Recent graduates: breaking into the workforce

Justin Matthews

Artsci’14 (Politics)

Senior Analyst, Digital Communications Coordination Unit, Privy Council Office

Justin Mathews is currently a Senior Advisor for COVID19 Digital Communications at the Privy Council Office (PCO). Previous to this he served as Digital Communications Lead for the Government of Canada's renewal agenda and in various roles at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. Justin graduated from Queen's in 2014 and 2015 respectively, with an undergraduate and Masters degree in Canadian Political Studies. He moved to Ottawa in 2015, to pursue a career at the intersection of comedy, journalism, and #cdnpoli. Despite a failed standup career and the spectre of millennial purgatory, through coffee and cold emails, Justin was able to find his calling - and career - in the Public Service. He is a big fan of bars, biking, and battle rap. Justin also finds self-authored bios a bit cringey. You can connect with him on all social media: @justmath19

Nika Elmi

Artsci’19 (Life Sciences)

MSPH Candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Nika Elmi is currently completing a Master of Science in Public Health with a certificate in Humanitarian Health and Maternal and Child Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. At Queen’s University, she completed a major in Life Sciences and a minor in Art History. Currently, she works for the International Rescue Committee as part of their Health Unit, where she is involved in mental health and psychosocial programming in 15 different countries. As an Implementation Researcher with Health Right International, a health and human rights organization, Nika is working on setting the next decade’s global research agenda for mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings. As a researcher in the Key Populations Program (KPP), Nika further investigates human rights, health disparities and inequities through direct engagement with partners in Francophone West Africa to work towards population health data support and capacity-building. In the department of epidemiology, Nika focuses on conducting population size estimation modelling for key populations that are disproportionately affected by HIV, as well as researching ways to integrate sexual and reproductive health services together with HIV care. These disparities are explored and addressed locally in Baltimore, where Nika works as a licensed HIV counsellor and tester and a sexual assault crisis line responder. Nika hopes to address health inequities in humanitarian settings by continuing to learn about the social determinants of health and the way they shape our health and wellbeing.

Maya Cress

Artsci’18 (German Studies)

Content Marketing Specialist, Kira Talent

Graduating with a medial in Psychology and German Studies, Maya spent the next several years after Queen's working in Europe. Having recently completed her Master's in Barcelona, Spain, Maya returned to Toronto to work as a Content Marketer at Edtech company, Kira Talent.