We love hearing from Lethbridge Polytechnic alumni! To submit your news to share with your classmates and the campus community, drop us a note at WHMagazine@lethpolytech.ca
2024
Ynshera Jandette Mae Nigol
Business Administration – Accounting
Ynshera is continuing her education at SAIT.
Kolbie Poitras
Child and Youth Care
Kolbie is currently working with the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division as an educational assistant at the Centre for Adolescent Responsibility Education (CARE) Campus. Kolbie says, “at this school, we teach students life skills, lead small groups and focus on numeracy and literacy. I really enjoy being able to connect with the youth I work with and provide meaningful and engaging relationships with them.”
Titus Zerr
Renewable Resource Management
Titus is working at Cows and Fish and plans to return to Lethbridge Polytechnic to complete the Bachelor of Ecosystem Management degree after working for a few years.
2023
Samantha Ukrainetz
Administrative Office Professional
Samantha says she is using the skills she learned at Lethbridge Polytechnic to help her parents run their business, adding she has also become her own office administrator as a private music teacher.
2022
Elizabeth Munoz
Business Administration – Management
Elizabeth tells the Alumni office that she is working as an administration/accounting senior at a non-profit organization that focuses on youth. She says, “it’s been an amazing journey, and I have learned so much from the youth we help.”
2021
Emma Bohn
Criminal Justice – Policing
After graduation, Emma moved to Edmonton to attend Grant MacEwan University. She earned a paralegal diploma and began her career in specialized prosecutions.
Brittany Hnatiuk
Bachelor of Applied Arts – Justice Studies, Correctional Studies 2019
After her bachelor’s degree, Brittany attended Bond University in Gold Coast, Australia and graduated with her Juris Doctor from the university in 2023.
2020
Sarah Jorgensen
Business Administration – Marketing
Sarah is a legal assistant at North & Company LLP Law Offices.
Seth Slomp
Digital Communications and Media
In September, Seth accepted the position of communications strategist – applied research at Red Deer Polytechnic, though he says he is still “dabbling in athletics.” Seth previously worked as the institution’s Athletics communications strategist.
2019
Shane Fandrick
Bachelor of Ecosystem Management
Shane is currently working in the renewable energy sector as an environmental quality inspector/environmental co-ordinator on one of the biggest wind farms in Canada. She says, “In my role, I advise construction site management and ensure construction activities follow environmental laws and regulations, mitigate environmental issues and uphold the site’s environmental protection plan.” Shane also shares that in her spare time, she travels to see and photograph different bird species in Alberta and would like to continue that hobby across Canada and beyond.
2018
Taylor Bourret
Business Administration – Accounting
Taylor Bourret’s colleagues on Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Marketing, Communications, Alumni and Engagement team describe her as “an unstoppable force who brings heart, passion and dedication to everything she does.”
Taylor’s journey at Lethbridge Polytechnic began in the Business program, where she excelled academically while staying actively involved in campus life. During her studies, she served as vice-president of finance and operations for the Lethbridge Polytechnic Students’ Association, balancing her coursework with a commitment to enhancing the student experience.
After graduating, Taylor transitioned into the role of events and ceremonies specialist at Lethbridge Polytechnic, where she quickly established herself as the go-to person for planning and executing memorable experiences. From coordinating large-scale events to fostering personal connections, Taylor’s creativity and dedication left a lasting impression. During this time, she also embraced motherhood and is now a proud mom of two.
Currently serving as engagement co-ordinator at Lethbridge Polytechnic, Taylor applies her expertise and passion to foster meaningful connections, building strong partnerships, and developing strategies that advance both the institution and the broader community.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Taylor is deeply committed to giving back to her community. She serves on the Board of Directors at YWCA Lethbridge & District, where she contributes her skills and dedication to creating positive change and empowering those in need.
2017
Nick Nielsen
Digital Communications and Media
Nick’s journey in broadcasting is all about passion, persistence and a lot of play-by-play. It all started at Lethbridge Polytechnic, where he had the opportunity to call Kodiaks volleyball and basketball games. Little did he know this experience would kick-start his career, eventually landing him a job as the voice of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Prince Albert Raiders.
After graduation, Nick’s path took him to small-town Saskatchewan, where he got his hands dirty in every part of the broadcasting world – news reporting, hosting morning and afternoon shows, and more. But it was in Estevan where his career really started rolling. By 2018, he had become the voice of the Big Six Senior Hockey League, then he moved on to the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) where he covered about 80 games in total that season.
Nick’s versatility was on full display when he moved to Kindersley in 2021 and brought the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers’ radio broadcasts back to life. He returned to Weyburn for a couple of seasons between 2022 and 2024, where he continued his play-by-play for the Red Wings and pulled off the rare feat of being both the in-house announcer and the play-by-play voice.
After a quick break to lend a hand on his family farm, Nick has stepped into his dream role in the WHL. “Calling games just a short drive from where I grew up – it’s a dream come true,” says Nick, who’s now into his seventh season of calling hockey.
