A couple of weeks ago we explored the interesting lives of half the Alumni Relations team. This week we bring you autobiographies of the alumni officers in the faculties and colleges.
Our Alumni officers are passionate about forming relationships with alumni and finding new ways to keep our graduates engaged, while providing them with countless opportunities! We host numerous events, offer alumni awards programs, connect alumni with talented co-op students, and have created global networks (allowing alumni to connect with one another around the world).
Our Faculty and College alumni officers are always eager to hear from you and promote your success. Now it’s your turn to discover a little bit more about your alumni officers.
I have the pleasure of engaging alumni in the exciting opportunities within the Faculty of Arts and UWaterloo; bringing you together to recall fond memories of your time at UWaterloo; hosting events, recruiting future Waterloo students and helping our students get connected to great career opportunities.
My husband, Steve, is also on campus, and we have two amazing children; Danika, has two degrees from UWaterloo and Matt is a student. We play as a family on a competitive co-ed baseball team. And spend lots of time together; Saturday morning coffees, in the back yard by the pool, or in Florida. I also have 5 crazy siblings, who like to celebrate birthdays in various locations. I have volunteered with a wide variety of organizations, from Mercy for Animals to the Friends of the Environment, as well as committees on campus.
I am a proud Arts alumnus and 35+ year employee of the University of Waterloo.
In my role, I get to connect with alumni, hear about their cool experiences, plan events to engage our alumni, connect them to our current students, and reconnect them with the Faculty and University.
As a Rec grad, I am a proud AHS alumnus happily working on campus. When I’m not working, I enjoy spending my days hanging out with friends, family, and traveling. In my picture I am hanging out in front of a castle in Scotland from my 2014 Euro Trip!
My position allows me to connect with our amazing Environment alumni in the area and work on different ways of bringing them back to campus and connecting with each other!
When I'm not on campus, you can find me meeting our alumni for coffee, teaching a yoga class or strolling around the Kitchener market looking for local goodies.
If you’re looking to reconnect with the Faculty of Environment; send an e-mail, call, or stop by the office! We’d all love to hear how you’re doing!
When I’m not working on campus, or travelling, I spend my time with my basset hound “Archer”, up at my cottage on Lake Huron, or planning my next adventure travelling to some exotic country. My favourite trips (so far) include a safari in South Africa, working with elephants in Thailand, and diving in Australia!
Away from daily work, I’m raising two teenage sons which has pushed me to grill the perfect steak, play hockey (badly) and master first-person shooter video games. Competition runs fierce in our house! I’ve taken much of what I’ve learned to the stage where I perform Improv Comedy with a local comedy troop.
Hi, I'm Bonnie Fretz, the Alumni Officer for the Faculty of Science.
I have been very fortunate in my years at UWaterloo to have enjoyed several positions - the last 12 in Alumni Relations. I enjoy the variety my role offers, and in particular alumni engagement. There are so many fascinating alumni with memories and enthusiasm about their time here as students. Hearing about careers from student years to post-student years is always a new and engaging conversation.
I help create the global network of Waterloo Engineering alumni, foster their pride in their alma mater, provide alumni with exclusive and educational opportunities, promote the success of alumni, as well as to keep alumni connected with each other. I am also a University of Waterloo graduate, and I have worked in the Faculty of Engineering in Alumni Relations since 2003.
As an alumnus and former resident and don at Renison, I really value the opportunity to get to know and hear the stories of Renison alumni. I feel privileged that I get to share these amazing stories with the entire Renison community.
My wife, Ashley, and I are expecting our first child and we love to travel. I’m also a self-admitted Canadian history and politics nerd.
Originally from PEI, I found my way to Waterloo when I studied at Laurier. After time in Toronto and Fort McMurray, I missed the Waterloo Region and was fortunate to be hired by St. Paul’s University College where I have been planning events and communications for St. Paul’s alumni and donors for 4 years. I am an avid sports fan (GO JAYS!) and on weekends you will most likely find my wife and I at the dog park with our 4 legged best friend Gilbert.
Hi, I'm Alexandra Lippert, the Senior Alumni & Development Officer for the School of Accounting and Finance.
Thank you Waterloo alumni for allowing me to be part of your lives; it’s been a privilege to meet many of you throughout my time working at Waterloo. I am also a proud alumnus, having graduated with a degree in Speech Communication many moons ago!
I enjoy working in advancement because there’s never a dull moment, meeting new people, planning exciting events and receiving gifts to support a project are what makes this career so rewarding and it’s all because of you!
Outside of work I am lucky enough to raise two beautiful children who are busy with many interests including basketball and a budding acting career. I look forward to watching their lives unfold…and see where they land (UWaterloo of course!?).
As a family we enjoy going to the cottage, walking our dog, and taking vacations to new and exciting locations.