Audio Alumni: Recent Episodes
Canadian Bureau for International Education
Audio Alumni features stories about learning abroad. Each episode invites guests to share their experiences, offering perspective on the inspiration for their travels, the skills they gained, the obstacles they had to overcome, and ultimately how their time abroad shaped their lives today.
This season of Audio Alumni was produced in partnership with the Government of Canada through International Experience Canada (IEC).
In this episode, we welcomed Hugo O'Doherty, a passionate advocate for newcomers to Canada. Originally from Ireland, Hugo's journey led him to become a Canadian citizen, and he now serves as the Director of Partnerships at Moving2Canada. Today, Hugo shares insights into his work supporting newcomers' international journeys, including individuals participating in the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
In this episode of Audio Alumni, we hosted Mariam Raza, who has had the privilege of residing and working in four countries and extensive travel to over 20 countries. These diverse global encounters have significantly shaped her life, career, and perspective, ultimately influencing the person she is today. Her compelling message to our listeners emphasizes the importance of making deliberate decisions, seeking no one's permission, and staying true to what you feel is your path.
In this episode of Audio Alumni, we talk to GO International, a Recognized Organization (RO) of International Experience Canada. As an IEC partner, hear how they raise awareness of the program, promote the benefits of international experiences, and equip youth with information to embark on international work and travel experiences successfully.
In this episode, we welcomed Alex Stuhr, a seasoned traveler from Saskatoon. After beginning her international journey in vibrant Australia, she seized the opportunity to explore nearby New Zealand and decided to move there and immerse herself in the local hospitality scene, working in restaurants and hotels. Listen to how she braved the challenges encountered with her partner and her current reality as a thriving bar manager in her hometown.
In this episode, we welcome Leah Prisque. Leah is of Metis heritage and has always wanted to explore the world. Her teacher encouraged her to pursue her dream of travelling abroad, and after doing a school project on New Zealand, she became fascinated with the country. Without hesitation, through the IEC program, she booked a one-way flight to New Zealand, much to her parents' surprise. She embraced every opportunity that came her way and worked as a cleaner in her hostel, an apple picker, and a grape harvester in a vineyard. Despite the challenges of living in a different country, Leah cherished every moment of her journey. Hear Leah's story now!
In this week's episode of Audio Alumni, we introduce you to Stephen Tadgh from Ireland and Jack Strange from the UK. Stephen is a digital content producer with over a decade of experience in broadcast and commercial television projects for a global audience. Jack is a writer and travel content creator. Hear their experiences navigating the nuances of living and working in Vancouver.
In this episode, we share Tatiana’s journey, which began during her school years when she had the opportunity to study in Asia. After completing her studies, she researched and chose England as her next destination through the IEC program. Tatiana welcomed many realities during her time in England but remained persistent and landed a role in the public relations field. This week, get inspired to push through fear, remain open to new experiences and embrace the unexpected.
This week, we'll meet Kimberly Rude and Eymard Amoroso, who finished their undergraduate studies and were looking for a new experience and a change of scenery. Inspired by the idea of living abroad and immersing themselves in a new culture closer to their Filipino origins, they decided to take the leap and move to Seville, Spain, in 2022. The couple welcomed the realities and opportunities of their new life and work in Spain and shared their journey in this week’s episode of Audio Alumni.
In this episode of Audio Alumni, we spoke to Laetitia Damonsing, who, driven by a strong interest in social justice and diplomacy, sought professional experiences in Brazil, France, Belgium, and Switzerland. Her first learning experience abroad was volunteering in Brazil. Then she spent two years working at the Canadian Embassy in Paris and later embarked on a seven-month journey across Asia. We will hear about her experiences abroad and how her time outside of Canada has shaped her current endeavor in fashion and design.
In this episode, we spoke with Kathleen Mahamad, a spirited explorer who embarked on an extraordinary journey in France. Initially driven by her desire to immerse herself in the French language, Kathleen's adventures took an unexpected turn as she eventually found herself working as a tour guide at the Vimy Ridge Visitor Education Centre. Her story will inspire you to embrace life's adventures with open arms.
