Bouchier is a mom of five and a proud member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation.
Nicole Bourque-Bouchier
Making every woman’s world a better place.
As co-owner and CEO of Bouchier, a civil contracting, facility services and logistics company, Nicole Bourque-Bouchier hasn’t just witnessed Fort McMurray’s growth, she’s helped shape it. A proud member of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, Bourque-Bouchier and her husband, David Bouchier, founded the company in 2004 and grew it into a $200-million-a-year business. “There is a vibrant energy and a real sense of growth and opportunity here,” she says. “When I think of Alberta, I think opportunity.” She has brought her core values of honesty, trust and integrity into the workplace while leading with empathy. The result is a strong culture of safety within a team that is 38 percent Indigenous — a commitment that has been central from the beginning. Operating from Fort McKay First Nation, Bouchier’s team represents 99 Indigenous communities across Canada and provides a platform for employees to build skills and bring them back home. “The vision and mission of the organization have always centred on people,” says Bourque-Bouchier. “As an Indigenous business, we wanted to work with, encourage and inspire Indigenous people to see the best in themselves and to excel in whatever they choose.”
Alanna Pettigrew
Feeding more than mouths.
Working in hotels and grocery stores, Alanna Pettigrew witnessed immense amounts of food waste and knew she had to do something. Her idea began in the basement of her mother’s home, where she lived while caring for her disabled sister. “I created Banff Food Rescue as a way to save food from the landfill, but ultimately to save myself from being isolated while taking care of my sister.” A full-time passion project, Pettigrew and dozens of volunteers collect perfectly edible leftover food from grocery stores, restaurants, and bakeries, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables, and redistribute it to residents from her storefront on Banff Avenue. “It’s first and foremost about saving food from the landfill. If it helps you, that’s great. The people who are part of food rescue are people who eat. As far as I know, everyone eats.” Organizations including the Banff Public Library and St. George in the Pines Anglican Church’s Food and Friends program are partners, often picking up dinner rolls, cakes, and bagels for their events. “People should be aware that there is a need [for food] in the community — and that there is a lot of waste. We need to look ahead and think of ways to help each other and do better.”
In Banff, Alanna Pettigrew’s goal is to keep perfectly good food out of the landfill.
Taking a seat at the table to make the system safe for everyone.
Dr. Kannin Osei-Tutu
Bold, Black leadership.
“My kids are the single reason why I do the work that I do — and why I’m interested in systems change and improving outcomes for all people.” By working to make the world better for his children, Kannin Osei-Tutu is also helping improve it for everyone else. Osei-Tutu is a hospitalist physician, educator and senior associate dean of health equity and systems transformation at the University of Calgary. “The work of health equity is to identify where inequities exist and then design interventions to close those gaps — making the system safe for all of us who use it and improving the health of the population overall.”
Osei-Tutu contributed to national changes to CanMEDS, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’s framework, embedding anti-racist and equity principles into the competencies for medical practice. Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, he co-founded the Black Physicians of Alberta to provide mentorship, advocacy, and support to Black medical students and trainees. “I know the impact is happening. The fact that we can point to new standards and frameworks gives the entire profession an opportunity to engage in the work collectively. I think it’s going to be better for my kids.”
Longview rancher John Scott has helped bring Alberta to the silver screen for over half a century.
John Scott
Where silver-screen dreams come alive.
Come to one of the most scenic intersections of art and life, right in the heart of Alberta. When you step onto John Scott’s Longview ranch, you’re not just crossing rolling hills and the Highwood River — you’re entering the heart of cinematic history. For more than 50 years, Scott has bridged two worlds: as a third-generation rancher and as an expert in Western landscapes, animal wrangling and stunt work for film and television. His ranch has hosted many productions, and Scott himself has been involved in films such as Unforgiven, Legends of the Fall and The Revenant, helping to transform Alberta’s remarkable scenery into silver screen settings. Scott’s journey began in rodeo, leading to a chance meeting that launched his career as a stunt double for Gene Hackman. Today, he operates three sets with more than 100 horses, supporting film and television productions. “The animals teach you patience,” he says. “I’ve been very fortunate with some great horses.” Scott, recipient of the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2025, credits the land, the animals and hardworking crews for the province’s reputation as a film destination. “They always want to come back, whether it’s for the Calgary Stampede, the mountains or the people.”
Calgary-based medical student Arjit Lodha strives to contribute to the community.
Arijit Lodha
If you build community, they will come.
Since Arijit Lodha came to Calgary, he’s been trying to do right by his grandfather’s words. “It’s important to make a positive impact on those around you. You can get the greatest feeling — you can be part of a community.” Lodha is a founding member of the Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA) Calgary and a driver behind their youth programming. Through the Rajasthan Youth Diversity Run, Lodha has helped raise $100,000 for the Alberta Children’s Hospital to support mental and brain health. More than 115 young people have been supported through RANA’s programming as they navigate a new country and balance their identity as Canadian and Rajasthani. Being in Calgary helps. “It’s a community where everyone has an opportunity to succeed. What’s really helped us develop is that it’s a close-knit community.” Lodha is in his last year of medical school at the University of Alberta, hoping to build an inclusive and supportive medical practice when he has finished his education. “I’ve had this opportunity. I’ve seen how it can impact people and give them a sense of belonging. I am hoping to use my personal experiences in my own practice.”
