Alumnae

Distinguished Alumna Award

An Impressive Legacy

Established in 2007, the Distinguished Alumna Award recognizes, each year, a Trafalgar Old Girl whose accomplishments have made a meaningful impact on the world and who continues to inspire our students today.

Nominated by fellow alumnae, recipients of this award exemplify the following qualities:

They serve as role models and sources of inspiration for others.
They embody courage, breaking new ground and pursuing their full potential.
They have demonstrated excellence and distinction in their chosen field.
They have positively impacted the lives of others and contributed to their local or global community.
They have shown leadership through vision, initiative, or responsibility.

This Year's Winner

Karen Tam ’95 – Distinguished Alumna 2025

Karen Tam 譚嘉文 (b. 1977, Montreal, Canada) is an acclaimed artist and curator whose installations explore the constructions and imaginations of cultures and communities. Since 2000, her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Victoria and Albert Museum, He Xiangning Art Museum, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, and the Liverpool Biennial.

Her accolades include the 2021 Giverny Capital Prize, an Honourable Mention for Swallowing Mountains at the 2024 Canadian Museums Association Awards, and recognition from the Louis-Comtois Prize, Hnatyshyn Foundation Mid-Career Award, and Sobey Art Awards.

Tam holds an MFA in Sculpture (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) and a PhD in Cultural Studies (Goldsmiths, University of London). She is Adjunct Curator at Griffin Art Projects and has contributed to several publications on art and cultural studies. Her work is included in prominent museum and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, and the UK, and she is represented by Galerie Hugues Charbonneau.

Karen embodies the creativity, curiosity, and engagement that define Trafalgar. Her accomplishments continue to inspire both current and future students, showing the impact that dedication, vision, and a commitment to the community can have in the world.

Previous Award Winners

List of 18 items.

2024 - Dionne Codrington '88

CBC Journalist
2023 - Iakoiehwáhtha (Iako) Patton '16
2022 - Ellen Shustik '96 and Sheryl Stotland '85
2021 - Lori Senecal '81

CEO, Board Member, Strategic Advisor
2020 – Sunniva Sorby '78

Director of Global Sales for Polar Latitudes – Antarctic Operator and Co-Founder of Hearts in the Ice.
2019 – Susan Senecal '76

President and Chief Executive Officer of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc.
2018 – Alix Ohlin '88

Author and Educator
2017 – Jennifer Moroz ’90, Carolyn Taylor ’90

Traf Friends - Comedian & Journalist
2016 – Nilima Gulrajani ’95

Research Fellow
2015 – Leticia Artola Cox ’48

Pioneer in the field of family pschiatry, hygiene, and medicine
2014 – LCDR (Ret.) Sherry Daws-Knowles Richardson CD ’53

First female ship commander, Canadian Navy
2013 – Lola Sheppard ’88

Award-Winning Architect
2012 – Caryl Churchill ’55

Playwright
2011 – Lynne Echenberg ’89

Lawyer & Foster Care Advocate
2010 – Ruth Simons '75

Palliative Care Physician and Educator
2009 – Rhona "Grace" Wurtele Gillis '40, Rhoda "Isabella" Wurtele Eaves '40

Olympic Skiing Pioneers
2008 – Anne Wood '76

International Relief Worker
2007 – Cathy Ferguson Burrows '75

Bank Marketing and Information Pioneer

Trafalgar School for Girls

3495 Simpson Street
Montreal, Quebec
H3G 2J7
514-935-2644
info@trafalgar.qc.ca

Our diverse school community challenges and inspires girls to embrace learning, be confident, and shape a better world.