# List of University of Western Ontario people

This is a list of notable individuals associated with the University of Western Ontario, including graduates, former students, professors, and researchers.

## Alumni
### Academics and scholars

* M. Shahid Alam — economist
* U. Aswathanarayana — Honorary Director of the Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management, India
* George Ayittey — Ghanaian economist, author and president of the Free Africa Foundation in Washington DC, professor at American University
* Larry Bourne — Professor Emeritus of Urban Geography and Planning at University of Toronto
* Stephen Dempster — Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at Crandall University
* Robert C. Dynes — physicist, former President of the University of California
* Frances Egan — Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University
* Mary E. Hofstetter — arts administrator and educator
* Raffi Indjejikian — professor of accounting, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
* Charles Jago — academic, university administrator
* Gabriel Leung — physician and epidemiologist, current Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong
* J. Carson Mark — mathematician
* Mark Mullins — executive director, Fraser Institute
* Leola Neal — psychologist, first female president of the Ontario Psychological Association
* Hart E. Posen — Richard G. and Julie J. Diermeier Professor in Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
* Andrew Price-Smith — Colorado College political science professor
* Philip Reny — economist, Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Chicago
* Ervin Sejdic — data scientist and engineering professor at the University of Pittsburgh
* Vandana Shiva (Ph.D. Philosophy) — philosopher, environmentalist, eco feminist
* Michael Walker — economist
* Julia M. Wright— professor of English, Dalhousie University

### Science, technology, and medicine

* Robert Arntfield, Canadian intensivist and medical educator
* Roberta Bondar (M.Sc. 1971 Experimental Pathology) — astronaut
* Donald Charlton Bradley — inorganic chemist
* Sudi Devanesen — physician, professor of medicine
* Charles George Drake — Canadian Medical Hall of Fame neurosurgeon
* Melvyn Goodale — neuroscientist
* Jennifer Gunter — OB/GYN and author
* L. Seale Holmes — dermatologist, radiologist, politician and noted philatelist
* Kelly Metcalfe — cancer scientist and professor
* Donald Rix — pathologist
* Graeme N. Smith— obstetrician, medical researcher, and academic
* Gavin C. E. Stuart— professor, former Dean of Medicine, and former Vice-Provost Health, UBC Faculty of Medicine
* Michael Stuart — Mayo Clinic sports physician and orthopedic surgeon
* Bjarni Tryggvason — astronaut

### Media and arts
#### Journalism and publishing

* Thalia Assuras (B.Sc. 1980, M.A. 1981 Journalism) — CBC and CBS journalist
* Cameron Bailey — film critic and Toronto International Film Festival programmer
* Perrin Beatty (1970) — former president, CBC
* Lisa Bowes — sports anchor, CTV Calgary
* Andrea Canning (B.A. 1994 Psychology) — ABC News correspondent
* Nicole Dunsdon (M.A. 1995 Journalism) — the last person to win the Miss Canada competition before it was cancelled in 1992
* Uche Eze (B.Sc Business Administration 2006) —Nigerian blogger and founder of BellaNaija
* Avis Favaro — BA Honours, M.A Arts/Journalism 1982, performance degree Piano Western Conservatory of Music 1982; health journalist, Global News and CTV National News
* Brendan Fernandes — artist
* Scott Feschuk — speechwriter, humorist and former newspaper journalist
* Elliotte Friedman (1993) — sports reporter, host, Hockey Night in Canada
* Jennifer Hedger (B.A. 1998 Theatre Arts/English) — sports reporter for TSN
* Heather Hiscox (M.A. 1987 Journalism) — CBC news anchor
* Penn Kemp (B.A. 1966, CertEd 1968) — poet and playwright
* Sam Maggs (B.A. 2010 English Language & Literature) — author, entertainment journalist, and comic book and video game writer
* Wendy Metcalfe (B.A.) — newspaper journalist and editor
* Kevin Newman (B.A. 1981 Political Science) — anchor of Global National
* Carol Off (B.A. 1981) — television and radio journalist
* Kevin Quinn — sportscaster, Rogers Sportsnet
* Scott Russell (B.A. 1980 History, B.Ed. 1981, M.A. 1985 Journalism) — CBC commentator, Hockey Night in Canada and figure skating
* Morley Safer — host of 60 Minutes (did not graduate)
* Dan Shulman (B.Sc. 1989 Actuarial Science) — sportscaster for ESPN
* Steve Simmons — sports journalist, Toronto Sun
* Christine Simpson (1985) — sports reporter, Rogers Sportsnet
* Rachel Sklar — lawyer, CNN commentator, and media blogger
* Paul Wells (B.A. 1989 Political Science) — journalist and pundit, columnist for Maclean's

