Heidi Reitmaier is currently the executive director of Myseum, the Museum of Toronto. She has worked in the arts and culture sector for over 25 years. She is a collaborative non-profit leader focusing on strategic management, learning, audience engagement, organizational growth, strategic planning, philanthropy, and governance. Heidi is committed to audiences and fostering partnerships that support non-profits throughout the city, the province and beyond. Most recently, she has been developing greater skills as a non-profit leader to best build positive organizational health and to try to ensure equity and inclusion in all of her work.  

Working as a chief executive, senior manager, programmer, curator, educator and facilitator. Heidi has held senior roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, the British Broadcasting Company in the UK, and London’s Tate Gallery. In 2016, she graduated from the Getty Museum Leadership Institute in Los Angeles, and her global network extends to Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, North and South Asia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. After 20 years working abroad, she returned to Toronto to successfully open the Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto. She understands what it takes to build a cultural organization and the many facets that are required to ensure sustainability. 

In her work, she has proven that arts and culture are essential drivers when working with communities and networks. She knows how to work through and with arts and culture to make real environmental, educational, social and creative change.

In October 2020, Aubrey joined Business / Arts as CEO, a role that continues her mission to see the arts and culture industry move sustainably into the future. Previously, Aubrey held leadership roles at Culture Days since its inception in 2010. Aubrey was recruited to help launch the inaugural Culture Days Weekend in Ontario that year. She eventually became National Executive Director (2017-2020) and in that capacity, she provided leadership and spearheaded collaborations with provincial partners across the country, brokered key corporate, industry and media sponsorships and partnerships, and championed organizational goals and strategies to increase the reach, accessibility and impact of Culture Days.

Aubrey has also worked with the Ontario Arts Council, Trinity Square Video, Dance Current Magazine and has served on the Boards of the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto and Dreamwalker Dance Company.

A multi-disciplinary artist, Aubrey possesses a unique set of sensibilities that allow her to champion initiatives encompassing the perspectives of artists, audiences, cultural organizations and partners alike. Her artworks have been exhibited across Canada and internationally.

Aubrey lives and works from the traditional territories of the Wendat, Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas of the Credit. As a settler, she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to live and work on these beautiful lands, and she embraces her responsibility to learn, preserve, and protect these lands each and every day.

Michelle is a dynamic arts leader with 20 years of experience, and is currently the Managing Director of Dance Arts Institute. Over her career she has held positions at Toronto Arts Foundation, Tafelmusik, Factory Theatre, Canadian Stage, Sony Centre and more. Michelle’s involvement in the community is  extensive. She has been a guest speaker and presenter for post-secondary arts programs, and at various conferences and events. She has also hosted and mentored many students through program placements in arts administration. Further, Michelle is a Certified Fund Raising Executive, is the Lead of the Creative Champions Network (an initiative of the Toronto Arts Foundation), Program Advisor for Humber College’s Arts Administration & Cultural Management program, and holds the position of Treasurer on Mass Culture’s board of directors. Michelle is inspired by philanthropy, collaboration and volunteerism.

I am a strategic advisor with deep experience in education and culture in public policy, politics, communications, and governance. I provide counsel to government and not-for-profit sector leaders on how to deliver real, measurable results for the communities they serve.

My first career was as a public school teacher, which led me to professional governance at the Ontario College of Teachers. From there, I expanded the scope of my impact as Communications Advisor to Members of Parliament at the House of Commons. That opportunity led me to serve several federal Ministers of Canadian Heritage as speechwriter, policy advisor, and, eventually, Acting Director of Policy. At the Minister’s Office, I oversaw a large portfolio of files that included film, performing arts, visual arts, museums, copyright legislation, diversity and inclusion, and over 10 Crown corporations and agencies. I also led the Minister’s pandemic response strategy, including devising and rolling out stakeholder outreach plans, crafting messaging, reorienting funding programs, and collaborating with arts funders, cities, provinces and territories, federal ministries and public service, and the Prime Minister’s Office to secure over $2.6 billion in new arts funding, which has enabled the survival of tens of thousands of arts businesses, organizations, and cultural workers across Canada. Most recently, I served as Chief of Staff and Corporate Secretary at the National Gallery of Canada to support the implementation of the organisation’s diversity, equity, and inclusion-centred strategic plan.

