This generation of influencers takes time to start something and volunteer

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

• 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)

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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)

• 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.