Journalism News

  • Katherine Dolan ('06) was in touch in October. She is now at TSN where she has covered a variety of sports stories, including the 2008 homecoming of the Canadian World Junior hockey team, the 2008 OHL All-Star Game and OHL playoffs. She also covered freestyle skiing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. (posted Oct 04/11).
  •   Rob Miller('77) was recently appointed to the position of Executive Producer of News (radio, TV and the web) at CBC Windsor after 32 years with the organization.  Before joining CBC in 1979, he worked at CKWW radio in Windsor from 1977-1979. (posted Oct. 04/11)

  •  Scott McDonald ('84) is the China news editor for The Associated Press, covering everything from the Olympics to earthquakes and politics. He joined AP after 13 years with Reuters, mostly in Asia. That included stints in Hong Kong and Tokyo as well as several years reporting in Pakistan with trips into Afghanistan, and four years as bureau chief in Sri Lanka covering the civil war. He worked for two years in London on the World Desk, where he also did another masters in Chinese Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies. (posted Jan/2011)

  • Crystal Garrett ('98) (cgarrettmacleod@yahoo.ca) is teaching at Mount Saint Vincent University in the Department of Communications.Before this, she was anchor/producer/reporter at CTV Atlantic, where she still works occasionally to "keep her toe in the water". She and her husband Alex have three children, 8, 5 and 3 -- Evelyn, John Robert and Frances. They live in Darmouth, NS. (posted Nov/2010)
  • "Crazy" Dave Townsend ('92) has (entirely predictably) drifted back to Japan, where he teaches Cape Breton English to hapless locals. He has also published a set of "humourous" essays, "Pogey, Poutine and Warm, Furry Beavers (Plus Twenty Other Reasons to Enjoy Being Canadian)," which is available online through the Chapters and Amazon websites. Ex-drinkin' buddies are invited to contact him via yonooo@hotmail.com (posted Nov/2010)
  • Rob Melnbardis ('84) is Senior Consultant, Communications at Concordia University. Previously he was with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa, where he was Senior Strategist (Communications) for Canada’s hosting of the G-8 and G-20 Summits. Before that, it was 13 years at Reuters in Montreal. He and his wife Odile have a son Tristan, who is now eight years old and lots of fun. He talks about wanting to be a race car driver, rock star, or banker—good grief, but definitely not a journalist! (posted Nov/10)
  • Jeff Gaulin (MA 95) has been promoted to Vice President, Government Affairs for TransAlta, Canada's largest independent power producer (IPP). Jeff leads TransAlta's government relations at the provincial, state and federal levels across North America. He joined TransAlta in May 2007 after more than five years as the head of government and public relations for Molson in Western Canada. (sent Dec. 17/09, posted March, 2010) 
  • Kathryn Dorrell (‘94) (kathryndorrell@gmail.com) is the health editor with Canadian Living. She writes and edits for the magazine and website and has also managed the magazine’s Life section since joining the brand five and a half years ago. Previously, Kathryn worked at Homemakers and spent eight years on various Rogers’ publications, including a three-year gig as editor-in-chief of Food in Canada magazine. Kathryn lives in the west end of Toronto with her hubby and two daughters. 

