Calgary’s 2020 Top 40 Under 40s Give Thanks

While the stories we write about Top 40 Under 40 celebrates singular successes, no one gets to where they are alone — everyone has help along the way. This year, we asked the Avenue Top 40s who they wanted to thank for getting them on the list. These are their responses.

Dr. Signe Bray would like to thank Dr. Glenda MacQueen, the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and her family.

 

Fang-Chia (Jackie) Cheng would like to thank “my friends, family, supervisors/mentors and the CGMHS team who each in their own special way, always supported my journey.”

 

Man-Wai Chu would like to thank her family and friends, as well as colleagues from the University of Calgary and University of Alberta.

 

Ivan Čilić would like to thank the Čilić family, Farzad Bakhtiar and simply WS. Jordan Ramey would like to thank his wife Kelli Combs Ramey, the Ramey family, the Combs family, Marko Čilić, Kasey Armstrong at Servus Credit Union, the Olds College faculty and staff, Brian “Sparkles” Johnson, David Fritz, his climbing partners (a.k.a. The Dream Team), Harriet and Astrid Comamey, The Burwoodians, Amplify Advisors Jesse Furguson and Jason Baird, the OC Brew Crew alumni and Doug Symyrozum at Grapes to Glass.

 

Kaely Cormack and Haley Muir would like to thank Kenna Burima, Stephanie Perrin, their parents, David Ward, all current and past Femme Wave board and committee members, Alexe Bernier, Victoria Bailey and Ryan Evens.

 

Isabelle Couture would like to thank “all past, present and future volunteers, our board members and my co-founder Briana, à ma famille Gilles, Diana et Christine, and James for his everlasting support.” Briana Loughlin would like to thank “my husband, Eli, Mom and Jeff, Dad and Dorene, Evan, Erica, Janelle, Brad, Jared, Kyle and Chris, Amy W., Amy S., and Sarah, all my amazing friends, the entire volunteer team (past and present), and, of course, Isabelle.”

 

Will Craig would like to thank “the Kasian team, everything you do, every day, makes great things possible; all the volunteers that I have worked with at the Urban Land Institute and Art and the City, you are what makes this city tick; my many mentors and mentees, current and previous, for pushing me to learn and be a better version of myself; and my family, who are my home and my heart and give me strength.”

 

Sue Crawford would like to thank “Dr. Andrew Estefan, my graduate supervisor at the University of Calgary; the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Calgary; and the Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary.”

 

Daniel Delgado and Jordan Tetreau would like to thank “Avenue Magazine and the Top 40 judges for this honour, the valued TradeSpace members for their trust and ongoing contributions to our community, our all-star team of Maddie Medina and Bret Sparrow, early landlord partners Bill Lister and Sam Kamis for taking a chance on us and supporting Calgary entrepreneurs, and our wives Andrea Morrow and Lauren Capozzi for their patience and unwavering support.”

 

Dr. Antoine Dufour would like to thank Kelly Wilkieson, Wee Yong, Wallace MacNaughton, Roman Krawetz, Angela Krawetz, Steve Boyd, Morley Hollenberg, Humberto Hijon, Daniel Young, Aaron Phillips, Simon Hirota, Cathy Lu, Claire Arrieta, Nestor Solis, Theo Klein, Chris Overall, Jian Cao, Stanley Zucker, Nicole Sampson, Ed Gozek, Prism Schneider, Michael Monument, Frank Jirik, Derek McKay, Christophe Altier and Laurent Brechenmacher.

 

Nicole Dyer would like to thank Brad Lohman, Nicolle Blais, Joni Johnson, Steve Corner, Mike Dyer, Michelle and Jeff Nichol, Jay Quinn, Blaine McGillivray, Beata Komierowski, Cara Casey O’Loughlin and VOG App Developers.

