Skip to main content

RDP Celebrates Central Alberta’s 40 Under 40 Recipients

Nov 05, 2024
United Way of Central Alberta Top 40 Under 40 graphic

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is celebrating the contributions of a talented group of students, faculty, staff and alumni who have made a significant impact within our region and our province. 

Almost half of the recipients of the United Way of Central Alberta’s inaugural Top 40 Under 40 initiative have a connection to Red Deer Polytechnic.  

The RDP students, faculty, staff and alumni who are among the 2024 recipients include:

Current students:

  • Devyn Shannon, student leader
  • Melissa Ray, student and student-athlete RDP’s Queens Cross Country Running team

Faculty & staff:  

  • Brandon De Jong, Philosophy instructor, School of Arts and Education
  • Eryn Beddoes, Project Manager - Facility Infrastructure and Engineering, Campus Management
  • Joe Ireland, Lead Game Day Attendant, Athletics; RDP alum and a former student-athlete on the Polytechnic’s Mixed Curling team
  • Sarah Steinbach, Science Curriculum Instructor, School of Arts and Education; RDP alum

RDP alum:

  • Courtney Avram, Chair, Alumni Association  
  • Jeff Palmer, Director, Alumni Association
  • Cassandra Curtis
  • Chris Windrim  
  • Cory Kloss
  • Joshua Graber  
  • Kaelyn Gillard  
  • Michael Yargeau  
  • Ryan Keely  
  • Savannah Snow, former Students’ Association President
  • Steven Wheeler


Fellow central Albertans nominated the community leaders who were honoured with the 40 Under 40 recognition. The United Way’s GenNext Committee selected the 40 recipients. The committee was co-chaired by Alexandria King, who is making her own contributions to our community as an RDP alum and a Social Media Strategist working at Red Deer Polytechnic. The GenNext Committee is a group of local professionals in their 20s and 30s who volunteered their time to celebrate the accomplishments and impact of their peers.

Congratulations to all the outstanding individuals who were honoured for their professional and personal impact by the United Way of Central Alberta. Read about the vast contributions of all Central Alberta’s 40 Under 40 recipients.  

Media Inquiries

Communications Team

Phone: 403.342.3389

Email Us

Related News

RDPAA donates money to SA Food Bank
RDP community raises funds to support students
Through several recent initiatives, the Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) community continues to support students in diverse and impactful ways. The Polytechnic has launched its second annual Sweaters for Scholarships campaign to support student scholarships. Donations that are made to this festive campaign will help to ease students’ financial constraints as they pursue their personal and professional aspirations. While supporters can contribute to student awards and scholarships throughout the year, the Sweaters for Scholarships campaign will conclude on December 15, which is National Ugly Sweater Day. For every $10 donation to the Sweaters for Scholarships campaign, individuals will receive an entry into a draw for one-of-five custom made Red Deer Polytechnic holiday sweaters which were created by RDP alum owned Slash Sports. “Through the generosity of our alumni, partners, employees and members of our communities, Red Deer Polytechnic offers more than $1 million in awards and scholarships to students annually,” says Richard Longtin, Associate Vice President, External Relations. “These contributions help to educate and train the workforce, addressing labour market demand and contributing to the economic growth of Alberta.” At its recent Annual General Meeting, the RDP Alumni Association presented $10,000 to the Students’ Association (SA) of RDP Student Food Bank
2024 Community Award recipients and RDP representatives
RDP Celebrates Community Builders at Annual Ceremony
Individuals and organizations who have made lasting contributions to Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) and the region were celebrated during the post-secondary institution’s 2024 Community Awards, held yesterday. “Red Deer Polytechnic is proud to recognize and celebrate the impact of alumni, partners and community members who contribute to the success of our institution, students and community,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “The individuals and organizations we recognized at the 2024 Community Awards are all outstanding citizens, having also contributed to the economic priorities and social vibrancy of our region and province.” At the 2024 Community Awards Ceremony, the following recipients were honoured: Marty Vellner - G.H. Dawe Memorial Award of Excellence This award is given to an individual in recognition of outstanding contribution to Red Deer Polytechnic and the central Alberta community. Through their contributions, this individual exemplifies the values of Mr. G. Harold Dawe, including: commitment to education and student success; leadership, vision, and integrity; and dedication to the community. Marty Vellner is one of central Alberta’s most respected business leaders and community builders. Since 1983, Marty has owned and operated Vellner Leisure Products, a family-centered business founded by his grandfather and father in 1951. Under Marty’s
A group shot of the 2024 Awards of Excellence winners
RDP Celebrates 2024 Employee Awards of Excellence
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has recognized 11 outstanding faculty and staff who have made impactful contributions in serving students, the institution and communities throughout the past year. The awards were presented at the annual RDP Awards of Excellence event held August 28 on RDP’s main campus. “We are proud of our faculty and staff who consistently demonstrate excellence in their roles. The Awards of Excellence celebrate the dedication, expertise and innovation that our team embodies every day,” says Cristal Glass-Painchaud, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of People and Culture at RDP. “This year’s recipients have set a remarkable standard, inspiring us all to strive for greatness in service, teaching, leadership and collaboration. We are honoured to celebrate their achievements and are grateful for their unwavering commitment to advancing education and fostering a vibrant learning environment at RDP." This year, there were 34 nominations. Faculty and staff were nominated by colleagues and students for demonstrating excellence in innovation, leadership, service and teaching. Support staff were recognized in two categories – the Grace Taylor Memorial Award of Excellence and Vicki Mix Administrative Excellence Award. The Grace Taylor Memorial Award of Excellence is awarded to support staff who embody competence, humour