Television host, reporter, colour analyst, basketball coach – Amy Audibert wears many hats.

An alumna from Niagara College’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film (2012), Audibert returned home to study in Niagara after nearly a decade as a student and basketball player at the University of Miami. Today, Audibert – a Niagara Falls native – is well-respected in the world of sports media, having graced the networks of CBS Sports, NBATV, and NBATV Canada, among others, with her vibrant on-air persona. After years playing basketball with the Miami Hurricanes, her favourite place to be is on the court and in front of the camera.

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Sometimes I talk with my hands & I always mean what I say…. oh the emotions of March. How I really feel… let me count the ways. Humbled. Blessed. Grateful. Indebted. Empowered. Inspired. Motivated. Proud. Uplifted…. just to name a few :) #MarchMadness #NCAA #WBB #Hoops #UB #Bulls #UCONN #analyst #color #TV #Radio #womeninsports

A post shared by Amy Audibert (@amyaudibert) on Mar 28, 2019 at 2:58pm PDT

It wasn’t until her homecoming that she realized that her passion for sport media and journalism had career potential. “When I found myself back home in Niagara, I started looking into the BRTF program,” said Audibert. “It didn’t take long to realize how fortunate I was to have a program of this caliber available locally.”

Audibert was a standout in her BRTF class, thriving in mobile productions and craving any opportunity to work on her on-air delivery. Her most memorable moment as an NC student? Helping to produce nation-wide coverage alongside her classmates for the NC-hosted 2011 CCAA Women’s Basketball Championships.

With her years of experience playing centre, Audibert took on the role of assistant coach with the Knights women’s basketball team in 2011-12 and the men’s basketball team in 2018-19 under head coach Phil Mosley. “There is no question that the Niagara College Knights set a high bar for their student athletes, but through the hard work of the students, coaches and administration there is unlimited potential to excel in the gym, classroom and for years to follow.”

“My time at NC really laid the foundation for my current broadcasting career. I was provided with a fantastic education but also built some great relationships with classmates and professors that I still lean on. The BRFT program is one of the most respected in Canada and there is truly something special when getting to work with fellow NC alumni in the field.”

Of her BRTF professors, Audibert cites Peter ‘Dutch’ Vandenberg as “one of my greatest mentors,” citing his encouragement of the many students who found success in the industry.

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When he wants to stay in & watch hoops hahaha Kidding- great time with the @torontotalkssports team earlier this week chatting hoops & life on their podcast! #toronto #nba #raptors #lakers #east #west #kings #kawhileonard #mystory #womeninsports #sportsmedia #shecantalkfordays

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Audibert’s secret to success? Hard work and great mentors. “The best thing you can do – especially when cracking into an industry – is to put in the work and earn respect early and often. People recognize hard workers; that is always in our own control.”

On November 1, Audibert will be among the NC alumni who will take part in the inaugural ReuKnighted, a celebratory reunion event. “I am so excited to come back to NC and connect with friends, both new and old. I am most looking forward to spending time in my favourite place – the basketball gym – on a Friday evening to cheer on the Knights.”

Join us on November 1 to reconnect with former classmates and teammates. To register for ReuKnighted, visit: niagaracollege.ca/alumnirelations/reuknighted. Proceeds from ticket sales support scholarships and bursaries for NC student-athletes.

 

 

A message from Wendy Dueck, director, Development and Alumni Relations:

I’m delighted to announce that Erica Walters joined our Development & Alumni Relations team on October 21 as our new development officer – Scholarships & Bursaries. In this role, Erica is responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with new and existing donors to support fundraising for scholarships and bursaries, helping to ensure ongoing financial support is available for our students. Erica is taking over this role from Helen Armstrong who retired in August.

Erica comes to us from the Brock University where she has been a Major Gifts Officer with the Advancement team. Erica was responsible for managing a major gift portfolio of almost 200 donors and prospective donors, building relationships and engaging donors in the life of the university to support priority fundraising needs, while helping donors fulfill their personal philanthropic goals.

Prior to that, Erica spent more than five years as the community engagement & development officer for McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, Niagara Regional Campus, where she managed donor development, alumni relations, community engagement, marketing, communications, and events for the Niagara Regional Campus.

Erica also worked at Niagara College from 2010-12, supporting the dean of the Canadian Food & Wine Institute as a communications and business development officer, and has worked in marketing with Niagara Economic Development.

