Alumni Spotlight
Gaining a Northern worldview with the GENI Program
For Kent Bretzlaff, the GENI program ticked all the boxes. The ease of online learning meant he could continue living in the North and gain a multidisciplinary skill set in the cir...
Public policy and nuclear power: How a research assistantship and thesis project set Tyler Koebel up for success
There aren’t many people in the world who go from studying philosophy to working as a nuclear energy policy advisor. But for Tyler Koebel, his journey through the Johnson Shoyama G...
First JSGS MHA-HIIM graduate celebrates lifelong learning
Dr. Shafqat Mamun’s quest for learning is never ending.
Building a new reality for in-patient care: how life experience and a policy education can create change
When Sherilynn Bray began nursing in 2012, it was quickly apparent to her that the many moving parts to caring for a patient can be chaotic.
Integrating empathy into the building blocks of our communities
Spending nearly a decade working with police agencies in the Metro Vancouver region, including as a Crisis Intervention Case Worker that provides psychological first aid, practical...
Respect, leadership, and learning the ins and outs of public service
Robert St. Denis' desire for an Online Master of Public Administration (MPA) came from wanting to better understand the public service system to help his home community.
From farm kid to firefighter
Eric Everett battles the flames of social injustice and emergency events.
Fired by twin passions
Susan Shacter is driven by a hunger for knowledge and a desire to advocate for her community.
From economics to public policy
In many ways, the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) brought Yuzhu (Kyle) Liu to Canada.
Bringing together gender studies, sociology and public policy to support women in the agricultural sector
After Amber Fletcher had finished her master’s degree in Ontario, she knew it was time to go back to her roots in Saskatchewan to do her PhD in Public Policy.
Making the research-policy connection
Microbiologist Dinah Tambalo seeks solutions to environmental and health problems.
Rare work-life balance in pursuit of higher education
Jacob Woodbeck wanted to keep his job while earning a Master’s degree. The Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) provided that opportunity.
Building a global community in a new country
Moving to a new country to pursue further education poses many challenges, whether that’s academically, adjusting to different norms or just being away from home. Haroon Chaudhry h...
From Canada to Kuwait: How a policy certificate led to work in security and defence
As a civilian working in the defence and security policy world, Rebecca Berthiaume has been fortunate to see some of what makes the Canadian Armed Forces the best in the world.
From laboratory medicine to public policy: on a mission to improve long-term care quality
Jae Yon Jones spent more than 20 years as a clinical laboratory technologist at a small hospital in Comox. For almost 10 of those years Jones was in charge of the microbiology depa...
"Identifying issues, finding solutions": JSGS alum and mentor on building a public policy career
Scott Weaver’s career path has taken some unexpected turns, something he feels is a wonderful way to find what you are looking for.
With a little help from your friends
Mentorship program gives a running start for JSGS students
Advancing health equity in Saskatchewan
Adel Panahi is currently the Director of Health at Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, the governing body representing the approximately 80,000 Métis people living in the province, where he...
Creating value through his work
Kwame Neba is currently the Vice President of Nunavut Operations at the Workers’ Safety & Compensation Commission of the NWT & Nunavut, the government body administering safety and...
Mentoring the next generation of public servants
Jeff Bassendowski is currently the Director of the Planning, Reporting and Accountability Branch in the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training with the Government of Saskatche...
Advocating for future generations of Indigenous peoples in Saskatchewan
Marcia Mirasty, Masters of Northern Governance and Development (MNGD) graduate, is a proud member of Canoe Lake Cree First Nation in northern Saskatchewan who is passionate about h...
JSGS alumni and students recognized at the 2019 IPAC Saskatchewan's Annual Awards Banquet
Congratulations to JSGS alumni and students and IPAC award recipients Iryna Soloduk, Yessica Ascensio, Sulaiman Jalloh, Amanda Noubarian, and Nataliia Karpiak.
Leading innovation in public sectors across Canada
Innovation is key for this Johnson Shoyama MPA grad.
Working towards food security
Change is a learning opportunity for this Johnson Shoyama MPA grad.
Helping move public policy forward
When Joe Muldoon stepped onto the stage to accept a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School in June 2015, it was the culmination of a long jo...
From waste management to a more sustainable future
As manager of Waste Stewardship and Recycling at the Ministry of Environment, Che-Wei Chung, MPA'13, is using skills honed in the Johnson Shoyama Master of Public Administration pr...
Exploring his career options
Even as a University of Saskatchewan undergrad, Kristopher Schmaltz, MPP’14, knew he wanted to work in public policy. He wanted to ‘be part of the change’—words many in his generat...
Finding inspiration from abroad
When it comes to JSGS alumni, Andrea Geisbauer is something of an insider—she’s the manager of the school’s Executive Education unit. It is a position she’s held since 2002, when t...
From Halifax to Geneva
Craig Atkinson’s undergraduate degrees in business and economics took him across Canada—his Master of International Trade (MIT) from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public P...
A Difference-Maker: Changing how we think about accessibility and inclusion
Jennifer Gabrysh, MPA’13, grew up in Melfort, Saskatchewan an outdoorsy, sports-loving teen. She went on to play varsity soccer at the University of Lethbridge and to teach yoga an...
Seeing policy development in action
Laura Willcocks has a distinct advantage in life—she’s not afraid of change. “We moved around a lot when I was growing up, so change isn’t scary for me. I’m not afraid to try somet...
Sparking innovation for growth
Ata-Ul Munim is fascinated by innovation—not so much the act of innovating, but the development of the innovation policies that play such a crucial role in economic and social grow...
A career in politics
In 2008, Jeremy Harrison was in the first cohort of students at the newly minted Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy—just what you would expect from someone who had, b...
Making the most of opportunity
For JSGS alumnus Alyssa Daku, MPA, CIPP, the investment in grad school is paying dividends in an exciting new career path.
Creating a future she's proud of
Kristin Ward Diaz describes her pre-JSGS work history as a “career jungle gym”—she explored a variety of career paths. Today, the 2012 MPA graduate is thriving as a Community Devel...