Leadership Certificate Cohorts

2019 Cohort

2019 Cohort 

Ellie Cao 

Ellie Cao
Ellie is a third-year Operation Management major with a minor in Finance, currently on a co-op term with TELUS as a Business Analyst. Upon the completion of her degree, she intends to pursue a career in consulting. Throughout her time as a university student, she has been actively involved with student groups and not-for-profit organizations. Her involvements include: VP Events on Employment Festival at University of Alberta, VP Finance on Alberta Not-for-profit Association, Event Director on Alberta Student Leadership Summit, VP UA Relation on Chan Pan Kuen Memorial Scholarship Society and CEEDer on AIESEC Canada. She also looks forward to participating in more case competitions to improve her problem-solving skills. With the intention to discover the differences of leadership between North America and East Asia, she joined the Leadership Certificate program. This program has provided her numerous benefits in terms of self-awareness, professional development and friendships. Outside of the School of Business, Ellie enjoys travelling and cooking for her friends.


Hanna Daniel
Hanna Daniel
Hanna is a Bachelor of Commerce student currently in her third year, majoring in Business Economics and Law and minoring in Sociology. She has a passion for giving back to her community and plans to attend law school after graduation, eventually working for a non-for-profit where she can do this on a global scale. Hanna joined the LC program to develop and challenge her leadership skills, making her a more competitive and productive leader within her student groups and preparing her for the constantly changing world that exists after graduation. On campus, she is a UAlberta Ambassador, where she gives campus tours to prospective students, parents and alumni, and is also a Team Facilitator for the Student Union’s Week of Welcome program. In her second year, she also co-founded the University’s first Black Students’ Association in an effort to unite and empower the growing black community on campus. She is currently in her second tenure as President of the group. Within the Alberta School of Business, she is the Vice President Operations of the Business Leadership Association and competed on the Alberta JDC West Team on the debate team this January, ranking in the top 4 teams with the first all female team in the history of the competition. Outside school, you’ll find her volunteering with the Court Work program at the Elizabeth Fry Society, or finding a new spot to eat!


Brett Eigner
Brett Eigner
Brett is a Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Operations Management. Prior to his time at the Alberta School of Business, Brett worked in the construction industry as both a Journeyperson Electrician and an Electrical Estimator. The pivot in career was fueled by a passion and curiosity to learn, as well as the desire to continue the search for a fulfilling career. Throughout his time at university, he has been involved in internal case competitions and a variety of student clubs, such as part of the social team on JDC west and Associate External on the Rocky Mountain Business Seminar. He is excited to see what extracurricular activities he will get involved in for the remainder of his time at university, wanting to learn outside of the classroom but also give back to the community. In the time that isn’t taken up by school, Brett likes to attend events in the Startup community in Edmonton, fueling his passion for disruptive technology and innovation coming out of Edmonton and Alberta. Brett loves to meet new people and is always interested to meet for a coffee and talk business, technology, sustainability, or any other interesting topic. Using a mixture of the university classes, entrepreneur meetups and presentations, and mentorship over coffee, Brett is looking for inspiration for what will be the next step after graduation. His career path has already had its share of pivots and will no doubt see a few more, and he cannot wait to see what is ahead.


 Erika Hudon-Kaide

Erika Hudon-Kaide
Erika is a third-year Strategic Management & Organization major who is pursuing a Bilingual Bachelor of Commerce. Along with her academic studies, Erika has been involved in various student clubs. In her first year of business, she was a member of the Alberta JDC West Social team. In her second year, Erika continued her involvement with Alberta JDC West on the executive team as VP Social and as an academic competitor on the Not-For-Profit case team. Additionally, she has joined the executive team for Alberta International Business Competition as VP Events. Moreover, she is currently working on a start-up with three other ladies in the school of business, and she is excited to see where this venture takes her. Post-undergrad, Erika hopes to work in the not-for-profit sector before pursuing a Master’s Degree. As for her involvement with the Leadership Certificate Program, Erika was drawn instantly to the program as it offers intimate class settings where she could get close to her classmates and professors; something that Erika missed from her time in small francophone schools. The program has allowed her to grow alongside her classmates by engaging in insightful conversations and through collaborative learning opportunities.


