After creating multiple award-winning short films, Joanna made her feature film directorial debut with The Killgrin, a horror film released by MPI Media Group’s Dark Sky films. The film stars Konstantina Mantelos (Anything for Jackson), Cristo Fernández (Ted Lasso), Adam Tsekhman (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) and Peter MacNeill (Nightmare Alley). The film covers after a personal tragedy that befalls the protagonist, Miranda, who then explores unconventional self-help methods, only to learn from a spiritual healer that she has an infection of her aura called a ‘killgrin,’ which thrives off her misery.

Mississauga, Ont.-based freelance journalist Fatima Syed was awarded a 2024 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award for her work in The Narwhal. The Seal Awards celebrate individuals whose investigations and reporting elevate the public discourse on ecology and climate justice: “This year’s SEAL Awards honours journalists who have brought complex concepts to life and… cultivated relevance for a topic often pushed into the background of mainstream cultural dialogue.” Fatima is also the vice-president of the Canadian Association of Journalists and a winner of the 2022 World Press Freedom Canada Award.

It’s been almost a year since I took the leap and moved [from Toronto] to New York City. Adjusting to New York came with its challenges, and the job market was not easy at all. In January 2025, I landed a job that strongly aligns with my interests and brings me joy. I joined Kharon, a technology company that helps leading organizations identify compliance risks critical to managing financial crimes, supply chain exposure, export controls, investment risk and more. This company combines the interests that I’ve always had as a law and business student but also allows me to strengthen my knowledge and interest in marketing.

A production craftsperson who specializes in props and costuming, Sophie was the recipient of the Pauline McGibbon Award at the 2025 Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Each year, this award is given to an Ontario professional artist in the early stages of their career who has contributed to the well-being of Ontario’s theatre community, who displays unique talent and has the potential for excellence.

Taylor is the recipient of a 2025 King Charles III Coronation Medal and the David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility. A former national gymnast, Taylor’s athletic career was cut short in 2008 due to a training accident that resulted in quadriplegia. Now, she is a Toronto-based accessibility advocate and founder and CEO of Cup of Té Luxury Loose Leaf Teas, which was featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2020 and 2024. Taylor is a board member for the Shine Foundation and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation and advocates for inclusion and disability representation through storytelling on social media.

Declan, along with colleagues Robert Cribb, Wendy-Ann Clarke and Owen Thompson, won Gold in the JHR/CAJ Award for Human Rights Reporting for “Mind games” with the Investigative Journalism Bureau and the Toronto Star. The article examines alleged failings of mental health services provided to Indigenous and Inuit communities, with many interviewees describing a system that can sometimes do more harm than good. 

Kiana won a 2025 World Press Photo Award and a 2025 Amnesty International Media Award for her powerful images of women and girls living in Afghanistan under the Taliban. An acclaimed Iranian-Canadian photographer currently based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kiana travelled through seven Afghan provinces to create the work, speaking with more than 100 women and girls from all walks of life. She told World Press that she created the portraits in partnership with the subjects to ensure their safety and agency: “Even if the women were not comfortable showing their faces, they still have individuality in the photos.”

Ben Kopp and Margot Greve (Performance Acting ’19) received several awards at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival for their musical, Iris (says goodbye), including the 2025 Adams Prize for Musical Theatre. The Dora-nominated duo won rave reviews for their genre-bending musical about a woman who returns to earth to live another life. Audience members help determine Iris’s journey live each night, meaning every performance is completely unique. The production notably featured a number of other TMU alumni on- and off-stage, including Madelaine Hodges, Ben Yoganathan, Alli Carry, Taylor Young, Mathilda Kane and Alessia Urbani.

I’ve been working in the Canadian film and television industry since graduation. I’m currently a freelance producer and production manager working on feature films and shows. My career is dedicated to making film sets safe, respectful and inclusive environments – especially for  2SLGBTQ+ film professionals. I was recently nominated for a Canadian Screen Award as a producer on the web series Stories From My Gay Grandparents.

Margot and Ben Kopp (Performance Acting ’19) received several awards at the 2025 Toronto Fringe Festival for their musical, Iris (says goodbye), including the 2025 Adams Prize for Musical Theatre. The Dora-nominated duo won rave reviews for their genre-bending musical about a woman who returns to earth to live another life. Audience members help determine Iris’s journey live each night, meaning every performance is completely unique. The production notably featured a number of other TMU alumni on- and off-stage, including Madelaine Hodges, Ben Yoganathan, Alli Carry, Taylor Young, Mathilda Kane and Alessia Urbani.

I recently got married, and my husband and I moved into our first home together – an exciting new chapter that deepened my love for all things home and interiors.

Professionally, I work full-time in marketing, focusing on digital content production for well-known companies across the GTA. I run a growing family photography business, Agape Love Films, and a Toronto lifestyle blog at becomingtia​.com, where I share my favourite local cafe finds, travel reflections and home inspiration.

Alexis, who is director of Fairmont Gold at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, was named a “Top 30 Under 30” award recipient by Kostuch Media Ltd. The annual recognition program celebrates the food service and hospitality industry’s top young professionals, both in front of house and back of house, in the hopes of inspiring tomorrow’s industry leaders.