 

Justin Eyford, Jeremy Ho and Ben Put would like to thank their wives, Laura Eyford, Josephine Ho and Tara Put, “who have been silent, steadfast supporters of Monogram and have allowed each of us to pursue our passion for coffee.”

 

Ilyan Ferrer would like to thank “the loves of my life Jillian Sudayan and Hanan Sudayan-Ferrer; my family: Chito, Avelino, Jeff, Kaye, Jaxson, Joselia and Paquito, and the Ferrer, Javier and Sudayan families; the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Social Work; ActionDignity; CJSW 90.9 FM; Sikolohiyang Pilipino Calgary; and my chosen families and friends in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver who have shared stories and built meaningful relationships.”

 

Caitlin Gallichan-Lowe would like to thank “my loving family; my dear friends; my mentor and high school drama teacher, Paul Griffin; Denise Clarke and Blake Brooker, punk and artist mentors to so many; my colleagues in Fine Arts at WCHS; all the administrators at WCHS, who have supported the work we do to try and inspire change; Artstrek; all my fellow brave Albertan theatre artists, who continue to share their hearts and work so hard; all those working to save this planet; and my incredible students, past and present, who are the most radical, inspiring humans; I am so grateful.”

 

Katie Green would like to thank “my family, friends and community for supporting, encouraging and believing in me.”

 

Dr. Rachel Grimminck would like to thank “my family and close friends including my husband Michael Grimminck and our dog Eli, Kathleen Maser, Linda Lesem, Jeff Rolheiser, Dixie Baum, Stacy Campbell, Karen Duncalf, Kate Watson and my spiritual community; from the Cumming School of Medicine: Dr. Lauren Zanussi, Dr. Gregory Montgomery, Dr. Valerie Taylor, Dr. Thomas Raedler, Dr. Janet deGroot, Dr. Rory Sellmer, Dr. Suneina Mohan, Dr. Roy Turner, Dr. Lindsay Crowshoe, Dr. Linda Mrkonjic, Dr. Jennifer Nicol, Dr. Ian Walker, Dr. Eddy Lang and Pauline Burgess; the collaborative Women in Medical Leadership Committee, with special thanks to Dr. Monique Jericho, Dr. Charlene Lyndon, Dr. Manrit Kaur Takhar, Dr. Margot Mclean and Dr. Catherine Macneil, and the support of Paige Mavon and Nicole Davidson-Ruddy; Simulation Development collaborators Dr. Stephanie Plamondon, Dr. Julia Haber, Irina Charania, Michele Cowan, Dr. Joanna Rankin, Amber Barlow, Rainer Kahl, Chris Enright; medical skills actors; nurses Jillian Vaz, Jillian Variyan and Kari Allen; colleagues in nursing, allied health, protective services and psychiatry on Unit 21, Psychiatric Emergency Services and Emergency Medicine at Foothills Medical Centre; University of Calgary psychiatry resident physicians, with special thanks to Drs. Harry Zhou, Susan Poon, Jacqueline Bobyn, Megan Howlett, Jamil Jivraj, Paige Durling, Jihane Henni, Dean Mrozowich, Erica Blimkie, Anson Wong, Mark Fraccaro, Jonathan Dornian, Jian Choo, Jordan Li, Mary Shen, and Jaylynn Arcand; and partners from the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania, with special thanks to Dr. Matiko Mwita and Dr. Dismas Matovelo, as well as University of Calgary partners Dr. Kimberly Williams, Dr. Rita Watterson and Dr. Jennifer Hatfield.”

 

Neil Gruninger would like to thank “Michael Lowe, co-founder and CEO of A Parent Media Co. (owner of Kidoodle.TV); Doug Nyhoff, Mark Jones, Alicia McTavish, Brenda Bisner, Daniel Riddell, Ian Tweedie, Jeremy Mason, Garry Bunkowsky, Lynn Sutherland and all of our team and investors; and my parents, family and friends that have given us the support and continued belief that we could truly make the world a safer place for kids.”

