Peer Review - The University Of Calgary Alumni Podcast

Sharon Carry, BA'75, BEd’76, MCS’90, has been the President and CEO of Bow Valley College since 1997. On this episode of Peer Review, we discuss Sharon’s academic career, 50 years of Bow Valley College, strong female leaders, and much more.

Scott White, BMus’89, is a multi-talented songwriter, playwright and musical director. On this episode of Peer Review, we look back at his ill-fated rock band, West World, talk about why he was “the world’s worst drag queen,” and discuss his latest play, Newfoundland Mary.  

Jodi Willoughby, BCR’01, is the co-owner of Crave Cookies and Cupcakes. First opening their doors in Calgary in 2004, Crave now has four locations in the city, as well as shops in Edmonton and Saskatoon. 

Dr. Breanne Everett, MD’09, MBA’13, is the CEO and director of Orpyx, a wearable medical technology company that creates life-changing health tools that empower the user through data analytics.

Tony Tran, BComm'11, is a community builder with Antyx Community Arts, a dance instructor, and founder of the inovative dance collective, The Bad Girls Club YYC.

Dawn Johnston, PhD’05, is the Assistant Dean, Student Engagement (Faculty of Arts) and a senior instructor in the Department of Communication, Media and Film at the University of Calgary. On this episode of Peer Review, Dawn shares her thoughts on Caitlyn Jenner, great television, Calgary’s food scene, and much more.

Vern Kimball, BA’81, MBA’90, is the President of the University of Calgary Alumni Association, and the former CEO of the Calgary Stampede. On this episode of Peer Review, Vern shares stories from nearly 30 years of involvement with the greatest outdoor show on earth. 

Hayley Peckham, BComm’14 and Kimberly Stewart, BSc’16 (expected), share stories from their terms as Calgary Stampede Royalty.  

Brad Granberg, MD’12, is an ER doctor with a focus on disaster medicine and disaster management. On this episode of Peer Review, Brad revisits his time spent in Nepal providing post disaster medical relief.

Leslie Reid, Msc'97/PhD'02, is a geologist and the associate dean of teaching and learning (Science). On this episode of Peer Review, Leslie answers questions about earthquakes, explains how the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning will impact the university, and shares geology stories. 

Jill Drader, BGS’05, is the founder of Woman in Work Boots and is a coach and consultant at Steel Toe Stiletto Ltd. On this episode of Peer Review, Jill talks about her turbulent youth, discusses working in the trades in Alberta, and explains why she helps others discover their passions. This episode touches on mature subject matter, listener discretion is advised. 

Harry Sanders, BA’88, is a self-employed historical consultant and writer, as well as Calgary Heritage Authority’s historian laureate. Since he started studying Alberta’s history as a young teen, Harry has gone on to author books about the city's waterworks system, historical walks in the city, and much more. On this episode of Peer Review, Harry reflects on Calgary’s past, sharing stories about some of the men and woman who have helped make the city what it is today.

James Fell, BA’93/MA’96/MBA’99, is an internationally syndicated fitness writer, penning pieces for the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, AskMen.com, Chatelaine.com, and Men’s Health. On this contentious episode of Peer Review, James shares his opinion on fad diets, Dr. Oz, CrossFit, and much more. 

Rosa Marchitelli, BA’95, is a journalist and news anchor for CBC Calgary. After starting her career at A Channel in Calgary, Rosa worked as a journalist in Edmonton and Vancouver prior to returning to Calgary to co-host a newscast with her husband. On this episode of Peer Review, Rosa reflects on her days as a tough arts critic writing for the Gauntlet, talks about why her dream interview would be with Pope Francis, and discusses the future of CBC.

Lourdes Juan, BGS’05/MEDes’09, is the director of LMJ Consultants and Soma Advanced Skin & Body Therapy. On this episode of Peer Review, Lourdes shares how she obtained her informal business education, talks about Calgary development trends, and discusses LeftOvers, her non-profit organization that delivers fresh food to people in need. 

Heather Yourex, BCS'03, is a health reporter for Global News Calgary. On this episode of Peer Review, we revisit Heather's UCalgary days, look back on her time spent in Africa documenting the aids pandemic, and talk about health care issues facing Albertans.

Paul Fairie, MA’07/PhD’13, is a Political Science instructor at the University of Calgary and a Data Scientist for Centrality Data Science. On this episode of Peer Review, Paul provides insight into the upcoming Alberta Provincial Election, explains proper twitter behaviour, and shares a bit about his interests outside of politics.  

John Fairbairn, BSc'06, is a former Canadian Olympic skeleton athlete, currently working in the oil and gas industry in Calgary. On this episode of Peer Review, we revisit John’s UCalgary days, look back on how he ended up representing Canada at the Sochi 2014 Olympics, and talk about life after competitive sports.

Andrew Pearce, BSc’84/MSc’88, is the director of research and development at DreamWorks Animation. On this episode of Peer Review, we revisit Andrew’s UCalgary days, talk about how he ended up working on such films as Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, and Monsters vs. Aliens, and discuss what the future of these types of movies could look like.

Elizabeth Anderson, BA’10, is the author of Being Mentally Healthy (in spite of a mental illness), and received the True Grit Award from the Lt. Governor’s Circle on Mental Health and Addictions for her contributions to public education, advocacy, and stigma reduction of mental health issues. On this episode of the Peer Review, Elizabeth shares her story about living with schizophrenia and depression, and explains how she has given her illness experience a broader meaning by giving people accurate information and dispelling the myths that are associated with those living with diagnosis.