Welcome!

Welcome to our PW Grad 1997 blog. Check in often for updates on your fellow alumni and for details about our ten-year reunion, which will take place this July.

Please send us a written update on what you’ve been up to since June of 1997, as well as a photo or two, so we can post it on the site.

Send your information or questions to: grad97@gmail.com

Can’t wait to hear what everyone’s been up to!

Prince of Wales Grad 97 10-Year Reunion

Friday, July 27th, 2007, from 6:30 - 11pm at the
Vancouver Rowing Club ,450 Stanley Park Drive (near the Georgia Street entrance to the Park).

We ask that at this time you do not purchase tickets for spouses or partners as space is limited and we'd like to include as many of our fellow grads as possible. If there is still space closer to the date we will send out an email to this effect. Thanks for your understanding.

The deadline for ticket sales is JULY 13th, 2007.

Got a cool idea for the reunion? Know a good event photographer? Drop us a line at grad97@gmail.com

Buy your tickets here!

JACKIE SMILEY

Following graduation I began my post secondary education at UVic. After a year in Victoria, I transferred over to UBC to finish my BA, majoring in English Literature with a minor in Commerce. Following university graduation I took a bit of a break and traveled for five months. I explored Europe solo for two months and then met up with Natalie Gurney to discover Southeast Asia. Upon my return, I continued my employment with a marketing company that I had worked for during two of my university co-op work terms. Over my four years with the company, I worked my way up to the position of Marketing Coordinator for Western Canada, working mainly on Labatt promotional programs. After realizing that there is not a lot of opportunity to advance in marketing in Vancouver, I contemplated a career switch. After a short stint as the BC and AB sales rep for Capezio, I took the plunge, quit my job and completed my real estate licensing course. At the beginning of 2006 I took a position at JJ Barnicke, a commercial real estate firm, in a research role and was subsequently promoted to a broker role about five months ago.
I recently became engaged to my boyfriend of three years, Darren Gwozd, proving that you actually can meet a quality person in a club! We just booked a venue for our 2008 summer wedding and are now starting to plan all the details. We also recently bought a townhouse in Burnaby Heights.
In my free time, when not attending weddings, wedding showers and stagettes (eight weddings last summer and another eight this summer), I enjoy doing the Grouse Grind, snowshoeing, swimming, hiking/walking/running, watching Darren play hockey and traveling.
Jackie.smiley@jjb.com

NATALIE GURNEY

After graduation, I went to UVic for 2 years, and finished up my Psychology degree at UBC. After University, I travelled SE Asia and then went on to live and work in Australia. After travelling and with not much interest in the Psychology field I took a year off to work and eventually I decided to go to BCIT and study Human Resources. After 2 very long and strenuous years I graduated and now work as a Human Resources Advisor for Saputo (Dairyland).

I love my job and I live just off Commercial Drive in a townhouse with my sister. Funnily enough, I am now dating someone that went to PW and graduated a year behind all of us. Justen and I have been going out for 2 years now!

When I’m not working I spend my time biking, working out, cooking, travelling and getting out of the city as often as I can.

BROOKE BALLANTYNE

After graduating from PW, I went straight to UBC and began my Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. It took me about six years to complete instead of four because I worked and travelled while going to school. I think I've worked for most coffee shops in the Lower Mainland, and also for the Keg, TGI Fridays (dear LORD, we had to wear "pieces of flair" - everything you've seen in Office Space is true), GM Place (got to see concerts and Canuck games for free), the Commodore Ballroom (more concerts for free - the good ones this time), and the Canadian Diabetes Association (I coordinated their "Team Diabetes" marathon program). I travelled around Europe for a month the summer after my first year at UBC, and travelled to Northern Ireland and Amsterdam near the end of my BA.

I decided to continue at UBC to grad school, mostly because I was enjoying being a student, and also because I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do. It was at this time that I met the love of my life, Jeremy, at a mutual friend's birthday party. We moved in together a few months later, and he supported me financially so I could focus on Grad School full time (what a guy!).

