Windsor Proud Podcast

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The University of Windsor Alumni Relations Office is pleased to present Windsor Proud – A podcast for University of Windsor Alumni.The mission of these quick segments is to help University of Windsor alumni, students and friends manage during this drastic period of change. Our vision is to reduce your stress by sharing the insights of our alumni. 


Series 4 Episodes  

Marium Tolson-Murtty, BA '96, BEd '03, MEd '08 - Guest host   Marium Tolson-Murtty photograph
Director, Anti-Racism Organizational Change
Office of the Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
University of Windsor

Guest host, Marium Tolson-Murtty is in conversation with Order of Canada recipient Robert Small. They talk about all things UWindsor, from his days as a student, to the pivotal moment that changed his career path. They speak about his early days as an entrepreneur starting his company The Legacy Collexion and the passion behind the Legacy Poster Project. The speak about this year’s poster and the engagement opportunities it provides through QR codes. He offers listeners a sneak peek into his latest venture Afrostatic, a collection of learning materials that can infuse Black history into everyday curriculum.

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Guest: Robert Small, BA '93     
Order of Canada
Topic: Artist behind the Legacy Poster to Order of Canada
Length: 42.20

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About Robert Small

Artist, author, and educator Robert Small is a graduate of the University of Windsor. He is a self-taught artist who has merged his artistic talent, entrepreneurial skill, and teaching degree to tell the stories of African Canadian history in a powerful and enduring manner. He has revolutionized Black History Month in Canada through his annual LEGACY poster project and the supplementary activity books. He is a sought-after media guest speaking about the importance of Black History Month and the historical contributions of African/Canadians.  

From 2007 to 2021, Small’s artwork was displayed in all BMO banks across Canada. A mural of his work was featured for over ten years on the OPSEU building in downtown Toronto. Small’s artwork has even permeated the Toronto transit system as part of an anti-racism campaign in over twenty subway stations.  

Along with these accomplishments, Robert’s artwork continues to be the annual centerpiece of Black History Month celebrations by appearing in thousands of schools across the country. Small will be historically remembered as the most significant visual artist of the last two decades. For this reason and many more he was recently awarded Canada’s Order of Canada for his extraordinary contributions to the nation. 

To learn more about The Legacy Collexion
The 2022 Legacy Poster

Guest: Dr. Jim Weese
Executive Director, Western Leadership Academy
Western University
Topic: 
Length: 

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About Dr. Jim Weese

Dr. Jim Weese consults, conducts research, and delivers speeches on the topic of leadership. He is an author and heralded as a leadership authority who has engaged audiences on the power of people and the merits of a team approach to leadership.  

Jim is currently a professor and Executive Director, Western Leader Academy and former Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western University. He has held several senior leadership positions including the President of the North American Society for Sport Management and the National Deans Councils for both Kinesiology and Health Sciences Deans. 

He has served in several senior leadership positions (Athletic Director, Dean, Vice-President) and served as the President of the North American Society for Sport Management and the National Deans Councils for both Kinesiology and Health Sciences Deans. He recently completed a second term as the VP International at Western and currently serves as the Founding Executive Director of the Western Leader Academy.  

Jim is a 2014 inductee of the University of Windsor’s Sports Hall of Fame. He has earned numerous prestigious academic and leadership awards throughout his distinguished career including the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, a Research Fellowship from The North American Society for Sport Management to name a few. 

Series 3 Episodes

Gordon Orr, Host   Gordon Orr Host
Windsor Proud Podcast - Series three is hosted by Gordon Orr, President-Elect, University of Windsor’s Alumni Association Board of Directors. Gordon is a proud graduate of the University of Windsor with an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies. As one of Windsor Essex's most recognizable citizens and leaders, Gordon is often called upon to host special events and does so willingly as a proud ambassador of Windsor Essex. He gives of his time and expertise by serving on many Boards and Associations. With a 30+ year career in the tourism/hospitality industry, he is currently, the CEO Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island - the region’s official Destination Marketing Organization.

