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JULIE RUEL
BA ’04, ’05
W
omen’s Studies graduate Julie Ruel is a reference and research librarian at the
Bank of Canada in Ottawa.
She says that her Women’s Studies courses had “a huge impact on my career choices
and aspirations.”
After her graduation from the University of Windsor, Ruel continued studies in
English Literature in Edmonton where she found her passion for librarianship and
pursued her Master’s of Library and Information Science.
“I was one of the co-chairs of the student group Future Librarians for Intellectual
Freedom,” Ruel says. “I participated and planned Freedom to Read Week, and helped
plan a project to provide library services, including book clubs, to women in the
Edmonton Institution for Women.”
Ruel was awarded an internship at the Smithsonian’s Archive Center at the
American History Museum in Washington and worked there on various projects
including reference and research, organizing a small collection and digitizing
various collections.
She then obtained a position at the Bank of Canada as a reference and research
librarian in Ottawa, Ont. where she continues to work with marginalized communities
as a public librarian.
PRERNA CHANDAK
BComm ’08
A
n entrepreneur, social advocate, youth leader and
analyst—Prerna Chandak has worn many hats in her
life and has learned a thing or two about what it takes to
overcome the hurdles young go-getters face.
In 2008, Chandak was honoured as one of
Chatelaine
Magazine’s
80 Amazing Women to Watch in Canada, and
is also a past recipient of Youth in Motion’s National Top
20 Under 20 award.
As an institutional analyst with the Canadian
Institutional Portfolio Management Team at Phillips,
Hager & North Investment Management/RBC Global
Asset Management, Chandak manages close to $2 billion
in assets under management for defined contribution pension clients and corporations
across Canada.
After seeing the struggles of young entrepreneurs around her as well as her
own experiences in the start-up world, in early 2007 Chandak founded Lemonade
Ventures, an early-stage capital and business consulting firm, to increase the flow of
capital and other essential business resources to innovative ventures launched by
young Canadian entrepreneurs.
In early 2012, Chandak founded Stilettos & Code, a non-profit group working to
enhance an environment that encourages the promotion, growth and success of women
in tech startups and to promote more funding to women-led tech startups in Toronto,
Montreal and New York.
Chandak is a 2009 Alumni Association Odyssey Award recipient.
MIKE THOMPSON
BComm ’08, MHK ’10
M
ike
Thompson
stands in the
players’ bench
at the Air
Canada Centre.
A graduate
of the MHK
program in sport
management, he
landed the job
of his dreams as
coordinator of fan services for Maple Leaf
Sports and Entertainment, owners of the
Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors,
the Toronto Marlies and the Toronto FC
soccer team.
Thompson oversees a staff of 25 who
are devoted to ensuring that fans have a
top-notch experience when they attend
any of the company’s venues, which
include the Air Canada Centre, BMO
Field and Ricoh Coliseum.
The alumnus scored a placement
working with the Blue Jays communications
department while still a UWindsor student.
He supported baseball writers in the press
box, providing them with creative games
notes, lineups and other team information.
“When I was working with the Blue
Jays, it never felt like work, and now that I’m
here at Maple Leaf Sports, it still doesn’t!”
