DC Talks: Alumni Series “The Importance of Giving Back”

About this class

During the fall DC Talks: Alumni Series event, moderators Lon Appleby and Ariel Sully will lead a panel discussion about “The Importance of Giving Back.” President of Durham College, Dr. Elaine Popp, will be delivering opening remarks.

The DC Talks: Alumni Series is hosted by the Durham College Alumni Association (DCAA) and aims to inspire current students, facilitate networking among alumni, and highlight success stories.

Panellists

Panellists include Durham College (DC) alumni from varying industries who have demonstrated a commitment to their communities. These grads have also been nominated for the 2024 Premier’s Award, which are administered annually by Colleges Ontario and honour the important social and economic contribution that graduates make to Ontario and throughout the world. Also joining the panel is a special guest from the DCAA Board of Directors, Kyle Douglas, who recently received the G.W. McLaughlin Award, recognizing the impact he has made in his community through volunteerism.

Chris Cull

Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Technician, Class of 2007

Founder of Inspire By Example, Chris Cull’s inspiring achievements in health sciences are rooted in his personal transformation from opioid addiction to recovery and advocacy. In 2014, Chris overcame a near decade long addiction to opioids and cycled across Canada to raise awareness for mental health, addiction and the opioid crisis. He documented his journey exploring the impacts of the opioid crisis across Canada in his first film, Inspire.

Chris worked collaboratively with the Durham College Social Impact Hub and the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine to create his 2023 docuseries, Surviving Addiction, highlighting the humanity behind addiction and how it affects individuals and those surrounding them.

A motivational speaker and filmmaker, Chris uses his experience to advocate for mental health and addiction recovery. He has shared his expertise at numerous notable events, including the 2022 Future Leaders in Addiction Medicine Summit at Queen’s University, the US Embassy Ottawa’s Pillars of Change: Opioid Expert Forum, and the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Chris is nominated for the Premier’s Award in the Health Sciences category.

Shelby Nelson

Sport Administration, Class of 2000

Shelby Nelson joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization shortly after earning his diploma in an entry level position as an account executive. His goal was to work for a professional sports team in a role that would help him grow. Over the past 24 years, his career trajectory has seen him rise to Vice President of Florida Operations where he leads a team responsible for Spring Training, the Dunedin Blue Jays, and the Player Development Complex.

His proudest achievement was leading the re-development of TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida and the construction of a brand-new Player Development Complex which was subsequently recognized as the best in major league baseball by MLB. The local face of the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Shelby is a respected community leader, actively participating in various local charities and groups and coaching kids’ sports. In 2024 Shelby was recognized as a Durham College Alumni of Distinction recipient.

Shelby is nominated for the Premier’s Award in the Business category.

Paula Sojo

Video Production, Class of 2024

At the age of 18, Paula Sojo was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s disease, resulting in 17 surgeries and a permanent ostomy. Determined to help others, she teamed up with her brother to found Ostome Fashion, a thriving business that provides fashionable and empowering options to all ostomy users. With help from family, friends and mentors, she has not only changed her life, but promoted representation and acceptance and empowered her community.

A Durham College (DC) Video Production grad, she has applied her program’s lessons in photography, video production and other areas to the promotion of her business, while utilizing her college’s entrepreneurial supports. In 2024, she won DC’s Pitch Competition hosted by FastStart. Her story has been shared and celebrated in a variety of notable outlets including BNN Bloomberg, Vogue and Univision News.

Paula is nominated for the Premier’s Award in the Recent Graduate category.

Kyle Douglas

Human Resources – Business Administration, Class of 2011

Kyle Douglas is currently serving his first term on the Durham College Alumni Association Board of Directors. Kyle graduated from the Human Resources – Business Administration program in 2011 and is co-owner of DKI CRCS, a second-generation family owned and operated company that specializes in disaster restoration. Since 1979, DKI CRCS’ team of professionals have specialized in state-of-the-art remediation and restoration of buildings and contents damaged by fire, smoke, water, wind, oil spills, sewer contamination, and break-ins/vandalism. Kyle not only supports his community through the family business, but has committed his entire career to serving his community. He has been involved in organizations such as the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce; Lakeridge Health Foundation; Epilepsy Durham; and Durham Regional Police Appreciation Dinner & Awards Night committee.

In September, Kyle received the G.W. McLaughlin Award from the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce.

More information

Premier’s Award nominees Jeremy Burns and Aaron Dale are unable to attend this event. Jeremy and Aaron are the co-founders of the Military Veterans Wellness Program (MVWP), a pioneering initiative designed to support Canadian military veterans in their transition to civilian life. Both have served as Toronto Police Service officers for the past six years.

As Canadian Armed Forces veterans, Jeremy and Aaron have personal understanding of the gaps in support for military veterans and they developed the MVWP so law enforcement members could help veterans in crisis. Since May 2024, more than 200 veterans in Ontario have received help through the MVWP. The program is now part of mandatory training for Toronto police officers and more than 12,000 people have undergone the training in Canada and internationally. MVWP has been endorsed by organizations including Veterans Affairs Canada, National Defence’s Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group, Royal Canadian Legion, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

Interested in giving back to your community through volunteerism? DC offers volunteer opportunities for both students and alumni.