Alumni
Olivia Zarillo
From Kindergarten through Grade 12, MacLachlan College was home for Olivia Zarrillo, a place that helped shape her into the vibrant, strategic, and people focused leader she is today.
Like many students approaching graduation, Olivia was not certain about her next steps. What she did have was a community of teachers who recognized her potential long before she did.
In 2014, the HR field looked very different from what it does today. Yet Mrs. Granville saw something in Olivia, a natural strategist and connector who would thrive in a discipline on the brink of transformation. She encouraged Olivia to explore the human side of organizational strategy, planting the seed for the career Olivia now loves.
In Grade 11, Mr. Dominato pushed Olivia out of her comfort zone by encouraging her to take on public speaking. Today, Olivia credits that experience as one of the most transformative moments of her Mac journey, marking the beginning of a skill that now defines her career. She now facilitates events with confidence and gratitude, often reflecting on the push she once resisted but deeply values.
“At Mac, teachers see something in you long before you see it yourself, and they guide you right into it.”
After graduating in 2014, Olivia attended Wilfrid Laurier University, earning degrees in Psychology and Sociology. Her early Mac travel experiences, especially a trip to the Dominican Republic, sparked a passion for global exploration that continued through university. She later spent time in Fiji and travelled through Southeast Asia for three months, broadening her worldview and deepening her understanding of people and culture.
From there, Olivia completed her HR education at George Brown College, earned her CHRP designation, and is currently working toward her CHRL.
Olivia began her current role on a one month contract. Her willingness to speak up, share ideas, and bring people together quickly earned her a five month extension, and ultimately a full time position. Today, she works in on site construction, where she has built company presence and culture, restructured an entire team, and taken on meaningful, people focused work she finds deeply fulfilling.
Her leadership journey traces back to MacLachlan, where she served as Head Prefect, Communications Prefect in Grade 11, and was an active participant in intramurals, floor hockey, Fun Fair, Christmas parties, and even helping to create a Grade 11 play. These experiences laid the foundation for skills she still uses every day, skills she says are not going anywhere.
When Olivia recently toured the new MacLachlan campus, she felt genuine excitement for today’s students.
“This school is set. This new campus is such an incredible step. Students have a whole new space to grow into.”
From stepping out of her shell to stepping into leadership, Olivia’s journey is a powerful reminder of what is possible when students are supported, believed in, and encouraged to stretch just a little further.
Congratulations, Olivia. Your story continues to inspire the MacLachlan community.
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