Read about great UBC KIN students before you and where they are today as alumni
Russell, David (1937-2021)
Graduating year: 1970, 1971
Degree: BPE, MPE
In 1981 he became Dean of the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago, NZ until July 1991. Following his period as Dean of the School, David established the Life in New Zealand Activity and Health Research (LINZ) Unit and served as the Director until his retirement in 2001.
Watson, Mercedes
Graduating year: 2012
Degree: MKin
As the Director of Coach & Partner Development, at the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO), she and her team provide coach development, funding opportunities, and events for Ontario’s approximately 250,000 coaches. She also works with various sport organizations to support their coach development needs, such as Right to Play, the Greater Toronto Hockey League, and Hockey Canada.
Dodhia, Sanaah
Graduating year: 2015
Degree: BKin
Sanaah was an active leader in various UBC establishments, including UBC REC, Active Kids, the Kin Advising Office, Ritsumeikan-UBC House and Fraser Hall. She was also one of Make Your Mark UBC’s key leaders and lobbied for the School’s future home, the UBC Gateway Building.
Dexter, Ross
Graduating year: 2010
Degree: MKin
Ross worked to become a strength and conditioning coach and massage therapist, but he ultimately combined both experiences and became an Athletic Trainer/Therapist. Currently, Ross is finishing a book, “Start with the Core,” about how core stability enhances sports performance and reduces injury risk. He is also reforming his department to accommodate athletic training clinical education.
Clements, Andrew
Graduating year: 2004
Degree: MA
Andrew values inclusivity in his personal philosophy, but these issues certainly stand out in his daily life in a global pandemic. As a professional working with the public, Andrew is genuinely concerned about the inequities he is observing in society. He reflects that, “health policy and services are only being offered to a selective portion of our society” and in the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has further amplified “innate division in our culture” and society over health.
Kloos, Kate
Graduating year: 2010
Degree: MHK
Despite her challenges, her post-secondary studies motivated her to improve sports experiences for individuals and communities in her future career. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of New Brunswick, with a focus on coaching education, and went on to complete a Diploma in University Teaching in 2021. Currently, Kate is interested in researching politics in coaching and sport leadership. She hopes to carry on with her research and professional development in teaching university students, and to continue learning about leadership, project and change management, in education.
Dragomir, Gerry
Graduating year: 2021
Degree: MHPCTL
As the head coach of Racewalk West, Gerry Dragomir coaches four international-level racewalk athletes. One of those athletes is Evan Dunfee, who won bronze for the men’s 50km walk at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. After graduating from the HPCTL program, Gerry hopes to “complete a doctoral program in the near future” and eventually conduct a documentary on his “40+ yearlong [career] as a sports coach.”
Smith, Mark
Graduating year: 2020
Degree: HPCTL
Upon graduating from the HPCTL program, Mark led the Canadian Women’s National Softball Team to a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and has since retired as an international coach. “I felt this was the right time for me to move on and try something different.”
Jalalpoor, Philip
Graduating year: 2018
Degree: BKin
Philip played on the varsity basketball team for 3 years during his time at UBC, and after seasons in Spain, Austria, and Germany, he was able to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Jalalpoor, Mackenzie
Graduating year: 2018
Degree: BKin
Mackenzie played on the varsity softball team for 4 years during her time at UBC, and now has her own company called ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ where her mission is to spread light to others by sharing perspective.