Every year, Edify magazine celebrates young Edmontonians excelling in their fields with its Top 40 Under 40 list. This year, eight of those exceptional people got their start right here at MacEwan.
These alumni have made notable contributions and set trends in and around the city, from health care to the arts to increasing inclusivity and beyond.
Read about our impressive alumni and some of their favourite memories or lessons from MacEwan below.
Kayli Avveduti
Bachelor of Arts, Honours ’19
Kayli Avveduti is a First Nations, nehiyaw iskwew/Cree woman from Alexander First Nation in Treaty Six territory. At 29, she is currently the youngest ever executive director for the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations. She has demonstrated a remarkable dedication to Indigenous communities, and is passionate about ensuring that children receive the knowledge and education they need to take pride in their Indigenous heritage and identities. She previously served the Martin Family Initiative, where she helped to design, develop, plan and implement the Early Years Programming in 15 First Nation and Inuit communities.
Avveduti is a trusted advisor and leader for Chiefs, Elders, community members and partners. Her tenacity and compassion for her People make her an incredible advocate and leader.
How did your MacEwan experience help get you to where you are now?
“I had incredible support from the professors in the Political Science department and without their support I may not have pursued further education and found myself on my current path.”
Youssra Badr
University Transfer, Bachelor of Arts ’04
Youssra Badr is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. As an Arab Muslim Canadian, she brings a rich tapestry of cultural experiences to her work. She has worked in front-line mental health services at Alberta Hospital Edmonton and provided support to youth through non-profit human service organizations. Badr currently serves as a diversity education consultant, championing diversity and anti-racism in both her personal and professional spheres. Her dedication extends to leadership roles and advisory positions in numerous organizations. She sits on a number of anti-racism and anti-discrimination committees, including the Anti-racism, Reconciliation and Equity Steering Committee at Edmonton Public Schools. She is a member of the Canadian Teachers Federation Advisory Group on Eliminating Systemic Racism, Oppression, and Discrimination. She is a member of Coalitions Creating Equity Edmonton, chair of The Africa Centre's Refugee and Emerging Communities Scholarship Committee, and a member of the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Teacher Education and Certification Committee. She also serves as a Board Director for both Islamic Family and the Centre for Race and Culture.
How did your MacEwan experience help get you to where you are now?
“When I came to MacEwan I was 17 years old and my dad, whom I depended on a lot for advice and guidance, had recently passed away. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with my life and was really missing that guidance. The opportunity provided at MacEwan to explore classes and subjects in a welcoming and safe space was crucial. I learned a lot about who I was and my interests outside of the structure of high school. I also had the chance to build some really great relationships that have turned into lifelong friendships.”
Mallory Chipman
Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music, Performance ’15
An award-winning singer and songwriter, Mallory Chipman enjoys finding out-of-the-box inspiration and techniques for her music. Alongside her solo work, she also records and tours with her side projects, Mallory Chipman & the Mystics and The Goddamsels. Her five records cross genres and styles. In 2023, Chipman was named the inaugural Musician in Residence at the Edmonton Public Library, and also works as a producer, music educator and scholar.
What lesson did you learn at MacEwan that you still carry with you today?
“That academia can take many shapes and forms. With music being both an applied, skills-based trade and a fine arts practice, I feared that an institutionalized distillation of music would compromise its integrity. I was impressed with the way MacEwan challenged what we typically think of as pen-and-paper academic practice to create a holistic approach to study that honours the craft of music.”
Ainsley Hillyard
Dance ’04
Ainsley Hillyard not only helped to formally incorporate the Good Women Dance Collective in 2009, but has been an integral part of the organization since its inception. She is a performer, choreographer and educator. She has choreographed for several theatre companies, and was nominated for four Sterling Awards for Outstanding Choreography, of which she won two. Hillyard also performs as a theatre artist, and received a Sterling nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role for her performance in Wish with Northern Light Theatre. She wrote and starred in the play Jezebel, at the Still Point along with her French bulldog Jezebel, where Hillyard and her dog travel through space to learn about time travel so that Jezebel can live forever.
How did your MacEwan experience help get you to where you are now?