  • Rebecca Luczycki (nee Johnson) (94) After marriage to Jim she lived in Virginia and West Virginia, where she was editor in chief for Cypress Magazines, publisher of The National Jurist and Prelaw magazines (www.nationaljurist.com) and GolfInc.(www.golficmagazine.com)They lived in rural Alaska (no roads in or out) for two years, then to Anchorage. In 2005 she had a son, Jedediah, and in 2007  became editor of Alaska magazine.(posted Dec.4/09)

  • Dave Bedard (94) dbedard669@aol.com was an associate producer for CTV W Five for a about  years before moving into writing/producing docs and series for independent production companies.  He's currently still writing, story editing, producing and living in Toronto.  Latest project – an animal series for Discovery. ((posted Oct. 26/09)  
  • Dave McLaughlin (98) dave@rocketcopy.ca Dave, Tina and daughter Pip were joined by baby Finnegan (Finn) in January 2008. Dave is now principal and senior copywriter for Rocket Copy Writing Services - www.rocketcopy.ca - in London, Ontario.  As a professional ad-man he has been thrilled to see the chiseled, good looks of FIMS's own Mr. Mills figuring so prominently in Western's promotional materials of late. (sent Aug. 17, 2008)
  • Jennifer Leonard (98) is living in San Francisco, working as a design researcher and writer with internationally renown IDEO  Jennifer’s design blog for UNESCO’s DESIGN 21 . (posted April 23/08)
  • Helen Fallding (97) is assistant city editor at the Winnipeg Free Press, after stints as science reporter, legislature bureau chief and regional reporter in Brandon. A perk of the job is getting to order around city hall reporter Joe Paraskevas (also a 1997 grad). (Posted April 21/08)
  • Jim McLean (83) updated us in March, 2008. "After working out west for 20 years, CTV, CBC Television, mostly in Saskatchewan, I returned to school and did a fine arts degree at the University of Regina. Liked it so much I went on to do a PhD in Communication Studies at Concordia in Montreal. I've been teaching in the journalism department here under various guises, but recently got a tenure-track gig. Future looks bright if it ever stops snowing." (Posted March 14/08)
  • We are sad to share the news that Dr. Henry Overduin, a long-time faculty member in journalism, passed away February 10, 2008.  (Posted Feb. 13/08)  Former journalism dean Peter Desbarats shares his memories of Dr. Overduin in the Western News article, "Overduin midwife to computerized newsroom." 
  • Paul Bucci (90) is deputy managing editor, multimedia at the Vancouver Sun.  He has four children, spent some time reporting in Bosnia and Somalia, and has been given a Governor General's medal for bravery in connection with a rescue on the Fraser River. (updated Aug. 9/08)  
  • Alex Kitty alexkitty@aol.com (96) announces her third book (and first work of fiction) Consumer-isms in 12 Easy Steps will be published by bluechrome in January 2008. Her two other books are both published by the Disinformation Company in New York: Don't Believe It!: How Lies Become News (March 2005), and Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism  (this is the companion book to the 2004 Robert Greenwald documentary of the same name). (posted August 21/07)
  • Lynn Bulloch  (03) lynn_bulloch@hotmail.com is now reporting and anchoring at CTV Sudbury. She left CTV Timmins (after her second tour of duty there) in April and has been reporting and anchoring the News at Noon. (posted August 21/07) 
  • Katherine Dolan (06) is now the sports reporter in Sault Ste. Marie, regularly going live from the Steelback Centre covering the OHL's Soo Greyhounds. She left CTV Timmins in April 2005 for the Soo and her new sports specialization. She still also does general assignment news reporting. (posted August 21/07)
  • Adam Dooley (92) announces the launch of Dooley Communications, Manitoba's newest public relations and advertising firm. The new venture offers senior level corporate communications, public relations and advertising services to corporations, government departments and non-profit organizations. 
    Adam's previous job was Vice-President of Marketing and Communications of Cambrian Credit Union. Prior to that he was with Assante Corporation helping to direct internal and external communications strategies for its operations across North America. 
  • Sad news of the death of James Muretich (78).  James was the rock critic at the Calgary Herald through the 1980s and '90s.  He died of cancer in September, 2006 at age 54.
    http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=cae88b29-a751-41b5-ae6a-ef1359c805af&k=18419 
  • Judith Pratt (82) jpratt@csub.edu is Associate Professor of Communications at California State University, Bakersfield. Primary areas include journalism and gender and communications, especially in sports reporting and editing. Still trying hard to appreciate the Bakersfield Sound made famous by Merle Haggard and the now-deceased Buck Owens. It involves many visits to the local honky-tonks. (posted June 5/07) 
  • Erick Ko ('92)  went to Hong Kong for the handover. Ten years later, he's still there. After doing a variety of jobs, he's working as a copy editor for the International Herald Tribune. He doubts he'll make it back for the class of '92 reunion, but if anyone is passing through Hong Kong, he'll buy the first round.
