Georgian proud of 2022 Premier’s Awards nominees
Nov. 29, 2022
What do internationally celebrated photographer, a titan of robotic industry, provincially celebrated child-life specialist, a non-profit CEO, a globe-trotting chocolatier, a local hair stylist professor, and the Head of Digital Services for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ have in common?
They’re all Georgian College graduates, changemakers and nominees for the 2022 Ontario Premier’s Awards. These seven talented Georgian alumni were celebrated at a special ceremony on Nov. 28,
Georgian’s seven nominees
Michael Braithwaite (class of 2013) graduated from Georgian’s former Fundraising and Resource Development program. Michael is currently the CEO for Blue Door Support Services – the largest emergency housing, health, and employment provider in York Region. As CEO, Michael expanded housing access and worked with family health teams to expand access to nursing care for persons experiencing homelessness and launched the social enterprise Construct in 2020. Michael would use the tools acquired at Georgian to go on and launch programs across his career to support female-identifying survivors of human trafficking, programs to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth, as well North American firsts such as Host Homes (a program called “Nightstop” that has run in the UK for 30 years).
Nominated in the Community Services category
Patricia DiChiara (class of 2017) is a graduate of Georgian’s Culinary Management program. She’s the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Luisella Foods Inc. Luisella is a line of chocolate spreads that contain all-natural ingredients, high-quality cocoa and sunflower seeds. It is a Kosher and Non-GMO certified nut-free and gluten-free line of products which include plant-based/vegan/dairy-free options, making it nutritious, socially responsible and an environmentally friendly option. Already available in major big-box retail stores across North America, her company recently began expansion into European markets. Patricia came to Canada as an international student, crediting Georgian with providing her the theoretical and practical skills that she needed to be successful in the culinary industry.
Nominated in the Recent Graduate category
Don Komarechka (class of 2009) is an internationally recognized nature, macro, and landscape photographer and the owner of Komarechka Photography Ltd. He graduated from Georgian’s Advertising program (now Advertising and Marketing Communications). Now living in Bulgaria, Don credits Georgian with providing him the foundation to build his business, develop his skills and share his passion with the world. Pushing the technical limitations of camera equipment and physical limitations of light itself, his work has been featured in projects around the world, including with the Royal Canadian Mint and The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, and through projects with the BBC, Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Don has also been published in The Canadian Journal of Physics and The Canadian Journal of Microbiology and is currently using his work to support Ukrainian refugees.
Nominated in theCreative Arts and Design category
Rena Lang (class of 2007) graduated from Georgian’s Hairstylist Apprenticeship program. Rena is currently employed as a member of the program faculty – helping to train the next generation of hairstylists at Georgian. Rena has made learning more accessible for students by introducing digital teaching aids into the classroom, and ensuring that students were able to complete their learning outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. She launched a recycling program at the college which sees 95% of the hairstyling program waste repurposed and recycled into bikes, building structures, oil booms, energy, clean drinking water, and other products. Rena is also a passionate mental health advocate and founder of the annual event, Cut the Crap! cut-a-thon, raising money for the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Nominated in the–Apprenticeship category
Jocelyn Leworthy (class of 2015) is an Early Childhood Education Georgian grad. Citing Georgian’s program as helping her discover the and equipping her with practical experience, Jocelyn would grow to become an award-winning child life specialist who’s dedicated her career to supporting children and families impacted by cancer. In 2021, she received the 40 under 40 in Cancer award for her work with children living with cancer. Jocelyn is also a two-time live organ donor, donating a lobe of her liver to an infant child when she was 19, and one of her kidneys at the age of 25. She now visits high schools to share her journey and educate youth about the importance of organ donation, and was invited to the Ontario Legislative Assembly as a donor advocate in 2016.
Nominated in the Health Science category
Mark Schick (class of 1983) is a graduate of Georgian’s General Business – Marketing program. Mark is the award-winning Chief Executive Officer of the world-renowned Advanced Motion & Controls headquartered in Barrie, with regional offices in Mississauga, Cambridge and Quebec. He founded the company in 1986, just three years after graduating Georgian, and built the company into a major Canadian distributor of factory automation products with revenues of approximately $35 million annually. Employing the latest in electronic, pneumatic, robotic nd mechatronic systems, his business was identified as critical to Canadian infrastructure and manufacturing when everyone else shut down at the beginning of the pandemic. Mark has been a longtime supporter of Ontario colleges and has been actively supporting student success for more than a decade.
Nominated in the Technology category
Curtis Schmidt (class of 2007) is a globally acclimatized and progressive marketing leader and industry disrupter who has leading marketing development for some of the world’s largest and most influential brands across more than 80 countries. He graduated from Georgian’s Bachelor of Applied Business – Automotive Management program. Curtis now serves as President and Chief Growth Officer for RAPP – Middle East and Northern Africa, based in Dubai, as well as the Managing Director Team X GD Marketing Excellence Centre based in Dubai and Managing Director Team X Egypt, based in Cairo. Curtis credits the hands the hands-on and theoretical practical learning of Georgian that helped him hit the ground running, holding leadership roles across North America, Europe, China and the Middle East, and most recently, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
Nominated in the Business category