Engineering Alumni Network

About the EAN

Alumni are a vital part of every university community. For more than 100 years, the Engineering Alumni Association (EAA) maintained a strong bond between Skule™ alumni, students and the Faculty. To better reflect and reinforce the richness, strength, diversity and inclusiveness of the entire Skule™ community, and to differentiate it from other organizations with the same acronym, the Executive Board has made the decision to rename the organization as the EAN.

The EAN isn’t an association you have to join — you, and over 56,000 of your fellow U of T Engineering graduates, already belong to this incredible community of peers. And we want to encourage you to engage with your EAN community and to take advantage of its many benefits.

Executive Board

The EAN Executive Board works to maintain strong ties between alumni and Skule™. Learn more about our members below.

Liane Catalfo head shot

Liane Catalfo | President

ChemE 0T8 + PEY, MEng 1T0

Liane is a life sciences and healthcare analytics expert at Deloitte, focused on supporting clients improve patient outcomes while increasing financial return and operational efficiency.  Sitting within Omnia AI, Deloitte’s Artificial Intelligence practice, Liane is recognized for her work in designing and implementing data analytics strategies, supporting pandemic response and recovery efforts through data modelling, and managing complex multi-stakeholder projects.  Prior to joining Deloitte, Liane worked within the pharmaceutical industry, focused on growing business unit revenue and driving an enterprise wide transformation towards becoming an insights driven organization.

While obtaining her Master of Engineering and Bachelors of Applied Science degrees from the University of Toronto’s Department of Chemical Engineering, Liane fully embraced Skule™ life.  She was on the Executive Committee for ChemClub, was actively involved in competing and organizing engineering competitions (UTEK, OEC, CEC), and participated in many intramural sports, with innertube waterpolo being her favourite.  She remains a member of University of Toronto’s Masters swim team.

Grateful for the impact that the University of Toronto community has had on her professional and personal life, Liane provides mentorship to undergraduate and graduate students, has facilitated seminars for first year undergraduate courses, and led the BizSkule Career Series, a series showcasing engineering leadership in business for students and young engineering alumni.  She enjoys engaging with, and bringing together, students and alumni within the University of Toronto Engineering community.

Safdar Mahmood headshot

Safdar Mahmood | Past-President

ElecE 0T3

Safdar (Saf) Mahmood is the Managing Vice President for Pariveda, a leading management and technology consultancy, that expanded into Canada in 2019.  Saf leads Pariveda in the Toronto market with responsibilities including building their consulting capability, business development, client delivery and service, and generally expanding the Pariveda brand.  Prior to ParivedaSaf spent 17 years at Accenture, with his most recent role being a Partner in their Communications, Media and Technology (CMT) practice. He advised clients and led transformational programs around product development, operational efficiency, business strategy, process redesign and digital enablement.  He has lived and worked across North America, Europe and Australia, and has consulted with leading wireline, wireless, cable, and media companies through his career helping them solve some of their toughest business and technology problems.  Saf was also the executive sponsor for Accenture’s recruiting at the University of Toronto for several years, sponsoring recruiting events, running case competitions and presenting to students.  He especially enjoys reconnecting with U of T Engineering students and alumni. He is also active in the startup community in Toronto, having advised several ventures.  Saf is a proud ECE grad, and spends his spare time chasing after his three young children. He also enjoys travelling, keeping fit, and is also a voracious reader. 
Joelle

Joelle Javier, Chair, Awards Committee

MSE 1T0

With a Material Sciences background in the dynamic world of amusement rides, coasters, and carousels, Joelle has been an active partner in developing safer methods through design, operation, and education. She has done extensive work with the regulatory authority in Ontario applying engineering principles to ensure public safety through careful design review and operational inspections. She has also embraced a responsibility to provide a better public experience by collaborating with Federal and Municipal governments to introduce standards for barrier free and inclusive access.

Joelle contributes to the development of the industry and public safety as an active member of the ASTM F24 code committee for Amusement Devices. As a safety advocate she is a regular instructor for organizations such as the National Association of Amusement Rides Safety Officials (NAARSO) and AIMS International which work together with industry to harmonize codes and standards. She has also volunteered her expertise through focused seminar presentations and has provided consultation to manufacturers in areas of passenger restraints, redundancy, and operator training.

Joelle is a 1T0 graduate of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at the University of Toronto, and possesses a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her interests beyond academics have led her to become a member of Surface Mount Technology Association and MSE Club as an Officer. She has had success as an events coordinator for the MSE Club organizing promotional and social events including the annual club dinner social as well as coordinating joint events with the ECE Club.