“When my dance teacher in high school, Joanne Lowry, told me about the dance program auditions, I knew that I had to do it. Being accepted legitimized my feelings about myself as an artist, the regard I hold for the practice in general and how very important the arts and dance are to our collective humanity. The dance program sadly shut its doors in 2005, and I was the second last class to graduate from that program. This lit a fire in me, seeing the devastation to my community and the heartbreak of Edmonton dance artists. I knew that after I completed my studies at the school of contemporary dancers in Winnipeg, I needed to come home and do something about it. In 2009, the Good Women Dance Collective was officially born, due to the efforts of myself, and four other women that I attended MacEwan with.”
Jaqueline Koughan
Bachelor of Science in Nursing ’12
Known for her compassion and advocacy, Jacqueline Koughan is leading the way in health care. She strives to promote inclusivity in the field, working with leaders and Elders in remote Indigenous communities to launch safe care clinics. Here in Edmonton, she helped to establish the MacEwan Health Centre’s Rainbow Clinic and other 2SLGBTQ+-focused programs, including identifying and breaking down barriers to care for 2SLGBTQ+ military members. As Koughan pursues her master’s degree in adult education, she also advocates tirelessly for the LGBTQ2S+ community and works to do her part in respecting the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Calls to Action.
What moment or memory from your time at MacEwan stands out to you the most?
“I was in a nursing course taught by Margaret Milner and one of the first things she said was ‘welcome colleagues.’ It was from the very beginning that we were considered colleagues at MacEwan, not students. We were always treated as equals.”
Byron Martin
Theatre Arts ’09
Byron Martin founded Grindstone Theatre in 2011 as a non-profit society producing improvised musicals out of the old Varscona Theatre. When the building closed for renovations, Martin, artistic director, took the opportunity to look for a building of their own. In 2018, he opened The Grindhouse Comedy Theatre and Bistro just off Whyte Ave, and was able to grow the theatre society both in size and in the number and type of shows they could offer to Edmontonians. The actor, singer, dancer, improviser, writer and director has been nominated for many awards over the years, including Best Supporting Actor, Outstanding Achievement in Theatre for Young Audiences, Theatre Alberta’s Community Service Award and Outstanding Artistic Director, and has written and directed award-winning musical comedies that have kept the city entertained for more than a decade.
What moment or memory from your time at MacEwan stands out to you the most?
“One that comes to mind is rehearsing for a production of Titanic in our first year. I remember the music being incredibly moving and experiencing just how emotionally effective musical theatre can be. I remember our musical director trying to teach me a rhythm I could never quite get, and our director scolding me for not ‘imagining the boat.’ You have to see the boat first and then react to the boat.”
Dr. Trisha Sarker
Bachelor of Communications ’09
Dr. Trisha Sarker might have left MacEwan with a degree in hand in 2009, but she found her way back as an assistant professor for the Department of Communication. She also teaches communications and digital marketing at the First Nations Technology Council. She is the former executive director of Fitness Industry Canada, where she provided strategic counsel and professional communications for all of the fitness clubs in Canada. Outside of office work, Sarker is also a professional dancer, performing various styles of Indian dance internationally (Bharatanatyam/folk/Bollywood). She is also an instructor and choreographer for the City of Edmonton’s fine arts program.
How did your MacEwan experience help get you to where you are now?
“MacEwan has greatly influenced my journey to develop a career I love. My experience as a MacEwan student supported my ambitions to grow as a person while cultivating rich relationships. I have built a wonderful network of friends and colleagues from MacEwan. Over the years, my MacEwan experience has evolved from being a student to a sessional instructor to a full-time faculty member. I am honoured to have been – and continue to be – a part of a MacEwan experience that is focused on respect and student engagement.”
Yonathan Sumamo
Journalism ’10
Yonathan Sumamo started his career in a number of local media outlets, including the Edmonton Journal and CBC Radio. From there, he shifted his focus from journalism to public relations, crisis communications and government relations support. He currently serves as chief of staff to Alberta’s deputy premier and minister of public safety and emergency services. Outside the office, he supports the local arts community, serving on the volunteer boards of the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Edmonton International Film Festival.
What lesson did you learn at MacEwan that you still carry with you today?
“That I didn’t have to wait until the end of my studies to get out there and get practical work experience and begin building my own network. My career began the day I started at MacEwan, not years later after receiving my credentials.”