Top 40 under 40
Avenue Magazine

Oct. 27, 2022

This generation of influencers takes time to start something and volunteer

Part 2: Meet some of the 2022 Top 40 Under 40 honourees from UCalgary

On Oct. 26, some 42 honourees (18 of whom have UCalgary connections) accepted their Avenue Magazine Top 40 Under 40 honours at the Eau Claire Tower before a crowd of co-workers, families, fans and alumni from 2020 and 2021, but just before that many of them took time to share their university memories with us. This generation of influential citizens are doctors, artists, researchers, entrepreneurs and innovative civic leaders who still find time to start something and volunteer in their communities. 

In Part Two, you’ll meet: Sam Effah, BComm’14; Evan Legate, BA’10; Dr. David Campbell, MD’12, PhD’17; Dr. Kerry Black, PhD; Dr. Ali Pormohammad, PhD; and Nagwan Al-Guneid, BA’05, MSc’15.

Sam Effah, BComm’14

Sam Effah

Sam Effah

  • Brand marketing, Sponsorship and Brand Strategy, RBC

Few moments in sports are as delicious with anticipation as when a stadium goes eerily silent, waiting for the gun to pop at a 100-metre final. Sam Effah relished this thrill as two-time Canadian 100-metre champ, as well as the title-holder of “fastest man in Canadian university history.” Effah has parlayed his background in sports and his business degrees into a managerial position at Royal Bank of Canada where he helps find and fund Canada's future Olympians. Read the Q&A.

Evan Legate, BA’10 (Political Science)

Evan Legate

Evan Legate

  • Board chair, Epilepsy Association of Calgary; partner, Longview Communications & Public Affairs

While Evan Legate’s day job as a partner at Longview Communications & Public Affairs continues to be more than fulfilling, it’s what he’s accomplished as board chair of the Epilepsy Association of Calgary (EAC) that is so impressive. Legate, with the EAC board and staff, have rebuilt programs that address mental wellness, as well as workshops that teach coping methods for cognitive issues like memory and attention. Read the Q&A.

Dr. David Campbell, MD’12, PhD’17

David Campbell

David Campbell

  • Assistant professor, Cumming School of Medicine

After completing degrees in kinesiology and medical anthropology, followed by an MD, a PhD in health services research, and fellowships in endocrinology and inner-city health research, Dr. David Campbell decided to focus on diabetes and how it’s impacted by social disparities. This led the 37-year-old powerhouse to develop a screening program at Calgary’s Drop-In Centre and a diabetes outreach program at the Mustard Seed in conjunction with UCalgary’s student-run clinic. Read the Q&A.

Dr. Kerry Black, PhD

Kerry Black

Kerry Black

  • Assistant professor, Schulich School of Engineering, and Canada Research Chair

In addition to developing innovative systems and technologies, engineers also need to gain knowledge and perspective of the Indigenous way of life to help guide their solutions. This is precisely where Dr. Kerry Black, PhD, excels. As a non-Indigenous person committed to walking a path of reconciliation, Black works with Nations and communities toward self-determination, ensuring numerous diverse players are brought to the table. Read the Q&A.

Dr. Ali Pormohammad, PhD

Ali Pormohammad

Ali Pormohammad

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow

In just three years, Dr. Ali Pormohammad, PhD — who came to Canada from Iran in 2019 to further his postdoc studies in antimicrobial research — has not only learned English, but has had his research appear in 50 publications, won numerous awards and, most recently, formed MHCombiotic Inc., along with colleagues. The hope behind this startup is to bring antibacterial and antibiofilm products to health-care, veterinary and agriculture industries where antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem. Read the Q&A.

Nagwan Al-Guneid, BA’05, (Communication Studies), MSc’15 (Sustainable Energy Development)

Nagwan Al-Guneid

Nagwan Al-Guneid

  • Director, Business Renewables Centre Canada 

Working at the intersection of energy and the environment, Nagwan Al-Guneid maintains there is no easy answer to a greener future. As director of Business Renewables Centre Canada, an educational platform that is an initiative of the Pembina Institute, her job is to accelerate large-scale wind and solar projects in Alberta. With a focus on helping corporations and public institutions learn how to procure renewables through power purchase agreements, the goal is to produce long-term stable rates. Read the Q&A.

 

In Part 1 of our 3-part series on the Top 40 Under 40, you’ll meet six young powerhouses who are changing the face of Calgary: Jon Cornish, UCalgary Chancellor; Mark Blackwell, BComm’11; Brendan MacArthur-Stevens, LLB; Katie Smith-Parent, BA’10; Dr. Jiami Guo, PhD; and Iman Bukhari, BA’12.

In Part 3, our rising stars who are paving the way for what comes next: Dr. Doug Brown, PhD’17; Tomi Ajele, MPP’22; Dr. Leslie Skeith, MD’10; Dr. Jordan Raugust, BSc'05, MD; Dr. Kenneth Fuh, PhD’17 and Shannon Doram, BKin’07.  

Meet the entire 2022 cohort of Top 40 Under 40 honourees at Avenue Magazine.


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