 Jon Kolodychuk

Jon Kolodychuk
Jon is a penultimate finance student and candidate for both the Leadership Certificate and Certificate in International Learning. He was admitted to the former while completing his 1-year exchange to China’s Tsinghua University, where he discovered the breadth of opportunity for strong leadership in the face of global challenges. He was attracted to the Leadership Certificate Program for the tight-night nature of its cohorts and the opportunities it provides to connect with similarly ambitious individuals. While living in Beijing, he co-founded the Equity Research and Investment Society (ERIS) at his host university while working for the Hainan International Chamber of Commerce. He is currently a teaching assistant in Operations Management and co-president of the Strategic Management & Organization Club. In his spare time, you will find Jon reading the latest financial news or listening to audiobooks while running. He also enjoys attempting to cook exotic cuisine and practicing his Mandarin. He believes in interdisciplinary collaboration and hopes that the program will prepare him to be a global leader in his trade and bring pride to his parents.


 Eugene Lee

Eugene Lee
Eugene is a third-year Accounting major with a minor in Strategic Management and Organization. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, he plans to either pursue his CPA designation, or apply for law school. Within the Alberta School of Business, Eugene has competed and won in several case competitions and was flown out to Toronto as an EY Challenge finalist. Additionally, Eugene is the current President of AIESEC in Edmonton. In his position, he manages an executive team of nine vice presidents with the aim of sending out and bringing in over 100 students for professional internships as well as social impact projects. While in this role, Eugene has been able to connect with notable AIESEC and Alberta School of Business alumni and has been mentored by individuals established in a variety of fields. Eugene joined the LC program with the intent of further developing his leadership skills, but also to test out the skills learned in this program in his leadership roles. When Eugene is not managing teams or doing case competitions, you can find him playing the baritone saxophone for the University of Alberta’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble.


 Olha Mirchuk

Olha Mirchuk
Olha is a third year Accounting major student, with a minor in Finance. She is an international student from Ukraine and has fluency in five languages. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Olha plans to pursue the CPA designation at the heels of her coop term at Deloitte. Along with the Leadership Certificate, she is also pursuing her passion towards environmental sustainability and gender equality through global charities.
After attending the World's biggest conference "Women Deliver", primarily focusing on women empowerment, she was able to interface with organizations such as UNICEF and the UN. She has lent her voice to articles and novels in hopes of making an impact on others. To share these unique experiences, she is starting the World Vision Club on campus along with her friends. Olha is also very determined to further enhance her skills and knowledge through participating in case competitions and contributing to the Leadership Certificate program. Outside of the Alberta School of Business, Olha is passionate about traveling, living through unique experiences and celebrating diversity.


Mattea Mowbrey 

Mattea Mowbrey
Mattea is a Bachelor of Commerce student in her third-year majoring in Accounting. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue her CPA designation. Before graduation, she intends to complete her final semester abroad to enrich her degree and diversify her learning experiences. Within the Alberta School of Business, Mattea has competed in and placed in multiple internal case competitions, has been a part of the JDC West Sports team (2019) and the Entrepreneurship case team (2020), and was the Vice President Academic for the University of Alberta Marketing Association (UAMA). In the remainder of her degree, she hopes to take on different club executive positions to keep pushing herself to learn outside of the classroom and to compete in an international case competition. Her love for competing in and organizing case competitions for the UAMA has inspired her to explore a career in consulting where she can apply her Accounting background in an ever-changing and non-traditional way. Mattea joined the LC Program to further her learning as a leader and to learn from those around her. After being involved in a leadership program in high school, she saw the immense benefit and personal development that comes from continually pushing herself into new situations and trying to understand things through new perspectives. She hopes to expand on this during her time in the program and learn how to be an effective leader for diverse groups of people both within the Alberta School of Business and later in her career. Outside of school Mattea has a passion for hockey and soccer, and can often be found sourcing out a good cup of coffee or looking for concerts coming to town.


