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At Yorkville University, we recognize that transformative leadership comes from those who combine vision with resilience, innovation with integrity. This International Women’s Day 2026, we honor the exceptional women across our community – faculty, staff, students, and alumni – whose achievements continue to define what’s possible.
Throughout the year, these trailblazers have shattered expectations, reached new heights in their professions, and created meaningful change in their industries and communities. Their accomplishments reflect the spirit of determination and excellence that lies at the core of the Yorkville experience, inspiring all of us to aim higher.
Whether earning prestigious recognitions, launching innovative initiatives, or contributing groundbreaking research and creative work, the women of Yorkville are redefining their fields and lifting others as they rise. We invite you to explore the stories of these outstanding individuals and discover how they’re shaping the future of their professions.
Dr. Doris MacKinnon Wins CHA’s Indigenous History Book Prize for ‘Métis Matriarchs’
Yorkville University’s Dr. Doris MacKinnon was awarded the Canadian Historical Association (CHA)’s Indigenous History Book Prize this past summer for her book, Métis Matriarchs: Agents of Transition.
Co-edited by MacKinnon alongside Dr. Cheryl Troupe, the 336-page book was lauded by the CHA as “an outstanding work of historical research that brings forward the voices of Métis women” and a “powerful testament to the strength and resilience of these women.”
MacKinnon, a Master of Education professor whose dedication to Truth and Reconciliation earned her a King Charles III Coronation Medal last year, characterized the CHA award as an “incredible honour.”
Passionately engaged in sharing the stories of Métis women, MacKinnon credited the subject of her first book – The Identities of Marie Rose Delorme Smith: Portrait of a Métis Woman – for inspiring all her work that followed.
“Marie Rose’s story convinced me not only of her important contributions, but it convinced me that there were undoubtedly many more stories like hers that needed to be recorded and shared,” she said.
You can read more about Métis Matriarchs HERE, and about MacKinnon’s latest book, In Her Words, HERE!
MACP Grad Maimoona Batool Turns Dream Into Reality with New Play Therapy Centre
Just seven months after delivering the valedictory address at her 2024 convocation ceremony, Maimoona Batool succeeded in accomplishing the primary goal she first set for herself when she enrolled at Yorkville University – opening the doors to York Region’s first-ever play therapy centre.
It was an achievement the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) graduate and mother of three said was both deeply personal and professionally fulfilling.
“It’s a mix of feelings,” she said of establishing Batool Psychotherapy & Wellness – a Vaughan, Ontario psychotherapy and wellness practice, where she focuses on child and adolescent mental health, trauma, and empowerment. “It’s excitement, it’s joy, it’s relief…It’s a feeling that I did it.”
Learn more about Batool’s journey HERE.
Dr. Oluchi Oti Appointed Yorkville’s New Dean of Business at Ontario Campus
Yorkville University announced the appointment of Dr. Oluchi Oti as Dean of Business for its Ontario campus in September.
Since stepping into her new role, Dr. Oti has taken on oversight of Yorkville’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Project Management program in Ontario and is now leading the launch of Yorkville’s new Master of Business Administration (MBA), which debuted in January.
Dr. Oti brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to the position. She holds both a Doctorate in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Liverpool, and she is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) – designations that reflect her deep expertise in strategic execution and agile leadership.
Her achievements have also been recognized beyond academia – in 2024, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch, a distinction celebrating the influence and impact of Black women across a wide range of fields including business, education, community leadership, and the arts.
Read more about Dr. Oti’s appointment HERE.
Yorkville University Celebrates Inaugural Recipients of the President’s Award for Teaching Excellence
Three female Yorkville professors were among the inaugural recipients of the President’s Award for Teaching Excellence – an annual award celebrating faculty who exemplify outstanding dedication to student learning and academic excellence.