#### Film, television and theatre

* Bryan Baeumler (B.A. 1996) — award-winning host of Disaster DIY and House of Bryan
* Shirley Barrie — playwright
* Greg Brady (B.A. Political Science 1993) — host of Brady and Lang in the Morning on Sportsnet 590, The Fan
* Steve Byers — actor, Falcon Beach
* Nancy Dolman (Philosophy) — actress and wife of Martin Short
* Max Ferguson (B.A. 1946) — radio personality
* David Furnish (H.B.A. 1985) — filmmaker and husband of Sir Elton John
* Tomson Highway (B. Mus. 1975, B.A. 1976) — playwright
* Juggan Kazim (B.A. 2002 Media, Information & Technoculture and Sociology) — actress, model, television personality
* Alexander Knox — Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning actor (did not graduate)
* Simu Liu (H.B.A. 2011) — Canadian-Chinese actor, writer, and stuntman
* Sarah Richardson (B.A. Visual Arts 93) — interior designer, HGTV series Sarah's House and Sarah 101, Design Inc.
* Kelly Rowan (1989) — actress, The O.C.
* Deepak Sethi (B.Sc. 2002 Computer Science) — television writer known for Family Guy
* David Shore — screenwriter and creator of television show House
* Rob Stewart — filmmaker, conservationist, and creator of Sharkwater
* Alan Thicke (1967) — actor, Growing Pains
* Kelly Thornton (B.A., did not finish) — theatre director
* Al Waxman (B.A. 1957) — actor

#### Music, fine arts and architecture

* Simona Atzori (B.A. 2001 Visual Arts) — dancer, artist, born without arms
* John Davis Barnett — librarian, curator
* Basia Bulat (B.A. 2006 English) — musician
* Bryan Lee O'Malley — Cartoonist, writer, creator of Scott Pilgrim
* Jack Chambers — artist
* Todd Clark — lead singer of the Toronto-based rock group Pilot Speed, formally known as Pilate, songwriter, record producer
* Duncan Coutts (1993) — musician, Our Lady Peace
* Eric Ethridge — country pop singer, songwriter
* Jonita Gandhi — playback singer
* Elaine Goble (B.A. 1977) — visual artist
* Garth Hudson — organist, The Band
* Stephan Moccio (B.Mus. 1994) — musician, singer/songwriter, composer, 2010 Vancouver Games performer
* Adrianne Pieczonka (B.Mus. 1985) — soprano opera singer
* Zameer Rizvi (B.Eng. 1981 Electrical Engineering)
* Michael Schade (B. Mus. 1888) — tenor opera singer
* Mike Turner — guitarist/producer, formerly of Our Lady Peace
* Stephen Willis — musicologist
* Don Wright — composer, musician and educator