 Abyad Rahman

Abyad Rahman
Abyad Rahman is a third-year Accounting student at the University of Alberta who enjoys getting involved in different business initiatives and organizations that provide opportunities for growth. As a Business student, Abyad has diversified his experiences working for companies such as PwC Canada, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment and the Hudson's Bay Company. In the past year, Abyad participated as the Vice President of Finance for the Alberta International Business Competition (AIBC) and placed in multiple internal case competitions that enriched his experiences within the Alberta School of Business. Abyad joined the Leadership Certificate Program to learn about effective leadership skills and surround himself with eleven exceptionally committed leaders who go above and beyond to provide value to their communities. Before his graduation, Abyad wants to compete in an international case competition, attend business conferences and participate in more club roles within the Alberta School of Business. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Abyad wants to get his CPA designation and pursue a career in Consulting using his Accounting experience. When Abyad is not studying in school or working on Audit files, you can find him attending networking events or trying out different restaurants and coffee shops around Edmonton.


 Rebecca Smyth

Rebecca Smyth
Rebecca Smyth is a third-year Marketing major with a minor in Management Information Systems. Post-graduation, Rebecca intends to pursue a computing science degree to further her career in e-commerce and online advertising. With a strong entrepreneurial mindset, she has already begun developing a variety of online companies in her spare time, including a company that sells herbal supplements intended to inhibit one's ability to taste sugar. Rebecca also has a great passion for design and has created both logos and websites for various small businesses in the Edmonton area. Due to this love of design, Rebecca also acts as a branding consultant and aids businesses in creating comprehensive branding guides for social media and website content creation. Outside of school, Rebecca has a love for gardening and often volunteers by teaching free mushroom cultivation workshops in hopes of encouraging others to begin growing their own food.


 Morgan Stang

Morgan Stang
Morgan is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce Student majoring in Operations Management. Prior to transferring to the Alberta School of Business in her third year of University, Morgan attended McMaster University while competing on Team Canada in Synchronized Skating. She competed at the 2017 and 2018 World Synchronized Skating Championships- winning the Bronze Medal for Canada in 2017 and being inducted into the WOS Hall of Fame. Since transferring to the University of Alberta, Morgan has been heavily involved in JDC West. She was a member of the Athletics Team in 2019, the VP Charity and member of the Marketing Case Team in 2020, and has recently been elected as Captain for 2021. She is so excited to put the skills she has learned from the LC Program to the test in leading Team Alberta to Winnipeg next January. Apart from JDC West, Morgan has been involved in the Alberta School of Business by being a Cohort Representative with the Business Student’s Association and Team Ambassador for the Alberta International Case Competition. Outside of school, Morgan loves coaching figure skating, participating in several different sports and cheering on the Edmonton Oilers.


 Katia Wlasichuk

Katia Wlasichuk
Katia is a third-year Marketing major, with a minor in Retailing and Services. Following the completion of her degree, she intends to pursue a career in advertising or digital marketing before working towards her MBA. She was initially inspired to apply for the Leadership Certificate Program (LC) due to its unique and comprehensive structure of support systems for students interested in strengthening their abilities as leaders. She saw the value of becoming a part of such a tight-knit community, and LC provided an opportunity to continue to embody her philosophy of embracing challenging experiences. During her first year in business, Katia competed at JDC West as a member of the social team. Currently, she is a Creative Director for the Business Students’ Association and a Designer on the Lazy Faire magazine team. She loves to refine her skills as a leader and enhance her business knowledge by participating in case competitions. In March, she will be representing the Alberta School of Business as a National Finalist in L’Oréal’s annual Brandstorm case competition in Montreal, presenting her pitch on how to build a plasticless future in the beauty industry. Outside of school, she can be found playing tennis or volleyball, seeking out recipes for sweet confections, or immersing herself in a good book at a local coffee shop.


