Simon Nehme (BASc ’90) is an entrepreneur, technology innovator, and proud graduate of uOttawa’s computer engineering program. During his illustrious career, Simon has solidified his status as one of Canada’s early visionaries in the field of cloud computing and has been an angel investor for various technology start-ups. 

As one of the Faculty of Engineering’s most generous philanthropists, Simon’s strategic investments have supported the faculty’s Design Commons—now named the Simon Nehme Design Commons—and the STEM Launching Entrepreneurs program. These initiatives have transformed uOttawa’s engineering ecosystem by providing hands-on learning experiences for students, all while encouraging development of the entrepreneurial mindset that is a trademark of Simon’s success.

Tanya Lapointe (BA ’00) is one of Canada’s most influential voices in Hollywood, with a career defined by storytelling across journalism, film, and publishing. In recent years, Tanya has brought her creative eye to some of Hollywood’s biggest box office hits, most notably serving alongside her partner, acclaimed Quebec director Denis Villeneuve, as executive producer on the first two films in the Dune franchise. Dune: Part Two earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture in 2025.

Tanya is also an accomplished documentary maker and author who has published several books detailing the behind-the-scenes artistry of films like Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, and Dune. Before her success in film, she spent 15 years as an arts and culture journalist with ICI Radio-Canada. Based in Montreal, Tanya remains deeply connected to both the Francophonie and the city’s cultural community. 

Greg MacDonald (BSocSc ’96) has been instrumental in shaping uOttawa’s Alumni Association into what it is today. A longtime volunteer, former president of the Alumni Association, and former member of the University’s Board of Governors, Greg helped expand alumni events across North America and secured long-term affinity programs that have generated millions in reinvestment for alumni services and engagement. These initiatives deepened the relationship between the Alumni Association and the University while helping shape broader approaches to alumni relations and partnership development across Canadian postsecondary institutions.

In addition to his generosity of time, Greg established two major scholarships and continues to leverage his network to strengthen fundraising efforts for uOttawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences. Outside of the University, Greg is the founder of Chelsea Strategies, a consultancy empowering AdTech leaders through strategic programmatic partnerships, and previously held senior leadership roles at Yahoo, Verizon Media, and Bell Mobility.

Thana Ridha (MSocSc ’18) is a criminologist, researcher, and emerging leader advancing creative and equitable approaches to rehabilitation in the justice system. During her studies at uOttawa, Thana led groundbreaking research on the transformative impact of William Head on Stage, Canada’s only inmate-run prison theatre initiative. Building on this work, in 2025 she partnered with uOttawa professor Sylvie Frigon to co-author Staging Prison Theatre in Canada: Setting the Spotlight on William Head on Stage. The book has drawn national and international attention to the lived experiences of incarcerated people while championing art as an essential tool for social reform and human rights in the prison system. 

Thana also serves as a senior program officer with the Correctional Service of Canada and mentors the next generation of scholars as an instructor at Carleton University’s Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Janet McKeage (BMus ’94) brings people together and inspires them to lead meaningful change in their own lives and across their communities. This impact has been demonstrated through her 30-year career in financial services, philanthropic endeavours, and engagement with uOttawa and its students. A force in Ottawa’s charitable sector, Janet chairs the board of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation and helped launch the largest fundraising campaign in the hospital’s history, now on track to reach its $500-million goal. Her career as a senior investment counsellor with RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel reflects the boundless potential of a uOttawa arts degree. 

The University remains central to Janet’s story: her husband and two of her four children are also alumni, and together they established the MPH Family Scholarship to support arts students facing financial barriers.

Mike and Colleen Hoyer are deeply engaged members of the uOttawa community and live, quite literally, steps from campus. As neighbours, Mike and Colleen offer great generosity of presence and can often be found speaking with students, connecting with campus leaders, and supporting initiatives that strengthen the uOttawa community. 

To further their contributions, Mike and Colleen created the Bamenimàwàn Fund, an endowment dedicated to supporting the Indigenous Resource Centre and the students it serves. Bamenimàwàn translates as “they take care of them” from Anishinaabemowin; this is the spirit that Mike and Colleen have exemplified through their participation in campus life. 

Tanya Hayles is an alumna of the Faculty of Social Sciences and an award-winning TEDx speaker and creative storyteller. She is the founder of Black Moms Connection, an online global village of almost 30,000 and a national non-profit providing culturally relevant programs and resources to educate and empower the Black mother and her family.