About this class
Often, students pursuing postsecondary education either have a very clear vision for how they’d like their career to unfold – or they feel unsure about what steps to take next.
Panellists at the next DC Talks: Alumni Series demonstrate how the path to success is not always a straightforward one. Explore how Durham College (DC) alumni from varying industries have leveraged the skills and connections they made during their time at DC to help propel them into the next, sometimes unexpected, chapters of their careers.
As we explore “The Zigzag Career Path,” the discussion will be led by moderators Lon Appleby, Professor, and Ariel Sully, Associate Vice President, Advancement and Alumni Relations at DC.
The DC Talks: Alumni Series is hosted by the Durham College Alumni Association and aims to inspire current students, facilitate networking among alumni, and highlight success stories. This event is hosted in collaboration with Student Development.
Panellists
Adam Hare
Multimedia Design, Class of 2006
Adam is a dynamic and visionary leader with a passion for creativity and innovation. His career journey began as a young entrepreneur, launching his own clothing line, and later evolved into managing a creative team at Universal Music Canada, one of the world’s top entertainment companies. More recently, Adam has made a significant impact in the insurance industry, modernizing a century-old business model into a cutting-edge, culture first, technology-driven operation. In addition, he co-founded a full-service digital marketing and consulting agency, helping large brands and small businesses across Canada elevate their presence and achieve success.
Karey Anne Large
Legal Administration, Class of 1997
While still working in the corporate world in 2005, Karey Anne started making cakes out of her home kitchen. After discovering her passion for cake decorating, she dove in headfirst, leaving her corporate career behind and opening her first retail location in 2011. She saw many sweet successes during her cake decorating journey, claiming a number of awards, including 1st runner up on Food Network’s Cake Wars. In 2017, she became the Executive Director of the Downtown Whitby Business Improvement Area, combining her experience as a small business owner with her love for the Town of Whitby. In recent years, Karey Anne has continued to serve the business community as the Executive Director of the Scugog Chamber of Commerce, and has now returned to Whitby as the CEO of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce.
Leslie Seeley
Sports Administration, Class of 1986
During her time as a student at Durham College (DC), Leslie demonstrated athletic excellence and established herself as a rare three sport athlete winning a record 11 Championship medals. After graduation, she continued her education and became an MBA graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics. Leslie’s extensive career with General Motors of Canada spanned multiple roles, including Senior Community Leader and Business Manager. With over 30 years of experience in operations, project management, and safety oversight, Leslie retired from GM and opened Pure + Simple Oshawa, a premium wellness spa franchise. In addition to her role as manager and owner of Pure + Simple, she is also a part-time professor at DC, where she continues to focus on driving results, fostering innovation, and supporting others in achieving their potential.
Kirsten Walker
Human Resource Management, Class of 2010
Originally from Toronto, Canada, Kirsten has lived in the UK since 2011. While completing a graduate certificate at Durham College, she was awarded OCAA All-Star in 2009 as part of the Women’s Varsity Soccer Team. She originally moved to the UK to play professional football but has subsequently stayed to pursue a Master’s degree in Business Psychology and now calls London home. Kirsten has over 10 years’ experience of leading, supporting and embedding large-scale transformation initiatives. A strong relationship manager, this has taken her cross-industry in the transport, pharmaceutical, energy, financial services and public sectors and has worked with various levels of executives to embed change. In her role as Business Manager at Newton Europe, she is currently leading a team of Operations and Digital consultants to improve people’s health and social care outcomes in Dorset by transforming their Urgent and Emergency Care pathways.
Host
Founder, Professor
Associate Vice President, Advancement and Alumni Relations