With my non-traditional career path, I bring a broad, down-to-earth perspective to arts leadership. My approach to mentorship is based on building understanding and being a thought partner. I look forward to working with new mentees and the opportunity to learn and grow together.

Naomi Johnson, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Bear clan from Six Nations, has worked in the arts for over fifteen years as a curator, arts administrator, professional artist, and community arts facilitator.  Naomi served as Artistic Director for seven years and then as Co-Executive Director (2018) of the Woodland Cultural Centre, where she curated and programmed annual exhibitions and performance art events. In June 2019 Naomi accepted the position of Associate Director for imagineNATIVE – the world’s largest Indigenous media arts festival. Enjoying the unique and rewarding opportunity to be mentored by then-outgoing Executive Director Jason Ryle. Additionally, in 2020 Naomi was mentored by Michele Maheux through the inaugural Business / Arts Executive Leadership program. In June 2020, Naomi assumed her role as Executive Director of imagineNATIVE, guiding the organization through two+ tumultuous years of navigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  She continues to serve in this role as the administrative lead for imagineNATIVE, whose mission is to showcase, promote, and celebrate Indigenous filmmakers and media artists globally.

Victoria Steele is a bilingual management consultant with 40 years’ experience in arts management, presenting, community engagement and advocacy. She is passionate about the power of the arts to connect communities and works with clients and stakeholders to research and develop strategies, realize innovative projects, and mentor careers. She is an experienced facilitator and workshop leader, a member of Arts Consultants Canada, the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, and a graduate of the Queen’s School of Business.

Victoria has worked with artists and arts organizations of all sizes across the country from mainstream, independent, indigenous, culturally diverse and francophone. Recent clients include Ottawa Festival Network, Culture Outaouais, the Respectful Workplaces in the Arts project, PAL Ottawa’s Senior Arts Live-Work project, Youth Infringement Festival, l’Association des théâtres francophones du Canada, Gladstone Theatre, Théâtre français de Toronto and Skeleton Key Theatre.

She is committed to supporting the next generation of arts leaders. Over the past decade, she has created the online Contemporary Management for Arts and Culture program at University of New Brunswick, taught part-time in the Master’s in Arts Leadership program at Queen’s University and with Carleton’s Sprott School of Business and the University of Ottawa Theatre Department. She mentored in the CHRC Talent2Lead programme and the LEAN initiative assisting arts leaders with financial management issues through the COVID pandemic.

Her past management experience includes 19 years as Managing Director, English Theatre at the National Arts Centre where she partnered with three artistic directors to produce and coproduce seasons with over 50 world premieres of Canadian work. Prior to joining the NAC, she held general management positions with three theatre companies in Toronto, London (Ontario) and Muskoka. In the past decade, she served for over four years as Executive Director of Arts Network Ottawa while the organization rebranded to serve the Ottawa region, and in this capacity facilitated over twenty community arts projects for Canada 150 and chaired the Ottawa Cultural Alliance as it undertook two major cultural development research projects culminating in the Ottawa Cultural Roadmap for 2019-2022.

Victoria currently serves as Chair of Arts Consultants Canada and Treasurer of Cultural Human Resources Council. Past contributions include service on the boards of Canadian Arts Presenters (CAPACOA), the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, the Association of Cultural Executives, Federal Cultural Trade Advisory Board, PAL Ottawa and Théâtre Catapulte.

