Reunite at Rotman — Your Alumni Homecoming
Thank you for another great Reunite! See you next fall.
See below for the 2022 schedule.
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Rotman Alumni Awards Dinner
6:15 to 9:00 pm | Livestream 7:30 to 8:30 pm
Every year as part of Reunite at Rotman, we recognize outstanding alumni with Rotman Alumni Awards. These graduates exemplify the Rotman values of diversity, excellence, respect, and integrity. They have been incredibly successful while giving back to their organizations and communities.
Learn more about the Rotman Alumni Awards and meet this year's recipients »
Agenda
6:15 to 6:45 pm: Reception
6:45 pm: Opening Remarks
Jamie Anderson, Chair, Rotman Dean’s Advisory Board; Senior Advisor and Former Deputy Chair, RBC Capital Markets
Susan Christoffersen, Dean; William A. Downe BMO Chair in Finance; Professor of Finance. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
6:50 to 7:10 pm: Awards presentations
Leader to Watch Award Presentation to Eliza Casinather, ME MBA '15
Volunteer Excellence Award Presentation to Dr. Rajeev Chib, EMBA ’08
8:25 pm: Lifetime Achievement Award Presentation to Barry McInerney, BCOM '85, MBA '87,
Former CEO, Mackenzie Investments
Tribute speakers:
Damon Murchison, President and CEO, IG Wealth Management (Winnipeg)
Sarah Kaplan, Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), Distinguished Professor of Gender & the Economy, Professor of Strategic Management, Rotman School of Management, Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto; Senior Fellow, Mack Institute for Innovation Management, Wharton School
William Downe, MBA ’75, Former Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group; 2017 Rotman Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Susan Christoffersen, Dean; William A. Downe BMO Chair in Finance; Professor of Finance. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
9:00 pm: Evening Adjourns
Friday, October 21, 2022
Fireside Chats, Faculty Speakers, Dean's Reception, Class Reunions and more!
8:00 to 9:30 am
Part-time, Morning and Evening MBA Program Breakfast
This breakfast session is open to all graduates and current students of the part-time, morning and evening MBA program.
Leading Change
Synopsis: Prof. Oesch will share a model of leadership and management behaviours required for successful organizational change. Discussion will focus on the implications of the actions that the model suggests and a toolkit for current and future leaders of change.
1:30 to 2:00 pm
Registration
2:00 to 2:45 pm
Rotman Faculty Lecture: Sarah Kaplan, Institute for Gender and the Economy
(Streaming available)
Gender Analytics: Creating Economic Equity through Inclusive Design
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Rotman Faculty Lecture: Anthony Naimi, Self-Development Lab, Rotman School of Management
(Streaming available)
Deliberate Development
In a world of complexity, the ability to develop ourselves and others is a key leadership resource. Our interactive session has three goals: (1) to adequately frame the question: "what does it mean to develop people?", (2) to identify some major human obstacles that stand in the way of development, and (3) to explore some recent scientific findings about what does and doesn't work in the realm of people development.
4:15 pm to 5:15 pm
Fireside Chats (Streaming available)
Back by popular demand, our Reunite fireside chats will help you connect with alumni both within your sector and areas of interest. Alumni from a breadth of industries and functions are invited back to share their industry perspectives with the Rotman community.
We are delighted to confirm the following speakers from across Analytics, Consulting, Consumer Packaged Goods, Entrepreneurship, Financial Services, Health + Life Sciences and Real Estate.
Confirmed speakers; more to be announced shortly:
Analytics
Rainbow Chik, BCOM '12, Director of Data Insight & ESG Analytics, GoldenTree Asset Management (New York)
Rupinder Dhillon, EMBA '18, Head of Enterprise Data, Sobeys (Toronto)
Consulting
Pablo Neiman, EMBA '16, Chief Customer Officer at Cority (Toronto)
Oksana Chikina, EMBA '14, Senior Director, ESG & Corporate Strategy, EY Parthenon (Toronto)
Consumer Packaged Goods
David Berdock, FT MBA '17, Co-Founder, G-Works Venture Studio, General Mills (Toronto)
Stephanie Guo, BCOM '11, Senior Director Creative Content, SpinMaster (Toronto)
Entrepreneurship
Mark Ang, BCOM '17, CEO and Co-Founder, GoBolt (Toronto)
Financial Services
Sue Noble, FT MBA '06, VP Commercial Strategy, Financial Services, RBC Royal Bank of Canada (Toronto)
Stephen Stewart, BCOM '02, Managing Director, Investment Banking at TD Securities (Toronto)
Healthcare + Life Sciences
Sonya Lockyer, FT MBA '07, Vice President, TELUS Health Care Centres, Pharmacy, & Corporate Wellness (Toronto)
Real Estate
David Diestel, FT MBA '02, CEO, First Service, (Miami)
Taya Cook, EMBA '20, Director of Development, Urban Capital (Toronto)
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm
Dean's Reception
We are delighted to announce the return of the Reunite Dean’s reception in person this year. Join us after your fireside chat, before your class reunion or if you haven’t been back in while bring your classmates, all are welcome to attend and connect with the Dean, fellow alumni, current students, staff, and faculty in Desautels Hall for some refreshments and appetizers.
