Meet the Top 40 Under 40 — Class of 2025

Avenue magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 has been unveiled, with alumni and staff of the University of Calgary taking half the honours in the annual celebration of those who help make a world-class city. 

The honourees represent a wide range of fields, including entrepreneurship, STEM, medicine, research, education, supporting social issues and the arts. 

This year’s class is associated with faculties and schools including Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science, Schulich School of Engineering, Haskayne School of Business and Cumming School of Medicine.  

Faculty and staff featured include: 

• Dr. Sayeh Bayat, PhD, director, Healthy City Lab, assistant professor, Schulich School of Engineering. Uses AI with everyday technology to improve elderly care.
• Adam Cragg, former interim executive director of the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking; partner and co-founder, Osney Capital. Funds startups to make Calgary a national leader in cybersecurity.
• Dr. Joe Kendal, MD’15, MSc’19, PGME’21, clinical assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine. Launched SMarT Bone Program, a clinic-and-research hub to bring together surgeons, cancer specialists, engineers and kinesiologists.
• Dr. David Langelier, BSc’10, MD’13, PGME’18, MSc’19, assistant professor, Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine; medical lead, Alberta Cancer Physiatry Program. Co-founded a cancer physiatry program that has become a national model for cancer-rehabilitation care.
• Dr. Leah Mayo, PhD, Parker Research Chair in Psychedelics and assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine. Canada’s first research chair in psychedelics, developed therapeutic uses for psychedelics and cannabis-related drugs, and leads an Indigenous-led network focused on psychedelic therapies in Indigenous contexts.
• Dr. Adam Muzychuk, MD’10, PGME’15, associate professor, Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine. Led clinical trials for a new eye implant to correct vision, resulting in 10,000 surgeries worldwide.
• Dr. Ana Nikolic, MD, PGME’17, PGME’23, PhD’23, assistant professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine; member of the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute. Advanced research of glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.
• Dr. Serena L. Orr, MD, associate professor, Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Community Health Sciences and Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine; adjunct associate professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts; clinician-scientist, Pediatric Neurology, Alberta Children’s Hospital; member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education. Specializes in headache disorders and bringing awareness to the connection between trauma and migraines for children.

Alumni and community partners featured include:  

• Neepin Auger, MEd’19, artist and vice-principal at Manyhorses High School. Creates visibility for Indigenous culture through art.
• Kirstie Boyle, BSc’09, MBA’13, CEO, Envirosoft Corporation. Helps oil and gas companies reduce emissions, while promoting women in STEM.
• Angela Clarke, BA'08, chief strategy officer, Trellis Society, a non-profit that has supported thousands of vulnerable Calgarians.
• Courtney Dragani, chief growth officer, The51 and Movement51. Co-created the Feminist Financial Investing Lab, a five-week program launched in 2021 in partnership with the Haskayne School of Business.
• Jack Goodwin, BSc’09, co-founder, Vacant Lots Farm Club. Addresses food insecurity through innovative urban farming.
• Jasmine Ing, BA’09, MEDes’14. Former co-chair of Queers on Campus; founder, Calgary Rainbow Families. Honoured for supporting Calgary’s queer community.
• Dalmy Manan, BA'08, vice-president, client relations, Accomsure, an additional living expense-management company that helps families displaced from their homes by emergencies find temporary places to stay. Co-nominated with her husband, Raj Manan.
• Maria Marianayagam, BSc (Eng)’09. Children’s author who encourages girls to enter STEM.
• Meaghan Nolan, BHSc’07, MSc’11, co-founder and COO of Mikata Health, an AI-driven company helping health-care professionals provide better, faster care to more than five million Canadians.
• Dayo Ogunyemi, LLM’19, legal counsel, Alberta Energy Regulator, working to create a greener Alberta through legal advice and policy.
• Aseem Pandey and Shahrukh Shamim, both MSc’19, created tech startup Envicore Inc., which lowers carbon emissions.
• Emily Varga, JD’14, partner and co-founder, VML Family Law. An internationally bestselling author of a young-adult novel.  

“On behalf of the University of Calgary, the UCAA extends our congratulations to all alumni, faculty and staff winners,” says William O’Yeung, BComm'91, president and chair of the UCalgary Alumni Association Board of Directors. “You truly embody the best of UCalgary’s entrepreneurial, problem-solving spirit, and we can’t wait to see how your amazing accomplishments will continue to transform our community for the better.” 

The honourees will be celebrated on Nov. 20 at Avenue’s Top 40 Under 40 Gala at the Bella Concert Hall at Mount Royal University. 

For more information on the honourees, visit the webpage.