Kim Blackwell is 4th Line Theatre’s Managing Artistic Director and is a veteran 4th Line director/producer – 2021 marks her 27th season with 4th Line Theatre where she has directed 25 productions including 13 world premieres. Selected credits include: Artistic Director (2014 – Present), Artistic Producer (2009 – 2014), Artistic Associate (2001-2009), directing: Bedtime Stories and Other Horrifying Tales (2020); The Fool of Cavan: A Christmas Caper, Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable (2019), The Other: A Strange Christmas Tale (2018), The Shadow Walk of Millbrook (2016, 2018), Who Killed Snow White? (2018), The Hero of Hunter Street (2016), The Bad Luck Bank Robbers (2015, 2016), The Real McCoy (2013), Queen Marie, St. Francis of Millbrook (2012), The Berlin Blues (2011), The Right Road to Pontypool (2009, 2010), Schoolhouse (2007, 2008), The Art of Silent Killing, That Summer, Crow Hill, The Cavan Blazers, Attrition, Gimme That Prime Time Religion and many development workshops. She directed plays across Canada and the US. Her play A Daughter had its world premiere in 2020 as a part of the Open Spaces Theatre Festival and has been selected to be a part of the International Rural Women’s Studies Conference hosted by University of Guelph in 2021.
Kim directed Maja Ardal’s HER2, a Nightwood/Buddies in Bad Times Theatre co-production, Pocket Rocket (Lost and Found Theatre), Les Soeurs (The Sisters) at Erring 2014 and Chicken Grease is Nasty Business at the Summerworks Festival for which she received a NOW Magazine nod for Outstanding Direction. Selected other directing credits include Once A Flame, Fire in the Stable, The Shadow of Genius (Heritage Pavilion); Getting Lucky (Rhubarb!, 2005); Unlucky(Summerworks, 2003); The Ugly Man; Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet); Poor Super Man; Unidentified Human Remains… She also directed a sold-out run of Freedom 85! in the 2008 Fringe Festival and at the 2009 New York City Frigid Festival where it received excellent critical attention and the Audience Choice Award and the See It Twice Award. She was nominated for the John Hirsch Award for Directing Excellence in 2009 (Canada Council) and 2014 (Ontario Arts Council). She was the winner of a 2013 KETS Award for “People Who Rock Our World.” She was the only Canadian invited to train with Felix Barrett, the renowned Artistic Director of Punchdrunk (Sleep No More) in his immersive and promenade theatre style. Kim was inducted into Peterborough’s Pathway of Fame in September 2016. In 2020 she received Toronto theatre critic Lynn Slotkin’s Jon Kaplan Mensch Award.

As a playwright Blackwell has written several plays for the stage including Bedtime Stories and Other Horrifying Tales (co-wrote with Lindy Finlan, 4th Line Theatre); A Daughter (Open Stages Theatre Festival); Les Soeurs (verbatim theatre, Erring on The Mount); Aaron and the Energy Conservation Dream (Ontario Hydro). Blackwell is currently writing her memoir entitled Adopted. She is also working on a new play called The Auction based on her complicated relationship with her father; Canada’s place in the development of nuclear power; and the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

Kim is a Peterborough native who loves her community and knows how to present it to the world, its passions, its foibles, its sense of humour. She has been doing this for almost 30 years serving in various capacities at the 4th Line Theatre.

After graduating from Adam Scott Collegiate, Kim attended University of Alberta and Trent University where she studied History and English Literature. She worked in various capacities with the Union Theatre in Peterborough for ten years and directed plays which were presented at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and the Gordon Best Theatre. For more information on the Union Theatre, visit the following: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Theatre

Kim then went on to form her own theatre company, Black Well Productions where she produced several plays in Peterborough and Toronto. She has worked for some of the top arts organizations in the country including the Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, Tapestry New Opera and Dancemakers and is a member of Maja Ardal’s Contrary Company.

Kim was the Founding Executive Director of Celebrate Canada in the Kawarthas, a marketing collective, where she worked with 140 eco-tourism and arts and culture organizations from 1997 – 2001. She has put her networking, administrative, marketing and publicity skills to good use at 4th Line Theatre over the past 26 years where she oversees all operations, administrative and artistic. She has also spearheaded the Emerging VOICES Program (Volunteer opportunities unique in the nation – linking young people to the company’s professional artists and community elders; Outreach in providing an immersive and integrated experience working with our renowned artistic team in a rural, artistic setting; Innovation and experimentation resulting in productions that entertain, educate and enthrall and created through our unique artistic processes; Community commitment to encourage rural youth to participate in the arts and develop their own voices and stories; Education that allows participants to gain an understanding and insight into the history of their community; and Skills developed through practical, hands-on application that young people rarely have access to) which pairs young people from the region with professional theatre artists as they work together on projects related to 4th Line Theatre’s annual productions.

