Serial entrepreneur Matt Symes (BA'04/BEd'04) is an expert on helping leaders confront change and develop sound strategies to navigate through uncertain times. As founding partner and CEO of Symplicity Designs, based in Atlantic Canada, he and his team have helped over 500 organizations and institutions both scale and recover from some of their darkest moments.  

In addition to Symplicity Designs, Matt also manages a portfolio of companies of which he holds a majority or minority stake, in a range of industries. He was named Business Leader of the Year in 2020 from the Halifax Chamber of Commerce and one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs in 2022 and 2023 by Atlantic Business Magazine. Matt goes out of his way to embrace leading-edge environmentally sustainable practices at his companies, no matter how much effort and resources are required. He believes in stoicism – that we all have 100 percent control over our mindset. With that frame of mind, it’s possible to do almost anything, and he enjoys solving complex problems. 

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Matt about embracing change, planning for the future, and, in particular, how to adopt AI for efficiency and growth. 

Highlights from the episode:   

• The issues that leaders are currently grappling with and what they are looking to in the future 

• How disruptions – in particular AI - are massively uprooting how we create value 

• How fast the world is now changing for business and lives 

• The areas that business leaders need to lean into AI, and how to integrate and benefit from it 

• Looking at the challenge of AI from impact and looking back through to the people who use it and benefit from it – and how leaders can do this with their people, not to them. 

• How we can personally look forward and navigate learning and building a career around AI and other changes 

Links and resources:   

• Matt’s LinkedIn 

• Symplicity Designs 

• Nexus, by Yuval Noah Harari 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Mike LeBlanc has been building and growing tech and tech consulting companies in New Brunswick over the last 25 years, including Blue Spurs, which he sold to Deloitte Canada in 2019 to help the company advance its global technology capability and put New Brunswick on the map. His latest startup is BlueKit, a first-of-its-kind hands-on innovation-creation platform thoughtfully designed from the ground up for all learners - including non-technical educators - to explore the art of the possible with technology. Designed for middle and high school students, it empowers learners across all disciplines to unlock the limitless potential of technology by tackling real-world problems. 

In our current environment where tech – and the people behind tech companies – are perhaps not living up to using technology for the good of society, hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Mike about doing innovative work in the tech space that positively impacts industry, businesses, communities and individuals. 

Highlights from the episode:   

• The idea and technology behind BlueKit, and the need for tech education to keep up with advancements. 

• The value of early exposure to and education in technology 

• The ups and downs of entrepreneurship and innovating 

• The importance of diverse voices and ethics when developing technology and new capabilities 

• AI needs a wide variety of voices, as well as transparency 

• What tech for good means, and the future of guidelines for companies when using technology 

• How computer scientists are using problem solving skills to make the world better 

• The future of AI and studying so that we can guide how to use it 

Links and resources:   

• Mike’s LinkedIn 

• BlueKit 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife

To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Aimée Foreman (MBA’01) is founder and CEO of Silvermark, an advisory firm that specializes in working with aging care leaders in private business, not-for-profits, and all levels of government to define challenges and design solutions that improve the quality of life of the older adults they serve.  She also recently founded the non-profit CaregiversNB, and is an advisory member of Canadian Caregiving, an organization that provides support to family caregivers and care providers.  

Aimée is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, advisor, and advocate who is committed to advancing the quality of life for older adults. She believes that the greatest plagues to aging well can be addressed through connection, purpose, and meaningful contribution across generations. 

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Aimée about the research, best practices, and innovations that can be used to inform policy, progressive programming, and design through a user-centric approach to aging. 

Highlights from the episode:   

• An explanation of the silver economy and care economy, and the demographics behind it
• Trends in the silver and care economies
• The barriers to aging well and how to break them down
• Examples of how we can better support connection among older adults
• How the provinces in Canada are doing in aging and caregiver supports
• How Silvermark is advocating for aging care with governments and organizations
• An explanation of age-friendly initiatives
• How we can better support caregivers for seniors 

Links and resources:   

• Aimee’s LinkedIn
• Silvermark
• Let’s Talk about Aging Parents book 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15)
• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden 
• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Andrew MacLean (BA’07) writes the weekly Atlantic Canadian newspaper column Backyard History and hosts the podcast and TV show of the same name. He has also written 3 books about the forgotten stories of Atlantic Canada’s past. Andrew received a degree in history at UNB and then a master’s at Dalhousie University. But before beginning writing, he had already lived a far ranging and eclectic life: he has backpacked through 37 countries on 5 continents, visiting over 200 different cities around the world. He has travelled from Nunavut to the Florida Keys doing aerial surveying using lasers to track rising waters of global climate change.  