Erica is very community minded and dedicates significant personal service on the Board of Director’s of several local not-for-profit organizations, and has been recognized with a 40-under-40 award.

Please join me in welcoming Erica!

They’ve each built successful careers in their own respective fields – a corporate chef, a filmmaker, a professor, a CEO, an athletic trainer, an entrepreneur, and a hotelier. Together, they are now among a select group of Niagara College alumni to enter the provincial spotlight as prestigious award nominees.

Niagara College has nominated seven members of its alumni community for 2019 Ontario Premier’s Awards. Presented annually by Colleges Ontario, the Premier’s Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of college alumni in Ontario and throughout the world. Awards are presented in seven categories: Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate, and Technology.

Niagara College’s 2019 Premier’s Awards nominees:

Apprenticeship – Todd Clarmo

Corporate executve chef, Charcoal Group of Restaurants (Burlington), and graduate of NC’s Chef Apprentice program (1986)

An award-winning executive chef, Todd Clarmo (Milton) has studied the art of cuisine in world-class, Michelin-starred restaurants globally. Recruited for exceptional start-up skills, Clarmo opened 14 restaurants including the famous Canoe Restaurant in Toronto. Chef Clarmo is currently in command of food operations for all eight restaurants under the Charcoal Group of Restaurants and spent over a decade working with Toronto Taste, a celebrated culinary extravaganza supporting Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food rescue charity. In 2019, Clarmo cooked alongside Jamie Kennedy at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, a testament to his exceptional culinary skills.

Business – Tim Hansing 

Founder and CEO of Red Planet Hotels, and graduate of NC’s Hotel and Restaurant Administration program (1987)

Tim Hansing (Thailand) is a seasoned hotelier, co-founder and president of Red Planet Hotels (RPH) and has built 30 hotels in four countries, redefining the value hotel experience in Asia, the world’s fastest growing travel market. Attaining over $280 million in investments since 2010 and achieving $50 million in revenue in 2018, Hansing has consistently grown RPH, while leveraging its success to help make a difference in the communities it serves. Whether creating a community-welfare project that boosts education opportunities for underprivileged children, or empowering his employees to actively clean oceans and coastlines, Hansing believes firmly in giving back.

Community Services – Kevin Rempel

Founder and CEO, The Sledge Hockey Experience, and graduate of NC’s Event Management (2009) and Business Administration Marketing (2005) programs

Kevin Rempel (Toronto) is a retired world-class sledge hockey Paralympian with four medals including three World Championships and a Team Canada 2014 Paralympic bronze medal. He is a former freestyle motocross competitor, author, corporate motivational speaker, and founder/CEO of The Sledge Hockey Experience. Rempel reinvented himself as an entrepreneur after a motocross accident left him as an incomplete paraplegic in 2006 and has since devoted his career to making the world a better place for people with disabilities. He helps individuals and organizations unlock new perspectives about the disabled community, while creating an inclusive culture where everyone can embrace change.

Creative Arts and Design – Christopher Bessette 

Writer, producer, director, New Reformation Pictures, and graduate of NC’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program (1984)

During his 36-year career as a writer/director/producer, Christopher Bessette (Niagara) has logged over a thousand hour s of produced broadcast television and film, receiving multiple awards including three Best Director awards for his feature films. Fulfilling his passion to tell powerful stories that make an impact, Bessette’s Trade of Innocents is a raw representation of the work done on the front lines against human trafficking. The film, which stars actors Mira Sorvino and Dermot Mulroney, raised global awareness about the issue and was a catalyst in raising funds that contributed to the rescue and rehabilitation of human trafficked women and children. In September 2019, Bessette also won Best Screenplay for his epic television series pilot Prophets & Kings at the Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival (CIFF) in Toronto. Bessette is also a part-time faculty member at Niagara College. He currently teaches two courses: Dramatic Scriptwriting, and Directing for the Screen.

Health Sciences – Sarah Moore, PhD

Full-time professor, Douglas College, and graduate of NC’s Therapeutic Recreation program (2003)

Sarah Moore, PhD, (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) is an award-winning, internationally recognized professor participating in life-altering research to help understand barriers to and benefits of play and physical activity in children with and without disabilities and their families. She has an interest in tracking healthy lifestyle behaviours from childhood through adulthood believing that several adult conditions have pediatric antecedents and targeted early interventions can reduce the likelihood, or delay the onset of, these conditions and improve quality of life. As a mother of two boys, she has instilled community service in both by demonstrating commitment to her community through volunteerism and fundraising efforts.

