Alumni of Influence

Internationally renowned anthropologist Richard Lee is an expert on hunter-gatherer societies. Early in his career, he worked at Harvard University, leading field expeditions to study and live among the !Kung San bushmen of the Kalahari. Lee joined the Department of Anthropology at U of T in 1972 and was promoted to the elite rank of University Professor in 1999. He is the author of more than 100 papers, and his authoritative book on the !Kung San people was named one of the most important works of the 20th century by American Scientist.

Lawyer Michael Levine has helped shape the entertainment landscape in Canada. An expert in the legal aspects of show business, he specializes in the financing and distribution of theatre, film, television, books and multimedia. Levine has lent his expertise to organizations such as the Canadian Film Centre, TV Ontario, Roy Thompson Hall and the Royal Ontario Museum. Currently, he is the scholar-in-residence at Ryerson University’s Faculty of Communication and Design.

Stephen Lewis is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Ryerson University. He is the board chair of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. He served as the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, as deputy executive director of UNICEF and as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations. Lewis was leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (1970-1978), during which time he became leader of the Official Opposition. He holds 34 honorary degrees from Canadian universities and he is married to journalist Michele Landsberg (BA 1962 UC).

Television writer and producer Tim Long has made millions of people laugh. A former writer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and head writer for The Late Show with David Letterman, Long is best known as a writer and producer for the hit animated series The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted show in television history. He is the winner of five Emmy Awards and the Annie Award for outstanding achievement in writing for an animated television production.

MacKenzie King was the 10th prime minister of Canada. He was in office for a total of 22 years, making him the nation’s longest-serving prime minister. The only prime minister to hold a PhD, he presided over sweeping changes to domestic policy and was named the greatest Canadian prime minister by a survey of national historians.

Award-winning journalist and author Heather Mallick is not one to mince words. Opinion pieces and lifestyle articles in her trademark, no-holds-barred style have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, the Toronto Sun and the Guardian, among other publications. The author of two novels, she currently teaches courses on politics and writing at U of T’s School of Continuing Studies and lectures on human rights and Canadian nationalism.

Distinguished scholar and academic leader Susan Mann is an expert in modern Canadian history. Notably, she has taught the history of English Canada in French and the history of French Canada in English. Known for her groundbreaking research into women’s issues, she is the founder of the women’s studies program at the University of Ottawa and a founding member of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. The former president of York University, Mann also served as director of TV Ontario.

Sociologist and academic leader Lorna Marsden’s influence has been felt in the classroom, the boardroom and the Red Chamber. She was appointed to the Senate by Pierre Trudeau, resigning to become vice-president of Wilfrid Laurier University and, later, president of York University. Marsden has sat on the boards of major corporations including Manulife Financial and SNC-Lavalin. She holds six honorary doctorates and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women. She also received the YWCA Women of Distinction Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal.

Diplomat Charles Vincent Massey was the first Canadian-born individual to be appointed Governor General. During his tenure, he sought to unite Canadians in their diversity and promoted bilingualism 20 years before it became official policy. A supporter of the arts, Massey was instrumental in the creation of the National Centre for the Arts and the Governor General’s Medal in Architecture. In retirement, he dedicated his time to stewardship of the Massey Foundation and its endowment to U of T in particular, creating Massey College and the Massey Lectures.

Financial analyst and former politician Barbara McDougall has been profoundly influential in Canadian public life. A former federal minister of state, finance, employment and immigration, she has also held leadership positions with Scotiabank, Sun Media and Stelco, among many others. A financial commentator and columnist, McDougall is currently an advisor at Toronto law firm Aird & Berlis LLP where she counsels clients on matters of international business development, corporate governance and government relations.

Lawyer Arthur Meighen was the ninth prime minister of Canada. He was first elected to Parliament as a conservative member in 1908, serving in various cabinet portfolios including solicitor-general. Renowned for his sharp wit and logic, Meighen is widely acknowledged as the finest debater and orator ever to speak in the House of Commons. He was appointed to the Senate in 1932.

Poet and novelist Anne Michaels is one of Canada’s most celebrated writers. The UC English graduate’s first novel, Fugitive Pieces, was published to international acclaim, winning the Trillium Prize, the Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Guardian Fiction Prize and America's Lannan Literary Award for Fiction. Similarly, Michaels' first collection of poetry won the Commonwealth Prize for the Americas. She is also a composer of musical scores for theatre.