6:30 pm Onwards
Class Reunions
If you graduated in a year ending in "2" or "7" it's your Milestone year! Learn more about how your class is celebrating, or learn how to get involved in organizing a reunion for your class »
Sarah Kaplan
Institute for Gender and the Economy
Sarah Kaplan is Director, Institute for Gender and the Economy, Distinguished Professor of Gender & the Economy and Professor of Strategic Management at Rotman. She is a co-author of the bestselling business book, Creative Destruction as well as Survive and Thrive: Winning Against Strategic Threats to Your Business. Her latest book, The 360° Corporation: From Stakeholder Trade-offs to Transformation was published in September 2019. Her research has covered how organizations participate in and respond to the emergence of new fields and technologies in biotechnology, fiber optics, financial services, nanotechnology and most recently, the field emerging at the nexus of gender and finance. Her current work focuses on applying an innovation lens to understanding the challenges for achieving gender equality.
Formerly a professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (where she remains a Senior Fellow), and a consultant and innovation specialist for nearly a decade at McKinsey & Company in New York, she completed her doctoral research at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has a BA with honors in Political Science from UCLA and an MA in International Relations and International Economics with distinction from the School for Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University.
She recently authored “Gender Equality as an Innovation Challenge” (2017) in the Rotman Management Magazine, “The Risky Rhetoric of Female Risk Aversion” (2016) in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, “Meritocracy: From Myth to Reality” in the Rotman Management Magazine (2015), and “The Rise of Gender Capitalism,” in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (2014).
See the Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE) website here.
Anthony Naimi
Self-Development Lab
Anthony Naimi, Ph. D. is a Faculty member at the Self-Development Laboratory at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. As an expert in collaboration design, he focuses on building culture, communication and connectedness to enhance learning and performance, especially where the demands of work are complex, novel or distributed. As a thought leader in collaboration, he aims to redefine how teamwork and communication skills are taught through performance-based feedback and other innovative approaches to training. He is a seasoned educator, having taught thousands of Canada’s brightest across several departments at the University of Toronto, and holds advanced degree in Psychology (MA, University of Toronto) and Information Science (PhD, Western University). He is an active contributor to the discourse defining the horizons for the future of work, and has published journal articles in leading journals in the areas of organizational learning and development.
John Oesch
Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
John Oesch is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream. He is currently teaching in MBA and Executive MBA programs, as well as several Rotman Executive Programs. His teaching interests are in the areas of decision making, negotiation, and change leadership. He has research interests in the areas of decision making, managerial negotiations and organizational justice. His publication record includes the Journal of Business Venturing, Social Justice Research, Games and Economic Behavior, and Organization Science.
Stephanie Guo, BCOM '11
Senior Director Creative Content, SpinMaster (Toronto)
Stephanie Guo is a Creative Director that combines big ideas, strategy, and execution. Having worked in both advertising agencies and in-house marketing teams, across industries like tech, banking, CPG, and fashion, her work covers the intersection of business and creativity. Steph is most passionate about leading and building creative teams and fostering workplace culture. Besides sitting at the computer all day, you'll find her doodling and working on a graphic novel, getting lost in the woods, or perfecting her bagel recipe.
Stephen Stewart, BCOM '02
Managing Director, Investment Banking at TD Securities (Toronto)
Stephen is an experienced finance professional and is currently a Managing Director in the Merger & Acquisitions group at TD Securities, the capital markets division of TD Bank. A graduate of the Bachelor of Commerce program at the University of Toronto, he started his career in public accounting at Grant Thornton in Toronto. During his 5 years at Grant Thornton he obtaining his Chartered Accountant designation and was promoted to Manager. In 2007, he left Grant Thornton to pursue a Masters of Business Administration at Western University. Stephen graduated in 2008 as the gold medalist for his class and joined TD Securities' investment banking team. During his 14 years at TD Securities, Stephen has worked on some of the largest M&A and capital markets transactions in Canada, advising boards and management teams at companies across a variety of industries including technology, retail, real estate and telecommunications.