Recent Graduate – Matrixx Ferreira

Founder and CEO, Iron Performance Center, and graduate of NC’s Exercise Science program (2015)

Matrixx Ferreira (Niagara) is an accomplished athlete and founder of Iron Performance Center (IPC), a top-rated, world-class facility built on his relentless pursuit of knowledge with practical application to ensure the success of his athletes and clients. As head strength coach, Ferreira trains athletes looking to achieve global success. Whether helping an elite competitor on a national team obtain a medal on a global stage, helping a high school athlete achieve his dream of getting into an ivy-league school, or encouraging women to get active through its Lift Like a Girl seminar, IPC is impacting lives all over the world.

Technology – Sandro Perruzza

CEO, Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, and graduate of Environmental Management program (1995)

A steadfast leader and a voice for over 15,000 members of the engineering profession as the CEO of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, Sandro Perruzza (Oakville) supports the evolving needs of the industry by advocating with governments, offering valued member services and providing ongoing learning and networking opportunities. A committed volunteer, Perruzza actively sits on multiple boards to share expertise and advocate for change in the industry. His volunteer efforts included lobbying for the Pay Transparency Act, which achieved unprecedented pay equity at multiple pay levels for female engineers in Ontario when it was enacted in 2018.

Ontario Premier’s Awards

Nominations were submitted from each of Ontario’s 24 community colleges, with 118 nominees overall for the 2019 awards. Nominees will be celebrated and winners will be announced at a gala event on December 2, as part of the Colleges Ontario Higher Education Summit in Toronto.

Over the years, several Niagara College alumni have been recognized with Premier’s Awards, including:

• 2014 winner Royal Canadian Navy Capt. Rebecca Patterson (Nursing grad, 1987);
• 2012 winner David Pratt (Greenhouse Technician grad, 2007);
• 2011 winner Jerry Howell (Computer Engineering Technology grad, 1988);
• 2008 winner Jordan Harris (Winery and Viticulture Technician grad, 2004);
• 2003 winner Heather Kilty (Social Welfare Worker grad, 1969); and
• 1995 winner Carol Alaimo (Journalism-Print grad, 1984).

For information about the Premier’s Awards and 2019 nominees, visit www.co-awards.org/

In addition to providing solutions to business and key industry partners through applied research projects and technical services, Niagara College’s Research & Innovation division also supports the development of hundreds of students and graduates each year. We wanted to share the success stories of these NC graduates who have put their innovative and specialized knowledge into action in new, exciting careers.

To celebrate their post-NC successes, we have launched a new section of our website filled with profiles, called Alumni.

These NC alumni all share something in common: they’ve all been part of the Research & Innovation team, having the opportunity to work alongside expert faculty, staff and industry partners, supported by leading-edge facilities, technology, and equipment – all to prepare them for real-world professions.

Each has spent time as either a co-op Research Assistant or as a graduate hired as a Research Associate, and all in diverse roles across R&I’s division, conducting applied research or technical services for industry partners from the food and beverage, agriculture and environment, advanced manufacturing, business and commercialization, and digital media sectors.

They were able to interact with industry partners to help develop prototypes, evaluate new technologies, improve products and processes and create new recipes. They had the opportunity to work on real-life applied research projects and technical services, with real-life deadlines, budgets, and deliverables.

For Justin Vigneux, from the Renewable Energy Technician program, the experience in the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre helped prepare him in all his positions since graduating from NC in 2013. “It was the first chance that I had to experience project-based employment where we had to sit and meet on a regular basis to keep everyone on the team up-to-date,” says Vigneux. “It also introduced me to things like budgeting, deadlines, and experimental troubleshooting.”

More recently, Ankita Mathkar, a 2018 graduate of the Culinary Innovation and Food Technology program, says she learned what research and development was like in the “real world” from her time at the Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre. “R&I was a fast-paced place to work, with all the projects coming in and deadlines sneaking up daily,” she says. “Most importantly, I was able to make connections with various influential people and suppliers that still come in handy.”

We invite you to spend some time and learn where these graduates have gone on to pursue. As you’ll read, there’s unanimous agreement that, in addition to their education, the real-world experience gained at R&I has played a pivotal role in preparing them in their current careers. Some were hired by the very industry partner they worked with while at R&I, while others took their knowledge base to the dream job in their field.

To the current and future R&I alumni, we encourage you to GET IN TOUCH with us and share your success story!