A respected and awarded performing arts manager with more than 35 years of international professional experience, Tim Jennings is a passionate social advocate known for his creativity, financial acumen, leadership skills and energy. He joined the Shaw Festival as its Executive Director in the fall of 2015 and has increased revenues and attendance by over 25% in his first 4 seasons (from $27 Million to $34 Million per annum between 2015 and 2019 Year end and erased $10 Million in historic debt and deficiencies over that same time period.

Beginning his career in theatre production and management, Mr. Jennings was appointed managing director of Toronto’s Roseneath Theatre in 2000. In 2008, Mr. Jennings was asked to assume the role of managing director at Seattle Children’s Theatre and, in 2011, was recruited to the Tony Award-winning Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis (CTC) – the world’s leading family theatre – as its managing director.

During his time at these organizations, Mr. Jennings increased revenues, built endowments, created new business alliances to enhance the reputation and scope of the companies, improved artist and artisan working conditions and supported the visionary work of his artistic partners.

In addition to his management accomplishments, Mr. Jennings has taught Theatre Production and Management at Toronto’s Ryerson University and Humber College. He has served on more than a dozen industry boards, including the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) – the national organization for the American theatre – where he held the position of Treasurer until July 2018 and was a founding member of TCG’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Institute (established in 2013). Currently, he is a member of Theatre Sheridan’s advisory board the treasurer of the Boards of Tourism NOTL/Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce, a member of COVID-19 recovery taskforce for TCG and appointed to the LordMayor’s Covid recovery advisory group and is a regular participant in many additional such groups in both the arts and tourism across North America.

An astute move by Mr. Jennings and his CFO to purchase pandemic insurance in 2015 allowed the Festival to keep most of The Shaw’s artists and workers employed during last year’s COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, with the assistance of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), he created the Education and Community Outreach Specialists (ECOS) program and rehired many of the Festival’s independent contractors as summer employees who worked the remainder of the season as ambassadors for The Shaw and creators of online content and community outreach programs.

A non-profit management professional with 15 years experience in the arts, Diana Weir has a successful track record in building strong organizations, supporting great art, and promoting access and inclusion values through programming, policy, and organizational practice. As a seasoned performing arts executive with experience in the opera, theatre, and orchestral worlds, she has served as Executive Director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and worked for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Vice-President, Strategic Partnerships. Currently, Diana is Interim Managing Director for Toronto Dance Theatre.

Diana studied piano in her undergraduate education and has a Master’s degree in Communications Management. In 2020, she was the recipient of the YWCA Hamilton Women of Distinction award for her contribution to the arts and culture sector, and was honoured with the Canada Council for the Arts’ John Hobday award in 2019. Her professional commitment to supporting the advancement of vibrant, artistically relevant, and financially healthy arts institutions is evidenced both in her work life and volunteerism. She is a volunteer mentor for the Business/Arts artsVest program and an adjudicator for the Loran Scholars Foundation.

Following a career in advertising and two decades as a partner at Rhombus Media (SLINGS AND ARROWS, THE RED VIOLIN, YO-YO MA: INSPIRED BY BACH), Sheena Macdonald’s most recent position was Chief Operating Officer at the Canadian Film Centre.  For the last 15 years she was responsible for fundraising for training programs and capital campaigns; creating and expanding upon content, distribution and co-production strategies; as well as developing new initiatives that support the strategic growth of the CFC.  Macdonald also played a key role in furthering the reputation of the CFC in the international marketplace.

Along with her three partners at Rhombus Media, she received a Doctor of Letters (H.C.) from York University in 1998. In 2009, she was awarded the Honorary Golden Rose at the Rose d’Or festival in Switzerland. Macdonald is also currently a board director of the Victoria Film Festival, Theatre Kingston, and sits on the Canada Committee for Human Rights Watch. 

Over 15 years of experience in cultural events and close to 10 years experience in corporate sponsorships. I worked with the Just For Laughs organization for close to 12 years and have had the chance to work on some amazing partnerships with great clients in my professional journey. I’ve also produced a gaming festival called “Mondial des Jeux”, which hosted a massive esports event in Montréal in 2015. I’m also a part time emcee and voice-over actor.

