Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is honouring five alumni with 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards for exceptional achievement and service in community leadership, arts and culture, public service and professional excellence.
Robert Atwood, BNRS '15 and Richard Sullivan
Distinguished Alumni | Service to Community
Former BC Wildfire Service firefighters Atwood and Sullivan co-founded Hummingbird Drones. The company was the first unmanned aircraft system provider in North America to support wildfire suppression and has since grown into a leader in drone analytics and emergency response. Through their software subsidiary, Nova, their technology helps map fire perimeters, identify heat sources and assist search-and-rescue teams.
Andrew G. Cooper, BA '14
Distinguished Alumni | Arts and Culture
Cooper is an award-winning theatre creator, filmmaker and producer. After graduating from TRU, they founded Chimera Theatre in Kamloops and later Jupiter Theatre in Calgary, where they now serve as artistic producer. Cooper's interdisciplinary work spans theatre, puppetry and film, including collaborations with The Jim Henson Company and Alberta Theatre Projects.
Dr. Mandy Manak, Medical Lab Technology Dip '93; BSc '02
Distinguished Alumni | Public Service
Dr. Manak is a Kamloops-based physician specializing in addiction medicine and psychotherapy, with a focus on chronic pain and dual-diagnosis care. She is medical director of the Interior Chemical Dependency Office, a consulting physician at Royal Inland Hospital and chief medical officer for A New Tomorrow Treatment Solutions.
Monica Sophia McAlduff, BHSc '05
Distinguished Alumni | Professional Achievement
McAlduff, CEO of the First Nations Health Authority, has more than 30 years of experience in Indigenous and psychiatric health care. A member of the Adams Lake Indian Band with Secwépemc and French-Canadian roots, she is recognized for advancing culturally safe, patient-centered systems of care. McAlduff was TRU Open Learning's first valedictorian.
Learn more here.