Guest: Mayor Drew Dilkens, BComm '96, JD '11
Topic: Leading the City of Windsor during a pandemic
Length: 27.02

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About Mayor Drew Dilkens

Drew Dilkens is a lifelong resident of the City of Windsor. He holds business and law degrees from the University of Windsor (called to the bar in 2012) and an M.B.A. from Wayne State University. He received his Doctorate of Business Administration from the International School of Management in Paris, France with a focus on municipal amalgamation in Ontario. He obtained the Chartered Director (C.Dir.) designation from The Directors College (2021), and holds the professional designation of a Certified Human Resources Leader, along with training certificates from the Canadian Foreign Service Institute, Canadian Securities Institute and Federal Bureau of Investigations in the United States. He was elected Mayor of the City of Windsor on October 27, 2014. He was re-elected on October 22, 2018, for his second term. Mayor Dilkens is committed to a program of fiscal discipline and economic diversification. Since being elected, he has continued to focus on improving the city’s infrastructure – including roads and sewers, holding the line on taxes, supporting economic development that creates jobs and attracts investments, and positioning Windsor as a destination of choice for those looking to build homes, careers, and families.

Guest: David F. Haas, BComm '02
Topic: Odette grad turned Personal Coach shares his insights about how to maximize your potential
Length: 22 minutes

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About David F. Haas
David Haas is a University of Windsor Business Grad and serial entrepreneur who founded his first company at the young age of 16.  Since then, he has founded 8 other companies including his most recent launch of his signature coaching system.  David is known as the Letting Go coach and has dedicated his life to helping people uncover what is holding from maximizing their potential.  Since the creation of his coaching program David has helped over 100 clients and businesses become aware of what is preventing their greatness. David speaks about his latest venture - Lungovita Beach Retreat - a 16-acre waterfront retreat center in Harrow Ontario, the first of its kind in this area.   

For more information visit:

https://www.davidhaas.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/davidfhaas/

https://www.lungovita.com/

 


 

Guest: Lyn Baluyot, BScNursing '94, BA '96    Lyn Baluyot
Topic: Windsor Grad returns to Windsor to lead major clinical transformation initiatives.  
Length: 17 minutes

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About Lyn Baluyot

As a member of TransForm’s senior leadership team (SLT), Lyn leads Transformation office which is responsible for the delivery of various clinical transformation initiatives and clinical applications.  She most recently led the ESC member hospitals through a major clinical transformation with the implementation of a regional electronic health record, spanning the continuum of the patient’s health journey.  The e-VOLVE program will create a single shared platform across the five hospitals to create a more patient-centric experience across the region with a focus on improving the patient, staff, and clinician experience.

Lyn has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry as a nurse, administrator and most recently as Partner: Health Transformation, National Lead-Health Activation Services at Deloitte Inc. in Toronto. 

She has led several enterprise-wide transformation projects across multiple academic health science centers, tertiary, and community hospitals within North America and globally. Her broad expertise spans operational, strategic, and clinical planning, organizational redesign, information systems strategy design, and benefits realization. She has worked with her clients to assist them in implementing innovative and transformative models of care, processes, and technology.

Guest: Jermain Franklin, BA '99
Topic: Communications grad talks about his  road to his dream job at TSN.
Length: 21.35

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About Jermain Franklin

Jermain Franklin is an anchor on TSN’s Sports Centre, Canada’s #1 sports news and information program.  Before manning the desk, Franklin was the Calgary Bureau Chief for TSN reporting mainly on the Calgary Flames and Stampeders. During his 17 years with The Sports Network, Franklin’s versatility enabled him to cover sporting events across North America; The 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver The NBA Finals (9 times) The NCAA Final Four / March Madness NFL playoffs Multiple Grey Cup Championships and the Stanley Cup Finals.

Franklin is married with 2 children (Micah and Samson). He is a proud graduate of the University of Windsor. That is also where he met his wife of 19 years, Andrea Stewart-Franklin, BA ’99 (Jermain saved the best for last;-).

Guest: Ken Alexander       
Topic: Leading the Alumni Association during a pandemic
Length: 15.18

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About Ken Alexander

Ken is a principal at Davenport Law Group in Toronto and President of the University of Windsor Alumni Association.

