Alumni News
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Discovering New Worlds of Possibilities
Jillian Taylor BSc'22
By Krista Keough
The first time Jillian Taylor BSc’22 went to Saint Mary’s, it was to watch a football game with her family. “I must have been seven or eight,” she said. “There’s a photo of me holding boomsticks that you clap together. … My mom’s kept it.”
Little did they know that Taylor would return to Saint Mary’s as a student, and this time, she would be the one on the field.
Born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Taylor excelled in science and played rugby throughout high school. Her former coach, Amber Davidson, was also coaching Saint Mary’s Huskies Women’s Rugby and encouraged her to apply to the university and join the team. Taylor is quick to note that the built-in friend group of players made the move to campus easier.
“What a great community of girls. To come in and have fourth-years who – this isn’t their first rodeo – they know the ropes and are able to show you around. That was really nice to have.”
Taking a step back from athletics in the years to follow to focus on her studies took Taylor in many directions.
“I switched my programs a lot. Trying to figure out my major was not linear at all. I ended up taking a lot of courses in different departments, which meant I took a little longer to finish my degree, but I got a good, well-rounded education.”
Taylor made time for extracurricular activities, such as scuba diving and participated in Model United Nations, an international conference where students learn about the UN system. “We actually went to the UN headquarters in New York City,” she said, where she made long-lasting friendships.
Ultimately, her credentials reflect her varied interests: Taylor graduated with a Bachelor of Science, double major in Biology and Psychology, Co-operative Education (Honours) and minor in Political Science.
“I feel like the whole point of an undergrad is to learn how to learn, and to try to learn what you don’t know.”
Taylor’s passion for exploration led her to achieve her scuba diving certification, unlocking a new world of possibilities. “I was doing biology courses and I thought, ‘This is so cool! The ocean’s in my backyard, I want to see what it’s like.’”
Scuba diving ignited her passion for underwater videography and photography. Despite the harsh conditions, she documented our “colourful, very biodiverse waters” in the Atlantic Ocean during her time at Saint Mary’s and in St. John’s, where she later moved to pursue her Master of Science at Memorial University.
While living in Newfoundland, she attended a networking event and met a director and a producer. They had watched some of her underwater scuba diving videos and pitched the idea of making a TV show together.
“That was something I’d never even thought about or conceptualized. It just honestly fell into my lap, and I’m really glad it did because it was so much fun.”
Taylor worked with the crew at Right There Productions and her partner and fellow diver, Tanner Stein, to host, produce and shoot footage for the six-episode series called Dive Newfoundland with Jill Taylor, which aired in April and May 2025 on Bell Media.
In each episode, they feature a different community and Taylor interviews local people before going underwater to film marine life.
“I think a common misconception of the North Atlantic is that there’s nothing to see here, that you have to hop on a plane and go somewhere tropical to see really cool fish species. And that’s just not the case.”
The co-operative education component of her degree at Saint Mary’s helped Taylor transition from the classroom to begin her career. “Having work terms interspersed with my school terms was the best decision I made.”
One work term, in particular, she credits with helping her land her current position as a science communicator for Coastal Action, a non-profit environmental organization based in Mahone Bay. “I worked for them as a field technician and now I’m back as permanent staff.”
These days, the 27-year-old is prioritizing her full-time job and completing her master’s degree, while honing her craft as a videographer. Taylor assisted with the underwater diving portion of a major documentary over the summer and thinks it would be fun to do a second series, Dive Nova Scotia with Jill Taylor.
“If the opportunity arose, I’d definitely jump at it,” she said, ready and eager to dive right in.
Weathering the Journey: How One Alum Found Her Calling
Dr. Amber Silver BSc'10
By Renée Hartleib
It took a failed attempt at university for Dr. Amber Silver BSc’10 to realize she was in the wrong field of study. The native Nova Scotian had been an academic superstar in high school, graduating as valedictorian. The problem was that she hadn’t figured out what she wanted when it came to post-secondary studies. At the urging of a career counsellor who knew she enjoyed reading and writing, she enrolled in a university English program. A year later, Silver was on academic probation, and not long after, had quit university and was working at a call centre.
One day, during a break at work, Silver happened to flip through a Saint Mary’s course calendar. “I went through, department by department, until I reached geography.” She had always loved high school geography, but didn’t know you could study it in university. “And then I saw this course that was called Natural Hazards, and everything just clicked into place.”
Silver had long been fascinated with natural disasters and severe weather, such as hurricanes, floods, fires and tornadoes. “Just ask me how many times I’ve seen Twister,” she chuckled. “In that moment, I decided to return to university, but this time to geography.”