2018 Cohort
2017 Cohort

2017 Cohort

Alison Bachand-Lapointe

Alison Bachand-Lapointe
"What motivates me is being able to help others." This is who Alison Bachand-Lapointe is. A forward-thinking individual who puts others first. She loves being able to assist others in reaching their goals, and this is the reason she decided to be a part of the Leadership Certificate Program. Alison is an International Business Major and keeps herself busy with many extracurricular. When Alison is not working or travelling, she dedicates her time to Canadian Pony Club, a nonprofit organization. Alison is a member of CPC and attends the English riding competitions, lesson and activities with her horse Arik. Not only is she a member of CPC she also volunteers her time on the Regional Board as the Communications Chair and Regional Youth representative as well as the National Board as Active Member Director West and a member on multiple committees. When asked what her dream was she replied with, "to make a positive impact in someone's life." She has been able to use the LC Program to "learn about leading," and has had some impactful lessons from her classes, including leaders are not born but made, and everyone possesses their own leadership style.


Jemima Balbastro

Jemima Balbastro
Jemima is a third-year Management Information Systems major, with a minor in Operations Management. Along with the Leadership Certificate, she is also pursuing the Business Technology Management Certificate through her major. Aside from her academic studies, Jemima has shown interdisciplinary involvement, especially in the Fine Arts, participating in MFA Drama projects and acting in various Directing and Voice class projects through the University of Alberta, teaching visual arts and dramatic skits to elementary schools in the community, singing for the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus, and acting in simulated medical scenarios for the Faculty of Medicine Health Sciences and Research Council. Her strong communication skills built through her Fine Arts involvement has proven an asset in Jemima's business career, landing her opportunities to compete locally, nationally, and internationally in various case competitions. It also gave her the chance to apply her business skills in non-profit, arts-based organizations such as Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary and the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. After graduating, Jemima plans on working in technology, media, and telecommunication industry for a few years before pursuing a Master's Degree. Long-term, Jemima wants to work abroad, continue her volunteerism, and ultimately pursue a leadership role wherever she may be.


Alycia Fritze

Alycia Fritze
Alycia is a third-year Strategic Management & Organization major, with a minor in Operations Management. Alycia selected these areas because they serve as an intersection of qualitative and quantitative knowledge. Post-undergrad, Alycia intends to work in consulting and eventually return to school to get her Ph.D. in a management field and become a professor. Throughout her time as a university student, she has been actively involved with student clubs. In her first year in Business, she served on the Business Students' Association Council as a Cohort Representative and was on the Alberta JDC West Social team. In her second year, Alycia returned to Alberta JDC West on the executive team as VP Social and was on the Not-for-profit case team. She has also volunteered for 5 Days for the Homeless for two consecutive years. Her extra-curricular experience has provided a unique lens in the Leadership Certificate Program. Of all the incredible benefits, Alycia most values her peers in the LCP, as they provide both an invaluable learning opportunity and friendships beyond the classroom. Outside of school, Alycia enjoys spending time with friends and family, and being at her family's lake cabin in the summertime.


Gabe Gomes

Gabe Gomes
Gabe is a third-year accounting major, with a minor in Strategic Management & Organization minor. Following the completion of his undergraduate degree, Gabe plans to pursue the CPA designation and his internship experience has him well on his way. Within the Alberta School of Business, Gabe has been an executive member of the University of Alberta Accounting Club. In his first year as Director Tax, and now President. Gabe believes that performance is best measured by the degree to which it positively affects others, which is why he is proud to be involved with UAAC's annual tax clinic. The tax clinic provides the Edmonton community the opportunity to have their tax returns filed for free every year. Gabe also looks to be more involved with case competitions to further skills in developing creative solutions while in a team setting. Gabe values learning through peers and experience, which make student clubs and the Leadership Certificate Program opportune. Outside of the school of business, Gabe is passionate about fitness, and exploring diverse music and food scenes.


