Seeking guidance on career planning, job searches, or further education? Whether you're exploring career paths, researching graduate programs, preparing applications for jobs or internships, or considering graduate school, our dedicated Alumni are here to assist! Connect with us for valuable insights, personalized advice, and resources to help you move forward with confidence.
Along with our drop-in sessions, you can also schedule a 30-minute one-on-one appointment through CLNx for more in-depth support.
Are you an alumni interested in providing valuable insights to students? Sign up today to get started!
You are able to connect at times convenient to your schedule.
Learn about this month's featured alumni!
Brianna Clendinning
Project Manager, Digital Health Innovation, Mackenzie Health Hospital
BRIANNA's EXPERIENCE:
- In her current role, Brianna focuses on leveraging technology to advance patient care, healthcare delivery and digital health initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and optimize clinical workflows.
- Previously, Brianna served as a Senior Manager in Integrated Diabetes Care at Shoppers Drug Mart, where she supported national programs such as pharmacy care clinic redesigns and weight management strategies.
- While managing the enterprise-wide diabetes portfolio, she also earned the President’s List Award for exceptional contributions during her tenure.
- With a background spanning healthcare strategy, client success, and health innovation, Brianna has held impactful roles at AlayaCare and SE Health.
- Brianna resides in Toronto with her husband and dog, enjoying fitness, running, and community involvement.
- Ask me about: Brianna’s industry, work experiences, job search strategies, resume ideas, interview strategies, grad school applications
Industry: Health Sciences
Languages: English
Education: Master of Management of Innovation from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Health Science from Western University
Book an Appointment with Brianna
JOEY SANTIAGO (BSc)
Manager, Data & Analytical Insights, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada
JOEY's EXPERIENCE:
- Joey has over ten years of experience in Risk Management - starting from small credit deals to enterprise and regulatory risk.
- His experience in the financial services sector includes financial & credit risk analysis, risk analytics & reporting, risk model governance, and credit risk automation.
- In his current role, Joey works as an analyst at OSFI within its Data & Analytics team. OSFI is an independent federal government agency that regulates and supervises federally registered banks and insurers, and is the sole regulator of banks in Canada.
- During his time at UTM, Joey served as the Vice-President, Finance (2008-2009) and President (2009-2010) of the University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union.
- Ask me about: Data & Analytics, Risk Management, Corporate Finance, Career Advice and anything else on my linkedin
Industry: Financial Services
Languages: English
Education: Bachelor of Science (Economics, Psychology), 2011, UTM
Book an Appointment with Joey
SOHAIB TARIQ (BCom, MBA)
Director, Customer Value Management, Coupa Software
SOHAIB's EXPERIENCE
- Sohaib Tariq is the Director of Customer Value Management at Coupa Software.
- Sohaib is a seasoned procurement professional, leading and supporting enterprise-level procurement transformation programs with an ability to navigate complex strategic, people and operational challenges.
- He has strong technical, analytical and problem-solving skills gained from experience in the design, implementation and management of various programs and systems.
- He previously worked in various roles at Accenture, Hewitt Associates and Ontario Power Generation.
- As a student at Rotman, he received the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award for his outstanding voluntary service to the U of T community and the Rotman Citizenship Award for his exceptional contribution to the Rotman community.
- As a student at UTM, Sohaib was involved in the Computer Science Association and the Pakistani Students' Association.
Industry: Software Development
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Languages: English, Urdu
Education:
Master of Business Administration (Strategy, Finance), 2009, Rotman, University of Toronto
Bachelor of Commerce (Finance, Mathematics) 2003, UTM
Book an Appointment with Sohaib
ROHIT's EXPERIENCE
- Rohit is an experienced charity and non-profit sector professional, with a focus on fundraising and fund development.
- In 2019, he started his company DoGood Funding, which has raised over $20 million for organizations across Canada.
- Rohit is frequently asked to speak on topics including budgeting and finance, grant funding, grant writing, prospect research, and start-up funding.