From the very first class, she knew she was in the right place. “There are so many passionate professors in the Department of Geography at Saint Mary’s, and the program places a great emphasis on experiential learning, which meshed with my learning style.”
Silver has wonderful memories of tromping out onto saltwater marshes and beaches, all while learning about erosion, sedimentation and coastal geomorphology. Add to that extra field trips to Washington and Boston, which, for Silver, were completely transformative. “I can't even express how impactful those trips were on my growth as a person, a student, and a scholar.”
There are so many interesting and diverse things you can do with a geography degree – careers in public health, transportation, urban planning – but Silver knew early on that she wanted to be an academic. She wanted to teach.
A master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo followed her time at SMU, and by 2017, she had been offered a job – one that ticked every box: an Assistant Professor within the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany in New York.
“If you had asked me to write my dream job advertisement, I couldn't have written something better,” she said, with a smile.
Silver has spent the last eight years teaching students about the human dimensions of natural disasters and feels very fortunate to have landed in a workplace she loves. Last January, she achieved the status of Associate Professor, with her most recent research focusing on the role of misinformation and disinformation in the context of hazards and disasters.
She cites the extreme online rhetoric following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the United States. “There were claims that the government was withholding aid to red states or that liberals had engineered the storms to impact republicans. I’m very interested in how this kind of disinformation affects the public and their understanding and response to natural disasters.”
Silver considers herself “a Canadian living in the United States,” and is therefore thrilled every time she has the chance to return to Nova Scotia or take part in online events at Saint Mary’s. In fact, this past month, she delivered a virtual keynote address as part of the Department of Geography’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
“I was honoured to be asked to speak and to acknowledge the many accomplishments of the Department of Geography at Saint Mary’s,” she said. “To say it does a phenomenal job of preparing students for the interesting, dynamic and unique discipline of geography is an understatement. It expects a lot of its students – but it gives students so much in return.”
Donna Davis is a Woman with a Plan
Donna Davis Hon BA'85
By Krista Keough
“I was always interested in cities,” said Donna Davis Hon BA’85, “which is kind of interesting given the fact that I grew up in a rural community.” Hants County in Nova Scotia is where Davis calls her hometown, but the bright city lights were calling her name from an early age.
“I didn’t get to go to the city very often, but I was very intrigued,” she said. “Lots of lights, lots of people, lots of activities going on. I was very excited by it, and interested in exploring cities and understanding how they worked.”
In high school, Davis discovered her passion for urban geography. One of her geography teachers, Robin Crickmer, was also a part-time professor at Saint Mary’s. He was instrumental in her application to the university and her pursuit of a career in the field.
“At that time, I didn’t want to leave Nova Scotia. Being able to go to a local university that has a well-known geography program, as well as having a professor that I knew, really made that decision pretty easy.”
With Davis’ stand-out grades, Crickmer and her guidance counsellors had put her name forward for a full scholarship, “so that also helped,” she said. The extra support, however, came with its own set of challenges.
“I had to maintain a 4.0 grade point average to keep the scholarship for four years,” said Davis. When asked how she handled the added pressure that comes with achieving the highest marks, she says she was very proud of the opportunity.
“I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, including my parents, who were pleased as punch. I was probably going to work really hard anyhow, but it drove me to succeed.”
While on campus and living in residence, she played recreational sports, took part in social activities and met a lot of really great friends. “The small class sizes also meant that I got to know a lot of my schoolmates.”
Davis completed her Master of Science in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning at the University of Toronto after graduating from Saint Mary’s. She was drawn to the fact that Toronto is a really big city, and it gave her the chance to live that “big city life”.
As much as she enjoyed her experience, she returned to Nova Scotia to begin her career and be near family and friends.
Her first job was as a planning technician, followed by a position as a junior planner at the Municipality of East Hants. She moved to the (former) Town of Bedford and transitioned to the Halifax Regional Municipality after the amalgamation.
“I’ve been working for the municipality for 38 years. I’ve had the opportunity to do many different things, and that’s always kept my interest.”
For the first decade, she worked in planning and development. “I started as an urban planner writing urban planning policy, developing city plans and being involved in development approval processes.”
Davis took on more senior roles, up to Chief Information Officer, and led major initiatives using information and technology management to provide better services to residents. At the top of her game, she could have retired early, “but I didn’t,” she said.
“I had the opportunity to take on the role of project manager for the Cogswell District project,” she said, which is the biggest city-building project in the history of Halifax. “That really brought me full circle into the planning realm again.”
“To have a hand in what’s going to be a brand new neighbourhood, and a very pivotal piece in downtown Halifax in such a prime location, is just phenomenal. We’ve been able to take an area of land that really didn’t have a purpose and turn it into something really vibrant.”
