School of Health & Community Studies
Nazira Tareen
Early Childhood Education
Class of 1973
In 1969, Nazira Tareen was a bit of celebrity around the then-smaller corridors of Algonquin College as she was the oldest and only married person in her Early Childhood Education program. She was one of 30 students who were part of the first group to enrol in the Early Childhood Education program at Algonquin College.
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Rena Bowen
Nursing
Class of 1977
With over 30 years of experience as a Director of Care and Executive Director in the Long Term Care sector, and Nursing Inspector, Rena has obtained a broad range of skills including human resource management, program development, policy development and implementation, streamlining procedures and finding innovative solutions to contemporary health care challenges.
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Elaine Kicknosway
Early Childhood Education
Class of 1989
Elaine has taken her incredible experience and learning as a member of the indigenous community and applied it to change the lives of others. Elaine is an active member of discussions on the impacts of residential schools and child welfare. Elaine’s dedication to her culture and community sets an inspiring example for Algonquin College and its alumni. Her leadership, advocacy and mentorship of development programs for indigenous communities, women and youth make her a vital part of a growing community.
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Jennifer Kryworuchko
Registered Nurse, Critical Care
Class of 1996
Jennifer Kryworuchko devoted much of her work as a nursing researcher to studying the organization and delivery of health care services to optimize patient and family involvement in health decision making and to improve access to palliative care. Her community-engaged scholarship — intended to influence practical changes in policy, system design and care delivery — has been focused on ensuring that seriously ill individuals, with their families and medical team, are engaged in shared decision-making about the end-of-life care they desire.
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Fred Montpetit
Nursing
Class of 2001
As Chief Nursing Officer, Frederick was responsible for the implementation of the Nunavut Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy. He worked with frontline nurses to develop the Community Health Nursing Policies and Procedures. He oversaw the territorial nursing quality and control programs. He also made a meaningful contribution to the Nunavut Arctic College’s Bachelor of Arctic Nursing program.
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Frank Fiorenza
Respiratory Therapy
Class of 2002
Frank Fiorenza’s invention was born in his basement, but now it’s improving staff and patient safety in hospital rooms across Canada. For over 15 years, Frank has been at the patient’s bedside as a registered respiratory therapist. Where did Frank’s journey start? He was kind enough to share his story with us.
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Cathy Yantha
Social Service Worker
Class of 2002
Cathy Yantha and Algonquin College have been a team for 50 years. It started in 1967: the same year Algonquin was founded. In fact, her Marketing and Advertising certificate names both Algonquin College and its predecessor, the Ontario Vocational Centre.
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Ryan Armitage
Fitness and Health Promotion
Class of 2007
Ryan Armitage is nationally known for his expertise and leadership in fitness and health promotion for clients with special needs. As Fitness Centre Manager at Ottawa’s Soloway Jewish Community Centre, he oversees personal training and conducts classes for many clients. But it is his work with people who are recovering from health crises or dealing with the impacts of ageing or mental and physical disabilities that has earned him acclaim in his profession and in the media.
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Kyla Cullain
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Class of 2008
Kyla has carved out her own niche as an entrepreneur in the healthcare sector. She is an award-winning pioneer in identifying how the construction industry and healthcare workers can partner together to enable people to stay in their own homes and remain engaged in the community. Kyla has succeeded despite the numerous challenges of creating an entirely new type of business. Every day, she sets out to improving accessibility for some of Ottawa’s most vulnerable populations.
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Kristen Strader
Dental Hygiene
Class of 2016
In the fall of 2015, Kristen Strader was awarded the first-ever Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association Student Advocacy Award. Throughout her time at Algonquin College as a Dental Hygiene student, and now as a working professional, Kristen continues to advocate for improving oral health for the community.
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Naomi Fong
Social Service Worker
Class of 2018
Naomi Fong has been working toward a career and stable health in the years since the former Bombardier emerged from the Canadian Armed Forces with PTSD. She found hope and community at the Pembroke campus of Algonquin College, where she entered Social Service Worker program and graduated with honours. This helped give her the confidence to join the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, Australia, where she won two bronze medals in Women’s Road Cycling and was the Team Canada flag bearer at the opening ceremonies.