  • Dave Parkinson ('88) is Senior Equity Reporter for The Globe and Mail's Report on Business section. He lives in Toronto with his wife, fellow Globe reporter Janet McFarland, and his son Eric, born on Valentine's Day, 2005.
  • Class of 92 Reunion, Toronto, November 10 and 11 2007. Organiser: Bill Southworth, email: pactrain@mac.com Bill has decided that he won't live for ever and that it's time for a bash. Drinks and then dinner at a Toronto watering hole followed by brunch the next day for those still standing. Even if you can't attend email addresses of any old classmates would be appreciated. 
  • Bill Southworth ('92) pactrain@mac.com has retired after 10 years as National Director of Journalism Training in New Zealand. He has bought a motorbike and plans to go from Patagonia to Alaska with friends next year. In the meantime (although he's trying to fly fish rather than work) he's had a consultant's card printed and has helped to establish five journalism schools in the Pacific Islands, using Australian aid money - a thing of particular delight to a kiwi. Currently he has a contract to set up a professional registration system for his country's librarians and information managers. He says this faculty 'may draw what conclusions it wants from that.' (posted May, 2007)
  • Marnie Fullerton ('83) marnifullerton@shaw.ca has recently relocated to Vancouver after a decade as an executive producer and CEO in the independent production community in Canada.
    Formerly with the CBC as a reporter and regional network producer Fullerton is now launching a number of productions in partnership with networks around the world. (posted January 4/07)
  • It is with great sadness that we pass along the information that former journalism professor Mack Laing has died. Mack was a mentor and friend to many journalism grads as well as to all those lucky enough to work with him through the years. He died on Saturday, September 30 at the age of 74.  Wake to be held October 7, 2006 from 2 - 6 p.m. at the London City Press Club, 379 Dundas St.  Memorial donations may be made to The London City Press Club. On-line condolences accepted at www.amgeorgefh.on.ca. (posted October 6/06)
  • Heather Barrett ('92) Heather.Barrett@nf.sympatico.ca  is a producer with CBC Radio in St. John's, Newfoundland. Over more than thirteen years, she has done pretty much everything at CBC Radio in Newfoundland and Labrador except fix the transmitters. She is the recipient of a 2006 Gracie Allan Award for a documentary called "A Woman Surrounded by Water", broadcast on CBC Radio One's The Sunday Edition in 2005. She is married to a fellow Newfoundlander, and a busy mom to a small boy and girl.  
  • Crystal Garrett (MacLeod) (98) <cgarrettmacleod@yahoo.ca> is living in Nova Scotia, just off maternity leave and back at work.  She has a new job at CTV Atlantic (Halifax) as a reporter and back-up host/anchor. She says it's a very busy newsroom and she's had the opportunity to cover some exciting stories. She's also going to be doing a bit of teaching at King's College this fall.This comes after working for CBC and Global TV in Montreal.  She and husband Alexander MacLeod have two children - Evelyn and John Robert.
    (posted September 8/06.)