### Business

* Thomas Bailey — founder of Janus Capital Group, USA
* Geoff Beattie — President and CEO, Woodbridge
* Henry Cheng — Chairman & Executive Director of NWS Holdings and New World Development
* Eleanor Clitheroe-Bell (1977) — former businesswoman, Anglican priest
* George Cope — President, CEO, BCE Inc., Bell Canada
* Michael Copeland — President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, previously with Boston Consulting Group and Deloitte Consulting
* Matthew Corrin — founder and CEO, Freshii
* Liane Davey (1993) — business consultant, public speaker, New York Times bestselling business author
* Brian Ferriman — music industry executive
* Shuman Ghosemajumder — technologist, author
* Stephen K. Gunn — CEO, co-founder of Sleep Country Canada
* Richard M. Ivey (H.B.A. 1947) — businessman, philanthropist
* C.B. "Bud" Johnston (H.B.A. 1954) (MBA 1957) (dean, 1978–1989; retired, 1997) — all at UWO
* Moez Kassam (B.A. 2002) — founder of Anson Group
* Jodi Kovitz — founder of #movethedial
* Arkadi Kuhlmann — Chairman of ING Direct
* Patrick LaForge — President, CEO, Edmonton Oilers
* Howard Lindzon — author and founder of StockTwits
* Christine Magee (1982) — President, co-founder of Sleep Country Canada
* Rob McEwen — chairman and CEO of McEwen Mining
* Ray Muzyka — CEO of BioWare
* Dave Nichol (1962) — former president, spokesperson, Loblaws
* Kevin O'Leary (M.B.A., 1980) — chairman, O'Leary Funds, CBC Television co-host, Lang and O'Leary Exchange, Dragon, ABC's Shark Tank, CBC's Dragons Den
* Grant Reuber (1950) — businessman, economist
* Edward Rogers III — president of Rogers Cable, son of Ted Rogers and grandson of Edward S. Rogers, Sr.
* Joseph Rotman (B.A. 1957 Philosophy) — businessman, philanthropist
* Ray Sharma (1996) — Founder and CEO, XMG Studio
* Benjamin Smith — CEO of Air France–KLM, former President, Airlines at Air Canada
* John M. Thompson (B.ESc. 1966, LL.D. 1994) — Chairman of the Board, TD Bank Financial Group
* Prem Watsa — Chairman and CEO, Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited
* Lee Seng Wee — former chairman, Oversea Chinese Banking Corporation, Singapore
* Galen Weston (1962) — head, Weston Foods
* Ray G. Young — EVP, CFO, General Motors Corporation

### Government

* Eve Adams (B.A. 2001 Psychology) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Alfred Apps (BA 1979) — President of the Liberal Party of Canada since 2009
* Ron Atkey — conservative politician
* James Bartleman (B.A. 1963 History) — Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
* Joyce Bateman (H.B.A. 1977) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Adam Beck (1916) — former mayor of London
* Chris Bentley (1976) — Member of Ontario Provincial Parliament and Ontario Minister of Energy
* François Bourguignon (Ph.D. 1975 Economics) — Chief Economist of the World Bank
* Laurel Broten (LL.B.) — Liberal Member of Ontario Provincial Parliament
* John Carmichael (B.A. 1974 Geography) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Margaret Chan (B.A. 1973 Brescia, M.D. 1977) — Director-General - Communicable Diseases, World Health Organization
* Chris Charlton (B.A. 1986 English) — Member of Parliament
* Shawn Cleary (B.A. 1994) — Halifax Regional Councillor
* Sheila Copps (B.A. 1974 French and English from King's College) — former federal Minister of Heritage
* Pam Damoff (BA) — Federal Liberal Member of Parliament
* Frank de Jong — leader of Green Party of Ontario
* Jim Diodati (BA 1991) — Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario
* Janet Ecker (1975) — Ontario Minister of Finance
* Doug Ferguson — president of the Liberal Party of Canada 2008–2009
* Diane Finley (B.A. 1979, M.B.A. 1982) — Conservative Member of Parliament and Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development
* Joe Fontana — former Liberal Member of Parliament, mayor of London
* Cheryl Gallant (B.Sc. 1982 Chemistry) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Roger Gallaway — politician
* Donald Getty (1955) — CFL player and Premier of Alberta
* Dianne Haskett (1977) — former mayor of London, Ontario
* Tom Hockin — Conservative politician
* Ed Holder (B.A. 1976 Philosophy) — Conservative Member of Parliament and Mayor of London, Ontario
* Tim Hudak (B.A. 1990 Economics) — Ontario MPP and Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
* Ron Irwin — diplomat and politician
* Gar Knutson (1983) — Liberal Member of Parliament
* Gloria Lindsay Luby — Conservative politician
* Janice MacKinnon — former Saskatchewan Minister of Finance
* Tiff Macklem — Governor of Bank of Canada
* Paul Macklin — politician and lawyer
* Joy MacPhail — former BC finance minister and deputy premier
* Irene Mathyssen (B.A. 1974, B.Ed. 1975) — Ontario NDP MPP; NDP Member of Parliament
* Deb Matthews (B.A. Sociology, Ph.D. 2006) — Ontario MPP Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
* Howard McCurdy — NDP Member of Parliament
* Paul McKeever (M.A. 1991, Ph.D studies 1991-1992, LL.B. 1995) — leader of the Freedom Party of Ontario
* Darcy McKeough — businessman, politician
* Cathy McLeod (B.Sc.N. 1981) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Bill Morneau (B.A.) — Canadian Finance Minister
* Pat O'Brien (1971) — former Liberal Member of Parliament
* Gordon Osbaldeston (1953) — former U.S./Canadian Trade Commissioner
* Peter Partington — Chairman of Niagara City Council
* Steve Peters (B.A. 1985 History) — Member of Ontario Provincial Parliament
* David Peterson — former Premier of Ontario
* James Scott Peterson — Canadian Minister of International Trade
* Tim Peterson — Liberal politician
* Rod Phillips (B.A.) — Ontario Minister of Finance
* Stephen Poloz (M.A.) — Governor of Bank of Canada
* Brad Raffensperger — Georgia Secretary of State during the 2020 United States presidential election
* John Robarts (1939) — former Premier of Ontario
* Lloyd St. Amand — Liberal politician
* Peggy Sattler (BA 1983, MEd 2012) — NDP Member of Provincial Parliament
* Andrew Saxton (B.A. 1986 ACS) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Kyle Seeback (LL.B. 1998) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Dan Senor — spokesman for U.S. Presidential Envoy Paul Bremer
* Jagmeet Singh (B.Sc. 2001) — Leader of the New Democratic Party (2017–)
* Bruce Smith — Conservative politician
* Heather Stefanson — former premier of Manitoba
* Glenn Stevens — Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia
* Karen Stintz (B.A. 1992) — Toronto city councillor and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission
* Paul Szabo — politician
* Shirley Thomson — Director of the McCord Museum
* Peter Towe — diplomat and businessman
* Bernard Trottier (M.B.A. 1992) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Orville Alton Turnquest (1981) — MP in the Bahamas
* Frank Valeriote (B.A. 1976 King's) — Liberal Member of Parliament
* Elizabeth Weir (1976) — leader of the New Brunswick NDP
* John Wilkinson — Ontario MPP, Ontario Minister of Revenue
* John Reesor Williams — conservative politician
* David Winninger — NDP politician
* Elizabeth Witmer (1968) — Progressive Conservative MPP
* Stephen Woodworth (LL.B. 1977) — Conservative Member of Parliament
* Alvin Yeung — Hong Kong legislative councillor

