One to Watch Award

This award recognizes recent Queen鈥檚 alumni, normally not more than 10 years out from either an undergraduate or graduate program who is making significant contributions in their field of endeavour, setting an example for future Queen鈥檚 alumni to follow.

Award Eligibility & Criteria

Candidates should be:

  • A Queen鈥檚 alumnus/alumna who graduated less than 10 years ago
  • Someone who has accomplished early success in one or more fields of endeavor which augurs well for future leadership and accomplishment
  • An inspiration to the Queen鈥檚 community

2026 Recipient

Ally Zlatar

  • Artsci'18

Ally Zlatar smiling wearing black shirt and has long brown hair

Ally Zlatar is an artist, scholar, and activist, and a graduate of Queen鈥檚, where she completed her BFA in Visual Art and Art History. While at Queen鈥檚, she was deeply involved in the campus arts community and worked closely with the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Her time at the university shaped her commitment to using art as a tool for dialogue, advocacy, and social change.  

She is the founder of The Starving Artist, an initiative that amplifies creative voices to address systemic issues, alongside a publishing studio and scholarship fund supporting access to mental health care. Currently a Leverhulme Research Fellow at Teesside University, Ally鈥檚 work explores art, illness, and medical ethics through auto-ethnographic practice.  

Recognized by awards including Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact, her practice is driven by a passion for transforming lived experience into collective understanding and impact.