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Meet your Alumni Council Members
Alexandra Swiston (she/her)
COUNCIL MEMBER
Alexandra is keen on enriching and building the communities where we live and play; specifically, one that starts at MRU. She encourages students and community members to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset through problem-solving and building relationships. As a proud MRU alumna, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Marketing and a double minor in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Currently, Alexandra works as an Account Manager with TEKsystems — one of the largest global IT staffing and services organizations responsible for accelerating business transformation. She specializes in the areas of Enterprise Applications, Data Analytics & Insights where she lives and breathes at the intersection of talent development and technology – an area that is not only meaningful for MRU but for our city.
Alexandra has maintained strong connections to MRU, actively participating in research programs, course takeovers and frequently supporting student initiatives across the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Prior to joining TEKsystems, she was the Community Engagement Specialist overseeing a growing number of scholarly-engaged research-focused initiatives right here at MRU.
In previous roles, she has worked alongside Ernst & Young LLP as a Proposal Manager, where she led Canadian-wide go-to-market business development strategies and Shell Canada, where she was a Data Management and Team Coordinator.
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Tia Hagen
PRESIDENT, MRUAA
CHAIR, ALUMNI COUNCIL
Tia (she/her) is the Director of Brand Communications at ATB Financial, leading the external communications team and the communications surrounding ATB's ESG work.
Mercedes Brown
VICE PRESIDENT, MRUAA
VICE-CHAIR, ALUMNI COUNCIL
Mercedes (she/her) is a practicing nurse clinician, a mentor in the Harry G Schaefer Mentorship program and is the 2014 recipient of an Outstanding Alumni Award.
Bunmi Afolabi
Chair, Nominating & Appointments Committee
An experienced leader and inquisitive learner, Bunmi (she/her) is currently an HR Manager at GoodMorning.com.
Eric Bennett
COUNCIL MEMBER
Eric (he/him) is an experienced financial services professional and Senior Wealth Advisor with ScotiaMcLeod/Scotia Wealth Management.
DAWN BURKE
COUNCIL MEMBER
Dawn (she/her) is a Business and Policy Planner for Parks and Open Spaces at the City of Calgary. She has had a varied career spanning industries and loves giving back to the community.
JOSHUA DAHM
COUNCIL MEMBER
Joshua (he/him) is an HR Advisor at Elk Valley Resources and is a dedicated MRU alum, mentor and advocate for student success.
Bronson Ha
COUNCIL MEMBER
Bronson is experienced in consulting in Canada and overseas and currently works as a project management analyst and public relations consultant.
Arielle Land
COUNCIL MEMBER
Arielle (she/her) is a professional with a background in strategic marketing and a track record in B2B tech, SaaS, and B2C environments.
Lauren Steeves
COUNCIL MEMBER
Lauren (she/her) is an experienced communications professional and is currently a Senior Marketing and Communications Strategist at the Haskayne School of Business.
MIRELA TOPCHIEVA
COUNCIL MEMBER
Mirela (she/her) is a government relations and advocacy coordinator for Cerebral Palsy Alberta. She engages stakeholders from academia, government, non-profit and the private sector.