### Literature

* Emily Austin — writer
* Joan Barfoot — novelist
* Clare Bice — author
* Alice Munro (1976) — author; 2013 Nobel Laureate in Literature for "master of the contemporary short story"
* André Narbonne — writer
* Paul Vermeersch (1992) — poet

### Sports

* Barry Ager — Olympic basketball player
* Gary Agnew — coach, Columbus Blue Jackets
* Stacey Allaster (B.A. 1985, M.B.A. 2000) — Chair and CEO of Women's Tennis Association
* Paul Beeston (1967) — former president, Major League Baseball
* Shane Bergman — CFL football player, Calgary Stampeders
* Glenn Clark (1996) — head coach, Toronto Rock and former lacrosse player
* Chuck Dalton — Olympic basketball player
* Andy Fantuz — CFL football player, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* Duane Forde — former CFL football player
* Robert Foxcroft — Olympic fencer
* Gino Fracas (B.A. 1955) — CFL football player
* Mark Frostad — horse trainer
* Sasha Gollish (Bachelor of Engineering) — competitive runner, Pan American Games bronze medalist, Maccabiah Games gold medalist
* Lirim Hajrullahu — CFL football player
* Katherine Henderson — president and CEO of Curling Canada and Hockey Canada
* Mike Inglis — Olympic gymnast
* Roger Jackson — Olympic rower
* Jeff Keeping — CFL football player
* John Kerr — Olympic sailor
* Silken Laumann (1988) — Olympic rower
* David Lee — CFL football player
* Rob MacDonald — appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 2; retired professional Mixed Martial Artist
* Vaughn Martin — NFL football player San Diego Chargers
* Marnie McBean (1997) — Olympic rower
* Don McCrae — Olympic basketball player and coach
* Zack Medeiros — CFL kicker
* Victor Mete — hockey player, Ottawa Senators
* Ray Monnot — Olympic basketball player
* Mike Neary — Olympic rower
* Lynn Nightingale — Olympic figure skater
* Barbara Olmsted — Olympic canoer
* Coulter Osborne — Olympic basketball player
* Bill Pataky — Olympic basketball player (transferred)
* Glenn Pettinger — Olympic basketball player
* Bob Phibbs — Olympic basketball player
* Skip Phoenix — Olympic diver and coach
* Al Pickard — Canadian Amateur Hockey Association president and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee
* Steve Rucchin (1994) — hockey player, over 700 NHL games played
* Eric Smith — Olympic canoer
* Jamie Taras — CFL football player
* Pierre Vercheval — Canadian Football Hall of Fame
* Tessa Virtue — Olympic ice dancer
* James Walker — Olympic rower
* Daryl Waud — CFL football player
* Tyrone Williams — NFL & CFL football player