  • Lynn Bell (2003) lynn.bell@sheridanc.on.ca ...as of August 2005 is a full-time faculty member at Sheridan College in Oakville, coordinating and teaching in a one-year certificate program called Media Fundamentals. She is also co-coordinator for the 3-year Media Arts (film & television) program there. She says it's been very exciting, challenging, and rewarding. (posted June 26/06)

  • Mary Weil (96) mweil@ivey.uwo.ca is back at Western. She's now doing media & public relations for the Richard Ivey School of Business. After nine years as a business reporter/producer for Dow Jones and then Report on Business Television, Mary decided to leave the journalism world and is very much enjoying being on the other side. She's still based in Toronto but makes frequent trips to London. She's organizing a 10-year reunion for the class of '96 on Sept. 23 & 24 in London and would love to hear from anyone she's missed. (posted may 30/06)

  • Adam Dooley (92) - billdool@shaw.ca - is the Vice-President, Marketing and Communications with Cambrian Credit Union, Winnipeg's largest credit union. He's held the post since '03. He and his wife, Lynn Billard, have two boys, Ethan and Aidan. They are also now ('06) eight years into a three year renovation of an old home. Adam still clings stubbornly to the hope of publishing a novel one day. (posted Feb 21/06) 
  • John Goranson (2000) johngoranson@gmail.com is working now as an instructor at Sogang University in Seoul, Korea. He teaches English to MBA students and undergraduates, and also does a little editing on the side. Most recently, he started working on a Business English textbook and studying for a post-grad certificate in Finance. He says Korea has been good to him and he appreciates all the opportunities there. (posted Feb21/06) 
  • We are sorry to pass along the news that Chris Doty (91) passed away on February 3, 2006.  Chris was a London based historian and filmmaker who had recently begun writing and producing plays before his death.  More information is available about Chris here. (posted Feb20/06) 
  • Bruce Leslie (85) bleslie@canwest.com, was recently promoted to Vice President, Community and Public Relations at CanWest Global Communications Corp. at the Company's Winnipeg head office. In this new role, he oversees CanWest's community and public relations as well as the philanthropy administered through the CanWest Global Foundation. One of the first acts as the new VP, he announced a $1 million gift from CanWest to UWO FIMS program for a Visiting Fellow in Media Studies and a new journalism scholarship named for the late David Vienneau, Global Television's Bureau Chief and UWO graduate. (posted Jan23/06) 
  • Brad Hunter (76) jbhunt@shaw.ca has completed a fellowship in palliative care medicine at the University of Ottawa and is now working as a palliative care physician in Calgary. (posted Jan23/06) 
  • Shelley Boettcher (96) spent six and a half years as a food, lifestyles and entertainment writer for the Calgary Herald before becoming the managing editor of Wine Access: Canada's National Wine and Food Magazine. She's a regular contributor to Westjet's inflight magazine, Up!, and she also writes regularly for the University of Calgary and CanWest/Global. She's the proud mom of two boys: Erik 3, and Steen, 1. She won an Association of Food Journalists Award in San Francisco in September 2005, and she's currently shopping around a non-fiction manuscript about two female private investigators who specialize in infidelity. She can be reached by email at shelleyboettcher@hotmail.com  (posted Jan04/06)
  • Amy Castle (90) left Newsworld in Toronto in 2002 and moved to Ottawa.  She is a producer on the CBC Radio Two show "Studio Sparks", a classical music show that includes interview features.   She and her husband have two children - Henrietta is now 9, and Duncan is almost 7. (posted November 16/05)
  • Kellie Hudson (87) hudsonke@cbc.ca was awarded the Radio Impact Award at the Third Coast International  Audio Festival in Chicago this October.  Her award was for the CBC radio documentary Weighing the Balance which she produced along with Dick Miller and Mike Bryan.  Kellie works at CBC Radio in Thunder Bay.  (posted October 31/05)
  • John Geddes (85) <john.geddes@macleans.rogers.com> has just seen his first novel, The Sundog Season, published to glowing reviews in papers including The Globe and Mail ("tender...adept"), the Montreal Gazette ("remarkable") and the Ottawa Citizen ("a joy to read"). John is Maclean's magazine's bureau chief on Parliament Hill, and lives in Ottawa with his wife, food columnist Joanne Chianello, and their seven-year-old daughter, Clara. (posted Sept., 2005) 
  • Gerry Nicholls (84) is Vice President of the National Citizens Coalition.  www.morefreedom.org (posted Sept., 2005)
  • Chris Myrick (96)  left Singapore after a five-year stint and is now in Shanghai as bureau chief for AFX financial news. (July, 2005)
  • Mark A. Rayner (92) author@markarayner.com has had his first novel, The Amadeus Net, published by ENC Press. In the book, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is alive and in love, living in the world’s first sentient city, Ipolis. Lucky for both of them, nobody knows, but how long can it stay that way? (posted June, 2005)
    Any journalism folks looking for copies or interested in helping publicize his debut novel are encouraged to email Mark, or visit the ENC Press site: http://www.encpress.com/AN.html
  • James MacDonald (99) James.MacDonald@cnn.com is working for CNN in Hong Kong. He's producing and reporting a variety of different segments and projects.  He is planning a trip to Canada for a few weeks in the summer and then will head back to Hong Kong for another year. (posted June, 2005)
  • Alice Williams (89) alicewilliams@rogers.com has been living and working (in PR) in Toronto since graduating in 1989. Since 1998, she made the jump to self-employment and has been freelancing ever since. Alice also got married in 1998 and has a son (Josh who is 4 ½) and daughter (Kira who is 1).