The newly launched award program, which recognizes faculty for their contributions to “inspiring and facilitating learning in ways that leave a lasting and meaningful impact on students,” named Bachelor of Interior Design professor Erin Martyn, Associate of Arts instructor Mona Hoorvash, and Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology professor Deborah Seabrook, among its inaugural winners.
“These faculty not only exemplify Yorkville’s Core Values but also demonstrate a remarkable ability to inspire and motivate students, cultivate inclusive and supportive learning environments, foster student success within the classroom and beyond, and continuously refine their teaching practice,” said Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, President and Vice Chancellor of Yorkville University.
Learn more about this year’s winners HERE.
BCA Student Saelym DeGrandpré Shines as Semi-Finalist in 2025 Pow Wow Pitch
Saelym DeGrandpré has been selected as a 2025 Semi-Finalist for the Pow Wow Pitch competition back in August.
Now in its 10th year, the annual competition aims to shine a spotlight on Indigenous vendors, artists, business builders, innovators and entrepreneurs from all across Turtle Island, no matter their backgrounds or industries.
DeGrandpré, an Ottawa-based urban Inuk artist and Bachelor of Creative Arts student, was shortlisted in the Pow Wow Pitch’s Creative category for her creative works, which blend traditional Inuit art with contemporary design through diverse digital and tactile mediums spanning carving, printmaking, illustration and design, and jewelry making.
“It’s such an honour to be recognized alongside so many inspiring people,” she said. “This opportunity means so much to me. I’ll be working with mentors, growing my vision, and connecting with so many inspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.”
Read more about the competition and DeGrandpré’s work HERE.
Dr. Rosina Mete Leads National Conversation on Ethics in Online Therapy During Counselling & Psychotherapy Month
Yorkville University’s Dr. Rosina Mete took centre stage during the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association’s Counselling & Psychotherapy Month, delivering a widely attended national presentation on ethics in online therapy.
The Connected Counsellor: Online Therapy & Digital Context Considerations for Sound Ethical Practiceswas featured in the CCPA’s interactive Journey Through Therapy timeline, showcasing decade-by-decade advancements and challenges in the counselling profession. Mete’s presentation focused on the ethical complexities that arise with the increasing use of digital technologies in therapy.
Drawing from Section H of the CCPA Code of Ethics, Mete guided the more than 500 attendees through key considerations for practicing ethically in digital contexts, such as ensuring informed consent, safeguarding client data, and setting boundaries on social media and online communication.
“The audience was incredibly engaged,” Mete said. “There was a real eagerness to explore how our clinical practice is evolving and how we can continue to uphold the highest ethical standards in this digital era.”
Read more about Mete’s session HERE.
Against All Odds | Ava Joharian’s Inspiring Story of Triumph from Iran to Yorkville’s Graduation Stage
When Ava Joharian was still just a little girl dreaming of a brighter future for herself in Iran, she began compiling a bucket list of all the things she wanted to achieve while studying abroad one day.
One of the top feats on that to-do list was being selected to represent her future university’s graduating class as its valedictorian – an accomplishment she was able to check off for herself upon being named Yorkville University’s 2025 Student Graduation Speaker in Ontario.
“I think 13-year-old me is kicking and screaming in the corner right now, because this has definitely been a dream,” said the Bachelor of Business Administration – Project Management grad, who now works at Yorkville as a Senior Project Coordinator, assisting with the university’s new program development.
“Being valedictorian was one of those items on my study abroad bucket list when I first started dreaming of this whole adventure, and it means a lot for it to be at Yorkville.”
Learn more about Joharian’s Yorkville journey HERE.
Yorkville BID Students Recognized Nationally at IDC Innovation in Design Competition
A trio of Yorkville University students were recognized by the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) in August with 2025 Innovation in Design: Student Competition awards.
Irina Alturmessova’s The Art of Void: Transcending from Loneliness to Solitude/ Ex Nihilo Omnia took home an IDC Award of Merit, while Ngan-Quynh Dong’s Ada Quantum Realm Loft and Noora Aziz’s Canvas of Thrives / Burgeon (Honourable Mention) both received Honourable Mentions.