Ken Alexander is a leading employment law and wrongful dismissal litigator specializing in a wide array of issues. His cases range from wrongful terminations to class action lawsuits. He has acted for both employees and employers in many important employment law cases.

For the past twenty years Ken’s professional activities have focused exclusively on employment law. His practice encompasses a broad range of employment law matters, including wrongful dismissal, human rights, sexual harassment, Employment Standards Act rights and complaints, employment contracts, disability claims, collective bargaining agreements, fraud, fiduciary duties, labour relations, injunctions, cross-border labour issues, non-competition covenants, misrepresentation, defamation, and class actions, as well as providing advice on all aspects of employment law and civil litigation.

Ken Alexander obtained his LL.B. from the University of Windsor in 1992. He was the recipient of the John Whiteside Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the University’s Faculty of Law and Clark Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to Alumni. Ken is a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and Member of University of Windsor Alumni Board of Directors.

Ken Alexander regularly appears before all levels of court in Ontario. Furthermore, he also appears before the Ontario Labour Relations Board, Employment Standards Referees and the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.

Ken Alexander is a former instructor at the University of Western Ontario Law School. Additionally, lecturer in continuing legal education seminars for the Ontario Bar Association, Canada Law Book, and the Law Society of Upper Canada.

 

Series 2 Episodes

Dr. Linda Patrick headshot Guest: Dr. Linda Patrick, BSc Nursing '90, MSc Nursing '97
Dean, Faculty of Nursing
University of Windsor
Topic: UWindsor Nursing alumni on the front lines.
Length: 12:45

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About Dr. Linda Patrick

Dr. Patrick has held staff nurse positions in acute care (ICU, emergency, dialysis & maternal child) and community settings (Victorian Order of Nurses and Diabetes Wellness Program, Sandwich CHC) throughout her career as a Registered Nurse. She has over 20 years experience in academia, working in both community college and university settings, and currently is in a second five-year term as Dean of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Windsor.

Master of Arts focus:  Curriculum development and evaluation in post-secondary settings.
Master of Science (nursing): Health promotion on Canadian college and university campuses.
PhD (Clinical Health Sciences Nursing): Research focus – The meaning of type 2 diabetes for women with previous gestational diabetes.

Mike Bates headshotGuest: Mike Bates, BHK '95, MBA '04
Owner Refine Fitness, Teacher, Author
Topic: Everyday advice to stay fit while at home.
Length: 12:22

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About Mike Bates
Owner, Refine Fitness Studio

  • Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK)
  • Masters Business Administration
  • Certified Exercise Physiologist
  • Certified Personal Trainer
  • Over 15 years experience
  • Part-time professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor
  • Co-author of the best-selling textbook Health Fitness Management
  • Co-author of the Can Fit Pro Personal Trainers Certification Manual
  • Certified instructor for the Can Fit Pro
  • Personal Trainer & Nutrition and wellness certifications
  • Invited speaker on fitness club management at International Club management conferences throughout North America

Dr. Bonnie Stewart headshotGuest: Dr. Bonnie Stewart
Assistant Professor of Online Pedagogy & Workplace Learning
University of Windsor
Topic: Advice for parents on how to learn and study in isolation.
Follow: @bonstewart
Length: 16:16

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About Bonnie Stewart

Bonnie Stewart is an educator and social media researcher interested in what digital networks mean for institutions and society. Assistant Professor of Online Pedagogy and Workplace Learning in the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Education, Bonnie was an early MOOC researcher and ethnographer of Twitter. Bonnie's current research interests include the data literacies of educators, and what it means to know, to learn, and to be a citizen in our current information ecosystem.