I started in the Master's of Library, Archival and Information Studies program with the vague intention of being a Children's Librarian. Over the two years of the program, I moved steadily toward Clinical/Medical Librarianship. I'm now running library services for BC Mental Health and Addiction Services through our two libraries at Riverview Hospital and the Forensic Psychiatric Services Commission, both in Coquitlam, BC.

My man and I live in a highrise in Burnaby with his six-year-old son Kyle on the weekends. We've travelled to Mexico three years in a row now, and on our most recent trip he asked me to marry him.

MARIO SCAGLIONE

After high school I went to Langara College where all I did was hang out with my high school buddy Jeremy Jacobson. At the same time I had 2 jobs and enjoyed making money.J I quickly found out that academics were not going to be my thing.
I kept working trying to find my niche. I did some travelling and then finally found a great job as a sales/technician at a computer repair shop called PC Galore. With a few computer courses and hands on training I learnt that I loved to work with computers/electronics.

In 2004 I finally landed my dream job at Electronic Arts. I started off as a game tester and because of my computer background, I quickly moved into the IT department. I am now working as a Quality Assurance Support Manager in our game testing department.
Along the way my family and I dipped into the Vancouver housing market. We have worked on numerous projects renovating houses. This is something I really enjoy to do with the Fam.

I have been with my girlfriend for 2 years that I met at EA. Her name is Suman and she is the smartest woman I know. She works in IT as a Technician. I know!! A beautiful woman who can fix a computer. J

I have hobbies and a lot of them!! I am still the biggest Canuck fan you will ever meet. Not the bandwagoner’s, but a true fan. I like to play all sports and workout at the gym. Huge movie and music person as well. I also love to play with my 3 nieces and 3 nephews. I can now go shopping for Transformer toys and not feel embarrassed.

HERSHEL FRIMER

Since PW i've been schoolin in UBC, Seattle, Australia and now in Sasktoon. My wife Crystal and I have travelled through 9 W. Euro countries, NZ, Aus, Na'am, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Malaysia to arrive only at questions. Why are we so wealthy in such a poor world? I hope you've all asked yourselves such things, as empathy among the wealthy leads to charity...

I'm a biologist and I'm hoping to become a sort of conservation veterinarian... something that doesn't exist... I'm attempting to conserve the remaining wild world through some knowledge of medicine. If interested... hdf595@mail.usask.ca
Peace,
Hersh

ROBYN EVANS (nee CHADWICK)

I graduated from UBC in May 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. I spent the next three and a half years managing Special Events (24 Hour Relay for the Kids, Heineken Cup, Orca’s in the City, Time for Children Gala, etc.) for a local children’s charity. After working with the BC Lions Society, I decided to follow my passion, and go back to school… literally. In August 2005, I received my Bachelor of Education, again from UBC. I have been teaching Grade 7 students at Hollyburn Elementary School in West Vancouver ever since.

I met my husband, Andrew in 1998, at the beginning of my second year at UBC. We dated for eight long years, and got married last August in Vancouver. We just bought our first property together and are very happy.

SUSAN HENDERSON (nee EDGAR)

After graduating I spent a year at UBC where I learned that a general arts degree wasn’t for me. I took off and went traveling spending most of my time away in India. I went back to school in 2000, studying nursing at Langara/UVIC. I am presently working at BC Women’s Hospital in Labour and Delivery.

Besides school I got married in April of 2006 to James and we had a baby girl, Gillian Catherine, on February 26, 2007.

MICHAEL CHAN

After graduating from PW in 1997, I have continued with my education in UBC, majoring in Economics with Minor in Commerce. Upon graduating in 2001, I have embarked on my career with Scotiabank and CIBC as a Customer Representative, fulfilling tasks from processing international wire payments to setting up loan and mortgage applications. From there, I have been moving up the ladder to assume the role as a Personal Banker, then as a Business Advisor and as an Acting Manager. I am currently employed as a Performance Measurement Analyst for RBC Dexia Investor’s Services, providing analytics for specialized pensions, endowment funds and asset managers. I am a candidate for the Level II examination for the CFA program and will be writing for the exam for the FRM designation.