    She would love to hear from any of the ‘88/89 alumni. (posted Dec.6/2004) 
  • Sophia Harris (96) sophiah@rocketmail.com has been working at CBC Television since 1997. She has worked as a field producer, assignment editor and reporter in Toronto. And then moved on to the world of video journalism and now reports, shoots, and edits stories for CBC in Nova Scotia.
  • Marilyn Smith (96) marilyn@diversitas-international.orgTook a position as a science writer with the National Research Council in March 1997. Moved to Paris in Sept 2002 to take a post as Communications Officer for two related organizations: the International Council for Science (ICSU) and DIVERSITAS (an international programme for biodiversity science). Decided to stay with DIVERSITAS on a part-time basis. Filling up the rest of my time with freelance assignments and an intense period of mentorship in photojournalism with Paris-based UK photographer Nigel Dickinson.
  • Melanie Hnetka (99)mhnetka@hotmail.com is at CKCO (CTV) Kitchener.She is the late night sports anchor and reporter during the day. Still love covering sports. She says there is a great crew at CKCO... She is working up at CTV National every few weekends to stay out of trouble.
  • Erin Phelan, (99), erinpp@hotmail.com returned to Toronto from Fiji in 2000, after covering the coup for various media. After a brief stint in advertising she decided she had a book in her and is now shopping around her first novel "Things I should know (by now)"  and working on the next one. She  also got married in April (fellow grad Lisa Legatto was there). She's also a fitness professional, teaching about 15 classes a week. 
  • Jonathan Freed (90) moved to Chicago in February, 2004 to accept a position with CNN. He is a national correspondent based there in the Midwest but traveling all over for breaking news as well as features. He is filing for the programs on the main network but his work is also carried by CNN Headline News, etc. 
  • D'Arcy Drury (80) ddrury@hct.ac.ae  For the past five years I've been teaching journalism at Abu Dhabi Men's College in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to that I taught journalism at universities and colleges in Newfoundland, Papua New Guniea and Nigeria. I'm particularly proud of the performance of some of my former students who covered the Iraq war for Abu Dhabi TV. (2/29/2004)
  • Jeff Gaulin (MA 95) is pleased to announce the birth of his daughter, Audrey Jael Gaulin, in Calgary on August 3 2004. Jeff is the director, industry & regulatory affairs for Molson Canada. He also runs Jeff Gaulin's Journalism Job Board (www.jeffgaulin.com). Congratulations, Jeff!
  • Heard from Ginny Colling (78) in July.  "After a summer at the London Free Press, I headed west and worked for the Red Deer Advocate, followed by a stint in PR with the Alberta government. Since '85 I've been teaching in the journalism and PR programs at Durham College in Oshawa. I married in '85 and have an 8-year-old daughter. I'd love to hear from members of the class. My email addresses are: ginny.colling@durhamc.on.ca (during the school year) and rob.ferguson3@sympatico.com (during July/August)."
  • Congratulations to Dave McLaughlin (98) and wife Tina who wrote in July, 2004. They are thrilled to announce the arrival of baby Peregrine. They are living in Woodstock where Dave is now doing double-duty working from home for Network to Learning and goofing off with little Peri and the dogs. 