 

Dr. Jill Urbanic headshot Guest: Dr. Jill Urbanic, MASc '03, PhD '07
Professor Mechanical Automotive and Materials Engineering
University of Windsor
Title: Engineering Innovative Solutions
Length: 15:51

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About Dr. Jill Urbanic

Dr. (Ruth) Jill Urbanic is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering at the University of Windsor. After receiving her B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, she pursued opportunities to work in various advanced manufacturing environments. She has been involved with design, implementation, and support for several types of manufacturing, material handling, testing, gauging and assembly equipment for a variety of engine components and vehicle styles. She wished to enhance her practical background with more theoretical knowledge. She received her M. A. Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Ph. D. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Windsor and is a recipient of an NSERC University Faculty Award (2008). Her research focuses on advanced process design and manufacturing technologies, with a focus in process planning for machine tool and robotic based additive manufacturing systems. With the recent development machine tools that support AM, in addition to machining, the need to program, visualize, and optimize additive travel paths (and hybrid manufacturing) seamlessly using traditional CAD/CAM systems has been created. She has performed foundational research related to these new manufacturing systems including exploring machine learning models to predict functional properties, predicting quality issues, optimizing planar tool path options, and investigating 5-xis tool path build solutions. She has made significant contributions in these areas, and is a recipient of a University of Windsor researcher award (2019). She has over 130 refereed publications. In addition to being an award-winning researcher, in 2013, she was the Wighton Fellow recipient (a national teaching excellence award for laboratory-based courses in Canadian undergraduate engineering programs).

Series 1 Episodes

Dr. Mary Jo Haddad headshot

Guest: Mary Jo Haddad, BSc Nursing '84, LLD '05
Chancellor, University of Windsor
Topic: A perspective from a former CEO and nursing professional.
Length: 15:03

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About Mary Jo Haddad

Mary Jo Haddad is President of MJH & Associates, providing strategic leadership, mentorship and healthcare advisory services. As Corporate Director, she serves on the Board of TELUS and is Chair of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. She also serves on the HR Committee as a member of the Board of TD Bank Financial Group. She was appointed Chancellor of the University of Windsor in 2019.

Mary Jo maintains a strong commitment to giving back as an advocate for children and youth through her volunteer work as past Director of the Board of Kids Health Links Foundation, SickKids Capital Campaign and is Past Chair of Children First Canada, a not for profit committed to helping make Canada the best place for kids to grow up.

Mary Jo Haddad began her career in academic healthcare as a Registered Nurse.  She joined the Hospital for Sick Children in 1984 and served in several progressive leadership roles including Chief Nurse, Executive Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer and served as President and CEO from 2004 to 2014.

She is recognized for her innovative leadership and commitment to children’s health through a distinguished career in health care in Canada and the US, and leading numerous national and international initiatives. A champion of research and innovation, she led the creation of the Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, building capacity and commitment to discovery, research and commercialization. She served as the Founding Chair of MaRS Innovation (now TIAP) and as a Founding Director of the Vector Institute.

Mary Jo holds a Masters of Health Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Windsor and is a Nursing Graduate of St Clair College. She is a Member of the Order of Canada and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and is the recipient of numerous awards. Her leadership contributions have been recognized with Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from University of Windsor, Ryerson University and The University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

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Dr. Antoni Cimolino headshot

Guest: Dr. Antoni Cimolino, BFA '84, DHum '04
Artistic Director, The Stratford Festival
Topic: What to do when the show can’t go on.
Length: 14:38

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Note: Interview was recorded prior to the announcement that the 2020 season would be suspended.

About Antoni Cimolino

Mr. Cimolino began his Stratford career as an actor, playing such roles as Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Claudio in Measure for Measure, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet and Laertes in Hamlet.

He started to direct for Stratford in the mid-1990s, winning acclaim for such productions as Filumena, with Richard Monette; Twelfth Night, with William Hutt; Love’s Labour’s Lost, with Brian Bedford; King John, with Stephen Ouimette; As You Like It, featuring original music by Barenaked Ladies; Coriolanus, with Colm Feore and Martha Henry; Bartholomew Fair, with Tom McCamus; The Grapes of Wrath, with Janet Wright; and Cymbeline, with Geraint Wyn Davies.

In 2013, his first season as Artistic Director, he introduced the Stratford Festival Forum, a season-long series of events illuminating the themes of the playbill and illustrating their relevance in today’s world. That same season he directed The Merchant of Venice, with Tom McCamus and Scott Wentworth, and Mary Stuart, with Seana McKenna and Lucy Peacock, a production that was extended an unprecedented four times.

