By Jena Lynde-Smith
As the world turns its eyes to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Carleton University graduates are poised to make their mark on this grand international stage. From broadcasting live events to ensuring smooth operations behind the scenes, their careers underscore the real-world readiness Carleton instills in its students.
Read the stories of four of these graduates below.
Waneek Horn-Miller (Bachelor of Arts ‘00)
Prime Time Broadcast Panelist, CBC
From Carleton Raven to the global stage of the Olympics, Waneek Horn-Miller is making waves in the sports world.
In her role at CBC, she will be part of the 2024 Summer Olympics Toyota primetime panel broadcasted live from Toronto. She will cover the opening and closing ceremonies and provide commentary on the events throughout the 16 days of the Olympics. She will also be calling women’s water polo, a sport she knows well having been an Olympian herself.
“I seek to bring a perspective that not only highlights our medalist, but also brings light to all the athletes and the stories and the people behind these athletes,” Horn-Miller says. “The stories are what interest and inspire me. The results are secondary to that.”
Waneek Horn-Miller
Horn-Miller is one of Canada’s few Indigenous Olympians. In 1999, she won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg as a member of the women’s national polo team. She then served as co-captain of the first Canadian women’s Olympic water polo team that finished fifth at Sydney 2000 before she went on to help Canada win a bronze medal at the 2001 FINA World Championships.
Horn-Miller’s career in sports broadcasting began with her role as a color commentator for water polo during the 2004 Olympic Games. In 2008, she worked in a similar capacity at the Beijing Olympics, and two years later, she hosted APTN during the Vancouver Winter Olympics. This will be her first time taking on such a prominent role in primetime coverage.
“I am super excited to be in this new role and I am excited to learn. I’m very nervous about it all, but then nerves mean I am ready to rumble,” she says.
Horn-Miller credits her experience at Carleton for preparing her for her multifaceted career. She started training with the Ravens when she was just 14 years old, and she was inspired by their head coach, Steve Baird, who gave her the initial opportunity to play water polo.
“These older players were tough women that I wanted to emulate,” she recalls.
“It was that experience as a young player and then on to being a varsity player that really pushed me all the way to the Olympics and entrenched in me a passion for the sport that has never gone away.”
Nathan White (Master of Journalism ‘20)
Associate Director of Communications, Swimming Canada
A seasoned journalist and communications expert, Nathan White is the Director of Communications at Swimming Canada. This summer, he will serve as the media attache for the Canadian swimming team at the Paris Olympics.
“I’m responsible for the public face of Swimming Canada,” he explains. “That includes all communications plans and processes, from the website and social media to press releases, media relations, and organizational documents such as the annual report.”
Nathan White
White finds meaning in his work by putting athletes’ best interests first and producing high-quality content.
“My favourite part is without question the opportunity to work closely with so many tremendous athletes,” he says. “I have always loved telling stories and I’ve also enjoyed working with young people in a variety of roles.”
At the Paris Games, White will manage media requests and guide athletes through their post-race interviews.
“As you can imagine, there are some high highs and low lows depending on how a race has gone, and it’s my job to be there for them and help them make the most out of their opportunities to speak with media,” he says.
White’s career in journalism began at the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. After several years in journalism, he transitioned to communications and community development for a local multicultural centre, creating programs for newcomer youth. He later joined the Saint John Sea Dogs as a communications manager. In 2012, he started at Swimming Canada.
“I applied for the job, was hired to take over the role following the London 2012 Games and have been learning and growing in it ever since,” he says.
Carleton’s School of Journalism and Communication was a significant building block in White’s career. He credits his Master’s Research Project on post-sport career transitions of athletes for helping Swimming Canada re-establish contact with 1968 Olympic medallist Elaine Tanner and potentially influencing Brent Hayden’s comeback for the Tokyo 2020 Games.
“While I was already somewhat established, I needed a professional development boost,” he says. “What better place than Canada’s best journalism school in the same city as Swimming Canada’s head office?”
