Each year, Edify magazine profiles 40 Edmontonians under the age of 40 doing groundbreaking things to support their community. The five MacEwan grads who earned a spot on the 2025 list are joined by a professor, an instructor and the curator of the Mitchell Art Gallery.
These exceptional individuals are making a difference in their community, and setting trends in art, education, science, social work and more.
Get to know these incredible members of the MacEwan community.
ASHLEY BAXTER
SOCIAL WORK ’11
Ashley Baxter is a dedicated social worker and leader whose career has been defined by her commitment to empowering women and fostering inclusive, supportive communities. She has combined frontline expertise with strategic leadership to create meaningful change in the nonprofit and social services sectors.
Baxter is known for her creative and client-centred approach, as well as her belief in the power of collaboration and community-driven solutions. Her work emphasizes innovation, equity and the importance of creating safe, empowering spaces where individuals can thrive.
What lesson did you learn at MacEwan that you still carry with you today?
“Not to take things personally. I still remember one of my professors saying, “It’s not about you.” That message has stayed with me. Working with people can be incredibly challenging. You often meet them at their lowest point. In those moments, it’s important to remember that their emotions and reactions aren’t about you. Learning to simply be present is essential, not just for the person you’re supporting, but also for maintaining healthy boundaries and protecting your own well-being.”
SHEENA FITZPATRICK
ARTS AND CULTURAL MANAGEMENT ’15
Sheena Fitzpatrick is a marketing, communications and community engagement professional with over a decade of experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. She is the director of community engagement at Life in the Heartland and co-founder of Wild Ones Dance, a women-owned and operated dance performance training company.
Fitzpatrick is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, connected and inspired because real impact happens when you bring people together to listen, learn and share.
Your advice for current MacEwan students?
“Stay curious and take on opportunities that might test your skills. The arts and cultural sector thrives on creativity, but it also needs leaders who understand budgets, marketing and project management. Don’t underestimate the value of those behind-the-scenes skills; they’ll give you the flexibility to pursue your passions in unexpected ways. Similarly, the connections you make at MacEwan and in your community can become lifelong collaborations, so nurture your networks.”
KIRSTA FRANKE
JOURNALISM ’10
An entrepreneur who made a name for herself as an Edmonton community builder, Kirsta Franke is driven by a passion for local. She is the founder of several well-known initiatives that provide a platform to support independent makers and foster community connection, including the Wild Heart Collective, Grand Markets Alberta (124 Grand Market) and the Edmonton Christmas Market.
Whether she’s curating a seasonal market, mentoring emerging business owners or consulting on growing brands, Franke approaches every project with the same values she brought to her time at MacEwan: collaboration, creativity and a commitment to community values.
A lesson you learned at MacEwan?
“My time at MacEwan taught me discipline. It also taught me that I don't have to be restricted to my school specialization – there isn’t just one way to communicate. It opened my eyes to all the ways we can communicate and get the word out! I owe much of my marketing horsepower as an entrepreneur to the scrappy ways of learning how to self-promote in the golden days of social media.”
BRIANNE JANG
THEATRE ARTS ’08
Brianne Jang is the managing director of SkirtsAfire Festival, co-founder of the photography company BB Collective and co-founder of the non-profit theatre organization Poiema Productions. She has been involved in the theatre world since she was young and is passionate about representation in the arts and the important role it plays in our community.
Jang loves to create new work, collaborate with others and help to lift up the voices that deserve to be heard. She was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2024.
Someone at MacEwan who made a difference to you?
“We had many kind and brilliant teachers and staff at MacEwan. They were cheerleaders of our work long after we graduated – and still are! Kenneth Brown was a big influence in fostering the idea of creating our own work. It wasn’t a faraway dream. It was something we could do immediately, collectively and feasibly. Opportunities continued to open after we graduated because we left with the mindset that we didn’t need to wait for work to come to us. We could choose the work we wanted to be involved in.”
ELISE USUNIER
BACHELOR OF COMMERCE ’13
Elise Usunier is a leader specializing in the commercialization of advanced technologies and fostering innovation ecosystems. As chief commercial officer at Zero Point Cryogenics, she leads strategic initiatives to bring cutting-edge cryogenic cooling solutions to market, supporting global researchers and organizations in advancing the capabilities of quantum computing and data centre infrastructure. As a member of the board of directors for Quantum Industry Canada, Usunier is committed to strengthening Canada’s position as a global leader in quantum technologies.
With a strong background in scaling emerging technologies, Usunier has managed enterprise growth strategies, developed actionable frameworks for innovation ecosystems and facilitated collaboration between academia, industry and government.
Your advice for current MacEwan students?
“Participate in extra-curricular activities. Do case studies. Volunteer. Spend time with your classmates, whether studying late in the library or enjoying each other’s company at Towers. It’s within these groups that MacEwan offers connections to people who will push you to work harder and open doors for you once you do. Also, switch industries or even careers, challenge yourself, go for it! The skills you learn at MacEwan are relevant and transferable across a multitude of industries.”
DR. JJ WRIGHT
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SOCIOLOGY
Dr. JJ Wright’s research examines normative sexual cultures and countercultures through art and education as sites of transformation and cultural change. As a community-based researcher, she works with regional, provincial, national and international organizations to develop anti-oppressive, trauma-informed gender-based violence prevention and sexuality education, and to examine other issues impacting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, while intentionally centring queer and trans joy. She is the director of the Queer Joy Research Lab.
As a community-based scholar, Dr. Wright is driven by a deep belief that research and education can be tools for meaningful social change.
Your proudest moment or achievement so far?
“Organizing and leading the international Mobilizing Queer Joy & Challenging Anti-2SGBTQ+ Hate conference at MacEwan in October 2025. Using the $50,000 grant I was awarded from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, I brought together scholars, community organizations, policymakers, artists and Albertan K-12 educators and high school students to develop strategies to address steeply rising anti-2SLGBTQ+ hate and violence. I am proud to have created a space where so many voices have connected across disciplines, sectors and generations, reaffirming the power of collective learning and the role education can play in social transformation.”
KEVIN CHAVEZ LAXAMANA
INSTRUCTOR, SCHOOL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
An anthropologist, educator, community builder and public scholar, Kevin Chavez Laxamana’s work lives at the intersection of learning, belonging and care. Beyond the classroom, he leads his own consulting practice supporting students and emerging professionals, and founded Bale Maragul (Big House), a community-driven initiative inspired by Filipino bayanihan (communal unity) that celebrates culture, connection and collective care in Edmonton.
Chavez Laxamana is excited to keep building bridges between education and community, and deepening his work with students at MacEwan while growing his own community projects as platforms for cultural connection, storytelling and collective care.
Your proudest moment or greatest achievement so far?
“Every time I walk into a MacEwan classroom, I think of my younger self – a student finding his footing in a new city and a new life (my family moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2010). Standing at the front of the same rooms years later as an educator is one of my proudest full-circle moments.
But what makes me most proud are my students. Seeing them discover their strengths, grow in confidence, and realize that their stories and perspectives have power. That’s the heart of why I do this work.”
CAROLYN JERVIS
DIRECTOR/CURATOR, MITCHELL ART GALLERY
Carolyn Jervis has been director/curator of the Mitchell Art Gallery (MAG) since it opened in 2017. During that time, the gallery has become a locus for community connection, meaningful first cultural work experiences for students and hosting the work of incredible local, national and international artists.
The MAG is also steward of the MacEwan Art Collection, and Jervis is excited about continuing to grow the collection in this ethos of art as a powerful force for connection and belonging.
What should people know about operating a gallery at MacEwan?
“The MAG is not just a place to visit and view artwork. It’s a community nurturer through visual art. The MAG is so much more than exhibitions – we run many programs designed to support people to connect, regardless of pre-existing art knowledge or artistic skills themselves. I also want people to know how much mentorship is at the core of what we do. Our doors are open each day thanks to our volunteer program, and so many of the public events we have are thanks to our interns and practicum students. We have worked with students in our programs and through gallery visits and class workshops in every faculty on campus.”
To read full profiles and meet the rest of Edify’s 2025 Top 40 Under 40, click here.