CBS Alumni Spotlight Series
Each month we will share a Q&A with various graduates of the College of Biological Science. Through this series our alumni share, in their own words, memories of their studies, their career path since graduation, and their journey to #ImproveLife within their communities.
December 2021
Jocelyn Fausto Kohlmaier
BSc ' 91, MSc '96
What has been your career path since graduation?
My career path has NOT been a straight line since graduation. I have been working for 20+ years at the very top levels of business and government which included many years working at global management consulting firms focused on government and healthcare. I could not have predicted this path after graduation; my education at University of Guelph positioned me well to handle any type of work, to think critically to solve problems in a scientific yet creative way.
After graduating with two science degrees from UofG, I spent a few years doing scientific research under a federal research program, then joined the Ontario government to focus on healthcare which was always an area of interest. Within the Ontario government, I was fascinated by the large transformation projects that tried to address large challenges in the public sector, and this is where I applied my education and skills to build a reputation for successfully delivering complex projects. From there, I was recruited to help establish Public Sector technology strategy practice at Deloitte Consulting where I advised hundreds of organizations across Canada define their overarching strategic and transformation plans. Ripe for a new challenge, I took a role to establish the Ontario Public Sector and Healthcare Practice for Ernst & Young, before capping my 15-year consulting period in the role of Vice-President at Healthtech Consultants where I advised hospital clients on their clinical transformation journey using digital tools. In my current role as Executive Director at Canada Health Infoway, I work closely with health system stakeholders in Ontario and across Canada to enable health system transformation through digital tools with the goal of improving patient care.
What inspired you to work in your field?
The field I am working in today is about applied digital innovation to transform healthcare to be more patient-centered, effective and efficient. The insipiration came from my science background in Molecular Biology and Genetics which opened up a world of scientific innovation of which I was fascinated at the impacts that the field could make in healthcare and the world. It has now been over 25 years since I graduated and worked on DNA and RNA and I remain fascinated and thrilled by the recent strides being made including the development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
What brought you to the U of G and how did your degree help you achieve your career ambitions?
UofG was known as a strong scientific university with the friendly atmosphere I was looking for. My two degrees there helped me immensely on how to think objectively through looking at data and how to challenge assumptions. This has been very effective for solving business problems and for leadership.
What did you enjoy most about U of G?
I have so many fond memories at U of G, it’s hard to pick just one! I loved exploring the beautiful campus: from picnics and naps on Johnston Green, to dancing at the Bullring, ping-pong tournaments in the Grad Lounge, and playing intramural hockey, broomball, and water-polo in the at-the-time newly constructed Athletic Center (where a picture of my husband still graces the wall as a soccer star). The annual College Royal showcase was always a highlight, for which I remember proudly sharing the displays I helped make with my family and friends.
What trends are you seeing in your industry?
Definitely the democratization of health data – where data and information that is locked in many health-provider systems are being demanded by the patient / the citizen who is the actual owner of that data.
What advice would you give to current students or recent CBS Grads?
My advice would be to not worry so much about figuring out exactly what your career is going to be, but rather focus on getting out there after your degree to get some job experience as it will be insightful for you to understand what you like and don’t like. The business and science world is a constant changing environment and the key skills are around creativity, problem solving and resilience. There are countless people out there who have taken so many different roads to building a successful career. All the exponential changes in science and technology has placed us at an interesting time in history, and a CBS education can position you well for the future.
November 2021
Gary Swanson
MSc, Neurobiology, Class of 1982
What has been your career path since graduation?
After graduating, I began working for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company as an organic chemist in quality control, applying many of the principles of lab spectrometry and spectroscopy to analysis of pharmaceutical/nutritional ingredients and products. I was promoted to Quality Manager, then to Operations Manager. By 1989 I became the General Manager of the company in Canada, overseeing several departments. Later, I was transferred to the US to oversee Operations, Quality and R/D for the corporate group.
In 2009, I joined the company Herbalife International, as Corporate Vice President of Quality. We transformed from having 35 personnel to now having upwards of 400 quality personnel worldwide, with four manufacturing facilities and seven laboratories worldwide. Each lab is IS017025 accredited, and we have developed a partnership with the University of Guelph through the Natural Health Products Research Alliance (NHP Research Alliance).
What inspired you to work in your field?
What began early in my career as a means to an end created so many opportunities years later. Working in a manufacturing facility allowed me to apply many of the academic principles I learned to the workplace. I was fascinated by working with people from many different disciplines to create products that a customer wanted and was only one of a handful of people with a similar background to my own. I became a mentor to different operations personnel to help them pursue their goals and have continued that mentorship philosophy while still pursuing excellence and learning in my own discipline.
What brought you to the U of G and how did your degree help you achieve your career ambitions?
The University of Guelph was where I wanted to pursue graduate work in reproductive endocrinology. After College, I used the learnings from that graduate work to generate reports professionally and to investigate situations to a meaningful conclusion. The benefits of the graduate degree, along with my accomplishments at the manufacturing companies, helped me advance my career. Graduate work taught me to be focused on the details of a task or investigation and make sure that I could always defend my position or decision with conviction.
What did you enjoy most about U of G?
The University of Guelph was like a city within a city. I had some very supportive student friends on campus and spent a lot of time in the graduate lounge. U of G provided me the confidence in developing good relationships and was a fundamental steppingstone into the real world. The university lifestyle taught me to be tolerant, inclusive and most of all, honest with myself and those around me.
What trends are you seeing in your industry?
Increased regulations have been introduced into the food and dietary supplement industry. In the US and Canada, we are required to have strong food safety plans providing greater assurance of compliance as it relates to sourcing, manufacturing and distribution. The regulations will only be more disciplined in the future. There is more science being applied to the development and creation of food products to satisfy consumer demand, for example vegan products, clean label, allergen free etc. This new generation of consumers has high expectations for product quality.
What advice would you give to current students or recent CBS Grads?
Pursue the goals that you have set with eyes wide open. Education has provided each of us with one very important function: how to think. You are capable of pursuing a career that may have many opportunities, but they may not always resemble the title on your degree. Keep an open mind and think about how you can improve yourself and those around you.
This Q&A was originally published in CBS Research Insights, Volume 2.
We value profiling the success of our alumni, and would love to highlight yours. Get in touch with Jill Santi, Alumni Advancement Manager, at jsanti@uoguelph.ca.