 

Dr. Rita Henderson would like to thank Dr. Lynden (Lindsay) Crowshoe, Dr. Cheryl Barnabe, Dr. Charles Leduc, Wilfreda Thurston, PhD, and Dr. Lara Cooke.

 

Jason Jogia would like to thank “Angela Jogia, my best friend and spouse, always encouraging me and pushing me; Ashton, Aaryn and Aria, my kids, who keep me motivated and  provide balance; Pravin and Labh Jogia, my parents, who inspired, supported and challenged me to achieve great things in life while being humble; Annie and Jerry Hansraj, in-laws who always provided support along the way; family and friends who have always unconditionally supported me over the years; Anthony Giuffre, a mentor, partner and the founder and CEO of Avenue Living, who recognized my talents and provided me with a forum to flourish; the C-suite and my team at Avenue Living for always supporting, motivating and tolerating me; the overall team at Avenue Living and all the partners and stakeholders who have supported our journey; professors, mentors and alumni from University of Calgary and SDA Bocconi Milan, Italy, who have provided me with a great network and support on this journey; and all my mentors and supporters who inspired me to pursue excellence in finance.”

 

Hanif Joshaghani and Tiffany Kaminsky would like to thank “our team of Symenders who roll up their sleeves and believe in the vision for Symend; our executive team that always goes the extra mile; our board: Dennis Kavelman, John Connors, Code Cubitt, Markus Frind, Eric Updyke, Maor Amar and Matthew J. Schiltz, who have been incredible mentors and advisors as we work to build a global company; our advisors and mentors who continue to push us, challenge ideas and raise the bar; Tiffany’s partner Cam, Hanif’s wife Rachel, and the rest of our families and friends who continue to support us throughout our careers — they keep us grounded and authentic.”

 

Dr. Rahim Kachra would like to thank “my family and friends; my amazing clinical, MedEd, research, and administrative friends and colleagues at the Cumming School of Medicine, and beyond; and my many local, provincial, national and international mentors (it takes a village…)”

 

Nathan Yo’el Lenet would like to give a shout out to “the Freed Artist Society board of directors; all of the current, past, and future Crew members; the amazing communities and Nations that have partnered with us and welcomed us into their homes; family and friends who have always been supportive and encouraging in so many ways over the years’ and to the youth and all of our supporters and partners, and my mentors in life, the men and women who have helped guide me and encourage me.”

 

Dr. Alexander Leung would like to thank his family, friends, mentors, colleagues and patients.

 

Dr. Eden McCaffrey would like to thank “first and foremost, my smart, strong, and kind daughter Emme — thank you for teaching me and inspiring me in both my personal and professional life, each and every day. I love you and am so proud of you. I also want to thank the two most influential men in my life: my brother James (deceased) and my husband, Brett — you are the love of my life, you are my rock. Thank you for your love and support. No one can grow alone, and I am profoundly thankful to so many people. I wish to thank three inspirational women who I am lucky enough to call my best friends: Rachel West (the sibling I never got to have), Valerie Brookes and Nicki Ottenbreit. Thank you to my colleagues and mentors: Paul Oliphant, Abdul Rahman, Sam Chang, Andrea Perri and David Cawthorpe. Finally, to the powerful, risk-taking Calgary businesswomen, my colleagues, friends, and family (especially my mom, Marilyn), and to that ‘one caring adult’, Barb Ryan, all of whom have supported me and cheered me on. There are too many to list, but with all of my heart, thank you!”