Welcome to season two of Audio Alumni. This podcast features stories about learning abroad. Each episode invites guests to share their experiences, offering perspective on the inspiration for their travels, the skills they gained, the obstacles they had to overcome, and ultimately how their time abroad shaped their lives today.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada and the Master Card Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumnae of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Doreen Kyasiimire
Doreen Kyasiimire is an experienced and trained Gender and Public policy analyst. With a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, she has seven years of working experience with leading NGOs and public institutions in Uganda and Canada. She also has a bachelor’s degree in Arts and Social sciences from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, majoring in Gender and Development and Social Administration. She is well-versed in policy formulation and analysis, gender and development issues, social research, and stakeholder engagements. She has been involved in developing gender training manuals, conducting gender-based training, Gender-Based Violence awareness campaigns and project planning and management. Doreen is currently working as a Programme Manager at Mentoring and Empowerment Programme for Young Women, a Non- Profit Organization in Uganda that aims at building a young women’s movement for an inclusive and violence-free society. In Canada, she worked with Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as an intern in the Culture and Change Management Branch.
Antonia Mwangi
Antonia Mwangi, from Kenya, is a noteworthy upcoming SRHR advocate, who boldly challenges traditional laws and norms regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights. Driven by her passion for empowering women and teenage girls on sexual and reproductive health and rights, she takes pride in advocacy and interventions on these issues. She holds a BA from Africa Nazarene University where she is an active member of Phi Delta Lambda Honor Society. She earned her MA in Public Policy from Brock University where she studied as an ALT scholar. When not championing SRHR, she is running her start-up cleaning business and spending time with her lovely daughter.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada and the Master Card Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumna of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Elizabeth Kashala
Elizabeth Kashala is a Performance Auditor in the Office of the Auditor-General Namibia and holds a Master's of Public Policy and Administration from Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. Elizabeth is responsible for evaluating the efficiency and effective performance of government offices, ministries, agencies and quasi-governmental institutions. Furthermore, she is responsible for conducting sector assessments to identify socio-economic issues necessitating government response. To date, she celebrates six years of commitment and service to the Namibian public sector with two performance audit reports tabled in the Namibian National Parliament.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada and the Master Card Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumni of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Abdul-Latif Alhassan
Abdul-Latif Alhassan is a co-founder of the Civil Society Institutional Foundation (CSIF) - Ghana and has overseen the growth of the organization from its idea stage to a fully functional and vibrant organization. He has immensely contributed to strategic development and planning, leading, organizing, implementing, and evaluating the organization’s programs/projects with a key focus on ensuring sustainable change and lasting impact. He’s demonstrated leadership in Ghana and internationally. Abdul holds a Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Policy (MAEP) from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN, Canada), a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography and Resource Development (University of Ghana), a Level Five Award in Professional Consulting from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI, UK), and a Certificate in Leadership and Civic Engagement (Kansas State Univ, USA). He is a 2019 Mandela Washing Fellow, a 2019 African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholar and a Ph.D. Student in Grenfell campus’ first Ph.D. Program, Transdisciplinary Sustainability. His Master's research under the supervision of Dr. Paul Foley looked at enhancing the capacity of NGOs in Climate Change Adaptation in Northern Ghana, applying lessons from Canada. For the Ph.D., Abdul’s research explores the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus and innovative agriculture for food security in Newfoundland. Recommendations of his undergraduate thesis contributed to the formation of CSIF.
Sylvester Kaonga
Sylvester Kaonga is a Research Officer at the National Assembly of Zambia. His work involves providing policy research and analysis to Members of Parliament to enable them to make evidence-based decisions as they carry out their legislative, oversight, budgetary and representative roles. He is also the Desk Officer and Coordinator for the Zambian Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (ZPCC), a cross-party voluntary parliamentary organization that works to influence policy and legislation with regard to environmental sustainability in Zambia. In addition, he is attached to the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources and the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Water Development and Tourism, where he services the research needs of the Committees. Sylvester holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography and History from the University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. He also holds a Master of Arts Degree in Environmental Policy from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook, Canada. Using his vast knowledge and experience in environmental management, and working through the Caucus and the Parliamentary Committees, he has helped to raise the profile of debate of parliamentarians on issues of the environment, climate change and natural resource conservation in the Zambian Parliament. He has also galvanized parliamentarians in the passing/enactment of key environmental laws such as the Forest Act of 2015 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 2015, among others. Furthermore, in March 2021, he helped the Caucus to lobby and advocate for the Government of the Republic of Zambia to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with African Parks with the view to implementing a Priority Support Plan for the protection and development of Zambia’s largest national park, the Kafue National Park.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, and the Mastercard Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alums of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Abdulai Benedict Conteh
Abdulai Conteh is a member of the 2017 ALT cohort and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Regina. Currently, he is a Project Manager for Education Partnership Group (UK) through which he leads the delivery of technical assistance (with a focus on policy development and implementation) to the Sierra Leone Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education.
