Meet Alumni Ambassadors

Meet the Alumni Ambassadors

Want to know more about a specific program, campus activity, or just get a sense of what it's like to be a Santamarian? We have a number of alumni who look forward to helping future SMUdents learn more about the Saint Mary's experience!

Learn about each Alumni Ambassador below. 

Find out how you can become an Alumni Ambassador here. 

Ali Algermozi

BComm’16 CertHRM'16 Ali Algermozi Headshot
Major: Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management & Industrial Relations
Yemen
Campus Activities: Enactus, Commerce Society

Born in Yemen and raised in Halifax, Ali pursued other avenues of work before coming to Saint Mary's, including a career in networking systems and a stint as a yoga studio operator. But, when he joined the Sobey School of Business, it felt like a match made in heaven. “I have been welcomed with open arms and I see myself really striving and growing, not only on a professional level but on a personal level as well.” 

It’s Saint Mary’s culture of giving back that has most resonated with Ali. He challenged himself to become as engaged as possible in both extracurricular activities and community involvement. In addition to his commitment to Enactus as the co-president, he also worked at the Sobey School of Business Development Centre, served on SMUSA’s Board of Directors, and acted as VP External for the Sobey School of Business Commerce Society. 

Following his time in SMU he started an online web presence company called SiteClub.tech and worked as a Small Business Advisor with Scotiabank. His love for his birthplace, Yemen, and care to help others encouraged him to travel back and work on Solar Energy projects in providing access to electricity and solar farming. He is currently the VP and Director of special projects with www.cewye.com and started his own company www.aadyemen.com focusing on IT and Solar Energy. His Entrepreneurial mindset didn't just stop there, he worked on growing the family farm www.algermozi.com as nature is a big part of his life. He is also working with his family on starting a realestate company www.algermozirealestate.com and always looking for new opportunities to tackle! 

“My experience at SMU has allowed me to drive change by giving back and helping others” 

Mohammad Ashiq

BComm’20 Mohammad Ashiq Headshot
Major: Management
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: Bangladeshi Student Society, Grad Class Society 

Mohammad was born and raised in Bangladesh and came to Canada to pursue his Bachelor of Commerce degree as an international student. Saint Mary’s University became his home away from home because of all the support he received from the SMU Community. He was always an active leader in the university community. Mohammad served as the President of the Bangladeshi Student’s Society where he assisted incoming Bangladeshi students with their transition into university and volunteered his time with multiple societies on campus. Mohammad also worked as the student assistant at the Alumni Office where he led several initiatives, including the annual Campus Food Drive. Mohammad graduated from the Sobey School of Business in Spring 2020 and was one of his class valedictorians. Mohammad also served as the president of the Grad Class Society.

Kevin Brent

BComm’11 Kevin Brent Headshot
General Business Studies
Calgary, AB
Campus Activities: Teaching Assistant, Intramural Sports, Business Consultancy Program

Kevin is the Chief Investment Officer for Bluesky Equities, a single family office in Calgary. As leader of a small team investing in both private and public markets, his responsibilities are varied, encompassing tasks such as deal sourcing, researching & evaluating opportunities, due diligence, negotiating terms, and managing the entire investment portfolio.

While at Saint Mary’s University, Kevin was a TA for MGMT 1281 (Intro to Business Management) and MGMT 2383 (Micro Organizational Behavior), independently tutored students in Finance, Accounting and Statistics courses, participated in the Business Consultancy program through the SMU Business Development Centre, and played intramural volleyball and squash. 

Tristan Cayaoyao

DipEng’16Tristan Cayaoyao
Summerside, PE

Tristan Cayaoyao is a Designer with MDS Coating Technologies an aerospace company in Summerside, PEI. He graduated from the SMU Engineering Diploma Program in 2016, and then finished his engineering degree at the UPEI Sustainable Engineering Design Program in 2019. During school, Tristan was involved in working with international students and is passionate about creating a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone.

Shane Cunningham

BA'09
Major: Psychology (Honours), Minor: Religious StudiesA portrait of Shane Cunningham
Toronto, ON
Campus Activities: SMUSA, BoG, Academic Senate, Varsity Cross-Country, Intramural Volleyball, Grad Class Executive, Residence Assistant

Shane grew up outside of Toronto, and had her heart set on a university on the East Coast after high school. When she toured Saint Mary’s, it immediately felt like the right fit and she didn’t look back. Once in Halifax, Shane settled into her time at SMU by getting involved right away with SMUSA and residence life. Throughout her time, completing her BA Hons in psychology, Shane made connections across campus through academics, athletics and extra-curriculars. She spent much of her time involved in campus life, with many nights spent at the Gorsebrook. 
 