Joanne is a senior sponsorship leader with over 20 years of experience and a record of strong results across a variety of cultural, music and sports marketing programs. After spending her career in Financial Services focusing on Marketing Communications, Brand Strategy and Corporate Sponsorship, Joanne spent the last two years in various mentoring and consulting roles and most recently served as Executive Director, Artists for Peace and Justice Canada. As a proven professional in the sponsorship industry, she has a track record of creating partnerships that drive results. Many of her activation programs have received industry recognition including the JUNO Awards, music festivals, and the TD Music Access program. Recognized as an expert in sponsorship Joanne has participated in several industry events as a speaker or panel member. Known for her positive and genuine attitude, Joanne is an excellent relationship builder and manager with the ability to motivate and inspire others. As a passionate volunteer, she has served on the Board of Artists for Peace and Justice Canada as Secretary since 2018, and currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Canada’s Music Incubator.

Zainub Verjee, currently the Executive Director of Ontario Association of Art Galleries, Toronto, is an accomplished leader in the art and culture sector and has shaped culture policy at all levels of governments and contributed to building of cultural institutions and organizations in Canada and internationally. She is the laureate of 2020 Governor General’s Visual and Media Arts Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts. With over three decades of experience in art and culture sector, she is an accomplished art administrator, art critic and adept at cultural diplomacy. Given multiple public appointments, she has decades-long experience of Board governance and Board memberships.

Jewell Goodwyn, Principal of J R Goodwyn Consulting has been  working in the not for profit arts sector for almost three decades, with  20 + years dedicated to serving the artist run centre community as the founding Executive Director of Artist Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario (ARCCO), a provincial arts service organization based in Ontario.  Goodwyn grew Artist Run Centres and Collectives of Ontario (ARCCO) from an informal alliance with no funding to an incorporated provincial arts service organization, which gained recognition from all levels of government and the national arts community, as the official voice of artist-run centres in Ontario.

During her tenure with ARCCO, Goodwyn established alliances and networks regionally, provincially and nationally in order to build support for the artist run centre community.

Inspired by the work of La MAL in Quebec, Goodwyn also initiated a cross discipline coalition with fellow provincial arts service organizations in order to strengthen and increase public investment to the arts in Ontario.

Jewell’s areas of expertise include organizational development, board governance, strategic planning, profile building and creating networks.

Currently I serve as Chair of the Board of Directors of national Culture Days and on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Arts Coalition.  As the former President & CEO of Business/Arts, I designed and piloted the artsvest program, co-founded the Canadian Arts Summit and developed boardlink, before moving west to accept the position of Vice President responsible for Arts and Leadership at the multi-disciplinary Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.  In that role, I was responsible for the development and delivery of programs that met the needs of mid-career artists, and performances and festivals that reached both the local market and tourists who visit Banff.  Following Banff I led the development of the first Cultural Plan for Calgary as the Manager of Arts & Culture for the City of Calgary.  Early in my career I helped build the Ontario Arts Foundation’s endowment as the founding administrator, and worked as Manager of Developmental Services at the Ontario Arts Council.  Having spent 15 years in Alberta I have now returned to Ontario and spend my time between Toronto and the Blue Mountains.

Adam Kirkham has worked with non-profit arts organizations for over 15 years. He is currently Associate Director of Sponsorship Marketing at Hot Docs where he plays a lead role in the sponsorship program for North America’s largest documentary festival and other initiatives such as the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema and Hot Docs Podcast Festival. 

For the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers, Adam supports global stakeholders develop formal bids to host future editions of the event which include cross-sector funding commitments.

Adam managed sponsorship for the CMPA’s national conference, Prime Time in Ottawa from 2013 to 2017 and led development activities at the Toronto Fringe from 2008 to 2012.

David Abel is a 25-year veteran of the arts management industry, with significant experience in producing large-scale commercial and not-for-profit theatre, managing organizations both large and small, and consensus building within factions of the national arts community. In 2013, Mr. Abel was awarded the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership in Canadian theatre, and is an inaugural Fellow of the Toronto Arts Council Cultural Leaders Lab.

David is a graduate of the Economics program at the University of Western Ontario. He began his career with the then-fledgling Mirvish Productions in 1987, starting his producing career as Assistant Producer of the Canadian tours of LES MISERABLES. David was Associate Producer for The Who’s Tommy, Crazy for You among other productions. Joining Canadian Stage in 1996, David was appointed General Manager of Canadian Stage in 2007, and in 2009 was promoted to Managing Director, with responsibility for management of the $10M company’s business and theatrical affairs.

