Career Leaders

Lexi is in her Master’s of Applied Psychology, specializing in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Essentially, this specialization is at the intersection of business and psychology. She is originally from Calgary, and enjoys trips back home to explore the mountains and play with her dog. Lexi enjoys reading, making crafts, and binge-watching shows on Netflix.

Vanya is a PhD student whose research interests include Animal Studies, Posthumanism, Food Culture and Media Theory. Her PhD research examines the conditions that make the animal killable in the slaughterhouse and the potential consequences of technological innovations centered around lab-grown meat and plant-based proteins. She previously completed and Integrated MA in English Studies with a minor in Development Studies at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. During her Master's program, she spent a year studying and travelling Europe. She is passionate about teaching and working with students and in her spare time, she enjoys reading Russian Literature, cooking and binge watching Netflix shows.

Lauren is a graduate student in the School of Public Health and Health Systems. She is originally from Vancouver, and her favourite thing to do is travel. While completing her undergraduate degree at Simon Fraser University in BC, she also studied in Scotland, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Lauren has been to 28 countries and is eager to continue exploring. She also enjoys reading, but has the bad habit of reading the end of the book first. Lauren is passionate about teaching and working with students, and is proud to be a part of a program that helps students achieve their goals.

Khaled is currently doing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He joined the Career Leader team in the Fall 2018 term, and it has been a hugely learning and fulfilling experience. He loves being able to help students realize their career goals and it has truly been extremely rewarding for Khaled. In his spare time, Khaled enjoys playing and watching sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball and tennis.

Tharindu is a PhD candidate at the department of Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering. His research focuses on the development of enabling technologies that will be used to manufacture magnesium alloy structural components for an automotive application. He has experience working as a teaching assistant within the engineering department as well as experience working in industry.

Sarah is in her fourth year of Social Development Studies, a program she is thoroughly enjoying and continues to benefit from. The Career Leader program provides Sarah with the opportunity of assisting her fellow students to reach goals by helping identify and highlight their skills. This work aligns with Sarah's hope of pursuing her Masters Degree and subsequently a career in a helping profession. She enjoys spending time at local museums, libraries and community events with her husband and children.

Olivia is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology here at the University of Waterloo. She completed her undergraduate education at McMaster University. She loves working with students in a range of capacities, whether it be through clinical work, volunteer work, or conducting drop-ins at the Centre for Career Action. In her spare time, Olivia loves to hike, knit, and binge true crime podcasts.

Kate completed her Bachelor of Science Degree, with Co-op in Health Studies from the University of Waterloo in 2018. She is currently completing her Master’s Degree in Health Evaluation from the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo. Kate has previously worked at UW Health Services and has been involved in various on-campus roles where she enjoyed working closely with students. She looks forward to supporting students through their career development by providing suggestions and personal experiences of being a past co-op student to strengthen essential skills for students to reach their career goals. Kate enjoys practicing yoga and is planning on completing her yoga teaching certification soon.

Jeena decided to attend UW for the opportunities it provides academically and professionally. She is in the co-op program here at University of Waterloo and she found it extremely valuable in her growth as a young professional and ability to apply classroom knowledge in the work place. She works at Centre for Career Action as a Career Leader to help students regarding resumes, cover letter, and interview tips. When Jeena was in her first year, the CCA helped her and she wanted to continue helping others as well. Three fun facts about Jeena are: She loves to travel, she enjoys strength training, and she loves listening to audiobooks.

Frank has been part of the Career Leader team since 2017. He joined the Career Leader program because he thoroughly enjoys mentoring students on job search documents and processes. He is also a PhD student in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (and hopes to be done soon). In his spare time, Frank enjoys basketball, statistics, data science, and learning about new technologies.

Olivia Muysson is a fourth year School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability co-op student. Throughout her undergrad she has had a number of jobs in various sectors and understands the importance of highlighting relevant qualifications to an employer through a strong resume and interview skills. Over the last year she has been a Teaching Assistant for WatPD where she helped students prepare for their first work term. She loves talking to people about their career aspirations, past experiences, and relevant skills! In her spare time she loves to watch reality TV, try new places to eat, and hangout with friends.

Midori is a PhD student in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and she does research on when and why people do good things (like being fair) and bad things (like being unsafe or unethical) at work. Her goal is to become a researcher at a think tank or a government agency. Midori is Japanese and has a permanent resident status in Canada. An interesting fact about her is that she has family members in 3 continents outside North America. In her spare time, Midori likes to cook, read comics, and draw on her tablet.

Being fascinated by the unique practical and conceptual implications of having machines that learn; Diana’s graduate research at the English Department focuses on exploring questions about the nature of cognition and the learning process, within environments where intelligence becomes more than an ability of the individual mind. In the wake of her research Diana has grown increasingly interested in Post-humanist theory, and rhetoric of technology and science fiction. Through diverse academic and professional experiences spanning three continents, Diana has developed a sense for the crucial role of mentoring in personal and professional growth, as well as a profound enjoyment of the outdoors either while gardening, hiking or cycling.

Stephen is a graduate student in the joint Mechanical and Nanotechnology program; his research involves characterising nanoparticle sizes through their heat transfer characteristics. He has developed a strong interest in mentoring through his experience as both a community youth chaperone and a university science undergraduate mentor. It is particularly beneficial to him to see mentees grow and become better versions of themselves overtime. He is very motivated and principled when it comes to personal fitness/growth and in his spare time, he loves to play ping pong and watch shows/movies that both educate and entertain. 

Justine is passionate about coaching individuals to discover their talents and gain the confidence to use them. She has work, study, and volunteer experience in North America, Europe, and Asia, with non-profits, universities, and international organizations, so she strongly value global leadership and effective communication. She is an avid skier and scuba diver, and when she is not outdoor, she is either on the dance floor or in a swimming pool...or completing her PhD at UW. Being a Career Leader gives her the incredible opportunity to help you realize your potential and articulate your unique talents to the world. 

Fatima’s favourite place on campus remains the Centre for Career Action because it houses some of the nicest people she has ever met. When she is not busy with her studies, Fatima can be found with her nose buried in a book, and she is terribly proud to have logged over 1,000 fiction books on her Goodreads page. If she is not reading in any shape or form, Fatima can definitely be found on Instagram or Twitter. Several of the things she loves include travelling, meeting new people, free food, music, personal finance and her family (they are truly the best in the world to Fatima). The privilege to serve students as a Career Leader remains one of the highlights of her days at University of Waterloo.