Not only was the interchange underutilized, but it also represented a separation of the north and west end from the waterfront and downtown. “Our ability to remove it and knit those connections together again is one of the most exciting things for me.”
What’s next for Davis, now that she is officially retiring at the end of 2025? Making memories with her parents and taking on meaningful volunteer work are at the top of her list. To fulfill her passion for exploring new places, she plans to travel more with her husband. “There are lots of cities and lots of urban areas to see in the world,” she said, as the bright city lights call her name once again.
Balancing the Books and the Runway: Chrissy Potter’s Dual Path from Commerce to Couture
Chrissy Potter BComm'24
By Jennifer Ashton
When Saint Mary’s University alumna Chrissy Potter BComm’24 talks about balance, she isn’t just referring to her work as a universal banker at CIBC. She’s also speaking from experience, managing photo shoots in New York and runway shows in Paris. It’s a balance between precision and poise; one she’s learned to navigate with confidence.
Originally from Antigua, Chrissy learned more about Saint Mary’s through a recruiter visit to her island. Through this meeting, the choice became even clearer. Her father was an alumnus, as were several friends and family members. “The pull of family and friends led me here,” she said. “I knew it was a safe space to navigate and figure out what I wanted to do.”
Like many students entering the field of commerce, she initially thought she would pursue accounting. But it didn’t take long for her professors to open her eyes to the wider world of finance. “My great professors cultivated my love of finance. They made it interesting and easy to understand,” Chrissy recalled. That curiosity for financial systems became a launching pad for her professional life, both in the banking sector and beyond.
While her career in finance satisfies her analytical side, modelling gives Chrissy an equally important creative outlet. Signed with Soli Management in Halifax in 2023, she has since walked runways in Halifax, New York and Paris. “My work in banking has encouraged me to find a creative outlet, which I get in fashion and modelling. Each side feeds a different part of me.”
Chrissy is quick to point out that the world of personal banking isn’t as rigid as people might think. “I can tailor my meetings to the personalities of the people I’m dealing with,” she explained. “I get to be myself and that helps make people feel comfortable talking to you.” This ability to adapt and move easily between corporate offices and fashion studios is a strength.
Her time at Saint Mary’s helped sharpen the practical skills that make this dual career possible. “Time management is a critical component of everything I do. SMU gave me the willingness to learn and encouraged me not to be afraid to ask questions.” That openness, she says, has been key to growing in both industries.
Beyond the classroom, Chrissy found community in the Black Students’ Society, where she served as finance representative on the board. “During the pandemic, it was a great way to connect with people and make friends. It was also a great way to see other Black students and build unity.”
Now, as she looks ahead, Chrissy sees both her career paths continuing to evolve. “Both can take me all over the country, and both offer excellent support systems. As far as intersecting goes, I’d love to share my financial literacy skills with other models. I think they’d see great benefits.”
Her advice to students or alumni with more than one passion is simple:
“Just do it. Life is for living. Do what makes you happy. If you pursue your passions, the money will follow.”
It’s a philosophy that has guided her through international opportunities and new creative challenges.
Looking back, she’s proud of the path she’s carved, one that blends professionalism, creativity and authenticity. “Always be reflecting on the things that you’ve done while also keeping an eye on the things you want to do.”
To current business students, Chrissy offers practical advice: “Take advantage of every opportunity given to you. Take the Canadian Securities Course while in school; it’s a great accomplishment. Network with professors, ask questions, and attend office hours; they welcome this interaction and are great people. Be kind, be authentic and build relationships.”
From balancing accounts to walking catwalks, Chrissy Potter is proof that there’s no one formula for success. With curiosity and courage, she’s showing that you can thrive in more than one world and look good doing it.
Charting the Universe: Dr. Louise Edwards' Journey from Saint Mary's to the Cosmos
Dr. Louise Edwards MSc'03
By Tara Thorne
A quarter-century ago, Dr. Louise Edwards MSc'03 took a chance on a city she’d never visited, switched coasts and began her Master of Science in Astronomy at Saint Mary’s.
“It was on the ocean, which was familiar,” said Edwards, who grew up in British Columbia and received her undergrad at the University of Victoria. “I was very excited to go to Halifax. As a Black Canadian, I knew there was a large community of Black folks there, which in Victoria didn’t exist then. I was really excited about that.”
She arrived to a small cohort of four students, two a year ahead of her, Glenn Kacprzak and Edwards.
“We all became very good friends. People were very friendly – not just in the reputation of east coasters, but also in the close-knit nature of the department,” said Edwards from Washington, DC, where she’s a Program Director at the National Science Foundation until she returns to her job as associate professor of physics at California Polytechnic State University next year. “David Clark was one of my professors. He knew we were coming across the country for school, and he invited us to his home for Thanksgiving that year.”
