Purpose-Driven: Careers Powering Sports & Human Performance

DRAW FOR ATTENDEES ONLY: Two tickets for the Northern Super League (Pro Women’s Soccer) season opener on Friday, April 24 at 7:00 PM at Swangard Stadium. Rematch of the 2025 NSL Final between Vancouver Rise FC vs AFC Toronto. Winner announced at the end of the event! Thanks NSL!

An event for ALL Degrees! Come discover careers and opportunities you didn’t know existed in the Sports & Human Performance ecosystem!

About Purpose-Driven

UBC Purpose-Driven is a career-building and networking experience organized by the UBC Career Centre, in partnership with Alumni UBC.

Attend these events to learn about the latest research, current trends, challenges, opportunities, and more in various industries. You’ll get to hear from amazing alumni and industry professionals from different backgrounds who are tackling global matters with creative solutions.

Careers Powering Sports & Human Performance

This is your chance to hear from and network with 20+ UBC Alumni who have reached the global sports world!

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 and major international competitions headed to Vancouver, the sports and human performance ecosystem is expanding rapidly. This isn’t just for athletes, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry powered by experts in technology, operations, marketing, and research.

Whatever your background and experience, join us on April 1st to learn about careers across the broader sports ecosystem and see how your degree translates into this high-impact world.

The event format will consist of 3 Alumni Industry Professionals Keynote Talks, and closing with career conversations and networking between alumni industry professionals and students. See who’s coming below!

DATE & TIME: Wednesday April 1st, 2026

5:30pm: Doors open

6:00pm – 6:10pm: Opening by:

• Vanessa Schaefer: Winter Olympics Medalist 26′ – UBC Student BArts and MM 28′
• Jama Mahlalela: NBA Assistant Coach @ Toronto Raptors – UBC Alum HK 04′

6:10pm – 7:00pm: Keynote Talks – Four UBC Alumni Industry Professionals

• Marianne Brooks: VP Partnerships @ Northern Super League (Pro Women’s Soccer) – UBC Alum BHK 10’
• Devan Wiebe: Business Development Manager @ The iLUKA Collective (Activating Global Sports events) – UBC Alum BCom 16’
• Calvin Tse: Senior Research Scientist @ lululemon – UBC Alum PhD, Rehabilitation Sciences 22’

7:00pm – 8:00pm: Career conversations with Industry Professionals (Networking) – See who else is coming below!

 

FOOD is available throughout the event!

 

Other UBC Alumni Industry Professionals are also coming to network with students:

 

1.Carlisle Young

• Company: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Role: Manager, Event Operations

• Degree: BArts, Sociology and Minor in Law and Society

• Year of graduation: 2018

2. Zahra Khamisa

• Company: Vancouver FIFA World Cup 2026

• Role: Marketing & Promotions Manager

• Degree: BKin

• Year of Graduation: 2014

3.John Munnis

• Company: Canadian Sports Instute Pacific, Aird & Berlis LLP

• Role: Director, Partner

• Degree: MBA/ LLB

• Year of graduation: 2000

4.Roxanna Ghane

• Company: JD Sports Canada

• Role: Talent Acquisition Coordinator

• Degree: Bachelor of Arts – Psychology

• Year of graduation: 2023

5.Kirkland Halliday

• Company: BC Recreation and Parks Association

• Role: Senior Program Manager

• Degree: Bachelor of Kinesiology, Master of Management

• Year of graduation: 2021, 2022

6.Jessica Bateman

• Company: Blue Pacific Cross

• Role: Wellness and Ability Partner

• Degree: BKin

• Year of Graduation: 2016

7.Adrian Wallace

• Company: Rize Fitness

• Role: Manual Osteopath

• Degree: BKin

• Year of graduation: 2016

8.Jameel Bains

• Company: Vancouver Canucks

• Role: Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach

• Degree: MSc Kin

• Year of graduation: 2024

9.Silvia Hua

• Company: Gingko Active / RainCity Housing & Support Society

• Role: Consultant / Analyst Software Developer

• Degree: B. Human Kinetics

• Year of graduation: 2009

10.Catherine King

• Company: West Coast Conditioning

• Role: Founder, Strength and Conditioning Coach

• Degree: BKin

• Year of graduation: 2011

11.Babak Shadgan

• Company: Department of Orthopaedics at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Associate Faculty at the UBC School of Biomedical Engineering

• Role: Sports Physician-Scientist / Assistant Professor

• Degree: PhD in Muscular Biophysics

• Year of graduation: 2011

12.Reid Mitchell

• Company: SportsCardiologyBC

• Role: Research Manager

• Degree: BKin, MSc Rehab Science, PhD Rehab Science

• Year of graduation: 2015, 2018, 2025

13.Matt Stork

• Company: lululemon

• Role: Senior Research Scientist, Product Innovation

• Degree: PhD

• Year of graduation: 2018

14.Jerome Goddard

• Company: British Columbia Golf

• Role: Director of Rules & Competitions

• Degree: BArts, Political Science

• Year of graduation: 2022

15.Jonathan Holloway

• Company: The Hockey Shop Source For Sports

• Role: Social Creator and Digital Marketing Specialist

• Degree: Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing and Entrepreneurship Specialization

• Year of graduation: 2024

16.Jordano Pinto

• Company: Vancouver United FC

• Role: Assistant Technical Director & U-15 Head Coach

• Degree: BKin

• Year of graduation: 2025

17.Leticia Vianna

• Company: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• Role: Manager of Partnership Marketing

• Degree: B.Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies

• Year of graduation: 2021

18.Kara Kalin

• Company: Shift Change

• Role:  Founder & Mental Performance Specialist / Registered Clinical Counsellor

• Degree: BArts, Psychology

• Year of graduation: 2009

19.Alexander Remtulla

• Company: Remtulla Consulting Inc 

• Role: Event Operations & Sponsorship Consultant

• Degree: BArts

• Year of Graduation: 2016

20.Jack Williams

• Company: SFU Run Lab

• Role: Masters Student, Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology

• Degree: BKIN School of Kinesiology

• Year of Graduation: 2016

21. Daniel Arwas

• Company: Sports Illustrated and Heavy Sports 

• Role: Sports Journalist

• Degree: BArts, Philosophy

• Year of Graduation: 2021

22. Miriam Celebiler

• Company: Vancouver Rise FC

• Role: Social Media Coordinator

• Degree: BArts, Media Studies

• Year of Graduation: 2023

23.Anthony Findlay

• Company: Level 10 Fitness Inc, Team Canada Snowboardcross

• Role: Owner+ Director, Head S&C Coach

• Degree: BA Psychology

• Year of graduation: 1995

24.Daniel Kwong

• Company: Arc’teryx

• Role: Manager, Global Sports Marketing

• Degree: B.Mgmt

• Year of graduation: 2017

 

More Coming soon!

For more information about the event, or if you would like to register as a student or alumni please go to CareersOnline (if you are unable to register through CareersOnline please send an e-mail to recruit.talent@ubc.ca asking to register for this event with your full name and e-mail).

If you would like to be an Alumni Volunteer, please contact the UBC Career Center at career.centre@ubc.ca