Sulaiman Jalloh
Sulaiman Jalloh is a graduate of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina and holds a Master of Public Administration. He also holds a graduate certificate in teaching and learning, a certificate in Public Management from the Mandela Washington Fellowship in the USA and a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Sierra Leone. He has over five years of work experience in research, administration and management, monitoring and evaluation, gender and youth work. His current role is the District Support Officer for the Western Area Urban District in Sierra Leone. His work supports the system strengthening program activities for the Ministry of Basic Senior Secondary Education and Teaching Service Commission through a British Company called Mott Macdonald Limited.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, and the Mastercard Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumna of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Eseohe Ojo
Eseohe Ojo is a human rights advocate, communications specialist, and policy professional. She holds a BSc in International Relations from Lead City University, Nigeria and a Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs (MPPGA) from the University of British Columbia where she studied as an African Leader of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholar and R. Howard Webster Foundation Fellow. Her work focuses on policy, advocacy and communications around gender, youth inclusion, and human rights, particularly freedom of expression, access to information, digital rights and Internet freedoms. She also works on platform governance, technology policy, civic engagement, transparency, open government, democracy and other good governance issues globally and on the African continent.
CBIE wishes to recognize that it is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabé. CBIE acknowledges and pays tribute to all Indigenous peoples who live either in the Ottawa region or elsewhere in Canada and beyond, honouring their courageous leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
This episode was conducted by CBIE’s Beatriz Ela Ebang and was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, and the Master Card Foundation, as well as the wonderful participation of the following alumnae of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) Scholarship Program:
Christiana Oluwatoyin Onabola
Christiana grew up in a small suburb in Lagos, Nigeria, and received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos. She came to Canada in 2016 as a recipient of the African Leaders of Tomorrow (ALT) scholarship and earned a Master in Public Policy and Global Affairs from the University of British Columbia. She is currently a Vanier Scholar pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia. Her research interest is in exploring health and its intersections with other socio‐ecological issues, especially those grounded in policies. Outside of school, Christiana is involved in policy research and advocacy. She is a founding member of the Nigerian Working Group ‐ a subsidiary of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR), and a dynamic team of Nigerian graduate researchers in Canada coming together to do research and launch initiatives around addressing the health impacts of climate change in Nigeria.
Bintu Jabbie
Bintu is a registered nurse and has a master’s degree in public administration with a minor in public policy with over 5 years of work experience with governmental, private for-profit and non-profit organizations including international NGO‘s in her native Sierra Leone. Her role cuts across health care administration, policy analysis, strategic planning, research and emergency preparedness including responding to emerging global health threats such as Ebola Virus Disease. She is a passionate health care provider promoting a practice towards a functioning health system that works for all and delivers quality and timely services to the nation with the resources available while adhering to the nursing ethics and emphasizing prevention through community participation and empowerment. She is continually pursuing knowledge and hone skills relevant to the improvement of health systems with a focus on governance and leadership.
This podcast is brought to you by the Canadian Bureau for International Education. CBIE is the national voice advancing Canadian international education by creating and mobilizing expertise, knowledge, opportunity and leadership. We are a global leader in international education, dedicated to equity, quality, inclusiveness and partnership.
This podcast is intended to elevate the voices of international students, scholars and researchers that pursued education in Canada under a Government funded scholarship program. This space is intended to deepen the discussion, and amplify the reach on the importance of internationalization. In each episode, you will hear directly from alumni about the their work and research and the impact that studying in Canada has had on their personal and professional life.
We value your participation, which will make this endeavour worthwhile. Subscribe now to the Audio Alumni Podcast Series so that you don’t miss an opportunity to hear from these students, scholars and researchers.