- During his time at UTM, Rohit completed Environmental Management and Geography double majors. He was frequently involved with environmental groups at the UTM campus.
- Rohit is a recipient of the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers, and was recognized as Mississauga's youngest Volunteer of the Year.
- Ask me about: The non-profit and charitable sector, social finance, start-up businesses, small business, business financing, career pathways, and non-traditional careers.
Industry: Consulting
Location: Brampton, ON
Languages: Hindi, Spanish, English
Education:
BA Geography and Environmental Management
Book an Appointment with Rohit
TEO SALGADO
Principal Consultant, Owner, VerveSmith Independent Educational Consultants
TEO's EXPERIENCE
- Teo offers insight gained through more than 20 years of experience in admissions, academic counselling, and alumni relations at the University of Toronto and Western University.
- In 2015, Teo founded VerveSmith, a Toronto-based multi-consultant practice serving students crossing borders.
- A graduate of the University of Toronto and McGill University, he also completed a Graduate Certificate in College Counseling at the University of California, Los Angeles.
- He is Co-chair of NACAC’s IEC SIG, former director of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), and Past Chair of the Global Committee of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
- Ask me about: Resume ideas, extracurricular activities, graduate school applications.
Industry: Education
Location: Toronto, ON
Languages: English, Spanish
Education:
Hon. BA (Toronto), MA (McGill)
Book an Appointment with Teo
SHELIZA's EXPERIENCE
- With over fifteen years of experience in pedagogy, Sheliza has taught in renowned institutions including Trent University, OISE, and is now back to her alma mater UTM as an Assistant Professor in the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy.
- Her research includes a focus on Science Education and socio-scientific issues, and the public engagement with science.
- Currently, she is involved in serving the UTM community as a mentor for the Women in Science and Computing Mentorship Program, and as a member of the Board of Directors at UTM for the Alumni Association.
- Ask me about: Mathematics Education, STEM Education, Science Education, Higher Education, University Pedagogy, Learning Fields, Curriculum Innovation.
Industry: Science & Mathematics Education
Location: Mississauga, ON
Languages: English
Education:
PhD
Book an Appointment with Sheliza
SARAH's EXPERIENCE
- Sarah is committed to leadership development and serves as a Sessional Lecturer at Rotman Commerce, creating learning experiences that emphasize critical thinking, accountability, and authentic leadership.
- She has held multiple teaching roles across the University of Toronto, mentoring students and fostering a culture of curiosity and excellence.
- Sarah holds a Bachelor of Commerce from U of T Mississauga, where she was honoured as Class of 2019 Valedictorian, and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Accounting from the Rotman School of Management.
- She is a designated CPA and brings a strong foundation in financial acumen, strategic thinking, and stakeholder engagement to every initiative she leads.
- Ask me about: Anything and everything!
Industry: Insurance, Financial Services
Location: Mississauga, ON
Languages: English
Education:
B.Com, 2019 and CPA
Book an Appointment with Sarah
MICHELLE TAJUDEEN
Executive Leadership Coach & Human Resources Consultant, MetaCC Incorporated
MICHELLE's EXPERIENCE
- Michelle leads customized leadership coaching programs focused on the development and advancement of junior and senior professionals in the corporate sector.
- As part of these programs, Michelle works inclusively with leaders and employees to identify and effectively manage challenges related to people, attracting and retaining diverse talent, developing high performers, engagement, succession planning, change management and career progression.
- Additionally, Michelle works collaboratively with key stakeholders to transform organizational cultures by identifying and effectively managing barriers to advancement for marginalized groups including women and visible minorities.
- Michelle is very passionate about life-long learning and enjoys facilitating professional development workshops.
- Michelle also serves as a Board Coach to the Board of Directors at the Toronto Chapter of the International Coaching Federation.
- Additionally, Michelle serves as a Leadership Coach to the International Coaching Federation Foundation for social impact organizations working towards the UN 2030 global sustainable development goals.