After SMU, Shane moved to Scotland where she completed a masters degree in psychology at the University of St Andrews. Following this, Shane spent time in China where she founded a volunteer program for kids with disabilities. Upon returning to Ontario, Shane completed a Crisis Intervention & Counselling continuing education program at Humber College and began working full-time in autism services. Today, Shane’s love of academia has led her to a professor position at Humber in Toronto, along with a direct student support role helping prospective students navigate programs in social and community services. 

Jeff Hart

BComm’02Jeff Hart White Border
Major: Finance and Accounting
Calgary, AB
Campus Activities: Varsity Football

Jeff is the Chief Financial Officer at Husky Energy Inc. where he is responsible for the financial management of the Company, including Controllers, Treasury, Tax, Credit, Internal Audit, Corporate Planning and Strategy, and Investor Relations. He also oversees the Information Services department. Prior to joining Husky, Jeff held Finance positions at Statoil, Norsk Hydro and Imperial Oil. He received his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in 2006.
While at SMU, Jeff was a member of the varsity football team. His four years at SMU were a great experience and among the best and most rewarding times of his life. He currently enjoys spending time with his family wakeboarding, skiing, and driving his kids to hockey rinks.

Nicole Jackson

BComm’14 Nicole Jackson Headshot
Major: Marketing and Finance, Minor: French
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: Dance Team, SAGA (Students Acting for Global Awareness), Commerce Society, Study Abroad

Nicole graduated from Saint Mary's in 2014 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. During her time at SMU, Nicole was involved in many activities including the dance team, the Sobey School of Business Commerce society, and volunteering with the International Centre. She studied abroad as part of her French studies, and even worked on campus for some time post-graduation. Over the past 5.5 years, Nicole has worked as a Digital Strategist with Foundation Marketing, a content marketing agency and startup founded by another fellow SMU alum, where she's led the development and execution of full-funnel strategies for some of the largest and most innovative global brands in B2B and tech. 

Blair Jones

BSc'17Blair Jones Headshot
Honours Psychology, Major: Biology
Ottawa, ON
Campus Activities: SMUSA (VP Academic Affairs), Shinerama, Peaceful Schools International, Medical Society, Teaching Assistant. 

Blair was born and raised in the small town of Barrington Passage, Nova Scotia. She moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to start at Saint Mary's University (SMU). Though at first, she was overwhelmed with adapting city living, Blair grew to be a student leader on campus. Later, she became involved with SMU’s Young Alumni Network and Alumni Council. 

Blair moved to Ottawa to start a career with the Government of Canada. She currently works at the Public Health Agency of Canada as a Policy Analyst focused on establishing a three-digit number, 988, for people in Canada to access suicide prevention services. 

Amanda Kolwich

BComm’16 Alumni Ambassador
Major: Marketing & Management, Minor: Psychology
Halifax, NS

Amanda grew up in Calgary, Alberta and moved out east to attend SMU's Sobey School of Business in 2011. She majored in Marketing and Management with a minor in Psychology and was the valedictorian at her convocation in January 2016. While on campus she was constantly involved in a philanthropic pursuit, mentoring a student or convincing others to become Huskies! After convocation, Amanda moved back to Calgary and landed her dream job in fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society! In 2021, the ocean call had her moving back to Halifax mid-way through the pandemic allowing her to become more involved in Alumni events and join the Alumni Council.  Amanda is currently the Manager of Engagement at the Creative Destruction Lab - Atlantic, where she is responsible for recruiting successful Entrepreneurs as mentors for budding start-ups in the Tech and Oceans sector! 

Josh MacIntyre

Josh MacIntyre HeadshotMBA’15
San Francisco, CA, USA
Campus Activities: Men's Soccer 

Originally from Halifax, Josh graduated from the Sobey School of Business with an MBA in the Spring of 2015. While attending SMU he was heavily involved in varsity athletics as a member of the Men's Soccer team, while also focusing his studies on management, technology, and entrepreneurship. After graduating from SMU, Josh joined an early stage start-up, Pressly, in Toronto, which was subsequently acquired by Vision Critical in the summer of 2017. Josh currently works as the Head of Special Projects at Grammarly, an AI-powered communications assistant with over 15M users on a daily basis and $110M USD backing from top-tier investors such as General Catalyst, Spark Capital, Breyer Capital, IVP, and SignalFire. Josh also holds a BBA concentrated in Finance from St. Francis Xavier University, and resides in San Francisco, California.