 

Kate McKenzie would like to thank Leor Rotchild, Bob McKenzie, Brenda McKenzie, David McKenzie, Amy Rawlinson, Laura McKenzie, Graham Langbroek, Andrew McKenzie, the McKenzie family, the Rotchild family, Marj Scruggs, Martin Parnell, Sue Carpenter-Parnell, Scott Townend, Colin Scheyen, Liam Kearney, Hirra Farooqi, John Stanton, Liz Caine, the Running Room, Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Free to Run, Untamed Borders, Kam Parel-Nuttal, Sahar Shoja, Moniquea Marion, Stina Dios, Zainab Hussaini, Mahsa Torabi, Kubra, Drew Peterson, Hosai Zurmati, Gull Hussain Baizada, James Bingham, Hasina Ahmad, Shekeb Noori, Murwaid Ziayee, the Calgary Muslim Marathoners, Kendyl Lauzon, Pippa Johnstone, Steve Dierkens, Shane Labelle, William Baird, John Wilson, James MacKenzie, Viiz, Ryerson University, Nancy Laberge, the Secret 3K volunteers and national committee, Girl Guides of Canada and ATB X.

 

Carly McMorris would like to thank “my family for their unwavering support and every family that I have worked with: none of this would be possible without your courage and dedication to advocating for the mental health needs of kids with neurodevelopmental disabilities.”

 

Caitlynne Medrek would like to thank Cynthia Medrek, Adam Medrek, Matt Medrek, Jordan Charette, Grandma and Grandpa Harrison, Grandma and Grandad Medrek, Ciocia, Bill Torrie, Marilyn Dewaal, JP Thibodeau, Aubyn Hastings, Sara Caston, Patrice Barnes, Stafford Arima, Jason Leaver, Lindsey Marofke, The ladies of YYC Princess, Chris Thompson, Elenor Nordstrom, Sarah Ellis, Simon Mallett, Val Lieske, Val Planche, Dan Libman, Jill Bauer, Kat Jephcott and Blue Water Studios, Mikes Bloggity Blog, Susan McNair Reid, Rhonda Fisekci, Jackie Lind, David Lerigny, Catherine Handford, Dirty Laundry and Karen Johnson Diamond, Todd and Peejay, and all the parents and families who have trusted YYC Princess with making magic since 2016.

 

Kristina Oriold and Jen Woods would like to thank “our truly amazing Tiny Footprints Committee; our endlessly supportive husbands and children that drive us to be the best versions of ourselves: Chris, Hailea and Jeremy Woods, and Nick, Olivia, Riley and Violet Oriold; the Dryer/Oriold/Kokoski families for their love and support; the Woods/Rounthwaite family and Sandra, Arthur and Sarah Jane Irving; Joel Goundry with a RoadWest Productions; Tiffany Grisdale; Kate and Brian Gallen; John Proctor; Janet Soles and Rod Sobchishin; Bruce and Carol Waterman; Azmina Lakhani; all of our incredible chosen family and the generous support of Calgarians.”

 

Dr. Aaron Phillips would like to thank “my parents Scott and Christine, sisters Sarah and Louie, Andrei Krassioukov, Philip Ainslie and Jordan Squair.”

 

Dr. Michael Roumeliotis would like to thank “my colleagues who I collaborate with on a daily basis — without a strong group of peers, this work could not be accomplished — and my family, whose support has put me in a position to achieve my goals.”

 

Rémi Schmaltz would like to thank “my family, Dominique, Sage, Olive and Hazel, for giving me a loving safe place; my parents, Bruce and Monique Schmaltz, for giving me the opportunity to fail; and my co-founders, Tasha Schmaltz and Garth Donald, for the unwavering support and trust to complete the mission.”

 

Teddy Seyed would like to thank “my parents, brother, as well as all of my friends and colleagues in Calgary. I’d also like to thank every single teacher, professor, supervisor and mentor who helped me grow. Finally, I’d like to thank my PhD advisor Dr. Frank Maurer for giving me the opportunity to start in research many years ago.”

 

Dayle Sheehan would like to thank “my incredible fiancé Darren Britton; Pat and Dani Sheehan, my amazing parents; Jamie Francis, my best friend and sister; Heather Alexander, my brilliant business coach; Maggie Facca, my lovely friend and cheerleader; Jessica Janzen for the guidance and support in my public-speaking journey; my friends and family who bring me so much joy; Mila, Ari and Penn Francis (my life is better because of the three of you); and last but not least, my wonderful clients who make my dreams a reality!”

