Amirali Alibhai earned his BSc in Microbiology (1985), BFA Visual Arts (1989) and MA Art Education (2000) from the University of British Columbia.Currently the Head of Performing Arts at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, his professional experience includes roles as a curator/ educator/administrator within the fields of visual, performance and community-based arts. He has worked with diverse artists and organizations, representing multiple disciplines and cultural traditions (1989-present). He has been actively exhibiting and making art for over 25 years. Amir was founding president of the Rungh Cultural Society, publishing Rungh, a magazine of contemporary diasporic South Asian Culture (1992-1997); he was part of the team that established the innovative Roundhouse Community Arts Centre in Vancouver (1996-2008), where he developed artists-in-communities projects, cross-cultural partnerships and special events programs. He has worked in the cities of Richmond, BC (Richmond Art Gallery 1989-1996), Surrey, BC (Surrey Art Gallery 1994-1996), and the District and City of North Vancouver, BC (Cultural Planner 2008). He was Executive Director of the Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture (2009-2012). Amir has volunteered on various boards and public committees, including the Board of ArtStarts in Schools (2002-2005), the Board of the Canada Council for the Arts (2005-2008) and the Board of the Canadian Conference of the Arts (2010-2012) and served on the Provincial and Territorial Advisory Committee of the national Cultural Human Resource Council (2010-2012).

Nichole Anderson, President and CEO of Business for the Arts, holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations and a Masters degree in Art History from the University of Toronto. She joined the organization in 2006 and launched a number of new programs to stimulate business volunteerism and investment in the arts that have since grown in scale and impact across the country. Prior to her role at Business for the Arts, Nichole managed the corporate art collection at Hbc and helped develop museum programming and exhibits for the company’s new museum sites and community events across Canada. Nichole holds a number of volunteer positions, including Member of the Toronto TELUS Community Board; Board Member of the Arts of Time Ensemble; Member of the Steering Committee for the City of Toronto’s Creative Capital initiative; Vice President of the Health Arts Society Ontario. She is also a trained violinist and plays informally with a quartet from time to time.

Born and raised in Toronto, Arima has thrived in the New York theatre scene for nearly 20 years, and he became the first Asian Canadian to direct a musical on Broadway when Allegiance opened on November 8, 2015 at the Longacre Theatre, starring George Takei and Lea Salonga. He was also nominated for an Olivier Award for his direction of 2004’s West End premiere of the musical, Ragtime, and his production received 8 nominations including Best Musical. Arima is the 12th Artistic Director in Theatre Calgary’s 49-year history.

Reneltta Arluk – Reneltta is of Inuvialuit, Cree and Dene descent originally from the Northwest Territories. She is the first female Indigenous graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting program and founder of Akpik Theatre, the only professional Indigenous Theatre company in the NWT. Akpik Theatre focuses on establishing an authentic Northern Indigenous voice through theatre and storytelling. Raised by her grandparents on the trap-line until school age, this nomadic environment provided Reneltta with the skills to become the multi-disciplined artist she is now. For over a decade Reneltta has been part of or initiated the creation of Indigenous Theatre across Canada and overseas.

Upkar Arora, CPA, CA, ICD.D.Upkar Arora is CEO of Illumina Partners, a boutique advisory firm which he co-founded in 2002, which specializes in strategy, operations, M&A and finance. He has more than 30 years of experience acquiring, operating and advising companies in Canada, and globally. Through Illumina Social Impact Partners he advises NFP’s, charities and social enterprises on strategy, operations, financial and governance matters and invests capital in enterprises to enhance their social impact and generate positive, scalable and sustainable change. Upkar is the former Chair of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection for six years, former member and past Chair of the Canadian Arts Summit Steering Committee, currently serves on the Boards of Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Metrolinx and the University of Waterloo, Chair of the Advisory Council of the University of Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance, where he also teaches.

CEO of the National Theatre School of Canada, the most important and only national theatre training institution in the country. One of very few CEOs age 40 and under of a large cultural organization in Canada, he operates with the belief that arts organizations must play a more active role in community building, bringing people together to imagine, think and feel collectively and engage with the complexities of our times. He works to advance the interests of young and marginalized people in the cultural sector and fights for better representation of the diversity across the country in the creative industries.

After having worked as a journalist at AJE and the Caravan, I moved to a career in the arts as the cultural director at a members-only arts and media club and now creative director at Business for the Arts. I’m a multimedia strategist who spends my days plotting interesting ways to culminate exchanges between culture producers and consumers by bridging artists, institutions, and corporate brands under initiatives that push creative growth and deliver value for every stakeholder. When not working in these interstices, my skills serve to bolster causes I am passionate about in innovation, education and mental health awareness.