Sasha Jacob

Sasha Jacob
Sasha is a third-year Finance major with a minor in Strategic Management and Organization. Despite the intensity, she loves finance because of the challenge, rapid pace, and push to constantly learn. She wants to take her first steps upon graduation as an investment banking analyst with hopes of pursuing a career in private equity. Sasha has challenged herself to strive for excellence in all aspects of her life - including her studies, extracurricular activities and physical wellbeing. Within the past two years, her involvement in a multitude of business groups like the BSA, JDC, Enactus, AIESEC, UAMA, and the School of Retailing Consulting Group has helped her develop immensely on both a professional and personal level. In addition to those groups, Sasha has a strong passion for participating in (and winning) case competitions. She has had the opportunity to participate and place in several internal competitions. This past year she was involved with two international cases and won first place at the Asian Business Case Competition in Singapore. While she loves stimulating her brain, Sasha considers physical fitness a necessity of life. She attempts to work out every day and always makes time to play a quick game of squash or basketball with friends and worthy competitors. Her path has been full of surprises thus far and she cannot wait for her life to unfold.


Peter Keith

Peter Keith
Peter came to the Alberta School of Business after an earlier career in the Culinary Arts. As a certified chef, cooking teacher, and mentor, he was looking for business training to prepare for the next step in his career. He is now a member of the Leadership Certificate Program while pursuing his BCom in Entrepreneurship. Peter's main project outside school is his artisan food business, "Meuwly's," with a retail store on 124th St in Edmonton. He is a frequent participant in cooking competitions, having trained the NAIT team for the past five years. He will be competing at the 2020 World Culinary Olympics in Germany with Culinary Team Canada. Peter serves on the Board of Directors for the Edmonton Chef's Association and the Canadian Culinary Fund and helps organize the annual "Skills Alberta" competition for Trades and Technologies students. In his spare time, you'll find him backpacking (and eating) his way around the world. His long-term goals include working in the nonprofit sector to improve food security in our society.


Josh Puszka

Josh Puszka
Josh is constantly trying to be disruptive and different, to grow personally and to help others in pursuing their individual endeavours. This is a large reason why he decided to join the Leadership Certificate Program at the Alberta School of Business. After a multitude of involvement opportunities and extracurriculars including: VP Public Relations on 5 Days for the Homeless, Cohort Representative and Internal Relations Director on the Business Students' Association, VP Marketing on the OM Club, and a competitor on the Marketing Team on Alberta JDC West, he has decided to focus his scope for this coming year. Josh will be using his diverse skillset as an Operations Management major, Marketing minor to write cases for the Alberta International Business Competition as the academic director and compete once again with Alberta JDC West Team as VP Charity. He is excited to apply his vast experiences from the Faculty of Business to his position with ATB Financial this summer. When Josh is not busy, he enjoys running through the river valley and exploring local restaurants within Edmonton. After graduation, he hopes to utilize his experience with case competitions at the regional and international levels to pursue a career path in management consulting.


Emma Ripka

Emma Ripka
Emma chose to pursue a BComm at the Alberta School of Business after spending a gap year in Europe after high school. Throughout her 3 years of university, she has been involved with multiple student groups, including JDC West, AIESEC Edmonton, and the Improv Club, in addition to dabbling in entrepreneurship. Emma became a member of the Leadership Certificate Program this year, which has challenged her in many ways, but has been a highlight of her degree - particularly because of her incredible classmates. After working as the Students' Union's Business Promotional Coordinator, Emma successfully ran for the position of Vice President Operations and Finance. She will complete her term in the coming year, before finishing her Finance degree abroad. Emma then hopes to get her Master's of Industrial & Organizational Psychology, with the goal of opening her own practice while also working with the corporate at not-for-profit sectors. She feels that this path encompasses her passions for people and deep thought, while also providing opportunities for innovation and diversification of her career. Emma has an insatiable thirst for life, and is eager to see what lies ahead.