I have recently moved to Richmond.

Apart from working and studying, I swim, work out at the gym, play soccer, and practice martial arts. Whenever possible, I try to travel, which has been increasingly difficult due to my busy schedule. I am an enthusiast in learning languages; I am trying to polish up on my French and Mandarin, and have my first go with Korean and Turkish.

JEREMY JACOBSON

After high school I went to Langara College and then to UBC to finish my degree in Psychology. Along the way I worked a number of sales jobs and when I realized that I didn't want to be an academic and that I had a knack for selling I decided to go to BCIT for the 2 year INTENSIVE marketing/sales program.

Along the way I did some traveling and got really involved in performing both stand up comedy and then improv. In college improv became a huge part of my life as I helped build UBC Improv and through that started promoting shows and getting hired to do shows and workshops. Skills I still use to this day. Over the last 2 years of college I was performing constantly.

Fast forward to 2007 and by day I work for a network security company as a part of their channel sales team (www.sophos.com). If you would have told me ten years ago Iwould be a salesman at a technology company I would have laughed at you and then would have made fun of you for saying such a stupid thing, kicked you in the shin and then told everyone how stupid you were for saying such a thing. but here I am selling anti-virus/anti-spam software. So if that conversation did occur with anyone I am sorry.

I am still performing improv pretty regularly all over the lower mainland with a group I helped to start about a year ago (www.tripleplayimprov.com). Obviously improv does not pay the rent but it is a huge passion of mine and I still love to be in front of a crowd.

I have been married for 2 years to a wonderful lady I met at BCIT. We met at a meat draw (if you don't know what that is feel free to contact me) for the BCIT Marketing Association and the rest is history. To top that off.we are expecting our first child at the end of September. Yes, I am going to be a DAD and cannot wait. I recently felt it kick for the first time. AMAZING! We live in Burnaby.

As for hobbies - not much has changed for me. I am still a huge movie buff, and read quite a lot. I also like playing squash and working out (although I don't do it nearly enough) and yes. I still watch wrestling. Now that I am going to be a dad it will finally be socially acceptable for me to do so.

NAOMI MCFEE

After graduating from PW, I took off to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where I attended Dalhousie University majoring in English Literature with a minor in Business. I fell in love with the culture and the laid back atmosphere of the East Coast. I met some wonderful people and had way too much fun. I also met my long term boyfriend during 2nd year university. After spending almost 6 years in Halifax, I realized that it was too much of a comfort zone and it was time to face reality. While walking home in a massive snow storm in April, I decided to book my flight home. Two weeks later, my boyfriend landed an articling position with an accounting firm in Vancouver. I worked at the Business Career Centre at the Sauder School of Business at UBC (a mouthful) where I realized that BCIT students were getting all of the jobs. I attended BCIT’s Human Resource Management program, which was surprisingly intense. Meanwhile, my boyfriend and I spent a fortune on a tiny place on a noisy street in Kits. Shortly after receiving my diploma, I began working in Labour Relations within the Health Care industry. It’s challenging and never boring. After my boyfriend received his CA and I received my CHRP, we finally took the token trip to Europe. Shortly after, we realized that we had everything we worked hard for yet we weren’t happy. So, after 8 years, we split in December 2006. It hasn’t been easy but I’m making the best of being single. I am still living in Kits with my cat with thumbs and my Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppy (a.k.a. my little zoo). This year, I have traveled to London, Brussels, Toronto and Calgary to visit my extremely supportive friends and family. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with all of you at the reunion! Many of us have already touched base on Crackbook.

SARAH NICALO (née WONG)

As some of you will remember, Sarah was a competitive soccer player who went on a scholarship to play soccer at the University of Mississippi, aka Ole Miss. She spent her time in Mississippi trying to understand the strong Southern drawl, playing soccer, fixin’ grits and living on a street with a pink trailer. After four years in Oxford, she had learned how to shoot a gun, go fourwheelin’ at Deercamp, scream the Hottie Toddie and sip on sizzurp while playin’ spades.