2016
Diandra Bruised Head
Renewable Resource Management
Diandra, a Blood Tribe Council member, was one of five female recipients of a headdress transfer ceremony in July. The transfer was conducted by Canadian military veteran Preston Crow Chief in the Multi-purpose Building in Standoff, Alta.
2015
Brady Murakami
Civil Engineering Technology
Brady continued his post-secondary education at SAIT where he earned his mechanical engineering technology diploma. After working at a few engineering firms in Calgary, he is now employed with Tesla in Reno, Nev. as a mechanical designer.
2013
Candice Crapo
Administrative Office Professional
Candice works at Lethbridge Polytechnic in the Centre for Business, Arts and Sciences.
Zachary Doan
Bachelor of Applied Science – Conservation Enforcement
Zachary became a full-time conservation officer with the Government of Alberta in 2015.
2009
Glenn Miller
Communication Arts – Advertising and Public Relations
Glenn was one of four people recently inducted into the honorary Kainai Chieftainship. The ceremony took place in late July 2024 on the Blood Reserve. Glenn told the Lethbridge Herald he was humbled and honoured to be asked to join. It’s a recognition held by no more than 40 living people at any given time.
The Property Twins
You may have heard of the Property Twins, a.k.a. Lethbridge Polytechnic alumni Kirby Maronda (Interior Design Technology 2000) and Whitney Maronda (Business Administration 2004).
Growing up in the small farming community of Lomond, Alta., the identical twins were deeply involved in sports, 4-H and community activities. Their post-secondary journeys led them to Lethbridge Polytechnic where Kirby earned a diploma in Interior Design Technology and Whitney completed her Business Administration diploma before earning her management degree at the University of Lethbridge.
Both grads have since carved out successful careers in new home construction, real estate and design, with Kirby excelling in roles from interior designer to sales manager and Whitney achieving milestones in sales and home construction. Their passion for building and designing homes shines through in their award-winning projects in Lethbridge and Whitefish, Mont.
The grads have also applied their expertise, dedication and hard work to their well-known real estate company, The Property Twins with Re/Max Real Estate – Lethbridge where they have received top accolades as the highest producing individual and team. Their team has also placed as high as 22nd in Western Canada for production.
Giving back to their community is a core value for both Kirby and Whitney and they have been a part of, or donated to, Canadian Tire Care for Kids Golf Tournament, Rotary Club charities, the YWCA Gala, the Cinderella Project and many others throughout the years. Kirby is also part of a Business Networking International chapter.
1999
Mike McCready
Multimedia Production, (Career Virtuoso 2023)
After nine years at Lethbridge Polytechnic as an instructor in Virtual and Augmented Reality, and more recently as Industry Liaison and Research Advisor in the Spatial Technologies Applied Research and Training (START) Centre, Mike moved north to become associate dean for the School of Media and Information Technology at NAIT.
1994
Kieth Carlson
Culinary Arts
Kieth says he is semi-retired now that he and his wife Brandi have sold their Claresholm restaurant, Roy’s Place. Popular for its homemade meals and giant cinnamon buns, Kieth served up dish after delectable dish at Roy’s for more than 16 years.
1988
Lindsay Peters Dyer
Business Administration, Secretarial Science
After graduating from then-Lethbridge Community College, Lindsay says she landed a job with the Willow Creek School Division working as the community school secretary at Willow Creek Composite High School – the same school she graduated from in 1985. Lindsay has remained an employee of the school division for the past 30 years (Willow Creek School Division amalgamated with Pincher Creek School Division in 1994-95 and became Livingstone Range School Division). She is currently working at Matthew Halton High School in Pincher Creek as an administrative assistant III. Lindsay also says one of her twin boys, Travis, is currently attending Lethbridge Polytechnic, and is in his second year of General Arts and Science – Psychology and Sociology.
1987
Kimberley Herperger
Communication Arts
Kimberley tells the Alumni office that after 20 years as a successful self-employed communications consultant, she has “jumped back into corporate life” as director of communications at eHealth Saskatchewan. “My team and I support many interesting projects from digital transformation across the health system to health card renewal,” she says. “There’s never a dull moment!”
1983
Ken Gold
Communications, Media, Broadcast Production, and Radio and Television Broadcasting
Ken began his career running the then-Lethbridge College campus radio station, which led him to work in broadcasting for various radio and television stations in Calgary. Until his passing in 2023, Ken owned and operated On Air, a successful recording studio in the heart of Calgary. To honour his legacy, Ken’s wife Maureen set up a scholarship for second-year students in SAIT’s Radio, Television, and Broadcast News program.
1982
Francis First Charger (Ninnaisipistoo/Owl Chief)
Agricultural Technology, (Distinguished Alumni 2013)
Francis was awarded an honorary degree at the University of Lethbridge’s fall 2024 Convocation ceremony in October. He has been an Elder in Residence at the university since 2008.
1979
Richard Lewchuk
Communication Arts
Richard says he is “newly retired from CNN” where he served as creative marketing head. He is now running his own consulting company, Film At 11 Marketing.
