policy, and finance.

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While we encourage you to listen to the full conversation, here are some highlights from Phil's chat with Gwen. Read the article.

Balarama Holness (BA ’08, BEd ’14, Gee Gees Men’s Football ’04-’07, Gee Gees Men’s Track & Field ’07-’08) is an activist, social entrepreneur and former defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes, with whom he won the Grey Cup in 2010. The founder of Movement Montreal, a municipal political party, he ran for mayor of Montreal in 2021. Balarama discusses the upcoming publication of his memoir Eyes on the Horizon: My Journey Towards Justice. 

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While we encourage you to listen to the full conversation, here are some highlights from Balarama's chat with Gwen. Read the article.

Dr. John Bell, Professor with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute speaks about COVID-19 vaccine development and the challenges of mass distribution, access, safety, and effectiveness.  

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Dr. Joel Westheimer, University Research Chair in Democracy and Education at the University of Ottawa, explores how learning during a global pandemic is shaping and impacting the younger generation, Gen C- ‘Generation Covid’. 

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Idris Lawal (BCom ’15) is an Afrobop Toronto based recording artist who released his debut EP “Young, Black & Blue” to great acclaim in 2020. He shares about the power of music for social change and healing.  Special spotlight question to Idris by Haitian Canadian musician, Liautaud H Philogene (BSocSci ’17) who works under the artist name King H. 

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Chantal Durivage (BA ’93) is founder and EVP, Creative Affairs of Groupe Sensation Mode. This conversation touches on everything from fashion as self-expression, eco-conscious clothing, to the future of retail and body diversity. Special spotlight question by Isabelle Gauvreau (BFA ’97) visual artist, owner and private stylist of the Ottawa boutique Isabelle Mode. 

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Health Sciences alumna Jeanette Jenkins is a celebrity fitness trainer based in Los Angeles and the founder and president of The Hollywood Trainer. Jeanette talks about her journey to reaching millions online with her workouts and the evolving landscape of the fitness industry. She shares inclusive fitness tips for individuals of all abilities and backgrounds to motivate, build confidence and embrace healthy living. Special spotlight question to Jeanette by alumnus Trevor Monaghan (Gee Gees Men’s Football ’97-’01) member of the Cree Nation of Chisasibi, and fitness manager of the Chisasibi Fitness Center located on the eastern shore of James Bay in Northern Quebec.  

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Philippe Falardeau (BSocSci ’89) is the renowned Canadian film director of the Oscar award nominated Monsieur Lazhar as well as such Hollywood films as The Good Lie staring Reese Witherspoon and most recently My Salinger Year with Sigourney Weaver and Margaret Qualley. Philippe discusses the filmmaker’s craft and the changing future of the movie industry. Special spotlight question to Philippe from alumnus Papa Orleans-Minnow (BA ’15) host of the popular podcast Pops Culture.

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Samantha Bee (BA ’94) is the host of the popular American late-night TV show Full Frontal with Samantha Bee which offers a satirical take on the weekly news. She is a comedian, writer and producer and was previously the longest serving correspondent on Comedy Central’s Daily Show. Samantha discusses the transformative role 91��Ʒ���ϳԹ� had on her career path and the potential of political satire to activate democratic engagement. Special spotlight question to Samantha from alumna Dr. Elizabeth Dubois (BA '11) Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa.

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Tanya Lapointe (BA ’00) is the executive producer of Dune, directed by Denis Villenueve with whom she also worked on Arrival and Blade Runner 2049. She is the co-founder of Les Production sur le toit and produced and directed the documentary Lafortune en papier that won the Audience Award at the Whistler Film Festival in 2020.  She has penned books in French and English such as The Art and Soul of Dune. Tanya discusses the relationship between fiction and documentary filmmaking as well as the magic of the moviegoing experience. Special spotlight question to Tanya from alumna Kenya-Jade Pinto (JD ’17) filmmaker in residence at the Refugee Law Lab at York University.

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Sylvie Légère (BCom ’91) is a social entrepreneur, impact investor, philanthropist, and author of Trust Your Voice: A Roadmap to Focus and Influence. Her passion for women's empowerment inspired her co-founding of The Policy Circle, a non-profit organization committed to public policy dialogue that has grown into a community of over 13,500 members across 44 states in the US. Sylvie discusses creative ways to foster community engagement and as part of the Ricketts family her inspiring community work with the Chicago Cubs. Special spotlight question to Sylvie from Meg Beretta (BScSoc ’17), director of digital strategy for the Nova Scotia Digital Service.

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Faculty of Arts alumna Caroline Monnet is an Anishinaanbe and French multidisciplinary artist from Outaouais, Quebec. Her work has been widely shown internationally, everywhere from a permanent exhibit at UNESCO in Paris, to the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin to film festivals such as TIFF, Sundance, and Cannes. Caroline discusses how she uses visual art and film to communicate complex ideas around Indigenous identity grappling with colonialism’s impact and updating outdated systems with Indigenous methodologies. Special spotlight question to Caroline from Jon-Ethan Rankin-Kistabish (LLL ‘18), member of the Abitibiwinni First Nation, lawyer at Murdoch Archambault and member of the University of Ottawa Indigenous Alumni Council.

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Mina Lux (BSc ’90; BASc ’92) is an entrepreneurial marketing, business and product leader based in New York. She has held a series of top online marketing positions for the likes of USA Today and Scientific America. She co-founded two tech companies,—FloNetwork (a Deloitte Top 100 Fastest Growing Company in Canada) and Meelo Logic (which earned her a Gold Stevie Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year). Mina discusses pioneering the first technology platform that allows business to send emails as a way of generating leads and building revenue, as well as, drawing on her engineering degree to “spot the trend”. Special spotlight question to Mina from Aleeza Ladhani (BASc-Eng ’21 and Gee Gees Women’s Track and Field 2015-2017), technology analyst at Accenture and co-founder and CEO of Choloket. 

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