  • Congratulations also to Dave's classmates Dave McPherson and Patricia Uribe (98). They are the proud parents to Isabella, who was born June 22/04.  
  • Garry Marr (90) and his wife Laura Bobak had a second son. Jacob Carl, a brother for Joshua Justin (JJ) was born in May, 2004. Garry continues to work at the National Post covering real estate. His wife Laura works at the Toronto Sun as an editor/reporter.
  • Martina Blaskovic (97) wrote in March, 2004..."Upon graduation, I went to the Peterborough Examiner, where I was a reporter and editor, and, after 3 years, moved to the National Post. I've been at the Toronto Star as an editor for just under a year. Hope to hear about more of my colleagues soon."
  • It is with great sadness that we pass along the news of the death of Lori Dos Santos, former administrative assistant in the Journalism school from 1993 - 1997.  Many students will remember Lori as their first contact for admissions, and their last contact at graduation.  She was a wonderful colleague and friend, and she will be profoundly missed.
  • Gillian Grace (02) <ggrace@torontolife.com> is  working at Toronto Life magazine, as an associate editor. She edits the arts and entertainment listings at the front of the magazine, as well as all the online content. She writes that it's really fun, and she enjoys the rhythm of a monthly magazine. She has worked with and met some amazing people, and is getting to do a little bit of writing as well.
  • Anne-Sophie Lunding-Sørensen sent us an update in April. She lived in Kathmandu, Nepal for a while and worked as a communications advisor for a local NGO. She returned to Denmark a little over two years ago and was employed at Yahoo!  Since then she has gotten married and given birth to a daughter, Klara, who's now 8 months old. She works as editorial manager of a Danish business portal (www.virk.dk)
  • Aaron Morris (98) is working in marketing & advertising for a publishing company in Vancouver, Self-Counsel Press. Vancouver is his home town, and he says " I couldn't handle the Ontario weather, especially the winters, and there's just not enough months of the year over there to drive my motorcycle!"
  • Amy Bowring (95)  is a freelance dance writer and historian. She edits and publishes the online journal Canadian Dance Studies Quarterly, and copy edits several dance publications including The Dance Current and the publications of Dance Collection Danse Press/es. Amy is currently writing a book about the Canadian Ballet Festivals (1948-1954) and presented a paper on this topic at the Association for Canadian Theatre Research conference in May 2002. She is a co-recipient of the 2002 Toronto Emerging Dance Artist Award for her work as a dance writer. She has taught dance history courses at George Brown College and Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre.
  • We are all saddened by the passing of Andrew MacFarlane, founding dean of the Graduate School of Journalism here at UWO.  
  • Maija Saari (93-4)  gave birth to a baby boy on Jun 24, 2002 (Elliot Matthew William Currie). Mom, Dad Bill Currie, and baby Elliot all fine and still enjoying St. Catharines. She says her first year teaching at Mohawk College went well but she'll be off for the fall semester.  Bill is  the health reporter for the Standard and she was doing the occasional weekend for them too up until now. They work there with fellow Western alumnus Karena Walter. Congratulations, Maija! 
  • Johanna Dietrich (nee Kowal) '98 johanna_dietrich@hotmail.com dropped by in July/02.  She is happily married and living in Edmonton where she is working at the Public Affairs Bureau (provincial government) building web sites and managing online communications projects. What began as a two-month stint writing for a health web site is now a full-time job. She says she likes the challenge of dealing with ever-changing technology and the variety of issues she  deals with on a day-to-day basis. 