In 2019, David joined the National Arts Centre as Managing Director, English Theatre. In 2012, David joined the Art of Time Ensemble as Executive Director, and is worked in partnership with Artistic Director Andrew Burashko towards expanding the audience base for Mr. Burashko’s extraordinary artistic vision. David spent six years as Director and Executive Committee member of the Board of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), with the Board portfolio of Labour Relations. He also consulted for and/or acted as an advisor to Young Peoples’ Theatre, Canadian Stage, Native Earth Performing Arts, Dreamwalker Dance Company, Collective of Black Artists, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Metcalf Foundation and the City of Toronto’s Major Cultural Organizations granting program among others.

Over his 35-year career, Denis has held senior management and communication positions with non-profit organizations, government departments, as well as public sector agencies. He was the first National Coordinator of a joint Canada Council for the Arts/Canadian Commission for UNESCO/Canadian Conference of the Arts project called Arts and Learning: A Call to Action. He is a former Executive Director of Théâtre Action, a provincial arts service organization that supports professional and amateur French-language theatre in Ontario. He is also a former Chair of the Théâtre la Catapulte, an Ottawa-based professional theatre company.

As a consultant, Denis has helped organizations develop communications plans, strategic plans and to evaluate their performance. He has been interested in audience development for the arts and sports for more than a decade. By using his marketing and communication expertise, his work-related experience, personal interests and on-going research in the field, he has developed a practical approach to audience engagement that includes relationship building and the use of social media. He shares his knowledge through conferences and workshops, as well as his blog. He uses this approach while working on strategies tailored to the needs of his clients. They include theatre companies, performing arts networks, festivals and arts service organizations from across Canada.

Denis is a Commission des partenaires du marché du travail du Québec certified trainer. He is an associate of the Sudbury-based marketing firm 50 Carleton and a lecturer at Laurentian University and the University of Sudbury. He is a graduate of Ottawa’s Algonquin College Journalism Program.

Richard Friedman has been involved at the senior level working with non-profit and private sector organizations for over the past 15 years. He is a dynamic individual who understands the development/sponsorship selling cycle from an organizational and client perspective. He has been very successful in securing new funding and sponsorships from individual donors and national corporate sponsors. Richard has sold title sponsorship for 3 different events for three different national organizations. As Director of Corporate Sponsorship for Junior Achievement of Canada and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, he led his team to raising over 9 million dollars for the organization.

Anne Frost began her arts management career in the 1980s at Keyano Theatre, Fort McMurray, Alberta. Moving to Toronto, she worked at the Toronto Theatre Alliance on the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and at Jeunesses musicales as Ontario Executive Director.

After earning her Master’s degree in Arts Policy and Management from the City University, London, UK (1987-88) Anne returned to Canada and worked at Harbourfront as Coordinator for the Festival of Authors; then as General Manager at Theatre Direct Canada and Mixed Company Theatre. She also taught in the Humber College post-graduate Arts Administration – Cultural Management program since its inception in 2000.

In 2002 Anne moved to Owen Sound and worked on revenue development at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery, then at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, a major facility on the Lake Huron shore. In 2003 Anne began to teach in the undergraduate arts management program at University of Toronto, Scarborough (UTSC). In 2008-9, Anne co- ordinated the Humber program. From 2011-13, Anne taught post-graduates in the Culture and Heritage Site Management program at Centennial College.

Now back in Toronto, Anne continues to teach at UTSC, consults with Young Associates, and has also re-assumed her role as Program Coordinator for the renewed Humber arts management post-graduate program, which was re-launched in September 2014.

Sherri Helwig is the Program Director of the Arts Management Specialist Program at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where she acts as academic advisor and develops curriculum for and teaches practice- and policy-related courses. She has served as Scholar-in-Residence at American University in Washington D.C. and Senior Research Fellow with the Canadian Conference of the Arts in Ottawa, taught for York University, Humber College, and the Harris Institute, and lectured extensively across Canada and within the United States, Italy, Finland, Spain and The Netherlands on a wide range of subjects.

Sherri also continues her work as an independent arts consultant with S.L. Helwig & Associates, focusing primarily on evaluation and arts management-related research in recent years. She is proud to be a Founding Member of Arts Consultants Canada / Consultants canadiens en arts (ACCA).