### Religion

* Thomas Christopher Collins (M.A. English) — Canadian Cardinal of the Catholic Church
* John T. Dunlap (Juris Doctor) — Prince and Grand Master and head of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

### Miscellaneous

* Princess Basmah Bani Ahmad of Jordan — wife of Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein of Jordan
* Alberto Dahik (Economy and Mathematics) — Vice President of Ecuador (1992–1995), Minister of Finance (1986) and Conservative congressman (1988–1992)
* Sajjad Fazel — public health advocate
* Aman Hambleton — chess grandmaster, Twitch streamer
* Sharon Johnston (B.Sc.) — Viceregal Consort of Canada (David Johnston)
* Harley Pasternak — personal trainer

## Faculty

* Sir Frederick Grant Banting — 1923 Nobel Laureate in Medicine, co-discoverer of insulin
* Bob Barney — professor of kinesiology and Olympic scholar (LL.D., 2014)
* John Lane Bell — mathematician and philosopher
* Ian Brodie — former chief of staff of the Office of the Prime Minister
* Sheila Butler — visual artist, professor
* Alexander Dewdney — mathematician, computer scientist, and philosopher
* Don Gutteridge
* Douglas N. Jackson — designer of standardized tests
* Wilson Bryan Key — proponent of theory of "Subliminal Seduction"
* Charles Ling — professor of computer science
* Michael Ondaatje — Poet, novelist
* Adrian Owen — Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging
* Balachandra Rajan — literary critic, theorist
* Carl Franz Robinow — bacteriologist
* J. Philippe Rushton — controversial psychology professor on race and intelligence
* Bernard Shapiro — Canadian Ethics Commissioner
* Robert Uffen — geophysicist, professor
* Mark S. Workentin — professor of organic chemistry
* Joel Faflak — Literary historian, professor

## Administration
### Chancellors

* Bishop Isaac Hellmuth (1878–1885)
* Alfred Peache (1885–1900)
* M. R. Meridith (1909–1914)
* W. J. Roche (1916–1929) (also Western's first medical graduate)
* Henry Cockshutt (1929–1944)
* Howard Ferguson (1945–1946)
* Arthur R. Ford (1947–1955)
* Richard G. Ivey (1955–1961)
* Verschoyle Philip Cronyn (1961–1967)
* Albert W. Trueman (1967–1971)
* John Robarts (1971–1976)
* J. Allyn Taylor (1976–1980)
* Richard M. Ivey (1980–1984)
* D.B. Weldon (1984–1988)
* Grant L. Reuber (1988–1992)
* Reva Gerstein (1992–1996)
* Peter Godsoe (1996–2000)
* Eleanor Clitheroe (2000–2004)
* Arthur Labatt (2004–2008)
* John Thompson (2008–2012)
* Joseph Rotman (2012–2015) (died during term)
* Jack Cowin (2015–present)

### Presidents and vice-chancellors

* Nathaniel James (1908–1914)
* Edward Braithwaite (1914–1919)
* "Triumvirate of Deans" (1919–1927)
** Paul S. McKibbon (Dean of Medicine)
** Hibbert W. Hill (Dean of Public Health)
** W. Sherwood Fox (Dean of Arts)
* W. Sherwood Fox (1927–1947)
* George Hall (1947–1967)
* D. Carlton Williams (1967–1977)
* George Connell (1977–1984)
* Alan K. Adlington (acting president, 1984–1985)
* George Pedersen (1985–1994)
* Paul Davenport (1994–2009)
* Amit Chakma (2009–2019)
* Alan Shepard (2019–present)

### Others

* J. Howard Crocker — director of the physical education department (1930–1947), also served as president of the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada, previously a director with the YMCA

## In fiction

* Michael Patterson, from the comic strip For Better or For Worse