- Ask me about: Setting yourself up for success in your career. Themes include job search strategies, resume ideas, interview strategies as well as themes related to working effectively in the workplace. For example, promotion readiness, communication, conflict resolution, building leadership skills, navigating different leadership styles, self confidence, etc.
Industry: Professional Services
Location: Greater Toronto Area
Languages: English
Education:
Bachelor of Arts degree, Professional Certified Coach designation, Certified Human Resources Leader designation
Book an Appointment with Michelle
TIFFANY's EXPERIENCE
- In her current role as Go-to-Market Lead at Microsoft, Tiffany helps enterprise clients across Canada embrace AI-powered business solutions, including Microsoft Copilot, Dynamics, and Power Platform, to enhance productivity and modernize operations.
- Previously as a Sales Excellence Manager at Microsoft, she partnered with cross-functional leaders to streamline sales planning, improve renewal predictability, and drive collaboration on major enterprise initiatives that advanced Microsoft’s growth strategy.
- Earlier at Cisco, she served as Strategy and Planning Manager, aligning sales teams around strategic priorities, developing national training programs, and leading data-driven tools that improved visibility and collaboration across the organization.
- During her tenure at HSBC, she worked as a Business Operations Manager, leading digital transformation initiatives that modernized client onboarding, expanded service reach, and improved operational efficiency across Canadian branches.
- As an entrepreneur, she founded Deo, an education consulting business focused on personalized academic support and long-term student success, growing through innovative curriculum design and strong client relationships.
- Ask me about: career growth in tech and strategy, entrepreneurship in education, data-driven decision-making, and navigating corporate transitions.
- Ask me about: Job search strategies, interviews, work experiences, industry hopping.
Industry: Technology
Location: Toronto, ON
Languages: English, Cantonese
Education:
Honours BSc
Book an Appointment with Tiffany
THIVYA's EXPERIENCE
- Thivya is an HR professional with 5+ years of experience supporting people, talent, and leadership development across the tech and financial services industries.
- In her current role as a Senior HR Consultant, she partners with senior leaders and leverages HR data insights to inform decisions related to performance management, talent planning, employee experience, and change management.
- Thivya is also actively pursuing her Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation to continue deepening her expertise in the HR field.
- Before moving into corporate HR, Thivya built a strong foundation during her time at UTSC, volunteering and working on campus in student services, where she gained experience in student mentorship, facilitation, and program coordination. She is passionate about supporting young professionals through academic and career exploration to help them develop the confidence and clarity to take their next step.
- Thivya was a Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award recipient for her contributions to student initiatives on campus and was the Founding President of the Human Resources Alliance at the Department of Management.
- Ask me about: Careers in HR, resumes and interview best practices, leadership development, navigating early-career decisions, transitioning from school to workforce.
Industry: HR in Financial Services
Location: Toronto, ON
Languages: English
Education:
Bachelor of Business Administration (Management & HR), UTSC
Book an Appointment with Thivya
KAYLA WEBBER
Assistant Professor School of Child and Youth Care, Toronto Metropolitan University
KAYLA's EXPERIENCE
- Kayla Webber is a PhD candidate in the Department of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, specializing in women’s and gender studies. She is also a part-time faculty member in the Department of Education at the UTM campus, where she teaches undergraduate courses.
- Her research focuses on housing precarity, Black and Indigenous communities, models of wellness, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, Black affirmation, gender-based violence, and transformative justice.
- She is the founder of the Youth Legacy project, which offers a thoughtfully curated and intentional space where Black, Indigenous, and Afro-Indigenous youth can imagine and create their legacies.
- Kayla was recently named one of 100 Accomplished Black Women in Canada
Industry: Academia
Location: Toronto, ON
Languages: English
Education:
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) York University , Masters' of Education & Ph.D. Candidate OISE Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Book an Appointment with Kayla
Program Proudly Sponsored by:
