¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ

October 31, 2022

A powerful voice for Fredericton’s business community. An award-winning artist, filmmaker, and game developer whose content is deeply steeped in her culture. A geotechnical technologist with a penchant for giving back. A leader in New Brunswick’s Filipino community and an advocate for all newcomers.

These are the descriptions of four outstanding Alumni to be recognized by ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ in a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 3 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton. Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO Krista Ross, Wolastoqayik artist Tara Audibert, community fundraiser Joshua Paul, and immigrant rights activist Roland Moreno are the recipients of the 2022 ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ Alumni Recognition Awards. Moreno will receive the prestigious Friend of New Brunswick award, which recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the culture, reputation, and/or economic prosperity of New Brunswick.

“At ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ, we love to see our alumni succeed in their chosen professions, and even more than that, we love seeing them emerge as community leaders,” said Mary Butler, President and CEO of ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ. “These four deserving Alumni are living ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ’s mission of transforming lives and communities.” 

This year marks the return to an in-person event after virtual celebrations in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Ross Horgan, Matthew Stockford, Lars-Erik Forsberg, and Joe Foote were recognized, and in 2021, Tara McNeill, Mathieu Savoie, Donna Green, and Johanne McInnis were honoured. All of the 2020 and 2021 recipients will be acknowledged at this year’s event.

Nominations for ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ’s Alumni Recognition Awards are open year-round and can be submitted online.

For biographical information on award recipients, please see the following backgrounder.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tanya Greer, Strategic Communications Coordinator, ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ, 506-440-9105, tanya.greer@nbcc.ca

BACKGROUNDER:

Krista Ross, Business Technology: Marketing, Class of 1987 

Krista Ross has enjoyed a celebrated career since graduating from the Business Technology: Marketing program in 1989. For more than 30 years she has gained results-driven experience as a private business owner and in her current role as the CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. 

Recognized as a leader amongst her peers in Atlantic Canada and beyond, Krista is a relationship-builder, an advocate, and an ally to businesses. With professionalism, leadership, and a solid foundation in business, she has been a strong voice on not just local issues, but also national concerns including cybersecurity, pharmacare, and small business taxes. 

In 2017, Krista was named CEO of the Year by her peers at the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada. That same year, she led a team in hosting the Canadian Chamber of Commerce annual convention, shining a spotlight on Fredericton. In 2020, she was recognized as one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine. 

Her professionalism and leadership have made her a mentor to her peers. Chamber leaders across the country often reach out to Krista for advice and guidance, and the businesses that make up the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce consistently look to Krista for leadership during times of uncertainty. Over the last two and a half years, she led the business community through the strife of the COVID-19 pandemic, elevating her leadership and impact.  

Krista is also an active volunteer in the community, giving her time and energy to ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ Alumni Association, the University of New Brunswick, and the Study & Stay program for international students. She sits on the board of the Fredericton Community Foundation, and she is a member of the Parent School Committee at Leo Hayes High School and a mentor in Leadership Management. 

 Tara Audibert, Class of 1999, Animation and Graphic Design 

A Wolastoqayik artist, filmmaker, and game developer, Tara Audibert successfully mixes the traditional art and stories of her ancestors with contemporary design and media. Indigenous culture and the Wolasoqayik experience is at the heart of her work, which has earned her several awards.  

After graduating with honours from the Animation and Graphic Design program at ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ Miramichi Campus in 1999, Tara went on to work at several animation studios before returning to the Miramichi to teach the program. She now has her own studio Moxy Fox, and she has hired many of her former students to work on her projects. 

Tara’s Short Animated film “I am the Warrior” has been screened at over 50+ film festivals internationally. It has won Best Animated short for Silver Wave Film Fest 2021, Cannes International Cinema Festival 2022, Toronto Indie Shorts 2022, SPLICE Film Festival 2022, Toronto International Women Film Festival 2022, Independent Shorts Awards 2022, Canada Shorts: Canadian & International Short Film Festival 2022.  

Tara is also a published author, writing and illustrating Matthew Loses His Laugh (2009), No Such Thing as Grown Ups (2014), and Fiddleheads for Fox (2019). Her illustrations have been featured in several Indigenous comics and children’s books, and she is the creator of the animated television program Lil Glooscap and the Legends of Turtle Island, which airs on APTN.  

In her spare time, Tara is a strong advocate for those experiencing anxiety and has established a Miramichi-based organization, Improv for Anxiety, to help those suffering from anxiety develop new ways to manage their condition. 

Tara is an inspiration in both her field and her community, proving that with hard work and talent, anyone can achieve their dreams. Her pride in her heritage and her commitment to her craft is evident in everything she creates.

Joshua Paul, Civil Engineering Technology, Class of 2014 

Joshua Paul’s sense of community is as big as his heart – and that’s saying something! The geotechnical technologist for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has made giving back to the community his life’s mission. 

Just months before graduating from ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ’s Civil Engineering Technology program in 2014, Joshua tragically lost his brother in a workplace accident. He channeled his grief into a practice of community leadership that ensures his brother’s legacy will live on. 

Joshua established the Jordan Gahan Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to two deserving ¾Ã¾ÃÊÓƵ students, in his brother’s name, but he didn’t stop there. He’s a tireless fundraiser who has collected thousands of dollars to local school food programs and families in need, including Nashwaaksis Elementary School, Nashwaaksis Middle School, Chief Harold Sappier Elementary School, and a local homeless shelter. Greener Village, Kiwanis International, and Meals on Wheels also benefit from Joshua’s volunteerism.  

Conservative estimates place his fundraising impact in the Fredericton region at approximately $100,000. He led the United Way campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic and earned a City of Fredericton Unsung Hero Award, recognizing individuals who go above and beyond to help build and shape their community, in 2021. He’s also an active booster of the Fredericton Red Wings Junior A hockey team and a positive role model for his home community of St. Mary’s First Nation. 

“I started volunteering because it makes your heart feel good to know that you’re making a difference in society by offering a few hours of my time,” he said.  

 Roland Moreno, Information Technology – Network Service Technician, Class of 1997 

Friend of New Brunswick Award Recipient

When Roland Moreno first arrived in Fredericton, he quickly discovered that he was one of only a handful of Filipino people in the community. That led him to start coordinating social events to connect with them and share their culture and heritage. From there, his passion for assisting newcomers to Fredericton was born. 

In the years since, Roland has become a leader in the Filipino community of New Brunswick, a strong advocate for immigrant rights, a tireless fundraiser for local and global causes, and a true Friend of New Brunswick.  

Roland’s work with newcomers in the community includes volunteering with the Canada Revenue Agency’s community income tax program, FCNB Multicultural Sportsfest, the Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee, the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, the Fredericton Intercultural Centre Inc, the Asian Heritage Society of New Brunswick, the Filipino-Canadian CommUNITY of New Brunswick (FCNB), and the Fredericton Ambassador program. He and his family have been active in organizing special events to celebrate the cultural diversity of the community. 

His fundraising efforts have collected more than $10,000 in relief funds for the survivors of two typhoons that struck the Philippines. He also raised funds for survivors of natural disasters in Japan, Indonesia, and Bhutan. His philanthropy also extends to his adopted community, with fundraising activities for the Fredericton Food Bank, Community Kitchen, and Samaria House. 

Roland’s advocacy work has included successfully lobbying government for amendments to the Employment Standards Act to protect the rights of temporary foreign workers. He and his wife, Gina, travelled across New Brunswick, conducting free information sessions on federal and provincial policies impacting migrant workers and offers free services to help them gain permanent residency through the federal live-in caregiver program and the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee program.