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Notable Alumni

Many of our alumni have achieved great success in their careers and the community.  Some are even household names! Here's a sampling:


By field:

Arts and media

Business and industry

Public service

Sciences

Sports

Arts and media

  • Leonard Asper, former CEO of Canwest Global Communications Corp, media entrepreneur, philanthropist
  • David Bergen, Giller-Prize winning author
  • Trevor Boris, MuchMusic comedian
  • Stephen Borys, Director and CEO of the Winnipeg Art Gallery
  • Lorraine Brandson, curator of Churchill's world-renowned Eskimo Museum
  • Richard Condie, Filmmaker, Writer, Musician
  • Eleanor Coopsammy, CTV Winnipeg Morning Show host
  • Hilary Druxman, jewelry designer
  • Danishka Esterhazy, filmmaker
  • Vince Fontaine, Musician
  • Noam Gonick, filmmaker  
  • Margo Goodhand, former editor, Winnipeg Free Press
  • Peter Herrndorf, President and CEO of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa
  • Linda Holeman, world-famous author
  • Tina Keeper, Former MP for Churchill, actress
  • Ash Koley, pop singer
  • Chantal Kreviazuk, singer and songwriter
  • Devin Latimer, musician and song writer, UWinnipeg chemistry instructor, former member of Grammy award winning band, Nathan and current member of Leaf Rapids
  • Guy Maddin, filmmaker
  • Shannon Martin, Global News anchor
  • Cheryl McKenzie, Gemini award-nominated journalist, host and producer of APTN National News
  • Keith McPherson, musician and songwriter, currently one half of country pop duo, Keith and Renee.
  • Craig Oliver, veteran journalist, Chief Political Correspondent for CTV News
  • Gilles Paquin, CEO/Owner Paquin Entertainment Group
  • John Paskievich, director and photographer
  • Fred Penner, entertainer
  • Lindor Reynolds, journalist, human rights advocate
  • Bill Richardson, CBC radio personality and award-winning author 
  • Brad Roberts, Lead Singer, Crash Test Dummies
  • Shaneen Robinson, journalist, broadcaster, writer, community leader
  • Paul Samyn, Editor, Winnipeg Free Press
  • Khal Sharif, video game maker, virtual world designer, web developer
  • Margaret Sweatman, acclaimed author and English faculty member
  • Beth Torbert, Musician/Singer (Bif Naked)
  • Larry Updike, CBC Radio Host
  • Bill Valgardson, award-winning author
  • Armin Wiebe, local writer, award winning author

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Business and industry

  • Ida Albo, entrepreneur, philanthropist, community leader
  • Diane Gray, founding President and CEO of CentrePort Canada
  • David R. Henderson, Economics professor, blogger and author
  • Jamie Jurczak, lawyer, Vice-Chair Chamber of Commerce, entrepreneur
  • John Langstaff, Former Chief Executive Officer and President, Cangene Corp.
  • Douglas Leatherdale, business leader, philanthropist, founding member of UWinnipeg Foundation.
  • Joe Martin, Partner (Deloitte Management Consulting Canada), Director (Rotman Shool of Management), Author (From Wall Street to Bay Street)
  • Raymond McFeetors, former CEO of Great-West Lifeco. Inc.
  • Susan Misner, Golden Girl Finance co-founder, entrepreneur, advisor
  • Prashant Modha, Owner and Chief Finance Officer, Mondetta Clothing
  • Michael Phelps, former president and CEO of Westcoast Energy Inc.
  • Donald John Roberts, Professor of Economics, Strategic Management, and International Business in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, award-winning author
  • Ed Romanowski, President & Founder, Bellstar Hotels & Resorts
  • Greg Tretiak, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Power Corporation of Canada and Power Financial Corporation
  • Omar Zakhilwal, Minister of Finance, Afghanistan

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Public service

  • Nello Altomare, Manitoba MLA for Transcona, elected September 2019
  • Lloyd Axworthy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former President of The University of Winnipeg
  • Darlyne Bautista, Philippine education leader, cultural curator/ambassador, School Trustee
  • Donavan Fontaine, Chief, Sagkeeng First Nation
  • Honourable Kevin Chief, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities
  • Sharon Conway, General Manager, Louis Riel Institute
  • Amanda Furst, GO! Founder, Manitoba Red Cross Young Humanitarian & YWCA Young Woman of Distinction
  • Wab Kinew, Manitoba MLA for Fort Rouge, relected September 2019.  Leader of the Manitoba New Democratic Party and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. Award winning journalist and hip-hop artist.
  • Cindy Lamoureux, Manitoba MLA for Tyndall Park, elected September 2019
  • Troy Lulashnyk, Canada's Ambassador to the Ukraine
  • Tim Martin, Canada's Ambassador to the Republic of Columbia
  • Andrew Micklefield, Manitoba MLA for Rossmere, elected September 2019
  • Donna Miller, Manitoba's current Clerk of the Executive Council, the province's highest ranking civil servant
  • William (Bill) Norrie, former Mayor of Winnipeg and Rhodes Scholar
  • Howard Pawley, Former Premier of Manitoba
  • Devi Sharma, Winnipeg City Councillor
  • Bernadette Smith, Manitoba MLA for Point Douglas, elected September 2019
  • Rochelle Squires, Manitoba MLA for Riel, elected September 2019
  • Annette Trimbee, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Winnipeg
  • Susan Thompson, former Mayor of Winnipeg, former Consul General to the US in Minneapolis, and former CEO of the University of Winnipeg Foundation
  • The Honourable Vic Toews, Former Minister of Public Safety
  • James Wilson, Treaty Commissioner for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba

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Sciences

  • Alannah Hallas (BSc [Hons], 11) is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Smalley-Curl fellowship at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
  • Reese Halter, Conservation Biologist, science communicator, author
  • Leo Wang-Kit Cheung, Bioinformatics Program Leader, Loyola University Medical Center

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Sports


  • Erfan Nasajpour, professional basketball player in the Iranian Basketball Super League and volunteer coach for UWinnipeg's Summer in the City basketball program
  • Ken Opalko, former Wesmen men's basketball star and inductee into both the Manitoba Sports and Basketball Halls of Fame

 
Also, see a list of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients and find out how to nominate someone for the award here. Do you know someone whose name should be on this page? Please e-mail alumni@uwinnipeg.ca with your suggestions.

 

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