Jonathan Pumphrey

Jonathan PumpheryBComm’12
Major: General Business Studies
Vancouver, BC

Joined St. Mary’s in 2009 to take the BComm program and worked as a teller throughout my undergrad. Upon graduating in 2012 I started in commercial banking, which took me back to Newfoundland. I worked there as a Commercial Account manager for two years until getting married in 2015 and moving to Vancouver, BC to work as a Commercial Analyst. Most recently (Jan 2018) I’ve joined RBC’s National Sales Group, Automotive Finance Division as a Commercial Account Manager. Dealing with franchise dealerships, rental companies and other automotive industries.

Kala Rafuse

BA'17Kala Rafuse Headshot
Double Major (Honours): Criminology, Sociology 
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: SMU Food Bank, Student Ambassador, Teaching Assistant & Tutor

Originally from rural Nova Scotia, Kala started at SMU in 2013. She worked in a variety of campus settings including the Centre for New Students as a Student Ambassador, Financial Aid as a Coordinator, the SMU Community Food Bank as a Coordinator, and in the Criminology department as a teaching assistant and tutor. She enjoyed catching SMU hockey games and using the fitness centre for spin, yoga, and pilates. She has remained involved with the SMU community through her philanthropic work in creating and fundraising for the Cayley Fox Memorial Award, which aims to support student well-being.  

After graduating from SMU, she received her Bachelor of Social Work from STU and Master of Clinical Social Work from the University of Calgary. Kala currently works for NSH in Community Mental Health & Addiction as a Clinical Therapist. Kala also has her own private company, Kala Rafuse Counselling Services, where she offers individual counselling. Currently, Kala is also working towards a Master of Arts degree in criminology at Saint Mary’s.  

Kyle Rogers

Alumni AmbassadorBComm’14 CertHRM'14
Annapolis Valley, NS
Campus Activities: Enactus Saint Mary's, ICBC Case Competition, Residence Assistant, Co-Op Program Participant

Kyle is a Sr. Consultant, Talent Development with CIBC Private Wealth. He graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Certificate of Human Resource Management. During his time at Saint Mary’s, he was very involved on campus and highly recommends new students get involved as early as possible. His activities include: Enactus Saint Mary’s, ICBC Case Competition, Residence Assistant, and participant in the Co-op program. Kyle was born and raised in Cape Breton but now calls Halifax home. In his spare time Kyle enjoys traveling with friends, golfing, and curling.

Mehrnaz Shamspour

MBA’16Mehrnaz Shamspour Headshot
St. John's, NL

Mehrnaz was born and raised in Iran where she graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree is Civil Engineering. She moved to Canada in 2008 and relocated to Halifax in 2011. While working full time she enrolled in SMU part time MBA and graduated in spring of 2016. Mehrnaz enjoyed the close community at SMU and appreciates the ongoing professional support that SMU offers its student and alumni. “It feels like I never left the campus”.

She has over eighteen years of experience in various areas of the construction industry in Canada, Europe and the Middle East. Her experience covers areas such as structural engineering and design, concrete formwork design, technical sales, corporate training, and project management.

Mehrnaz is passionate about giving back to the community and does so through volunteering her time. She has been a volunteer with Calgary Public Library, CNIB, CBC, Feed Nova Scotia, and WISE NL.

Mahmudur Rahman Shovon

BComm’19 MahmudurShovonHeadshot
Major: Finance, Minor: Political Science
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: SMUSA VP Academic, Speak Up Society President, Habitat for Humanity, Model UN, Pack Leader

Mahmudur moved to Halifax from Dhaka, Bangladesh to pursue his Bachelor of Commerce degree and developed an interest in improving the student experience. While on campus, Mahmudur organized various events and campaigns for international students, and advocated for change in a range of academic issues. Beyond this, he was involved with the Habitat for Humanity and Model UN societies - both of which represented SMU internationally through volunteer trips and competitions. Mahmudur graduated from SMU in 2019 and obtained over two years of experience working as a finance professional before moving to Ottawa to complete a Master’s degree. He currently works for Canadian Heritage as a Policy Analyst where his work contributes to the development of Canadian musicians and record labels – thus blending his passions for music and policy into one role. 

