Schulich Alumni Making an Impact Named to York’s Top 30 Under 30
York University has announced its 2026 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 — and outstanding graduates from the Schulich School of Business are among this year’s honourees. These accomplished young alumni are making a meaningful impact across industries and communities, both locally and globally.
Through their work, they are applying the knowledge, skills, and values gained at Schulich to drive innovation and positive change. Their achievements highlight Schulich’s ongoing commitment to developing principled leaders who make a difference.
Meet the Schulich alumni who are helping to shape a better future:
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Sammie Dhillon is a manager at KPMG and a part-time instructor at the Schulich School of Business. She has extensive experience in public sector strategy and has led high-impact process improvement engagements that enhanced the efficiency, accessibility, and responsiveness of public services across Ontario. Sammie brings a strong foundation in business, policy, and continuous improvement to consistently deliver results that balance operational excellence with meaningful community outcomes. Sammie is a strong advocate for advancing equity and inclusion and works with community organizations to expand access and create pathways for underrepresented groups. She is also a dedicated mentor who actively supports students and early-career professionals in navigating careers in the public sector and consulting. Sammie is passionate about preparing the next generation of leaders to navigate complex challenges with confidence, resilience, and practical skills to lead with impact. |
Adam Garisto (BA ’20, MMgt ’21) |
Adam Garisto has crafted the messaging for Canada’s top politicians, including two prime ministers and two ministers of national defence. He has communicated some of the government’s most high-profile policies and decisions. In 2025, Adam held the pen for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first federal budget. As a speechwriter for Prime Minister Carney, Adam has used the written word to move Canadians to reimagine what is possible when building our country. Previously, Adam served as speechwriter and communications advisor to defence ministers Bill Blair and David McGuinty, where he helped craft and launch Our North, Strong and Free. Adam got his start in politics in 2021 working for member of Parliament Michael Coteau before moving to Ottawa to write for prime minister Justin Trudeau. |
Aveen Ghahremani (BHS ’24, MHIA ’25) |
Aveen Ghahremani is an emerging leader in healthcare performance improvement and a dedicated advocate for the Iranian-Canadian community. She has been involved in organizing several of the largest socio-political and fundraising events in Canadian history, including welcoming Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi in 2024 and 2025, raising awareness for human rights in Iran and advocating for the fall of the Islamic Republic. Professionally, her career focuses on quality improvement, bridging evidence-based decision-making and analytics in Canada’s not-for-profit healthcare system. Before earning her Master of Health Industry Administration from the Schulich School of Business, Aveen published research in IEEE proceedings exploring the application of artificial intelligence in diagnosing and treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Through her leadership and advocacy, Aveen continues to amplify the voices of Iranian Canadians while advancing performance and equity in Canada’s healthcare landscape. |
Heather Hills (BBA ’19) |
Heather Hills is currently a pilot at Air Canada and previously flew as a captain on the Q400 with Porter Airlines. She has built a career defined by operational excellence and mentorship in a field where women represent less than ten percent of pilots globally. Alongside her flying career, she contributes to aviation education and workforce development as the commercial flight operations program coordinator at Conestoga College. She is passionate about improving access to aviation training and supporting the next generation of pilots through innovative, human-centered learning. Heather also serves as vice president of Canadian Women in Aviation (CWIA), leading national initiatives to support women entering and advancing within the industry. |
Introduced in 2021, York’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 program recognizes the diverse achievements of its young alumni community and aims to motivate the next generation to drive positive change both locally and globally.
