10 Things We Like About Mark TewksburyÌý
If you couldÌýdoÌýanything for a living,Ìýwhat would it be?Ìý
I’m a secret home chef.ÌýWhen I go into the kitchen, my husband and I joke that I’m starting my shift. I’ll roastÌýtomatoes for four hours to make a sauce. ButÌýI’mÌýafraid if IÌýcooked for a living,ÌýI’d lose my passion for it.ÌýÌý
When and where were you happiest in your life?Ìý
The last time I feltÌýenormouslyÌýhappy was on the banks of theÌýElbow RiverÌýwhere IÌýplunkedÌýdownÌýmy chairÌýand putÌýmy feet in the water. The greenery there is so gorgeous, and it allÌýmade me feel so fresh, andÌýthe water sounded beautifulÌýas it moved and rushed around us.ÌýBut I believe happiness is fluid — and you can’tÌýknowÌýhappinessÌýunless you know other moods.Ìý
Who or what has had the greatest impact on the person you’ve become?Ìý
The OlympicÌýmovement, from the time I was a child andÌýcaptivatedÌýto watchÌýBud Greenspan’s Olympic documentariesÌýinÌýblack and white toÌýnowÌýbeingÌývice-presidentÌýof theÌýCanadian OlympicÌýCommittee. Through the OlympicsÌýand the ²ÝÝ®ÎÛÊÓƵµ¼º½, I metÌý[synchronized swimming champ-turned-coach]ÌýDebbie MuirÌý[BEd’75]Ìý— together,Ìýwe createdÌýourÌýleadership training programÌýthat allowed usÌýto take our skills fromÌýhigh-performance sport to business and life. As an Olympic competitor, DebbieÌýwas my secretÌýsecret-weaponÌýcoachÌý— it was theÌýfirst time in history that aÌýfemaleÌýsynchroÌýcoach worked withÌýa male competitiveÌýswimmer.Ìý
What do you like mostÌýabout yourself?Ìý
That I’mÌýreally comfortableÌýin my own skin and that makes other peopleÌýfeel comfortableÌýaround me.Ìý
If you could travelÌýanywhereÌýyou wanted today, where would you go?Ìý
I had a trip to Greece interruptedÌýand cut shortÌýa few years ago and I’d like to go backÌý— thatÌýwould have been the first three-week holiday of my lifeÌýand I’d like to try that again.Ìý
Describe the most beautiful place you’ve ever been.Ìý
The Mediterranean comes immediately to mind.ÌýThe old part ofÌýBarcelonaÌýorÌýMaltaÌýorÌýtheÌýsouthern part ofÌýItaly.ÌýI love the way of lifeÌýin those parts of the world, the way people eat andÌýlive. What strikes me is how important community and family is; I love that.ÌýÌý
When you’re restless or unhappy, what do you do to improve your mood?Ìý
I hop on myÌýbikeÌýand I travelÌýCalgary’s mostÌýincredible pathwaysÌýthat IÌýdiscoveredÌýduringÌýCOVID.ÌýI didn’t have a bike for many years and now I’m on my bike every morning.ÌýThis city is suchÌýa jewelÌýfrom a bike.Ìý
Current guilty pleasure?Ìý
Big Rock Traditional beerÌýand theÌýSliceÌýTV reality show,ÌýBelow Deck. At leastÌýit’sÌýin the Mediterranean…ÌýÌý
Who or what in life brings you the most joy?Ìý
Thankfully, after 16 months of being together all the time,ÌýI canÌýanswerÌýwholeheartedlyÌýthat that isÌýmyÌýpartner,ÌýRob MabeeÌý[BA’92]. My life has kind of taken off becauseÌýof meetingÌýsuch a great human beingÌýwho I get to be with.Ìý
If a song played whenever you entered a room, what would it be?Ìý
Ìýby Sly and the Family Stone.ÌýÌý
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Mark Tewksbury,ÌýHon.ÌýLLD’10, is a multiple medal-winning Olympic champion and a prominent advocate for theÌýLGBTQ2S+Ìýcommunity worldwide. Alongside Debbie Muir, BEd’75, he developed theÌý. He is deeply involved with the movement and the . In 2020, Tewksbury was appointedÌýaÌýCompanion of the Order of Canada, the highest level of our country’s most prestigious honour.Ìý