All that world travelling was brought to a screeching halt by the global pandemic, which brought him back home to New Brunswick. Inspired by recalling the local lore he heard from his grandfather in the tiny village of Tide Head, Andrew began digging deep into obscure moments in Maritimes history as a pandemic passion project. It turned into more than he could ever have imagined. 

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Andrew about stories he’s uncovered, and why storytelling and history matter.  

Highlights from the episode:   

• A glimpse into Andrew’s travel stories 

• What he brought back to Atlantic Canada 

• Why he transitioned to telling stories of history from our own backyard on the East Coast 

• Why storytelling is important 

• Why understanding our history is also important 

Links and resources:   

• Backyard History 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15)
• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden 
• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Paralympic cyclist Alexandre Hayward (BScEng’23) had a big year in 2024: he opened the season with gold in the C3 time trial and bronze in the road race at World Cup in Australia and added a time trial bronze at a second stop in Belgium. At the track worlds in Rio, he took silver in the men’s C3 scratch race. Then came the big one – the Paralympics in Paris last August, where he won the bronze medal in the men’s C3 3,000-metre Individual Pursuit at the Paris velodrome.   

 Alex burst onto the national and international Para cycling stage in 2022, after playing wheelchair basketball for New Brunswick at the Canada Winter Games and the Canadian junior team. In 2012, at the age of 16, Alex suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury, and his aspirations to pursue professional-level hockey ended. His everyday became about discovering if he’d walk and have normal body function again. Eventually, basketball, and then cycling, became a passion. Alex also graduated UNB in 2023 from the bachelor of engineering program, and spent a summer at UNB’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering as an intern, and has a burgeoning interest in biomedical research.  

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Alex about his story and lessons he learned, as well as how he stays motivated and mentally and physically fit.  

In this episode:   

• Alex’s accident and his recovery 

• How he got into wheelchair basketball, and then cycling 

• The experience of Paris 2024 and other world-class competitions 

• Alex’s experience in biomedical engineering at UNB and his future plans 

• How he says motivated and fit.  

Links and resources:   

• Alex’s Insta 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

 To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Randy Hatfield (BA’78, LLB’88) is the executive director of the Human Development Council, an organization dedicated to identifying and addressing social issues in New Brunswick through research, information, coordination and networking. He's a longtime anti-poverty advocate and pushes for social and economic inclusion. He’s been with the Human Development Council since 2002, and is involved with numerous other organizations, including the Community Living Board. Randy holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from UNB’s Saint John campus, a master’s degree in political science from the University of Alberta, and a law degree from UNB. 

Hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) chat with Randy about defining poverty, measuring it and real solutions to alleviating it.  

In this episode:   

• Randy’s work with the Human Development Council in Saint John and around New Brunswick 

• How to define poverty 

• How to measure it 

• How New Brunswick stacks up against the rest of Canada 

• Using policy levers to alleviate poverty and find long-term solutions 

• What’s worked and what hasn’t 

 Links and resources:   

• Randy’s LinkedIn 

• Human Development Council 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni hosts Kayla Ossachuk (BA’15) and Andrew Martel (BCS’15) 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife

To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Kelsey Hogan (BPhil'16) is an ultramarathon trail runner and mental performance consultant who has recently returned from Europe after completing the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc — a 171-kilometre race that crosses Italy, Switzerland and France. 

Originally from Newfoundland, Kelsey has called Fredericton home since she was a student at UNB. She graduated in 2016 with a bachelor of philosophy in interdisciplinary leadership and psychology from UNB’s Renaissance College, and has also completed a master of science in kinesiology in sport psychology at Dalhousie University. She is currently working toward accreditation as a mental performance consultant.  

Kelsey, in addition to training and running professionally, is exploring the factors that influence the performance and well-being of endurance athletes, teams, and coaches. Host Katie Davey (BA’17) chats with her about being an active member of the community through building good governance and providing a helping hand. 

In this episode:   

• How Kelsey found the sport of ultra running. 

• The preparation process and experience of running ultramarathons trail races. 

• Developing mental fitness for ultra pursuits. 

