Celebrating TMU’s 2023 Alumni Achievement Award winners

Gordon Gill (Architectural Science ’87), Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, is a founding partner of award-winning Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG) and one of the world’s foremost exponents of performance-based architecture. His work ranges from the world’s tallest buildings to sustainable communities. 

“How can you take a fantastic idea and make things real? TMU taught me how to make things real,” he said. “If I had to only work on one thing for the rest of my life, it would be trying to solve that intersection between nature and technology. I think that’s a beautiful pursuit.”

Jules Arita Koostachin (Documentary Media (MFA) ’10) is a published writer, performance artist, academic and award-winning filmmaker. As an InNiNew IsKwew (Swampy Cree woman) and a member of Attawapiskat First Nation, she has researched Indigenous documentary practices and worked on several productions concerning Indigeneity. 

“I had such a supportive environment here [at TMU], and it was the best two years of my life,” she said. “It was a healthy balance between practical and theory, and it just set me off on this amazing path about finding our voices in Indigeneity. I went on to do my PhD, so it was just an amazing foundation.”

Over the past 20 years, Al Ramsay (Business Management ’99) has held increasingly senior positions supporting TD’s Diversity and Inclusion mandate. In his current role as Vice President 2SLGBTQ+ & Black Customer Segments, TD Bank Group, Al and his team act as a key liaison between Retail, Wealth and Business Banking to embed segment support across the organization. 

“Visibility matters,” he said. “This award represents something bigger than myself. It symbolizes hope for future generations, especially folks from equity-seeking communities, to see the art of the possible, taking the baton from me and my fellow nominees, and they can soar much, much higher.”

As the third generation in a family of jewellers, Noura Sakkijha (Business Administration (MBA) ’16) is the Co-founder and CEO of the jewellery brand Mejuri. Since Mejuri’s inception, she has built a brand on the foundational principles of empowerment, inclusivity and innovation, and has redefined the way individuals think of and purchase fine jewellery: for themselves. “I hear amazing stories from women that I meet like ‘This is my first diamond’ or ‘This is the piece that I bought when I got promoted,’” she said in her video.

Rodney Yip (Computer Science ’82) retired from IBM Canada in 2015 after working in the IT industry for 33 years. He has remained connected to TMU, with his projects including the Indigenous Medicine Garden atop the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex and the Intraosseous Medication Infusion project with the Midwifery Education Program. 

“I’m a tinkerer by nature. I like to build things. I like to create systems. I like to create opportunities,” he said. “TMU gave me a sense of wonder, a sense of curiosity, and I carry those feelings with me today. I learn, I think, I engage and I discover things, and that excites me.”

Dani Gomez-Ortega (English ’16) is an inclusion champion with a passion for empowering others to create more inclusive spaces. She has built community and led inclusion across various sectors for 10 years, including post-secondary, retail and not-for-profit. Dani currently works as a global diversity, equity and inclusion leader at McCain Foods. 

“Having one supportive person in a trans person’s life decreases suicide attempts by 40 per cent,” she said. “I have been lucky enough to have not just one or two or three, but a whole village behind me in my life.” She added, “Please help create a world where trans people have the support they need. I am proof that with the right support, you cannot only survive, but thrive.”

An award-winning mixed-media artist, HAUI (Theatre Performance ’14) directs, devises and designs cross-disciplinary works for stage, screen and visual mediums. Known for rejecting categorizations, HAUI amplifies overlooked themes, myths, histories and perspectives through an unconventional, diverse lens. 

“There’s really no blueprint as artists, we sort of have to create our own paths,” HAUI said. “I feel like that’s been such a testament to my journey of finding my unique journey through the process of creating work, and that has been shaped by mentors and guiding spirits along the way.”