Premier’s Awards

Premier’s Awards recognizes the tremendous contribution Ontario’s college graduates make to the success of the province and beyond. The awards were established in 1992 to mark the 25th anniversary of Ontario’s colleges.

Presented annually, awards are given in the following seven categories: Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate, and Technology.

Visit www.co-awards.org to learn more.

Conestoga's Premier's Awards recipients

2022 nominees

Apprenticeship nominee - Jennifer Green

Industrial Mechanic Millwright Apprenticeship '08

Jennifer Green is breaking gender barriers and bridging Canada’s skills gap. As the only woman in her Industrial Mechanic Millwright program, she has cleared the path for thousands of women in the skilled trades through advocacy, mentorship and by sharing her opinions and experiences at events and in articles, radio programs and podcasts. She launched Skills Ontario’s first virtual conference for women and reimagined Canada’s largest skills trades competition as a virtual contest with live video feeds from competitors’ kitchens, garages and backyards. Jennifer is one of WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women and a Universal Women’s Network Woman of Inspiration.

Jennifer Green
Jennifer Green

Business nominee - Nick Heibein

Bachelor of Applied Technology — Architecture, Project and Facility Management  '07

As a Global Operations Officer at JLL, Nick Heibein is transforming service delivery across the multi-billion-dollar real estate portfolio of a global financial institution client. He introduced construction project innovations that delivered solutions 35% faster and expanded JLL’s services to the client’s Asia-Pacific and Caribbean operations. Nick wrote and pitched the business case for the first consolidated tower courthouse in Canada, saving space and operating costs. He co-launched the first student chapter of the International Facility Management Association and served on its Toronto board for 11 years while uplifting graduates as a mentor and chair of the Young Professional Group.

Nick Heibein
Nick Heibein

Community Services nominee - Luke Antonio

Bachelor of Applied Technology — Architecture, Project and Facility Management, '12

Luke Antonio pursued a college degree with a goal of strengthening Indigenous communities, businesses and people in northern Ontario. A member of the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, he founded PLA LTD (Aboriginal Project Consulting and Construction Services) on the Indigenous values of partnership, trust, transparency and community engagement. With more than 20 successful projects, Luke has empowered Indigenous people by hiring locally and enriching First Nations communities socially and economically. He is a grassroots advocate of Indigenous procurement in Canada, reaching countless Indigenous, industry and government leaders with his messages of collaboration, transparency, and fair and inclusive procurement methods.

Luke Antonio
Luke Antonio

Creative Arts & Design nominee - Erin Martin

Graphic Design '09

Graphic designer Erin Martin has carved a unique niche at the intersection of creativity and technology. Erin cofounded Him & Her in 2012, recruited 35 designers and developers, and grew company sales to more than $3M a year. Erin’s collaborative-to-the-core approach helped one local business increase online sales by 1,400% and a $250M condo development sell out in a month. As a champion of both her community and Conestoga, Erin has founded and led multiple grassroots marketing initiatives aimed at growing their local economy and inspiring the next generation of creative professionals.

Erin Martin
Erin Martin

Health Sciences nominee - Rachel Radyk (Waabanokwe)

General Arts and Science — Health Option '16

Practical Nursing '18

Rachel Radyk is a registered nurse and member of the Chippewas of Georgina Island whose passion for Indigenous health is changing nursing practice, ensuring culturally-appropriate care, and giving voice to Indigenous nurses provincially and nationally. Rachel is creating best practice guidelines for Indigenous health on behalf of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. She created a safe place for hundreds of Indigenous people to receive their COVID vaccinations and launched the Indigenous Patient Navigator program at five hospitals. An in-demand speaker, Rachel has impacted thousands of students, health-care practitioners and Indigenous people with her messages of reconciliation, healing and resilience.

Rachel Radyk (Waabanokwe)
Rachel Radyk (Waabanokwe)

Recent Graduate nominee - Margaret Tavares

Computer Programmer Analyst '19

When Margaret Tavares co-founded Conestoga's Canadian Information Processing Society chapter in 2016, it triggered a lifelong passion for teaching and supporting those who are enthusiastic about technology. As the business development and operations manager at software consultancy Vehikl, she helped enrich the company’s hiring pipeline, tripling Vehikl’s team and securing more than $100K to recruit and advance the skills of 25 co-op students in two years. Margaret also created one of the region’s largest tech meet-up groups with 1,000 members, while hosting countless tech events, competitions and podcasts on campus and in the community.

Margaret Tavares
Margaret Tavares

Technology nominee - Yumna Nasir

Bachelor of Applied Technology — Architecture, Project and Facility Management '13

Yumna Nasir is using the power of technology to bridge the gaps between the design, construction and management of mega-capital projects. Her innovative approach to the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit Project saved the public $4M+ and she achieved 95%+ efficiency at less than 50% of budget as the operational and facilities lead of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Athletes’ Village. Now the National Director of Operations, Technology at Plan Group Inc., Yumna has built a design/engineering department from the ground up. She is a member of two college program advisory committees and a mentor to women in her field.

Yumna Nasir
Yumna Nasir