Sherri’s teaching and consulting work are informed by more than twenty-five years of progressively responsible cultural management experience. This included eight years serving as Executive Director of national arts service organizations where she was responsible for delivering a wide range of membership, advocacy, and project initiatives, managing collective bargaining negotiations, leading presentations to federal and provincial tribunals, overseeing high-level partnership development plans, and securing record heights of public and private sector support.

Over the past 30+ years working in the cultural sector, John remained committed to breaking barriers, expanding participation in culture and integrating culture into the fabric of our economic, social and health care systems. Culture has the power to make a difference when it is integrated into our society and it focuses on excellence.

Through the Ontario Culture Ministry, he provided cultural capital funding across Ontario then became their Cultural Agency Liaison to eight cultural agencies including TVO, AGO and ROM. Next, working at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, he brought in bring significant investment to the gallery and was the gallery project manager for the acclaimed Carr, O’Keeffe, Kahlo exhibition. Leaving McMichael as its Chief Operating Officer John became Director of the Varley Gallery in Markham where he toured a major produced exhibition to the USA and secured a legacy gift of a $1.4 million plus art collection that went toward a gallery expansion.

As the first Director of Culture for Markham, he created its first 10-year cultural policy and plan and public art policy. Volunteer activity currently includes Board of the Arts and Letters Club, former Board Chair to Cultural Pluralism in the Arts (CPAMO), mentoring through the artsvest program of Business in the Arts, Artsbuild/Work in Culture Arts Facilities Mentoring Network, T2L Career Mentoring (Cultural Human Resources Council) and the Social Mentor Network for EDGE, (United Church of Canada) and a wide range of arts and social justice advocacy. Past volunteer activity includes Board of the Toronto Children’s Aid and community theatre stage management for youth theatre groups

Jennifer Shah is the Director of Sponsorship Marketing at Hot Docs and is responsible for all areas of sponsorship marketing, activation and private sector development, as well as overseeing a development team of 6. For the past ten years, she has also led the sponsorship program for the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers, securing partnerships and sponsorships for the international television conference from across North America, Europe, Japan, China and Australia. Jennifer also oversees the sponsorship program for the Canadian Media Production Associations’ annual television and broadcast policy conference Prime Time in Ottawa.

Prior to joining Hot Docs in 2002, Jennifer was the Director of Development at Women in Film and Television – Toronto, where she helped hundreds of people gain the knowledge and skills necessary to advance their careers in the broadcast, film and new media industries. Her responsibilities included raising over $1 million from the public and private sectors, overseeing a membership and professional development program of over 800 film and television professionals, managing a roster of special events and creating and implementing the organizations first individual giving program.

Jennifer holds a degree in Mass Communications, Film Studies and English from York University.

For thirty years, Jerry was active inside Humber College and beyond, as an educator, leader and trainer; Jerry established the professional theatre training program at Humber College, which he managed for close to a decade, as well as the college’s post diploma certificate programs (full time and part time) in Arts Administration/Cultural Management, which he coordinated.

Jerry’s experience includes a wide range of work on Boards of Directors: Past President of Theatre Ontario; Association of Cultural Executives and the Canadian Association of Arts Administration Educators, as well as Chairmanship of the South Etobicoke Cultural Plan, Presidency of Lakeshore Arts, Chairman of the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra and service as Vice President with Community Arts Ontario; Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Assembly Hall; selected as a Volunteer of the Year as well as Cultural Champion, Toronto. Currently, Jerry is the past President of Arts Consultants Canada, and a member of the ArtsVote Toronto and Arts Day at City Hall campaigns.

As a freelance consultant, Jerry has carried out feasibility studies and program reviews for the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, the OAC, the former cities of York and Etobicoke (Metro), the Living Arts Centre (Mississauga), the Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts (Sarnia), Arbor Theatre (Peterborough), Brampton Arts Council and the City of Brampton, Regent Theatre (Picton), Grey Highlands Public Library, and the City of Barrie. Additionally, he has facilitated numerous community and public consultations and delivered a series of workshops in the areas of Board Development and Leadership, Strategic Planning, Marketing, Fundraising and Sponsorship.