The Mentorship Podcast

Dr. Sarika Cullis-Suzuki is a marine biologist by trade, science communicator, and co-host of The Nature of Things . Sarika holds a bachelor’s degree in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s in Zoology from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of York in the UK. In 2022, Sarika took on the role of co-host for The...

Maria Papadakis is a sport media alum from Toronto Metropolitan University. Maria is currently a digital audio producer and talent at KiSS 92.5 with the iconic Roz and Mocha Show, as well as a host for Toronto FC. In this conversation, Maria shares her inspiring journey of pursuing her dream career in media, including internships, a remarkable seven-year career with Toronto FC, and her success in...

Adam Liberti is an investor advisor at TD Wealth Private Investment Advice. Adam holds a Bachelor of Human Resources Management from York University and a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. In this conversation, we talk about Adam’s academic and career path, specifically how Adam has evolved and advanced through various roles at TD.  If you liked this episode, we recommen...

Sarah Lauren is a fashion grad and content creator. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Communication from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Masters in Fashion Management from Parsons School of Design in New York. In this conversation, we talk about the ins and outs of these programs, internships, job opportunities, and their challenges. We also discuss how Sarah developed a passi...

Dr. Neety Kochar is a Toronto-based optometrist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences with a minor in biochemistry from McMaster University, as well as a Doctor of Optometry from Illinois College of Optometry. In this conversation, we discuss the path to becoming an optometrist, including internships, rotations, and so much more. Dr. Kochar also describes how she expands her horizons out...

Jason Glionna has an educational background in architecture and is currently a Design Coordinator for Toronto’s Business Improvement Areas (BIA). He holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural science from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master of Architecture from Newcastle University. In this conversation, we discuss the challenges of architecture programs, including how to navigate their r...

Stephanie Curcio is the CEO and co-founder of NLPatent. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Toronto and a law degree from Western University. After building a career as an intellectual property lawyer, Stephanie ventured into the entrepreneurial world, co-founding NLPatent, an AI-driven patent search and analytics platform. In this conversation, we dive deep into S...

Dr. Marc Adler is a professor of chemistry at Toronto Metropolitan University. Dr. Adler earned his Bachelor of Science in chemistry from UC Berkeley, followed by a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Duke University, and completed postdoctoral work at both Yale and Oxford. He has held faculty positions in both the US and Canada, with his latest role at TMU. In this conversation, Dr. Adler discusses how...

In the season finale episode, we are joined by Daniel Reale, a freelance journalist. Daniel received a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing and Anthropology from the University of Toronto. Since graduating, Daniel has worked as an associate editor within trade publications, followed by a journalism fellowship at The Globe and Mail. In this conversation, Daniel discusses the field of journalism...

Laura Giudice completed a Trade Certificate in Plumbing Technology at Humber College before entering the trade. She is currently in her fourth year of her plumbing apprenticeship and works in the commercial service sector. In this conversation, Laura talks about how she entered the trades, as well as her challenges and experience as a woman in the trades. She also breaks down the route to becoming...

Michal Malyska is a machine learning scientist and engineer. Michal received a Bachelor of Science in math and statistics from the University of Toronto. He then completed a Master of Science in statistics at UofT. During this time, he joined a startup called Semantic Health as its first employee, where he worked as a machine learning scientist. In this conversation, Michal talks about his experie...

Shiwangi Singh is a search and social specialist at Havas Media Group. Shiwangi completed her bachelor’s degree in banking and insurance in India. After working in finance, she made a career transition and explored marketing. Shiwangi moved to Canada and studied marketing management at Humber College, followed by social media marketing at Seneca College. In this conversation, Shiwangi tells us abo...

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a physician and scientist-astronaut candidate. Dr. Pandya received a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of Alberta. Then, she received a Master of Science in space studies from the International Space University before returning to the University of Alberta to complete her medical degree. In this conversation, Dr. Pandya tells us all about how she merged h...

In our season four premiere, we are joined by Sarah Jenkins a sport media producer, content creator, and host and producer of Talking Fast. Sarah received a Bachelor of Arts in sport media from Toronto Metropolitan University. She is currently working as a producer of strategy and special projects at CBC Sports for the Olympic Games. In this conversation, we breakdown the field of sport media and...

In our first bonus episode, we dive into the pre-law journey, featuring Yosser Kareem, the head chair of the Pre-Law Association at York University (PLAY). In this conversation, we talk about the steps leading to law school, including choosing an undergrad, mock trial competitions, LSATs, law school applications, networking, and more!   Connect with PLAY on Instagram   If you liked this episode, w...

In our season three finale episode, we are joined by Sahar Kausar, a technical director at Disney Television Animation. Sahar attended the University of Florida and received a dual Bachelor of Science in computer science engineering and digital arts, as well as two art minors in studio arts and fine arts. She then completed a master’s in entertainment technology at Carnegie Mellon University. Afte...

This week, we are joined by our first lawyer, Narin Sdieq. Narin attended York University and received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in political science and a minor in women’s studies. She attended law school at Queen’s University and completed her articling position at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Now, she is working as a lawyer in the Department of Justice in Ottawa.    In this conv...

Dr. Humza Nusrat is a medical physicist, researcher, and professor. Dr. Nusrat attended Ontario Tech University, formerly known as UOIT, and received a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences. He then attained his PhD in biomedical physics at Toronto Metropolitan University, formerly known as Ryerson. Following his PhD, Dr. Nusrat completed his medical physics residency. Now, he is working as a...

Maggie Ma, also known as Maggie in Data, is a geospatial data scientist. Maggie attended the University of Toronto as an international student and received a bachelor’s degree with a double major in statistics and human geography, as well as a minor in geographic information systems. Now, Maggie works as a data scientist on the AI research team for a startup called Quincus and she is pursuing a ce...

Seann Seto is a pharmacist and medical science liaison. Seann attended Western University for medical science but left after his third year when he was accepted into pharmacy school. Seann received his PharmD from the University of Toronto and then completed his hospital pharmacy residency at University Health Network. After his residency, Seann worked first as a clinical pharmacist on the oncolog...

Dr. Imogen Coe is a biology professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and the founding dean of the Faculty of Science at TMU. Dr. Coe received a Bachelor of Science with a major in biology from the University of Exeter in England. She then went on to receive her master’s and PhD in biology from the University of Victoria in Vancouver, Canada. Following her PhD, Dr. Coe completed two post-doctor...

We are back with a new name and a whole new season! Formerly MENT TO BE, The Mentorship Podcast highlights diverse careers to mentor our audience on various fields. Our host, Julia Pia, interviews industry professionals on their academic and career path. Season 3 premieres October 3rd. Join us every Tuesday as we sit down with a new guest to learn about their industry and career.   Produced by Men...

On the season two finale of MENT TO BE, we are joined by Dr. Nik Sharma, a pediatric dentist. Nik received his Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) from McGill University in Montreal. He completed his general residency at the Montreal Children's Hospital, then specialized in pediatric dentistry by completing the pediatric residency program at the University of Rochester in New York. Following his...

Avesta Rastan is a medical illustrator currently working as an associate art director for Real Chemistry. Avesta completed a Bachelor of Science with a major in life sciences and a minor in world languages from Queen’s University, followed by a Master of Science in biomedical communications from the University of Toronto. Since graduating, Avesta has been exploring her field by working freelance a...

Alessandro Profenna is a gameplay programmer, currently working at Digital Extremes. Alessandro achieved a Bachelor of Science with a major in computer science and a minor in mathematics from Toronto Metropolitan University (previously Ryerson University). He then received a game development, advanced programming graduate certificate from Sheridan College. During his education, Alessandro complete...