For Nicolas Rincon Bonilla (MPA’24), pursuing his graduate studies at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy’s University of Saskatchewan (USask) campus turned out to be “one of the best decisions” he ever made.
As the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) Master of Public Administration (MPA) graduates get ready to cross the convocation stage this spring, we’re looking back on the journey that brought them here.
JSGS alumnus Mir Md Saifur Rahman (MPA’24) valued his time as a public administration student and continues to appreciate the impact of his graduate education on his career.
As a Radiologic technologist, Fatimah Dini witnessed firsthand the profound impact of healthcare policies and the lack of diverse perspectives in policymaking.
Driven by a deep-rooted passion for social activism, Kezia-Grace Macbruce’s decision to pursue higher education came naturally.
Moving to a new country to pursue further education poses many challenges, whether that’s academically, adjusting to different norms or just being away from home. Haroon Chaudhry has first-hand experience when it comes to moving away to pursue your education and career.
Scott Weaver’s career path has taken some unexpected turns, something he feels is a wonderful way to find what you are looking for.
Adel Panahi is currently the Director of Health at Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, the governing body representing the approximately 80,000 Métis people living in the province, where he oversees healthcare project management, community relations, and health policy research.
Kwame Neba is currently the Vice President of Nunavut Operations at the Workers’ Safety & Compensation Commission of the NWT & Nunavut, the government body administering safety and compensation acts and regulations to pre-emptively and responsively protect workers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Ian Worme graduated with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree after a five-year academic journey that began in the most unconventional way—with the birth of his youngest daughter.
Amanda Willcox wanted to continue her education with a program that would equip her with the skills to become a leader for positive change in the public service. She is passionate about finding opportunities to work alongside others while establishing policies that help to improve our society.
Amanda Noubarian identifies as a world traveller, shaped by the beauty, experiences, and stories she has witnessed around the globe. Along the way, she has gathered a passion for supporting positive change wherever she is to uplift communities around the world.
There could not have been a better fit for Nathalie Atanasova, than a master’s program that would set her up for success in the public sector.
Jeff Bassendowski is currently the Director of the Planning, Reporting and Accountability Branch in the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training with the Government of Saskatchewan (GoS). He has ten years of experience in four different ministries with experience in corporate services, policy, strategic planning, legislation and continuous improvement.
Innovation is key for this Johnson Shoyama MPA grad.
Change is a learning opportunity for this Johnson Shoyama MPA grad.
Neal Kewistep (MPA’11) got a master’s degree because he wanted a seat at the table—the BIG table, the one where social and economic issues are discussed, where decisions are made and public policies are hammered out.
Like so many alumni of Johnson Shoyama Graduate School, Oleksandra Orr’s career is the result of both purposeful planning and serendipitous choices. One of those choices was signing up for an exchange program during her Master of Business Administration program at Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas in Ukraine.
As manager of Waste Stewardship and Recycling at the Ministry of Environment, Che-Wei Chung, MPA'13, is using skills honed in the Johnson Shoyama Master of Public Administration program to ensure a more sustainable future for the province.
Johnson Shoyama alumnus Ralph Leibel, MPA’09, used an undergraduate degree in regional planning as a springboard to a career in government service.
After a decade of using her knowledge and skills to build capacity in First Nations organizations, Nicole Callihoo faced a turning point. If she wanted to achieve more as an administrator in a non-governmental organization (NGO), she needed to know more. In 2012, she left a good job to enroll in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at Johnson Shoyama Graduate School. Just three years later, she is manager of Education and Operations for the Ottawa-based First Nations Health Managers Association.
When it comes to JSGS alumni, Andrea Geisbauer is something of an insider—she’s the manager of the school’s Executive Education unit. It is a position she’s held since 2002, when the unit was still a separate entity known as the Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy (SIPP). It became part of the newly formed Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) in 2008.
Jennifer Gabrysh, MPA’13, grew up in Melfort, Saskatchewan an outdoorsy, sports-loving teen. She went on to play varsity soccer at the University of Lethbridge and to teach yoga and pilates while earning a bachelor’s degree at Lakehead University in Ontario. She spent summers studying French immersion in Quebec, tree planting in northern British Columbia and managing a fly-in fishing lodge in northern Manitoba.
Laura Willcocks has a distinct advantage in life—she’s not afraid of change. “We moved around a lot when I was growing up, so change isn’t scary for me. I’m not afraid to try something totally new.”
In 2008, Jeremy Harrison was in the first cohort of students at the newly minted Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy—just what you would expect from someone who had, by the age of 30, obtained an undergraduate degree, a law degree and become the youngest Canadian ever to have been elected to both the House of Commons and a provincial Legislative Assembly.
For JSGS alumnus Alyssa Daku, MPA, CIPP, the investment in grad school is paying dividends in an exciting new career path.
Kristin Ward Diaz describes her pre-JSGS work history as a “career jungle gym”—she explored a variety of career paths. Today, the 2012 MPA graduate is thriving as a Community Development Officer with Alberta Culture and Tourism.