  • Paul Godkin, (98) pgodkin@ctv.ca is the weekend anchor for CTV News in Sudbury while continuing to co-anchor the News at Noon three days a week. He's also become a part-time faculty member at Laurentian University where he teaches broadcast journalism and communication theory as part of Huntington University's new communication studies program. He says  "Sudbury is absolutely fantastic! My biggest worries in life are choosing between canoeing, kayaking, hiking or cycling after work." (2002-07-30)
  • Erin Lawrence (97) Erin.Lawrence@GLOBALTV.CA  is a producer for Global National with Kevin Newman.  She is responsible for writing, tracking down story info, keeping track of the daily content in the show as well as finding new looks and techniques for the broadcast. She is also the producer for Global National's news specials and just completed the first one which was a one hour broadcast called War Stories: Correspondents Home from the Front, which was about CanWest journalists who were in Afghanistan and Pakistan. She came back to Global after spending three years as reporter and anchor at Shaw Toronto, then coming to Vancouver to head up Shaw's news operations there as anchor and senior producer. 
  • John Finney (85) cjfinney6@cogeco.ca  is currently living in Tecumseh, Ontario (a town on the outskirts of Windsor) and working as a senior communication consultant for the Detroit Michigan office of Watson Wyatt Worldwide -- a global HR consulting firm. You might say he is an "international" communicator as he crosses the border each day. He has been at Watson Wyatt since 1998. Before that he served as the Director of Corporate Communication and Fundraising for Windsor Regional Hospital. He also served a term (1997-98) as the Chairman of the International Association of Business Communication. 
  • Had an update from a couple folks from the Class of '93 in February, 2002 - please see their news in the folder above.
  • John O'Callaghan (93) jocman88@hotmail.com was in touch in December/01.  He has been in Singapore since October 2000 as news editor (deputy bureau chief) in the Reuters bureau, covering politics and general news, editing a lot of business copy and making sure the place runs smoothly. Before that he was in London for three years on the World Desk and in the UK general news bureau and in Hong Kong from 1994-97 on the Asia Desk and in the bureau.
  • Barry R. Smith (92) brsmith@canada.com  is also back in Canada - from the U.K.  He is conference producer in Toronto. He says he's "doing all the brainy bits that make for exceptionally useful industry conferences and workshops". 
  • We had some fun at Homecoming 2001.
  • Julie Parkins (00) jsparkin@ucalgary.ca is Manager of Communications at the National Sport Centre in Calgary. She updates their website (www.nsccalgary.ab.ca) and also does desktop publishing, media relations, and a myriad of other "communications" type things. She is very excited about being asked by the Canadian Olympic Association to join them in Salt Lake City for the Olympics in February as a part of their Communications mission staff where she'll be the Editor of Journal Canada. Congrats, Julie!
  • Tomasz Janowski (92) Tomasz.Janowski@reuters.com is Senior Financial Correspondent for Reuters Frankfurt Bureau. He's been working for Reuters for last eight years, first in Warsaw and now in Frankfurt, Germany, where he leads a team of reporters covering the European Central Bank, the German economy and the euro.  He invites everyone from the class of '92 to visit and check out the hidden charms of Frankfurt -- the only European city with real skyscrapers.
  • Rick MacLean (84) rmaclean@ccgw.cc.hollandc.pe.ca is now a journalism instructor at Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI. He began teaching in July, 1999. After he graduated from UWO, he edited the twice-weekly Miramichi Leader in New Brunswick for about 14 years, winning a number of individual and general excellence awards along the way. He worked as a reporter for the N.B. daily Telegraph Journal for about two years. He was a regular contributor to CBC Radio's Morningside for approximately seven years and co-wrote two books - including the bestseller Terror - about the series of murders committed in Miramichi by Allan Legere in 1989.
  • Keith Solomon (96) <battlefords.publishing@sk.sympatico.ca> spent a year at a small-town newspaper in B.C. before heading home to Saskatoon to complete his master's degree in English at the University of Saskatchewan. For the past year and a half he's been working as sports editor for the Battlefords News-Optimist in North Battleford, Sask., while doing some freelance science writing for the U of S. (2001-02-12)
  • It was our 25th anniversary in 2000!  
  • Jeff Adams (79) <jeff.adams@tripeze.com> has left the Calgary Herald to become Manager of Public Relations and of Travel Guide Content for Tripeze.com Inc., Canada's online travel company.
