Lakehead Celebrates King Charles III Coronation Medal Recipients

Community Contributions:
Pipe Major Lorne Clifford is the founder and musical director of the Thunder Bay Police Pipe Band and a member of the Lake Superior Regiment Pipes and Drums who is being honoured for his more than four decades of volunteer service through music. He is also Lakehead University's Director of Security Services, a vital member of the Lakehead campus, and a Lakehead alum who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree. Under his leadership of the Thunder Bay Police Pipe Band, he has fostered greater understanding between the police and the community and created a robust musical organization that performs at countless ceremonial and memorial events in addition to raising funds for diverse causes and social issues. Pipe Major Clifford's commitment to cultural diplomacy has seen him represent Canada internationally at performances in Australia as well as performances in Kenya, Sudan, and Palestine while serving as a Canadian Peacekeeper—harnessing the power of music to foster cultural exchange and community building. In addition, he's passing along the piping tradition as a teacher and mentor.

Community Contributions:
Dr. Christopher Mushquash, an Anishinaabe clinical psychologist and member of Pays Plat First Nation, is being honoured for his contributions to Indigenous mental health and addiction services. He is a psychology professor at Lakehead University and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Director of Lakehead's Centre for Rural & Northern Health Research, Vice President Research at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Chief Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, and a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction. He is also a Lakehead alum who earned both his MA and Honours Bachelor of Science degrees at the Thunder Bay campus. His integration of traditional Indigenous knowledge with evidence-based practices has received numerous accolades, including the Canada Gairdner Momentum Award and a Champions of Mental Health award. He is known for his integrity and compassion, which is evident through his mentoring of the next generation of health professionals and his reshaping of the Canadian mental health field to overcome systemic problems.

Community Contributions:
Dr. Roopa Rakshit empowers international students as the Manager of Agency Relations & Pathways with Lakehead University International and is an inspirational volunteer. She is being honoured for her contributions to international partnership relations and enrolments, research administration, and sustainable community development. She earned a PhD in Forestry from Lakehead focused on energy transition strategies for remote First Nation communities and has been a strong environmental advocate, working with organizations like Eco Superior. Dr. Rakshit has taken important strides in making Thunder Bay a more inclusive and vibrant city, including co-founding the International Tapestry Women's Network, coordinating the One City, Many Voices newspaper column, hosting the Asian Vibes TV show, and serving as a member of Thunder Bay's Anti-Racism & Equity Advisory Committee. She has received multiple awards, including the 2020 Respect Award and the 2017 Lakehead Luminary Award for her many worthy initiatives.

Community Contributions:
Dr. Alla Reznik is a renowned physicist and researcher specializing in medical imaging technologies who is being honoured for her health-care breakthroughs. She is a Lakehead University physics professor, a Senior Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute and a Canada Research Chair in the Physics of Radiation Medical Imaging. Dr. Reznik and her team developed the groundbreaking Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) device. This life-saving technology enhances breast cancer detection by using molecular imaging to distinguish between cancerous and normal cells. Specifically, PEM uses a radiotracer to detect small masses and early breast cancer in younger high-risk women, women with dense breast tissue, and women with inconclusive mammography results. This innovation led to the founding of Radialis, a company that's commercializing PEM technology for use in hospitals and clinics. In addition to advancing cancer diagnosis techniques, Dr. Reznik gives back as a community educator, sharing her expertise at regional forums.

Community Contributions:
Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu is an outstanding volunteer and distinguished educator who's being honoured for his contributions to his community, province, and country through decades of volunteerism. He has dedicated countless hours to preserving and promoting the history of northern Ontario, including as a member of the board of directors of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario and the Northwestern Ontario Archivists' Association and as a past president of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, the Champlain Society, and the Ontario Historical Society. He is Lakehead University's Associate Vice-Provost (Academic), a history professor, and a Lakehead alum who holds MA, HBA, and BEd degrees. Dr. Beaulieu has helped shape the lives of students, especially from rural communities, and is a philanthropist who has established student awards and scholarships. He serves as Honorary Colonel of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment and recently received the Cruikshank Gold Medal from the Ontario Historical Society.