Darby Walton

Darby Walton
Darby is a Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Business Economics and Law. In addition to the Leadership Certificate, Darby is completing a certificate in Community Engagement and Service Learning. Throughout this endeavor, 100 hours of community service will be incorporated into her undergraduate degree. She routinely supports her community, previously as a community soccer coach and currently as a Court Worker with the Elizabeth Fry Society. Darby believes in pursuing opportunities that enrich her personal development and learning beyond what is taught in a traditional classroom environment. Darby enhances her education with her involvement in extracurricular activities. This year, she served as Vice President Internal of the Business Students' Association and was a member of the Alberta JDC West Debate team. These experiences have taught her about the importance of balance, perspective and dedication. In the near future, Darby hopes to serve as an intern for a non-profit board and further align her passion for community involvement with her academic endeavours. Following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Darby plans to attend law school and practice law before venturing into a career in the not-for-profit sector.


Ali Wicklum

Ali Wicklum
Ali is a marketing major and intends to pursue a career in law, social entrepreneurship, advertising, or all three. This wide array speaks to her passions for cross-cultural understanding, social development, music, and… indecision. She recognizes that her BComm may get her through the door but it is up to her to stay inside. To this end, she is taking a 5-year degree interspersed with varsity rugby in 3 countries (including at the U of A), 5 internships, 9 months in South America, and other activities that allow her to be creative and be on a team. A notable experience of hers was a 9-month trip to Argentina and Peru. There, she worked at the Canadian Embassies in each country, was lead singer in a jazz band, trained with the Peruvian national rugby team, and did a semester of University. She also became fluent in Spanish, her third language. She is counting down to her next adventure but in the meantime, is thrilled to be back to her guitar and her volunteer activities. One such activity is being Head of Business Development for SoCo Consulting, a business consultancy for social enterprise start-ups.


Renée Yu

Renée Yu
Renée is a third-year Operations Management major, currently on a co-op term with the City of Edmonton as a Business Analyst. After graduation, she intends on pursuing a career in strategic or IT consulting. Although Renée does not currently have a full course load, she is often on campus pursuing her extracurricular ventures. Renée is the Vice President Events on the Operations Management Club, the Engagement Director on the Business Students' Association, and the incoming Vice President Events on the Business Students' Association. Her ability to plan and facilitate events leaves her colleagues confident that every detail has been taken care of. As someone who is analytical and innovative, Renée is an ideal team member in case competitions. Over the past year, she has been successful in placing in many case competitions held in the School of Business, with such competitions hosted by the UAMA, UAHRMA and the BSA. Renée's success branches beyond the Alberta School of Business. She embodies leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit in running her own photography business, Reborn Photography. She specializes in portrait and headshot photography, with a clientele base varying from those in need of engagement shoots to providing staff portraits for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).


Kevin Zentner

Kevin Zentner
Kevin is a multifaceted artist and Alberta School of Business BCom student with a major in marketing and minor in business economics. In addition to the leadership certificate, Kevin is completing a certificate in sustainability and co-operative education component to his degree. He has also competed in the Alberta International Case Competition, JDC West, and several internal case competitions at the Alberta School of Business. During his pre-professional year at MacEwan University, Kevin was the winner of the BUS201 challenge which included the creation and operation of a start-up for 6 weeks. After his degree, Kevin hopes to pursue a JD/MBA to support his aspirations in international business. His current work as a human rights advocate with Neighbourhood Bridges sees the advance of Edmontonians' concept of diversity and inclusivity. He attributes much of his drive to three central intentions: seeking innovative solutions, developing meaningful relationships, and constantly re-evaluating his impact. A portfolio of his artwork, design, and culinary expression can be seen at Kevinzentner.com.