Reem Habib, chair of the Bachelor of Interior Design (BID) program at Yorkville, said she was “incredibly proud” of all three for being recognized by the IDC for their hard work.
“I’ve had the privilege of supporting these three students throughout their educational journey, witnessing their growth and seeing their creativity reflected in their design decisions,” she said. “…Winning the IDC Innovation in Design Thinking Award is a testament to (Yorkville’s) dedication to impactful, evidence-based design, and to the strength of our CIDA-accredited program.”
Read more about each of the winning projects HERE.
Yorkville’s Katie Burdon Makes History as the Famous 5 Foundation’s Youngest Board Member
Katie Burdon was recently named the youngest board member in the history of the Famous 5 Foundation – a national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women and girls to lead change with the same boldness and determination as the trailblazing women it’s named after.
Burdon, a Curriculum Design Coordinator at Yorkville University, officially joined the Foundation’s Board of Governors in March 2025 as its new Director of Youth. She’s now helping shape the future of a Foundation rooted in a pivotal moment in Canadian history.
In 1929, the Famous Five – Alberta’s Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, and Irene Parlby – successfully petitioned the Supreme Court of Canada to recognize women as “persons” under the law, allowing them to participate fully in public and political life.
Burdon characterized her connection to the Famous 5 Foundation as a “deeply personal” one: “My grandmother, a trailblazer in her own right, introduced me to the Foundation and their CEO, Frances Wright, when I was a little girl…” she said. “As someone passionate about women’s empowerment, leadership, and human rights, I’ve long admired the impact of the Persons Case and the work the Foundation does to carry that legacy forward.”
Read more about Burdon’s role at the Famous 5 Foundation HERE.
BBA & MED Alum Ruth-Anne Boyd Achieves Dream of Becoming Professor at Yorkville
When Ruth-Anne Boyd turned 50, she made the gutsy decision to take her lifelong goal of becoming a professor off hold and pursue the university education she needed to make that dream a reality.
Fast-forward 11 years, and now the busy Change Architect, author, mentor and grandmother has not only completed her second degree with Yorkville University, but was also hired last April as her alma mater’s newest Business professor.
“It’s an incredible feeling to join the faculty team at Yorkville,” said Boyd, who graduated as the valedictorian of Yorkville’s 2021 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) graduating class, and put the finishing touches on her Master of Education in Adult Education studies last January.
“After working for years to earn the two degrees I needed, I am now living my dream of helping Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students connect what they are learning with real workplace challenges,” she said.
“If it wasn’t for Yorkville University – and the Master of Education program, in particular – I wouldn’t have been able to go after and pursue my dream of becoming a university professor.”
Read more about Boyd’s journey HERE.
Dr. Jennifer Luoto Publishes Research on Teaching Quality and Educational Methodology
Yorkville University’s Dr. Jennifer Luoto was making waves in international education research in 2025, contributing to a series of publications that explore how teaching quality is understood, observed, and measured.
A Senior Manager of Program Design at Yorkville, Luoto’s recent scholarship includes a contribution to The Bloomsbury Handbook of Method in Comparative and International Education. For that text, she co-authored a chapter on observation methods alongside Dr. Diana Rodríguez-Gómez and Dr. Matthew A.M. Thomas in which they explored how approaches ranging from structured observation to ethnography can provide rich insights into classroom dynamics.
Luoto also cowrote three of the six articles in a special issue of School Effectiveness and School Improvement: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, providing an overview of six different frameworks based on: the purpose and theoretical grounding of the observation framework; the conceptualization of teaching quality; the specificity of focus; grain size; and empirical evidence and use. Luoto, who collaborated on the articles with her University of Oslo colleagues, also served as the co-editor of the issue.
Read our Q&A with Luoto about her scholarship HERE.