  • Dave Parkinson (88) DParkinson@globeandmail.ca  is Alberta Bureau Chief for the Globe and Mail. He says he's mostly an oil and gas reporter.
  • Garry "Howie" Marr (90) gmarr@nationalpost.com is working for the Financial Post in Toronto covering real estate as well as securities issues. His wife Laura Bobak (she works at the Toronto Sun as a reporter) and he just had a son, Joshua Justin (or JJ as they call him).(2000-06-14)
  • Laura Couvrette (96) lcouvrette@hotmail.com is still in Windsor -- she was working as a general assignment reporter for a six-month contract, then  freelanced for a little while. After a stint as a contract public relations person for a small community museum in Windsor, she is now working as a court reporter for the Ministry of the Attorney General.  (2000-06-14)
  • Kim Bolan (84) has been awarded the first National Press Club of Canada Press Freedom Award. The NPC Press Freedom Award was established to honour a journalist who has made a significant contribution in serving the goal of freedom of expression.
    In honouring the Vancouver Sun journalist, the Selection Committee, chaired by Southam News' James Baxter, said, "the award recognizes her strength of character and high standard of professionalism as she continued, by choice, to pursue her stories wherever they led. Her work is in the finest traditions of the defence of the freedom of the press."
    She has received numerous awards for her determined coverage of minority issues, in particular the tensions within the Indo-Canadian community in Vancouver.
    Congratulations, Kim. 
  • Delaney Turner (98) dturner@buystream.com   In January 2000, Delaney moved from social policy to high-tech. He is currently Manager, Communications, for www.buystream.com, an 0ttawa-based e-commerce intelligence firm. He is responsible for writing and editing most of the written collateral and web copy.(2000-02-22)
  • Dave Briggs (94) cdnsport@kanservu.ca is the editor of one of Canada's oldest magazines, a harness racing publication located near Tillsonburg, ON called The Canadian Sportsman. They are celebrating their 130th year in 2000. Before taking this job in May of 1995, he worked for a year at the London Free Press. He says his  current position has provided more editorial freedom than he ever dreamed possible. Also, work has given him the opportunity to travel all over North America and parts of Europe. (2000-01-25)
  • Lisa Oake (96) lisaoake@hotmail.com is living and working in Singapore now. She's an assistant producer/reporter with CNBC Asia. She sent along her email in November '99 and says she  would love to hear from any j-school grads who are visiting Singapore.(99-11-05)
  • It was with sadness we learned of the death of Mike Switzer, class of '90.  His friends and classmates invite you to read a little more about Mike His friends and classmates invite you to read a little more about Mike.
  • Carla Robinson (96) is anchoring at Newsworld.  
    Here's some alumni news from three guys at TSN!
  • Rob McDerment (94) is a Producer for Sportsdesk Extra, a weekly program on The Sports Network that focuses on headline stories with special features and panel discussions. (with regular panelist and Globe & Mail columnist Stephen Brunt, also a J-school grad)
  • Corey Russell (96) is a story editor for Sportsdesk Extra, producing full-length features that air Sunday mornings on The Sports Network.
  • Kelvin Chow (98) kchow@tsn.ca spent some time as an editorial assistant on the nightly show Sportsdesk and has been pushed around by Rob McDerment and Corey Russell while working at Sportsdesk Extra. He is now working on the TSN website.
  • John McPhee (90) jmcphee@herald.ns.cais now working as a news desk editor at the Chronicle-Herald in Halifax. He slogged away at the weekly level for many years, and says it's nice to be working at a "real" newspaper finally.
  • Norm Barnett (96) norm_barnett@cbc.cais coordinating producer at Newsworld Business News and having a great time. He says "television is incredibly labour intensive and a tight balance between great editorial content and great hair!"
  • Leslie Perkins (Meikle) (89) (leslie.perkins@lhsc.on.ca) is now the Director of Communications and Marketing for London Health Sciences Foundation. On the home front, her daughter Meghan made the trek to kindergarden this fall, and there was a new addition to her family in January, 1999.