• Mindset and language that helps to conquer ultras in racing and in life. 

• How performance psychology gives the tools needed to perform your best in both sport and life. 

• Longevity as a key piece of planning in ultra racing and other life pursuits.  

Links and resources:   

• Kelseyhogan.com 

• Kelsey’s Instagram 

• Mont Blanc UTMB race 

• Renaissance College 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni host, Katie Davey 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Kjeld Mizpah “KJ” Conyers-Steede (BA’18) is director of strategy and partnerships for Inspiring Communities, a nonprofit working to build collaborative relationships for social change in Atlantic Canada. 

A UNB political science alum, KJ is a seasoned systems thinker with a strong focus on areas such as community-centric strategic planning, human-centered design, organizational culture, and governance reviews. From executive director of the New Brunswick Student Alliance to operations manager at the Spring Garden Area Business Association, to director of change management for Hockey Nova Scotia, to his recent work on projects that drive community-centric innovation, KJ has never backed away from big challenges. In fact, he excels at crafting solutions for what he refers to as the “big hairy policy challenges” and collaborating on community projects that tackle the most complex and pressing issues in society.  

Host Katie Davey (BA’17) chats KJ about a wide range of challenges and solutions for Atlantic Canadian communities. 

In this episode:   

• The journey for KJ from Bermuda to New Brunswick 

• Regional and community collaboration 

• The opportunity for rural economic development in Atlantic Canada 

• Why KJ is running for Mayor of his regional community in Nova Scotia 

• How communities need to prepare for climate change, especially in rural areas of Atlantic Canada 

• How community-centric innovation and creating ecosystems can lead to problem-solving 

• How policy development needs to be built outside of election cycles, and how it can be done by empowering people and community champions. 

• How academic research is allowing KJ to test social incubation projects.  

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni host, Katie Davey 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Josh LeBrun (BBA’17) is Executive Director of 12 Neighbours, the tiny-home affordable housing community in Fredericton which has seen success – and global admiration – over the past couple of years. Now complete at 96 homes, the community-focused organization has turned its attention to social enterprise, providing low-barrier, progressive employment opportunities for the people it serves.  

Josh has a passion for social enterprise, entrepreneurship and meaningful contribution. He has a background in both business and design, and co-founded his own business before turning his attention to 12 Neighbours. 

In this episode:   

• Josh’s background and how he started working with his father, Marcel LeBrun, on the 12 Neighbours enterprise. 

• The three phases of 12 Neighbours and the goal of doing good in the community. 

• What it’s like working with family. 

• The people, profit, planet model of social business. 

• The challenges of running a social enterprise at the ground level.  

• How to pay attention and market social enterprise more broadly.  

• The importance of being able to work within a team.  

Links and resources:   

• Josh’s LinkedIn 

• 12 Neighbours 

• UNB Pond-Deshpande Centre 

• UNB TME program 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni host, Katie Davey 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website. 

Shilo Boucher (BBA’00), is President and CEO of the YMCA of Southwest New Brunswick, one of the largest employers and community service organizations in the province. Shilo attended UNB on the Saint John campus, graduating from business administration in 1999, then worked at two large public accounting firms while obtaining her CPA before landing at the Saint John YMCA in 2006. She held roles as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer before taking on the role of president and CEO in 2011.  

Shilo has been tremendously involved in helping to grow the community of Saint John and region, having served on the Saint John Airport board of directors, president of The Resource Centre for Youth, director of FusionSJ and River Valley Recreational Center, chair of the board for Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada, and the treasurer for the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Saint John. She was also recently named to the board of directors for Port Saint John.  

Host Katie Davey (BA’17) chats with her about being an active member of the community through building good governance and providing a helping hand. 

In this episode:   

• A backgrounder on the wide range of activities of the YMCA in southern New Brunswick and Saint John. 

• How community programs are supporting employment and the economy. 

• How to do community health better 

• Growing as a leader and working with a board of directors 

• How to keep planning for the future and learning how to think strategically about future needs 

• The importance of good governance for both non-profits and corporate 

Links and resources:   

• Shilo’s LinkedIn 

• YMCA of Southwest NB 

Thanks to:   

• Our alumni host, Katie Davey 

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden  

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife 

  To listen to past episodes of UNBeknownst and for more info on the podcast, the hosts and how to subscribe to new episode alerts, visit our website.