John Sime

Alumni AmbassadorBComm’08
Major: Marketing
Toronto, ON

John is a BComm '08 (marketing major) graduate of Saint Mary's University. After graduating in 2008, John moved to Sydney, Australia where he worked at Fuji Xerox in B2B marketing. In 2010, John relocated to Toronto, joining an e-commerce startup and later moving to advertising working for Publics Groupe and FCB Toronto. Most recently John was a product marketer for Shopify focusing on financial services and banking products. 

Jocelyn Simich

BComm’14 CertHRM'14 JocelynSimichHeadshot
Major: Management Certificate: Human Resources Management
Blackstock, ON

Jocelyn attended Saint Mary’s University and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Certificate of Human Resource Management. As a Native Haligonian, Jocelyn knows all the perks of living and attending school in Halifax, NS. Jocelyn is passionate about her career in Human Resources and is currently working as a Human Resources & Talent Officer for a post-secondary institution in Ontario. Jocelyn considers herself a "Husky for life" and is very enthusiastic to promote and share her experiences at SMU. In her spare time, Jocelyn enjoys spending time with her husband and fellow SMU Alumni Matthew, their dog, Brody and horse, Valour.  

Sehmat Suri

BA'19 BComm’19 Sehmat Suri Headshot
Majors: Psychology and Marketing 
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: Enactus Saint Mary's, SMUSA, Student Services, Residence Services, Intramurals

Sehmat moved to Halifax from India in 2014 to pursue a double major in Psychology and Criminology. She immediately got involved in multiple on-campus activities. She founded the SMU Tennis Team, she was a Residence Assistant for 3 years, and was heavily involved with the Enactus Saint Mary's team for 5 years. While at school, she also ran a henna design business for a year, and began modeling and blogging which she is still very passionate about. Sehmat graduated from SMU in 2019 with a BA in Psychology and a BComm in Marketing, and is now a Project Manager at IBM.

Ying (Wendy) Wang

BComm’16Wendy Wang Headshot
Major: Marketing
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: Enactus (Accessability Mentor), SAGA (Students Acting for Global Awareness), Commerce Society, Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant in Marketing Department

Ying (Wendy) Wang, originally from Guangzhou, China, came to Halifax to pursue her studies at Saint Mary's University (SMU) as an international student in 2013. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Marketing in 2016 and was awarded as the Young Alumni of the Year in 2020. With over 10 years of work experience in the retail, food and beverage industries and post-secondary education sector, Wendy brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her current role as the Bachelor of Commerce Academic Advisor at SMU. 

Wendy actively explores her love for cooking authentic Chinese food and immerses herself in various cultural events as volunteers, as she is passionate about gaining a deeper understanding of different perspectives and traditions from around the world. With her extensive background and dedication, Wendy is committed to empowering SMU students and alumni to foster a supportive environment and cultivate a thriving community. 

Marc A. Waterfield

Marc Waterfield headshotBA’01
Major: Asian Studies
Kumamoto, Japan

Marc attained an MA TESOL and PhD at Kumamoto University where he also taught part-time. Along with teaching English communication in public and private schools from elementary to university-level, he has also published articles on teacher development and karate-do, given numerous presentations at international conferences and local cross-cultural exchange events.   

While at SMU, Marc was a long-term scholarship exchange student through the ASN department, studying in Hokkaido for 1 academic year. 

Chris Wells

Alumni AmbassadorBA’94
Major: Geography
Campus Activities: Geography Society
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

Hailing from Halifax, Chris graduated from Saint Mary's in 1994 with a BA in Geography. While at SMU, Chris was involved with the Geography Society, competing in intramural activities and designing a t-shirt for the society. He went on to Dalhousie to complete a BEd in 1995. Chris moved to Japan in 1995 to teach ESL for 6 years, working for TOZA and ECC language schools. After 10 months in Auckland, he went on to teach in secondary school in the UK, where he completed his Overseas Teacher Training as an ICT/Computer Science teacher. He is currently the Head of Computer Science & IT at Berkhamsted Schools, in Hertfordshire, encouraging the next generation to become programmers. 

Chris is also a freelance graphic designer, creating graphics and logos for Deepwell Hypnotherapy, The SuperFood Curry Company, A J Charlton Photography and JRL Consulting (a Halifax-based engineering consulting firm).