 

Kate Stadel would like to thank Cody Stadel, Howard Jang, Diane Ragsdale, Jack Holmes, Eric Rose, the Banff Centre for the Arts Cultural Leadership Program; and would like to recognize the following lands in which we have been able to create, work and play on: “Ghost River Theatre calls Treaty 7 territory our home base, which is the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy which includes the Kainai, Siksika and Piikani nations, TsuuT’ina (Dene) Nation and the Stony/Nakoda Nation which include the Bearspaw, Chiniki, Wesley Nations and the Metis Nation Region 3. I would like to acknowledge West Village Theatre, where we work and create is on the lands of the Cree, Plains Cree, Dene, Blackfoot and Metis, also referred to as Treaty 6.”

 

Emma Spanswick would like to thank “the University of Calgary; my research team, colleagues and collaborators; my long-time mentor, Eric Donovan; and my family, who provide unwavering support.”

 

Dr. Jean-Yin Tan would like to thank “the Tsuut’ina and Siksika Nations for taking a chance on me and welcoming me into their communities to work on their horses; to all my mentors and community who challenge and inspire me every day to continue to grow; and to my husband and my mother for their love and support.”

 

Ashley Tedham would like to thank “my dream team: Nancy Jarjour Szabo (volunteer, past-president), Chantel Bender (program officer), Robyn Webster (program officer), Sophie Kirby (program officer), Kimmi Nguyen (administrator) and our evaluator Rita Yembilah (Ambrose University) — the success of the Youth Resiliency Project is a direct result of their hard work, and I could never have done any of this without each and every one of them. Thank you to the support of our volunteer board of directors, our community partners, and the continuous generous support of the Federal Department of Justice. And personal thanks to my mentor, friend and life coach Jan Eden, and my extremely supportive family. It is the daily conversations, encouragement and love that helps all of us become the best version of ourselves. I am so grateful for the community of people that surrounds me.”

 

Patrycja Vaid would like to thank “my loving family, with a special thanks to my mom Danuta Krajca, my husband Navdeep Vaid, my two boys Lenyn and Mylo, and my in-laws Jagbir and Jagjit Vaid; my former teachers and professors: Mr. Frew, Dr. Teresa Green, Dr. Kathryn King-Shier, Dr. Tak Fung, Dr. Nicole Letourneau, Dr. Carol Ewashen and Dr. Andrew Estefan; and my amazing mentors within AHS: the Acute Pain Service team, Humeira Dhanji, Janice Rae, Michele Austad, Dr. Kelly Shinkaruk, Dr. Jeremy Hamming, Dr. Karl Simon, Erin Walker and Lori Harding.”

 

Meg Wilcox would like to thank her colleagues in the Journalism and Broadcast Media Studies department at Mount Royal University, the co-investigator for the grant funding, Dr. Brad Clark, associate professor, Journalism and Broadcast Media Studies Department at MRU, and to give special thanks to her partner Anton deGroot.

 

Tyler Williamson would like to thank “my wonderful wife Heather and our four amazing children, Lucy, Max, Logan, and Seth, your support and sacrifice make this all possible; our parents, friends and family, thank you for your encouragement and making sure I always stay humble; my many mentors over the years (Doug Bowie, Dr. David Johnson, Dr. Gordon Fick, Dr. Neil Drummond, Dr. Hude Quan, Dr. Richard Birtwhistle), thank you for your time and patience and giving me opportunities to grow; and my colleagues at the University of Calgary, you make the best job in the world also the most fun job.”

Related posts

A Recap of the 2020 Top 40 Under 40 Virtual Celebration

avenuecalgary

Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 2020

Alana Willerton

Tyler Williamson

Travis Klemp

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Privacy Policy

Privacy & Cookies Policy
Avenue Calgary