In addition to his work experience, Stephen also served as the Treasurer (2008 to 2014) of the Registered Nurses Foundation of Ontario and the Treasurer (2019 to present) of the Ontario Provincial Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada; has been an active member of both the University of Toronto and Western University alumni networks; and manages his son's hockey team. He lives in North Toronto with his wife and three children (12, 10, 5).
Sonya Lockyer, FT MBA '02
Vice President, TELUS Health Care Centres, Pharmacy, & Corporate Wellness (Toronto)
Sonya is a proven leader in the healthcare sector, having spent the past 20 years working with some of Canada’s leading private and public healthcare organizations. She is keenly focused on creating a culture of compassion and clinical excellence to deliver exceptional patient experiences.
Sonya currently leads a number of divisions within TELUS Health, including: Care Centres, Occupational Health, Pharmacy Solutions, Virtual Pharmacy, Corporate Wellness and Mental Health Clinics. Her focus on empowering teams to “build innovation into their day” is critical in shaping how TELUS Health is evolving to meet the dynamic requirements of both health care systems and those who use them.
Prior to joining TELUS Health, Sonya was the CEO of Canadian Addiction Treatment Centres (CATC), a pan-Canadian treatment network consisting clinics, specialty pharmacies and residential treatment centres. Sonya powered significant growth in this role, advancing a multi-province merger and acquisition strategy that more than doubled the size of the company in three years. Prior to joining CATC, Sonya worked as a clinician, management consultant, and later as an executive at CML Healthcare and LifeLabs. Starting her working life in the Canadian Military, Sonya’s discipline, grit, and commitment to teamwork has served her well in her mission to improve how health care is delivered in Canada.
Sonya has an MBA from Rotman and a HBSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Alberta.
David Berdock, FT MBA '17
Co-Founder, G-Works Venture Studio, General Mills (Toronto)
David is a Co-founder in General Mills’ internal venture studio, tasked with building, scaling and operationalizing home-grown startups that accelerate General Mills’ growth trajectory over a 10-year period. Prior to his current role, he managed the snacks innovation team and developed the product pipeline & strategy for the Canadian market.
Sue Noble, FT MBA '06
VP Commercial Strategy, Financial Services, RBC Royal Bank of Canada (Toronto)
As Vice President, Commercial Financial Services Strategy at RBC Sue is responsible for the development and execution of RBC’s commercial banking strategy including industry vertical strategies as well as key segment strategies, including Women, BIPOC and Climate. Sue brings to this role over 20 years in financial services spanning both insurance and banking. The past 10 years of her career she has focused on deepening her experience in commercial banking across multiple roles including relationship management, sales leadership, strategy and execution, change management and business enablement. Sue holds a Bachelor of Science from McGill University and an MBA from Rotman School of Management, U of T.
Ron Harris, BCOM '77, MBA '79
President & CEO, Jones Healthcare Group (London)
Ron Harris is the President & CEO of Jones Healthcare Group and is a co-owner of the company.
Jones Healthcare Group provides advanced packaging and medication dispensing solutions, partnering with some of the most recognized pharmaceutical brands and pharmacy groups around the world. The company’s full-service and integrated offering includes graphic and CAD design, print and conversion for folding cartons, pressure sensitive labels and intelligent packaging, blistering, bottling, pouching and vial filling, as well as a range of medication dispensing and delivery products. For more information, please visit www.joneshealthcaregroup.com.
A graduate of the university’s Commerce and Graduate Business programmes, Ron is also a past president of the T-Holders’ Association and is a member of the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame.
David Diestel, FT MBA '02
CEO, First Service, (Miami)
David Diestel is CEO of FirstService Residential, a role he assumed in 2021 after serving as President of the company's South Region since 2014.
David joined FirstService Residential in 2005 as the company's Senior Vice President, Operations. In this role, he was responsible for launching the FirstService Residential brand and many of the foundational operational practices that today drive the company's focus on associate and client experience as well as growth initiatives. During his time leading the South, his focus on corporate culture and operating discipline transformed the region and led the team to deliver significant increases in revenue and profitability along with entry into new markets.
Before joining the company, Diestel held the position of Director of Strategy and Operations at parent company FirstService Corporation in Toronto, which he joined in 2002.
David earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering from McGill University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He earned his certification as a LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Pablo Neiman, EMBA '16
Chief Customer Officer at Cority (Toronto)
Pablo is the Chief Customer Officer at Cority and oversees their global customer operations. Prior to joining Cority, Pablo was the VP of Strategic Planning at NexJ Systems. Pablo has a proven track record of scaling fast-growing companies, driving operational efficiencies, building high-performing teams and creating customer-centric organizations. Pablo has also held research and teaching positions at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, the Advanced Microsystems and Nano Lab, at Queen’s University, and the Royal Military College. Pablo holds a B.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University and both a M.A.Sc. and MBA from the University of Toronto.
Taya Cook, EMBA '20
Director of Development Director of Development, Urban Capital (Toronto)
As the first employee hired at Urban Capital 18 year ago, Taya Cook has had the unique experience to grow with a company that has become one of Canada’s top residential developers. During this time she has been intimately involved with the development of more than 20 buildings, and delivery of over 5,000 condominium units.
As the company’s Director of Development, Taya has spent her career surrounded by mostly great men….and noticeably few women. So when an article came out listing the top developers in Toronto, and all 20 of them were men, she felt compelled to react. In 2019, she, along with partner Sherry Larjari from Spotlight Development, announced Reina, the first condo project designed and developed by an all-star team of women, with the goal of creating a platform to showcase women in development and to encourage others to enter the field.
With extensive interviews for the New York Times, Oprah Magazine and many others, Taya is a strong supporter of women in senior positions and has a keen interest to shake up the industry’s status quo.
Rainbow Chik, BCOM '12
Director of Data Insight & ESG Analytics, GoldenTree Asset Management (New York)
Rainbow Chik is the Director of Data Insight and ESG Analytics at GoldenTree Asset Management, a $45B+ credit hedge fund based out of New York City. She manages a data team that leverages alternative data in driving investment decisions as well as oversees ESG analytics for the firm’s investment portfolios.
Prior to joining GoldenTree, Ms. Chik was a key founding member in building the alternative data team at Orbis Investments. She graduated from Columbia Business School with an M.B.A. (Dean's Honors with Distinction) specializing in Value Investing and Data Analytics. She also holds a B.Com in Finance and Economics from University of Toronto – Rotman School of Management (Distinction).
Rupinder Dhillon, EMBA '18
Head of Enterprise Data Head of Enterprise Data, Sobeys (Toronto)
Rupinder has worked in the Data field for over the past twenty years; in the areas of Data Management, Business Intelligence, Advanced Analytics and AI and Machine Learning. She has worked with data across industries spanning financial services, software, telecommunications and now retail to champion the use of data to drive innovation. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated her passion to push new data capabilities that drive innovation. She has held various data leadership roles including, leading the Data and AI Labs team at Bell Canada, Chief Data Officer at HBC and is now the Head of Enterprise Data at Sobeys, Canada’s second largest grocery retailer. She is dedicated to growing the data and analytics community and sits on the advisory board of The University of Toronto’s Masters of Management Analytics program, and the Canadian Marketing Association’s Data & Privacy Committee. She is also proud to serve on the Board of Directors for Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and the Canadian Stage company.
Oksana Chikina, EMBA '14
Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY (Toronto)
Oksana is a Senior Director, ESG & Corporate Strategy at EY Parthenon, a strategy house helping CEOs create long-term value. She works across sectors and geographies, bringing environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics to the forefront of strategic and financial decisions at C-suits and corporate boards. Her clients include major global players in Real Estate, Retail, Manufacturing, Energy and the Canadian public sector.
Prior to joining EY, Oksana was a General Manager of Canadian business of an Australian behavior change company, and a Senior Transformation Consultant for the Government of Ontario. Before getting her MBA at Rotman, Oksana spent a decade in International Development, through which she experienced most diverse working (and living!) conditions in 10 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. The projects that Oksana had designed and managed ranged from economic development to public health and education, and impacted lives of over 500,000 people.
Today, as a mother of two young children (2 and 4 years old) Oksana is constantly seeking balance between professional ambition and desire to make a large impact… and the basic human need to get some sleep.
Mark Ang, BCOM '17
CEO and Co-Founder, GoBolt (Toronto)
Founded in 2017, GoBolt (formerly Bolt Logistics) is a technology company building the first sustainable and first-party supply chain network that partners with merchants to deliver a complete end-to-end customer experience. By operating as an extension of each merchant’s team, GoBolt provides reliable fulfillment, last mile delivery, and reverse logistics services.
With a growing network of warehouses across North America and a suite of proprietary apps designed and supported by an in-house engineering team, GoBolt unlocks enhanced transparency and control for merchants. The company’s focus on customer-centricity is further driven by a deep commitment to sustainability. GoBolt’s investment in its electric vehicle fleet is a testament to the company’s mission of carbon negative deliveries by the end of 2023.
For more information, visit gobolt.com