Omar Semeda

BComm’20Alumni Ambassador
Major: Finance and Marketing 
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: SMUSA Board of Directors, VP of SpeakUp, Enactus

Omar is currently a Manager of Customer Experience at TD Bank, where he leads a team of dedicated individuals. In this role, Omar has developed exceptional skills in maintaining optimal employee scheduling to meet customer demands, ensuring compliance requirements, and resolving operational issues to achieve operational excellence. Furthermore, Omar mentors his team in resolving customer complaints and providing personalized advice, while enabling the senior service team to act as a point of escalation for exceptional customer experiences. These experiences have strengthened his ability to effectively communicate, collaborate, and provide outstanding support. 

During his time at Saint Mary's University, Omar served as a member of the Saint Mary's University Student Association board of directors, where he was elected with the highest number of votes. Omar also held the esteemed position of Chair of the Elections Committee. These experiences provided Omar with a comprehensive understanding of governance, strategic planning, and decision-making processes. As a testament to his dedication and contribution, Omar was honored to be awarded The Bryan J. Rice Award for Excellence in Student Governance. 

Sumayyah Chotoye

BSc'23Alumni Ambassador
Major: Chemistry (Honours) Minor: French
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: French Society, Chemistry Society, Pack Leader 

Sumayyah was born and raised in Mauritius, a small island in the Indian Ocean known for its scenic beaches and tropical climate. Her journey to Saint Mary’s University began just after high school when she met both a recruiter and a SMU Professor who were hosting an information session about SMU in Mauritius. With her introduction to Saint Mary’s made, her desire to study abroad only grew stronger and she chose pursue Chemistry at SMU. It was not long before she was creating an impact on campus. Sumayyah co-founded the Saint Mary’s French society, taking on the role of co-president with a friend. They planned game nights, movie nights and get-togethers with their French-speaking peers over the span of two years. She then move on to be the co-president of the Saint Mary’s Chemistry Society where she planned various events including seminars with speakers coming from both industry and academia. During her time at SMU, Sumayyah had also been a pack-leader and worked as a student circulation desk assistant at the Patrick Power Library. 

Sumayyah just obtained her Bachelor of Science degree, Honors Chemistry and a minor in French. She recently joined the Master of Science in Applied Science, also at SMU, under the supervision of Dr Christa Brosseau and in collaboration with Myomar Molecular Inc. 

Manav Khera

BComm'23Alumni Ambassador
Major: Global Business Management
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: SMU Tennis, SMU Debate, Enactus, Commerce Society, SMU Model UN, SMU East Coast Model UN, RSO, Pack Leader 

Manav grew up in a highly cultural country India. While setting foot outside his country as an only child he became independent in many ways. Once in SMU, Manav took every opportunity to grow and become a better version of himself. He started off with joining the SMU Tennis Team and reached the Canadian University Nationals before hanging up the racket. He then proceeded to become the Marketing Director of Enactus as his first big role in a society. After that he joined the Commerce Society and went on to become the Co-President of it in his final year. He also participated in the National Model UN Conference that takes place in New York City once a year. He participated there twice during his time at SMU and was the Head Delegate in his second time there. Before ending his university journey, he hosted the first ever Model UN Conference at SMU which was named "SMU East Coast Model UN Conference" where more than 30 students participated.  

He has enjoyed and developed himself a lot during his time at the university and looks forward to serving as an alumnus.  

Souvik Sinha

MFin'22Alumni Ambassador
Halifax, NS
Campus Activities: Saint Mary’s Investment Society (SMIS), Toastmasters club, Graduate Advisory Committee  

Souvik completed a Master of Finance degree in fall 2022 from Saint Mary’s University. He is currently working with a global asset management organization. Prior to attending Saint Mary’s, he worked with top global Investment banks for a decade in Global Derivative Trade Confirmations and Control Support functions of Investment Banking Operations and Global Markets. He was born in East India, studied and worked in West and North India. 

Souvik was actively involved in campus activities during his studies. He was the President of SMIS, VP PR Toastmasters, and Co-chair for Graduate Advisory committee. He was closely associated with MFin office, Faculties, Graduate Career Services, Writing Centre and received assistance. He also represented SMU in CFA Atlantic Societies Ethics Challenge and in 2023 he volunteered for the event. 

Souvik actively participates in alumni events and was also a teaching assistant for MFin’s Financial Management and Corporate Finance courses. He is still closely attached with the SMU community, plays squash at homburg center, volunteers for Toastmasters Club, empowers, and guides upcoming and existing students. 

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