She continues to embrace the U of T family by lending her time as an instructor at DEEP as well as a speaker in various student events. She is happy to play a small part in the culture of support and inclusiveness that invests in people and cultivates growth. She hopes to help encourage success in the next generation of big female thinkers who may often find themselves in the minority.

Joelle is currently a practicing Engineer with the Technical Standards Safety Authority (TSSA) as part of the Elevating and Amusement Devices Safety Program.

 

Ines Profile[99]

Ines Fernandez, Chair, Student Engagement Committee

IndE 1T0

 

Ines Fernandez is Vice President of Solutions Engineering at Aquanow, a leading Canadian digital assets infrastructure provider. She is a capital markets and technology leader, with experience across the capital markets ecosystem including various roles in  front office, technology, and analytics. Previously, Ines worked at RBC Capital Markets in Toronto, and London, UK.

She graduated from Industrial Engineering in 2010 and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford. During Skule, she was Orientation Chair, Co-President of Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), and was deeply engaged in the Canadian Engineering Competition. Post graduation, she served UofT on the board of the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA), and she continues to review scholarship applications. She received the Gordon Cressy, Arbor, and 3T5 Second Mile Awards for her service to UofT and currently acts as an ambassador for 3T5 award holders.

While at UofT, Ines enjoyed playing intramural basketball and jamming in the Jazz Band Blue. Those experiences created a lifelong love for sports and music. Ines is passionate about mentorship and always finds time to chat with new grads pursuing careers in finance and tech.

Janet

Janet Tang, Chair, Nominations and Governance Committee

CompE 9T9

Janet graduated with honors from University of Toronto’s computer engineering program. Since then, she continued to pursue a graduate degree in the United States, and worked as Software Architect in silicon valley, Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, Director of Microsoft’s Cloud, and then Vice President of Global Strategy for Lenovo worldwide. Lately, she has co-founded and incubated several startups and ventures.

When studying at UofT, Janet was the recipient of the NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) award and faculty’s Project Award. She also held leadership positions in several student clubs and volunteered for community services, with her role ranging from orchestrating off-campus artistic activities to establishing connections between students and business organizations.

Janet’s passion and abilities for technology and world improvement started from her yeas at the University of Toronto. She has benefited from the faculty’s inclusive and high quality education.  She hopes to help keep the legacy and to promote the university and its engineering programs in the broader global arena.

 

Mehran Hydary head shot

Mehran Hydary | Chair, EAN Alumni Engagement Committee

ElecE 1T4+PEY

Mehran is a Canadian electrical engineering graduate from the University of Toronto.

He has spent the last few years specializing in blockchain and web development. During his time at Deloitte as an engagement manager, he worked closely with clients, developers, and designers to ship production-grade web products. In addition to delivering product, Mehran was responsible for scaling the blockchain practice at Deloitte.

Currently, Mehran is a product lead at UNICEF Innovation. In his role as product lead, he is creating cutting-edge products on the Ethereum and Bitcoin blockchains so that UN agencies around the world can utilize blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies effectively and seamlessly. Some of his projects include: Crypto Fund and The Atrium.

In his free time Mehran enjoys diving into fitness (running and olympic lifting), fashion, and music (hip-hop and r&b). He recently picked up painting and is hoping to get one of his paintings in a museum in the near future.

Eventimg_000148_crop

Anahita Panthaky, Chair, Alumni Engagement Committee

CompE 1T0

Anahita's journey at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering started with her degree in Computer Engineering. Her passion for innovation and problem-solving paved the way for an impressive career as an expert in financial crime and organizational trust at Deloitte. In this role, she has been instrumental in protecting organizations from fraudulent activities.

During her time at the University, Anahita took on leadership roles, notably with groups like Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and the ECE Leaders of Tomorrow. Actively involved as a volunteer, she inspired prospective students to pursue engineering. Her dedication extended to supporting outreach programs like DEEP and Girls' Leadership in Engineering Experience, empowering aspiring engineers from diverse backgrounds. Her commitment to fostering a supportive community and empowering future engineers earned her the prestigious Arbor Award.

Beyond her professional success, Anahita generously volunteers her time to mentor young engineers. Her genuine warmth and approachability have established her as a trusted mentor and role model for students and alumni alike.

Anahita is dedicated to connecting alumni with the faculty, fostering a strong sense of community. Her goal is to create meaningful opportunities for alumni to give back and support the next generation of engineers.