Mark Tewksbury
Always going for gold.
When Mark Tewskbury stepped away from the height of his swimming career, people told him he was making a mistake. He knew he was taking the road less travelled — one where he listened to himself above all else. “They were wrong. I trusted myself to do what was right for me and that I would figure out a way to make it work. That has been good advice that I’ve taken my whole life.” A born and raised Calgarian, Tewksbury has been a public speaker for four decades, offering insights into his experiences as an elite athlete, gay rights advocate and leader. Now, he’s added chef to his resume after recently finishing SAIT’s Culinary Arts program and launching a new venture called Inspirate, focused on community, food and inspiration. “It’s creating the most unique experience imaginable that only I could give. Who else combines an Olympic gold medal, fighting the IOC, coming out as gay, and becoming a Red Seal cook?” Despite the challenges, Tewksbury is grateful. “[They] gave me great empathy, and I have carried that forward in my life proudly. No matter what the situation is in life, there is often a surprising benefit that comes from it.”
Mark Tewksbury at home in Calgary.
Founder of the World Indigenous Nations Games, Littlechild credits sports for changing his life.
Willie Littlechild
History shapes the future.
Later given the Cree names Mahihgan Pimoteyw (Walking Wolf) and Usow-Kihew (Golden Eagle), J. Wilton Littlechild was, for 13 years at residential school, stripped of his identity and known simply as “Number 65.” During that time, he was asked whether he wanted to become a doctor, lawyer, or “Indian chief.” He replied simply, “yes.” “At the time, I thought it was a joke, but you plant a seed in terms of what you want to be. I am blessed to be all three.” An exceptional athlete, he played for the University of Alberta Golden Bears’ hockey and diving teams while studying law, going on to win multiple world championships. “I learned through hard work and practice to choose life. Sports saved my life.” Chief Littlechild, who was born in Maskwacis, has long advocated for the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples. Over a 39-year period, he helped draft the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and later the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Also the first Treaty Indian Member of Parliament, Littlechild was recognized for his lifetime of work with an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2007. As a commissioner with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, he heard more than 7,000 testimonies from residential school survivors before helping to shape its final 94 Calls to Action. “The key is we have to work together. In a global effort, a national effort... it’s the same message. We have to work together.”
Caitlin Quinn
Brewing up a place in the sun.
Caitlin Quinn came to Calgary as many do — with a one-year plan to see how she liked it. “Coming from Scotland, where it rains 300 days of the year, I’ll never get over the blue skies here,” she says. A decade passed quickly, and she still calls Calgary home. Before coming to Canada, Quinn had intended to become a forensic scientist, but the idea of working in a lab every day ultimately didn’t appeal. Instead, she enrolled in the Master’s program in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University, outside Edinburgh. “I thought, what better way to use my chemistry degree — I actually get to drink what I make at the end of it.” In Alberta, she became employee No. 6 at Eau Claire Distillery in Diamond Valley, helping build its fledgling whisky program as master distiller and director of innovation. She now works at Alberta Distillers, supervising production of some of Canada’s most iconic rye whiskies and vodkas. Just as the whisky-making conditions in Alberta are unlike anywhere else in the world — the dry climate and fluctuating temperatures shape how whisky develops in the barrel, creating conditions that are unlike most other regions — so is Calgary’s commitment to fun and merriment. “I’m in such a social industry. A good portion of the people I’ve met and connected with has been through the whiskey industry, the spirits industry or craft brewing. Here in Calgary, there’s so many events that happen... there’s festivals and art shows and different restaurants doing special events and tasting menus and stuff like that. Also, living somewhere with 300 days of sunshine definitely helps.”
Swayed by the sunshine, Scotland-native Caitlin Quinn calls Calgary home.
At The Grange District Park in Edmonton, Paulina Alexis stands for what makes Alberta the best.
Paulina Alexis
Landing the right role.
Born in the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, Paulina Alexis has forged a path in film and television shaped by her history. Growing up playing hockey with her three older brothers, she credits her family with nurturing her love of performance. “If it wasn’t for them, I probably would never have made it to acting,” she says. “They really helped me build my confidence and feel comfortable in front of a camera.” Her journey was also inspired by her father’s production work, particularly his recordings of powwows and drum groups. But with limited Indigenous representation in film and television, it was difficult for her to envision a career. “I always wanted to be an actor since I was a kid, but I didn’t think I’d be able to make it.”
But make it she did, starting with her first professional job at the age of 18 in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, filmed in Alberta. Quick to follow were roles in the television series Reservation Dogs and award-winning film Beans, projects that reflect her heritage and humour. Her latest project, Smudge the Blades, gave her the opportunity to combine her hockey skills with acting — at times spending 12-hour days filming on skates. Now a new mother, Alexis remains deeply connected to her home province. “I love being from Alberta. What you see here, you don’t see in L.A. I am so proud to be from here.”
