Alumni Portraits

Inspired by her 8-year-old, Jennifer co-founded Captains & Poets, a social emotional learning initiative that helps kids develop their best, authentic selves.

Six women have been awarded a 2023 Leaders and Legends award, which celebrates the impact of OISE's alumni and friends.

Alum, community champion and trailblazing politician Jean Augustine recalls that her OISE, U of T education gave her possibilities and an expanded horizon.

Vince's story from OISE to the world of enterprise education and back again – this time as a mentor to grad students.

Valle’s professional and creative initiatives highlight the road Canada must take to make education equitable, Indigenous communities whole, and gender more just.

Smith realized her community at the Boys and Girls Club needed help in math, she quickly completed an additional qualification to start teaching them.

Jennifer Barbera (MA '09, PhD '13) decided to become a psychologist after working in homeless shelters and community organizations.

Meet Robert Roopa, MEd, Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Counselling Services for York Region.

Meet Cindy Gouveia, PhD, President, George Brown College Foundation

Meet Mercedes Cardella, MEd, actor, writer, founder and CEO of Magic Carpet Productions, and curriculum developer specialist, Toronto Film School.

David F. Boshra caught the teaching bug at the best time. Motivated by making a difference, Boshra wanted to build on his education knowledge.

He, who finished her second graduate degree at OISE this spring, entered the Institute expecting to become a STEM educator. Instead, she gained that passion and much more.

Marcus Singleton, an educator, activist and musician, is graduating from OISE’s Master of Education program in social justice education – and heading back to school in fall, to pursue his doctorate.

Tshweu Moleme is a graduate of the Masters of Education program in Adult Education and Community Development at OISE.

Meet Carlos Ruano, EdD, Education Expert at the World Food Programme, United Nations Office for Pakistan.

Meet Meghan Ferrari, MEd '13, Department Head of English Language Learning, St. Robert Catholic High School.

Meet Dan Zingaro, MEd, PhD, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga.

Tracey King, MEd is one of Canada's first Indigenous human resources consultants for a postsecondary institution and a longtime member of the OISE Alumni Association.

Meet Glen Sharpe, EdD, Mohawk First Nations, Associate Professor, Schulich School of Education, Nipissing University.

Meet Amilcar Barnett, Physical Education Teacher at Hunter College Campus Schools, New York City.

Meet Grace Karram Stephenson, BEd, MA, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

Meet Khulood Agha Khan, MT, Doctoral student, OISE, Recipient of the Biggar-Hedges Award in Teaching and Technology

Meet Fabian Garcia, BEd, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Ecuador to the United Nations, New York.

Meet Julie A. Hay, MEd, Vice President & General Manager, International Consumer Lending, American Express.

Meet Konrad Skorupa, MEd, Cultural Development Officer, City of Toronto.

The Scarborough of author Carrianne Leung (MEd 2000, PhD 2007)’s 1970s childhood was a very different place than it is today.

Meet Karma M. Chukdong, BEd, MA, MEd, Director, Teaching Excellence and Learning at First Nations Technical Institute.

Figuring out how to permit open fires on hospital grounds in Toronto is a large task. Still, it’s the kind of bureaucratic challenge Longboat has specialized in throughout her career.

Cathy Crowe, OISE alum, well-known Toronto street nurse, and activist, was among 47 invested into the Order of Canada.

Li is President of China Education Channels and Chair of the OISE Alumni Association in China. He has been a leader in educational media for over a decade.

Scholarships can inspire students to believe they can make a difference. For Atik Bird, it helped her reach out to others – and trust her own voice.

From Moneyball to Life of Pi, Mychael Danna has put his composing talents to evocative use in a wide array of acclaimed and popular films. Many of his film scores have been issued as albums.