Thomas Hall (Master of Journalism ‘15)
Director of Communications and Media Relations, Canadian Olympic Committee
Thomas Hall, a former Olympian and seasoned athlete, exemplifies the heights Carleton graduates can achieve. Serving as Team Canada’s Press Chief, he orchestrates the complex and high-stakes communication efforts that bring Team Canada’s story worldwide.
“I’m responsible for a team of roughly 30 people who help tell Team Canada’s story to the four billion or so people who tune into the Games,” he explains.
Thomas Hall
Hall’s team includes media attaches, photographers and a press operations unit that manages press releases, flash quotes, and media requests. The scope of this task is monumental, with over 26,000 accredited media and about 10,000 more without accreditation expected at the Paris Games.
Arriving in Paris on July 18, Hall and his team will be scripting and hosting the opening press conference, conducting an Olympic Village media tour, and facilitating numerous interviews with the support staff of Team Canada.
“The week before the Games is actually one of the busiest of the Games, period,” he explains.
Hall’s journey to this influential role is rooted in his athletic career. A national team athlete for 15 years, he competed as a sprint canoeist at 2008 Olympic Games in the C-1 1000M event, winning a bronze medal. Following his paddling career, he pursued a Master of Journalism degree at Carleton, graduating in 2015.
“Carleton taught me the fundamentals of everything from storytelling to reporting,” he says. “A big part of our work is helping members of the media accomplish their goals. Understanding what it is they’re trying to do is extremely helpful.”
For Hall, the Olympics hold profound significance. He is especially proud of the fact that Canada is host to the most refugee Olympians in the Americas.
“The Olympic Games are unique in their capacity to bring the world together,” says Hall. “There are 206 nations recognized at the Games. That’s more than the UN. They all agree to come together under one roof and play by a shared set of rules.”
“In a world that feels increasingly divided, I think there is real power in the Olympic Movement to bring us together.”
Mark Lee (Bachelor of Journalism ‘80)
Play-by-Play Broadcaster, CBC
Mark Lee has had an extraordinary journey in sports broadcasting. As the play-by-play announcer for CBC’s track and field coverage in Paris, he is set to bring his expertise to the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Lee’s role will involve describing the action in 48 different track and field events at the Stade de France. He will be working alongside esteemed commentators Michael Smith, a three-time Olympic decathlete, former 5000m World Record holder Dave Moorcroft, and chief researcher Brian Eley.
“It’s one of the most difficult sports I’ve ever covered. So much is happening at the same time,” he says. “One of the events I love most is the final of the women’s and men’s 100m. It feels like you’re riding a surf wave to a crescendo, and it’s all over in an instant.”
Mark Lee (left), Mark Lee, Dave Moorcroft (center) and Michael Smith (right) at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
In Paris, Lee will be in the thick of the action at the Stade de France, positioned right on the finish line to capture every thrilling moment.
Known for his work as athletics commentator for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Lee has covered eleven Olympic Games for CBC. He has reported on a variety of sports throughout his career, including women’s hockey, figure skating, beach and indoor volleyball, and cycling.
“I’ve worked as a sports journalist, making documentaries, and ultimately doing play-by-play the past 44 years. It’s been an amazing journey,” he says.
Mark Lee as a Carleton Raven after winning the Panda Game
Reflecting on his time at Carleton, Lee acknowledges the foundation it provided him with.
“Carleton helped me learn to research, organize my time, and push myself. I had a full course load, played football for the Ravens, and was on the air every Sunday, broadcasting my sports reports,” says Lee.
Lee’s passion for storytelling has also taken him around the world making sports documentaries for CBC Radio’s The Inside Track. In 1994, he won a Gemini Award for The Spirit of the Game, a three-part documentary on hockey.
“I’ve been blessed with so many opportunities,” he says. “As my Olympics producer would always say, “’Take me places and tell me a story.’”
In addition to these four graduates, a number of other alumni are working and competing at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Full width images from iStock
Monday, July 22, 2024 in Arts and Social Sciences, Athletics, Journalism and Communication
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