2012

Nina Arsenault is Canada’s most celebrated transsexual. As a multidisciplinary artist, she has honestly and unapologetically documented her physical transformation through live performance, photography, film and print.

She has been at the centre of numerous artistic pieces, including The Silicone Diaries, which revealed her sex work, endless surgeries and redefinition of what a woman can be, and I Was Barbie, her true story about playing the famous doll at a Toronto gala celebrating Barbie’s 50^th birthday.

A frequent speaker on gender, sexuality, the fine arts and the rights and dignity of transgender people, Arsenault has been tearing down the walls of our culturally constructed notions of sex and gender through her vulnerable, complex and deeply personal accounts of her own life.

In 2007, she received the Unstoppable Award from Pride Toronto for her transformative contribution to Canadian’s understanding of sex and gender.

Marc Wilchesky is one of Canada’s foremost experts on supporting students who have learning, mental health and physical disabilities. Since joining York in 1985, he has played a pivotal role in the success of thousands of students. His commitment, skills and creativity have helped establish York as the destination of choice for students with disabilities.

Currently the executive director of the Counselling & Disability Services at York, Wilchesky created Ontario’s first university transition program for students with disabilities. He is collaborating with the Ontario Council of Universities to develop an Education Accessibility Resource Kit for all postsecondary faculty.

John Hunkin has played a significant role in shaping today’s York. He is a longtime member of the York University Board of Governors, the Schulich School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council and the York University Foundation Board. He is one of only a few people ever to serve in all three of these capacities.

Hunkin’s exceptional leadership and vision have won him universal respect. With his wife, Susan Crocker, he has contributed generously to student aid, the Faculty of Fine Arts and Schulich School of Business, demonstrating his determination to advance student excellence at York.

In addition to his long-standing commitment to the University, Hunkin’s remarkable involvement with several other organizations have included the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation and the Centre for Addition and Mental Health.

Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, Kathleen Taylor, president and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, embodies the qualities of a true global leader. Her impressive rise from corporate counsel to head of one of the best-known luxury hospitality companies in the world exemplifies the benefits of her York education.

The first CEO after Four Seasons’ founder, Taylor has restructured the executive leadership team and created the industry’s first executive-level position dedicated entirely to innovation and product development. She is also an active contributor to her community, volunteering for the Toronto United Way and Hospital for Sick Children Foundation.