#22: Emilie Chiasson on creating human-centered designs and solving big challenges through collective action and gender equality
Release Date: 10/13/2022
#50: Matt Symes on confronting change – and why every business must embrace A
UNBeknownst
Serial entrepreneur Matt Symes (BA'04/BEd'04) is an expert on helping leaders confront change and develop sound strategies to navigate through uncertain times. As founding partner and CEO of Symplicity Designs, based in Atlantic Canada, he and his team have helped over 500 organizations and institutions both scale and recover from some of their darkest moments. In addition to Symplicity Designs, Matt also manages a portfolio of companies of which he holds a majority or minority stake, in a range of industries. He was named Business Leader of the Year in 2020 from the Halifax...
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#49: Mike LeBlanc on innovative tech for good
UNBeknownst
Mike LeBlanc has been building and growing tech and tech consulting companies in New Brunswick over the last 25 years, including Blue Spurs, which he sold to Deloitte Canada in 2019 to help the company advance its global technology capability and put New Brunswick on the map. His latest startup is BlueKit, a first-of-its-kind hands-on innovation-creation platform thoughtfully designed from the ground up for all learners - including non-technical educators - to explore the art of the possible with technology. Designed for middle and high school students, it empowers learners across all...
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#48: Aimée Foreman on the silver economy, care economy and addressing the needs for aging well
UNBeknownst
Aimée Foreman (MBA’01) is founder and CEO of Silvermark, an advisory firm that specializes in working with aging care leaders in private business, not-for-profits, and all levels of government to define challenges and design solutions that improve the quality of life of the older adults they serve. She also recently founded the non-profit CaregiversNB, and is an advisory member of Canadian Caregiving, an organization that provides support to family caregivers and care providers. Aimée is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, advisor, and advocate who is committed to...
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#47: Andrew MacLean on travel, Atlantic Canada history and why storytelling matters
UNBeknownst
Andrew MacLean (BA’07) writes the weekly Atlantic Canadian newspaper column Backyard History and hosts the podcast and TV show of the same name. He has also written 3 books about the forgotten stories of Atlantic Canada’s past. Andrew received a degree in history at UNB and then a master’s at Dalhousie University. But before beginning writing, he had already lived a far ranging and eclectic life: he has backpacked through 37 countries on 5 continents, visiting over 200 different cities around the world. He has travelled from Nunavut to the Florida Keys doing aerial surveying using...
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#46: Alexandre Hayward on rising up after a tragic accident to compete on the world stage
UNBeknownst
Paralympic cyclist Alexandre Hayward (BScEng’23) had a big year in 2024: he opened the season with gold in the C3 time trial and bronze in the road race at World Cup in Australia and added a time trial bronze at a second stop in Belgium. At the track worlds in Rio, he took silver in the men’s C3 scratch race. Then came the big one – the Paralympics in Paris last August, where he won the bronze medal in the men’s C3 3,000-metre Individual Pursuit at the Paris velodrome. Alex burst onto the national and international Para cycling stage in 2022, after playing...
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#45: Randy Hatfield on the realities of poverty and practical solutions
UNBeknownst
Randy Hatfield (BA’78, LLB’88) is the executive director of the Human Development Council, an organization dedicated to identifying and addressing social issues in New Brunswick through research, information, coordination and networking. He's a longtime anti-poverty advocate and pushes for social and economic inclusion. He’s been with the Human Development Council since 2002, and is involved with numerous other organizations, including the Community Living Board. Randy holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from UNB’s Saint John campus, a master’s...
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UNBeknownst #44: Kelsey Hogan on the universal lessons learned from ultramarathon trail running
UNBeknownst
Kelsey Hogan (BPhil'16) is an ultramarathon trail runner and mental performance consultant who has recently returned from Europe after completing the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc — a 171-kilometre race that crosses Italy, Switzerland and France. Originally from Newfoundland, Kelsey has called Fredericton home since she was a student at UNB. She graduated in 2016 with a bachelor of philosophy in interdisciplinary leadership and psychology from UNB’s Renaissance College, and has also completed a master of science in kinesiology in sport psychology at Dalhousie University. She is...
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#43: KJ Conyers-Steede on community-centric innovation and creating sustainable policies for rural Atlantic Canada
UNBeknownst
Kjeld Mizpah “KJ” Conyers-Steede (BA’18) is director of strategy and partnerships for Inspiring Communities, a nonprofit working to build collaborative relationships for social change in Atlantic Canada. A UNB political science alum, KJ is a seasoned systems thinker with a strong focus on areas such as community-centric strategic planning, human-centered design, organizational culture, and governance reviews. From executive director of the New Brunswick Student Alliance to operations manager at the Spring Garden Area Business Association, to director of change management...
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#42: Josh LeBrun on social enterprise and building community
UNBeknownst
Josh LeBrun (BBA’17) is Executive Director of 12 Neighbours, the tiny-home affordable housing community in Fredericton which has seen success – and global admiration – over the past couple of years. Now complete at 96 homes, the community-focused organization has turned its attention to social enterprise, providing low-barrier, progressive employment opportunities for the people it serves. Josh has a passion for social enterprise, entrepreneurship and meaningful contribution. He has a background in both business and design, and co-founded his own business before turning...
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#41: Shilo Boucher on building a healthy, strong community
UNBeknownst
Shilo Boucher (BBA’00), is President and CEO of the YMCA of Southwest New Brunswick, one of the largest employers and community service organizations in the province. Shilo attended UNB on the Saint John campus, graduating from business administration in 1999, then worked at two large public accounting firms while obtaining her CPA before landing at the Saint John YMCA in 2006. She held roles as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer before taking on the role of president and CEO in 2011. Shilo has been tremendously involved in helping to grow the community...
info_outlineEmilie Chiasson (BPHIL’15) is a design and innovation expert who’s worked with government and NGO organizations to co-create meaningful solutions to persistent problems in developing countries and regions. After graduating from UNB’s Renaissance College, she completed a Master's in Global Affairs from the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and since then has gained field experience working with vulnerable populations on the traditional unceded territory of the Wəlastəkwiyik (Maliseet) peoples as well as with communities in Africa, Asia and Europe. Emilie has worked hard to support marginalized groups and bring to light their lived experiences through advocacy and programming and has navigated complex policy and humanitarian issues. She is currently a Social Science & Social Behaviour Change Fellow with Aga Khan Foundation Canada, stationed in Kampala, Uganda.
In this episode:
- Emilie’s non-linear path from UNB to living on five different continents
- What human-centered design means in the field
- Innovative interventions Emilie’s been working on
- Complex solutions to complex conflicts and problems
- Gender education and equality efforts in Uganda – and why it’s so important
- Prioritizing health and wellness and a social network to maintain momentum
Links and resources:
Thanks to:
Our alumni host, Katie Davey
Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden
Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife
To listen to UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website