His recent productions also include King Lear with Colm Feore (one of the top-selling Shakespeare productions in the Festival’s history); The Beaux’ Stratagem with Colm Feore and Mike Shara; Hamlet with Jonathan Goad; The Alchemist with Jonathan Goad, Stephen Ouimette and Scott Wentworth; Macbeth with Ian Lake; The Hypochondriac with Stephen Ouimette and Brigit Wilson; The School for Scandal with Shannon Taylor, Geraint Wyn Davies and Joseph Ziegler; The Tempest with Martha Henry; Napoli Milionaria! with Tom McCamus and Brigit Wilson; The Merry Wives of Windsor with Geraint Wyn Davies, Sophia Walker and Brigit Wilson; and the English-language première of Birds of a Kind with Jakob Ehman, Deb Filler, Alon Nashman, Harry Nelken, Sarah Orenstein, Baraka Rahmani and Hannah Miller. 

In his previous roles as General Manager, General Director and Executive Director, Mr. Cimolino oversaw the successful launch of an endowment fund which now stands at $81 million. It has significantly improved the Festival’s infrastructure with four major construction projects between 2002 and 2008, including the extensive renovation of the Avon Theatre and the creation of the Studio Theatre. In January 2018, Mr. Cimolino and Executive Director Anita Gaffney launched a $100-million campaign to build the glorious new Tom Patterson Theatre, a campaign that had already achieved 70% of its target at the time of its public launch.

In 2014, he and Ms Gaffney announced an ambitious 10-year project to film Festival productions of all Shakespeare’s plays. So far, the Festival has produced 14 films, including Mr. Cimolino’s productions of King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest and The Merry Wives of Windsor, as well as King John, Antony and Cleopatra, The Taming of the Shrew, The Adventures of Pericles, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet, Timon of Athens, Coriolanus and Othello.

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Dr. Scot McFadden headshot

Guest: Dr. Scot McFadden, BA '73, MA '75
Sports Psychologist
Topic: Dealing with the feelings of being isolation and how to keep positive with so much uncertainty.
Length: 20:15

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About Dr. Scot McFadden

Since 1985, Dr. McFadden has worked with thousands of executives, managers and professionals in the world of business and hundreds of pro athletes primarily in National Hockey League. He is an Organizational psychologist with expertise in pre-selection management assessment & succession planning evaluation. 

Scot is currently retained by St. Louis Blues as organizational and clinical sports psychologist. Since joining the Blues in 2011, the team has the fourth best regular season record in the NHL and has reached the playoffs six years in a row. From 1995-2010, Dr. McFadden was Sports psychologist with Dallas Stars. He helped lead the team to two Western Conference titles, one President's trophy and the Stanley Cup in 1999.

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Yvonne Pilon Headshot image

Guest: Yvonne Pilon, BComm '07
CEO, WEtech Alliance
Topic: Partnering in a crisis. Bringing together Businesses to help during a crisis.
Length: 12:58

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About Yvonne Pilon

Yvonne Pillon is the President and CEO of WEtech Alliance. At the age of 24, she founded her first tech venture, AD2IT, and by the age of 29, became the youngest woman to lead a Regional Innovation Centre. Yvonne has over 10 years of experience in the tech sector with a core focus on growing companies and building a thriving entrepreneurial community. She is also the host of the #TechInTheCity podcast.

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Guest: Dan Wells, BA '96 
President and Publisher, Biblioasis Inc.
Topic: How and why his bookstore turned to home delivery.
Length: 16:24

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About Dan Wells

Dan Wells is the founder and publisher at Biblioasis - one of the most successful small book publishing companies located in Windsor, Ont. As one of Canada’s leading small publishers, books published at Biblioasis have been locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally recognized. Books are nominated and win in all prize categories. Fifteen years later, his one-person operation has grown into one of the most successful small book publishing companies in Canada.

Dan contributes back to his community in several ways. He is the co-founder and Director of Bookfest Windsor / Literary Arts Windsor. He has served on many boards such as Ontario Creates, Literary Press Group and the Arts Council Windsor & Region. He is currently a board member on the Humanities Research Group, University of Windsor and the International Visitor’s Program, International Federation of Authors. He supports Windsor cultural activities and he contributes to revitalizing the Walkerville area.

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