Edwards reached a very particular height that few other scientists can claim – while at Saint Mary’s, she was chosen to appear on a stamp as part of a Canada Post series celebrating universities.
“Saint Mary’s has had astronomy for a very long time, and they told me they wanted to honour that tradition.” Edwards and Kacprzak were each photographed for the stamp, “and we had no idea who would get chosen until it came out.” (Spoiler: It was her.) “I was wearing a silver chenille super-fluffy sweater. But they had Photoshopped it so I’m wearing a Saint Mary’s sweatshirt,” she laughed. “My mom bought up a whole lot of stamps.”
Since receiving her master’s in 2003, Edwards has been travelling around North America teaching and studying. Her area of focus is, humbly, the largest objects in the universe, including the brightest cluster galaxies and the cosmic web. She received her Ph.D. from Université Laval – one of the first Black Canadians to earn the degree in astronomy – and conducted her postdoctoral research at Caltech and Trent University. She taught at Mount Allison and Yale before landing at Cal Poly.
She has been based in California since 2016, but has been on leave since the summer of 2024 to serve on rotation for the National Science Foundation, where she administers funding for research in astrophysics.
Hot-button topics include instrumentation; Edwards points to a new telescope at the Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile as an example. “It’s going to give us more galaxies and stars than have ever been observed in all of history.” There’s also a significant amount of research surrounding Artificial Intelligence. “AI is so much bigger than ChatGPT. It encompasses a range of computational techniques and advancements, including machine learning. Astronomers have been very involved and even crucial to the development of computation.”
Edwards’ role is to guide the process to determine which scientists should receive funding from the Foundation, which has a nearly $10 billion annual budget and accounts for a quarter of the federal funding received by American academic institutions for research. “One of the reasons that the U.S. and Canada have such strong science and economies is because there’s this investment – strong and steady in science and engineering.”
It’s a big, exciting job, and she’s having a blast doing it.
“I get to read everybody’s top ideas in the moment,” said Edwards. “I’m seeing the science everybody wants to do right now, today.”
Disclaimer: This material was written while L.E. was serving at the National Science Foundation. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations are solely those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Federal government.
From executive to evidence-based leader
Jonny Stevens BComm'02 MBA'07 EDBA’25
By Michaela Avery BA'16 CertHRM'16
When Jonny Stevens BComm'02 MBA'07 EDBA’25 decided to pursue his Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (EDBA) at the Sobey School of Business, it wasn’t because he needed another credential. With a successful executive career already behind him, Stevens was driven by something deeper: curiosity.
“I didn’t want to just think I knew something—I wanted to know it,” he says. “I wanted to deepen my knowledge, challenge myself, and show my kids that you’re never too old to learn something new.”
As one of the first graduates of the Sobey EDBA program, Stevens helped shape the program’s early development while balancing full-time work and family life. He describes being part of the inaugural cohort as both an honour and a rare opportunity to help define a new academic path. “The core academics were solid from day one, but we got to influence some of the process details. That was exciting.”
The EDBA program, designed for experienced professionals who want to apply research to real-world business challenges, turned out to be exactly what Stevens had been searching for. For years, he had explored doctoral study options but found that traditional PhD programs required leaving full-time work behind. The EDBA provided a rigorous, research-focused alternative that was built around industry relevance.
“It's the same level of academic rigour as a PhD,” he explains, “But it’s designed for people who want to bring evidence-based thinking directly into business practice.”
Putting knowledge into practice
That mindset led Stevens to make a career pivot during the program. Formerly the Chief Revenue Officer of a billion-dollar professional services company, he founded his own consulting practice to help organizations apply research-based approaches to leadership and growth.
Jonny Stevens graduated with one of SMU’s first EDBA degrees at the Fall 2025 convocation. Shown here with President Michael Khan, Chancellor Michael Durland, and supervisor Dr. Ramesh Venkat
“I tell people my superpower is my library card. I help businesses move from thinking to knowing—to make decisions backed by data and evidence.”
His own research explored inclusion climates in B2B sales environments, developing an original 11-item scale to measure the impact of gender inclusion on team performance. The results showed that positive inclusion climate leads to greater job satisfaction and job performance. “It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s the profitable thing to do,” he says.
For Stevens, who graduated in fall 2025, the EDBA experience was transformational. “You can’t start this program and finish it as the same person,” he says. “It stretches your thinking, your skills, and your view of what’s possible.”
His advice for future students? “Know why you’re doing it, be clear about your goals, and be ready to work hard. If you want to be surrounded by the best professors, peers, and research opportunities—this is the program for you.”
Learn more about the EDBA program and how it’s transforming business leadership: smu.ca/sobey/edba
