News

Ian Stokes-Rees is a partner at Boston Consulting Group and previously worked as an Engineering Manager at DecisionSoft, a Research Associate at Harvard Medical School, and a Computational Scientist and Product Manager at Anaconda Inc.. He studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and did his PhD in Computational Physics at the University of Oxford. Through living abroad in England, France, and Tokyo, Ian is an advocate for lifelong learning and is constantly striving to expand his cultural perspective and identity. He has recently taken up amateur radio and enjoys connecting with people around the world, but similarly continues to enjoy the peace and solitude of nature through hiking, canoeing, and cross-country skiing with his wife Emily, a fellow Grebel alum. 

Paul Okoye is a business strategy consultant with a strong desire for social justice work. He graduated with a Master of Theological Studies degree, later serving as a sessional instructor and teaching Peace and Conflict Studies at the undergraduate level, as well as working as a trainer in Grebel’s Conflict Management Certificate program. He is also a member of Kitchener’s Equity and Anti-Racism Team. Above all, Paul values quality time with his family; he enjoys exploring scenic landscapes with his wife and embarking on adventures with his two children and their dog, Tucker.  

Ever since he attended Ontario Mennonite Music Camp (OMMC) at age 12, Conrad Grebel University College student Joel Woods has entrenched himself within Grebel’s music community. Through joining numerous clubs, he has connected with others sharing that same passion for music while also finding an outlet to express himself in an artistic fashion. For these reasons, Grebel is excited to congratulate Joel as the recipient of the Abner Martin Award, a scholarship awarded annually to a full-time student in a graduate or undergraduate music program who is also affiliated with a congregation in Mennonite Church Eastern Canada.

With concerns of climate change continuing to rise, the importance of finding innovative, environmentally sustainable alternatives has become a necessity. Heavy usage of non-renewable resources and an expanding carbon footprint are but a few of the many compromises taken in favour of quick, easy, and cheap means of operation. Subsequently, university graduates are expected to face a multitude of changes in the workforce due to a rapidly changing climate. The University of Waterloo has responded by forming the Accelerating Integration of Sustainability into Curriculum Project. The Curriculum Project aims to normalize environmentally sustainable competencies and systematically integrate them in all curricula within the University of Waterloo to prepare students for new environmental standards within the workforce.  

Nadia L. Hohn is a creative writer, educator, and artivist promoting diversity within children’s literature. She is author of the children’s book "Malaika’s Costume" which was awarded the 2021 TD Grade One Book Giveaway. Nadia has presented across the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Trinidad, Jamaica, and United Arab Emirates. In 2024 and 2025, Nadia will release her tenth and eleventh books, Patty Dreams and Getting to Grandma’s House respectively.  When she’s not lost in a story or concocting a tasty vegetarian dish, she is likely spending time in music and the arts, visiting family or friends, or daydreaming about her next adventure. She lives in Toronto where she teaches at an elementary school and several post-secondary institutions.  

A picnic and ping pong enthusiast, Njo Kong Kie is also a collaborative pianist and a composer for dance, drama and music theatre. He gave nearly 600 performances during his 16-year tenure as Musical Director with the Montreal contemporary dance company, La La La Human Steps. At Grebel, Kong Kie played for the various choirs and really enjoyed all the square-dancing opportunities.

After receiving her bachelor's degree in Social Development Studies at the University of Waterloo in 1999, Angie Koch sought a different career path. Despite not having any experience in the field, she decided to become a farmer. In 2008, Angie founded Fertile Ground Farm, a local organization that aimed to give its customers the “freshest, highest-quality produce” that they could grow. Getting her hands caked with dirt was Angie’s way of giving back and making her mark in the Waterloo Region. For her sustained contributions toward supporting her local community, Angie is the recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Service Award. 

Wali Muhammad is a Learning and Developmental Specialist at POWER-tek and a DEI Trainer at DIVERSIO. He worked in Pakistan as a lecturer in psychology and a management consultant before receiving his Master of Peace and Conflict Studies degree at the University of Waterloo in 2014. Wali’s learning programs integrate the latest research and insights from extensive consulting across North America, the Middle East, South Asia, and China. He is fluent in four languages, has led over 200 strategy sessions, and volunteers with Community Justice Initiatives as a Sulah Mediator.

Dr. Shelley Bull is one of a small but growing community of research biostatisticians in Canada working at the interface of human genetics and statistics. Developing and using statistics to help solve some of the genetic puzzles linked to breast cancer and type 1 diabetes, Shelley looks at both the causes and outcomes of diseases that strike many Canadians. She is a member of a group of scientists working in statistical modelling and analysis in the Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health and is a faculty member at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at University of Toronto. She lives in Toronto with her husband, Wayne Carrick. 

As Conrad Grebel University College looks to the future, Mimi Browne has been named the next Director of Operations, bringing practical experience, an eagerness to learn, and a knowledgeable presence to the role. Mimi has worked at Grebel since 2011, in five roles of increasing responsibility. Previously the College’s Operations Assistant, she is currently Grebel’s Human Resources Manager and Privacy Officer.