From Ole Miss she made her way to middle America. She lived in Indianapolis for a year, working at the NCAA where she experienced American collegiate athletics from the big money perspective. Sport biz contacts in Indy led her to Orlando where she completed a double Master’s degree in Sports Business Management and Business Administration, as well as running on-court contests for the Magic, and tanning on St. Pete Beach.

She passed one quick summer in New York City working for Major League Soccer and helping her random roommate with his evening job of club promoting by night, occasionally aided by besty Grace (Carter), who was living in NYC at the same time.

A move to Chicago came next. Sarah was miserable working in Corporate America during her first year in the Windy City. The office energy and bad traffic made her nauseous. Luckily she dropped the cubicle gig and found a Hawaiian company who suited her needs. The bio ends with Sarah returning to her soccer roots. She met her future husband playing coed on the south side of Chicago. The couple visited Germany last year for the World Cup, and followed it up with their wedding last August.

Last fall, Sarah moved back to Vancouver after spending 10 years south of the border. Still peddling sunglasses for the Hawaiian company, she is excited to reconnect with some old and some new friends.

ALISON DAY

Since leaving PW,I spent six years at University and Art Colleges. I received my Diploma in Fine Arts and a Bachelors of Applied Design in Graphic Design for Marketing. I now run my own Graphic Design Company in Kits and I love being self employed. I work mostly in the Fashion Industry!
www.myntcreativestudio.com

When not sitting in front of the computer I ski, snowboard, windsurf, sail, dirt bike and try to get to the gym as much as possible.

ALISA ALMAS

After graduation, I wandered east to Queen's University and began a BA in psychology. The Ice Storm Winter didn't drive me away but the Snow Storm Winter the following year did, and I packed my bags and returned to Vancouver to complete my degree at UBC. A year spent working in an Infant Language Research lab convinced me that Graduate School would be a good next step, so I once again decided to head east, this time to the University of Toronto, where I've completed a Master's and am one year away from a PhD in Developmental Science (Social Development). For those who are interested, I study parents' contributions to early adolescent friendship success˜in other words, how parents help kids be good at making friends. A side interest in orphan research took me to Romania a couple of summers ago, where I got to hang out at camp with 3- to 18-year-old orphans living with AIDS, as well as tour orphanages throughout the country. A second orphanage trip is planned for this winter (2008), this time to Kenya. I must admit I will be sad to give up the graduate student life next year, and Toronto. This is a great city and I have had plenty of time to enjoy it! Next year I will begin a post-doctoral fellowship, likely somewhere in the States, but that is still to be decided.

GRACE CARTER

After graduating from Prince of Wales, Grace headed east for a long time. She spent 4.5 happy years at McGill, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature, edited the McGill Tribune, and fell in love with Ultimate.

In 2002, she transplanted to New York City, arriving at the dorm the same day she began her Master's degree in journalism at Columbia. The next day she found herself wandering the South Bronx, a rough, tough area which was to be her beat for the next three months. Life was exciting. Time passed. She wrote some stories, drank some beer, and suddenly, winter was over and the cherry blossoms were out again.

Living in Harlem was a riot, but as soon as school was over, she took the train down to the West Village, and moved into a sweet pad with her cousin. There, they spent many happy days sitting on the wide window ledge overlooking Washington Square Park, drinking red wine and singing (badly) and playing the acoustic guitar (also badly). During the day she helped edit a men's magazine known as FHM. In the evenings, she played Ultimate, or wandered the streets, taking in the zaniness of New York City.

After a time, Grace fell in love and moved to Los Angeles. The relationship ended, but her two years as an Angeleno taught her how to make hula hoops, homemade tortillas, and how to chant om when stuck in traffic.

Thus empowered, she has come full circle. Now happily ensconced in Vancouver again, Grace ekes out a modest existence as a writer and editor. In her spare time, she trail runs and rides her motorcycle.
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