Currently the Vice President of Business for the Arts, Aida has been instrumental in the National expansion of the artsVest program since 2011. Building on a cultural management career that encompasses more than 25 years across three countries (US, Armenia and Canada), Aida has been regarded by her colleagues as a visionary and thought leader. Prior to joining BftA in 2011, she was the Executive Director of the Barthelmes Conservatory of Music in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she transformed an organization on the verge of collapse into the most prestigious Music Conservatory of its kind in the region by instituting and implementing a new strategic vision and operational model of two distinct and vital divisions with over 860 students and 35 faculty members. The school is currently considered a “Junior Julliard” in the region and impacts hundreds of young musicians and their families. Aida is a passionate advocate of increased awareness and funding for the arts

Josh Basseches became the director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in 2016, bringing with him more than two decades of experience transforming museums, enriching visitor experience, and guiding international initiatives. His bold vision for the ROM includes taking it from one of Canada’s great museums to a globally renowned innovator and thought leader. Prior to ROM, Basseches was deputy director of the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts, where he played a central role in the institution’s decade-long reinvention into one of America’s leading museums, and in its recent capital campaign, which raised more than 600 million dollars.

Joel is a theatre artist, journalist, educator and the founding artistic director of Sum Theatre in Saskatoon. This past season Joel was grateful to be the Urjo Kareda Resident at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre. This season Joel’s verbatim play Home Is a Beautiful Word will receive revival productions in Ottawa and Saskatoon. Joel is proud to serve of the board of the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance.

Dominic Bilkey is currently Head of Sound & Video at the National Theatre in London England, after 5 years as Head of Sound for the Young Vic Theatre. He sits on the board of the Association of Sound Designers and was a recipient of the Technical Theatre Awards (TTA) for Outstanding Achievement in Sound. He is actively involved in the teaching sound and associated technologies at a number of UK based universities.

David Binet is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Woodbridge Company Limited, the principal investment holding company for Canada’s Thomson family. Woodbridge’s largest asset is its majority stake in Thomson Reuters Corporation, listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges, and it has numerous other investments.David is Deputy Chairman of Thomson Reuters, and also serves on the board of directors of Woodbridge, The Globe and Mail (Canada’s national newspaper), and a number of other companies in which Woodbridge has invested. David is Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a London-based charity dedicated to journalism training and promoting the rule of law. David is also Chairman of the Board of The National Ballet of Canada and on the board of directors of Canada’s National Ballet School, the Art Gallery of Ontario and Business for the Arts.Before joining Woodbridge, David was a partner in the Canadian law firm Torys LLP, where his practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance. Prior to that, he was a news reporter. David attended Queen’s University (BA Hons), McGill University (LLB) and Northwestern University (MSJ) and he has received certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors (Canada).

Simon Brault is the Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, coming into the position after having served as Vice-Chair of their Board of Directors from 2004 to 2014. Mr. Brault has been active in the cultural sector for over 30 years and has held key positions in many national organizations.Mr. Brault has participated in many initiatives, such as the Forum d’action des milieux culturels de la Métropole, the steering committee of the Chantier de l’économie sociale, the Montréal Summit, the Rendez-vous novembre 2007 Montréal Métropole culturelle and Agenda 21C de la culture au Québec. He was also a founding member and Chair of Culture Montréal. He was appointed to the board of directors of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). His first non-fiction book, Le facteur C : l’avenir passe par la culture, explained the dramatic rise of cultural concerns in the public agenda.Mr. Brault is an Officer of the Order of Canada, Officier de l’Ordre national du Québec, a Fellow of the CGA Order and the CPA Order, and is a recipient of the 2009 Keith Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership. In 2015, he received the Quebec CPA Order’s prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award.

Marah Braye is the Chief Executive Officer of Harbourfront Centre, one of Canada’s largest multidisciplinary cultural centres located on ten prime acres of Toronto’s central waterfront. Most recently, Marah was Chief Executive Officer of the Biennale of Sydney, a leading international festival of contemporary art. With a career spanning arts management and publishing, Ms Braye was General Manager at Sherman Galleries, one of Australia’s leading commercial galleries, from 2001-2006. Prior to this she worked in publishing for a number of years – as Managing Editor at Fine Art Publishing (where she produced publications on contemporary Australian and international art), and as Publishing Manager and Development Editor at HarperCollins Publishers.

As an actor Adam has played leading roles across North America, on Broadway and in London. Adam has been nominated for Dora Awards as an actor, director and producer. He was the inaugural artistic director of Theatre 20 and was appointed artistic director of the Confederation Centre of the Arts and the Charlottetown Festival in 2014. Adam is a passionate theatre creator who enjoys spending time on both sides of the proscenium and can be reached at abrazier@confederationcentre.com. Enjoy your time on the island!

Jane is a clinical psychologist who teaches at UBC. She is a member of the Board of Vancouver’s PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and chairs its Fundraising Strategy Committee. In the past, she has served on the Arts Club Theatre Company and Phoenix Theatre Boards. She is past President of the Art Gallery of Windsor and former member of the Ontario Arts Council where she also served on its Governance and Public Affairs committees. She was the founding President of the Sudbury Fringe Theatre Festival and an International Governor of the Shaw Festival. In 2006, Jane received the “spirit of philanthropy” award from the Association of Fund-Raising Professionals in recognition of her volunteer and fundraising achievements on behalf of the arts and education. In 2009, the Art Gallery of Windsor honoured her with the “Jane E. Brindley Creative Space” in recognition of her leadership and volunteer contributions to the gallery.

Dean Brinton studied Philosophy and Comparative Religion at the universities of Calgary and Toronto, receiving a Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto in 1987. He was appointed CEO of The Rooms Corporation, a provincial crown corporation, in St. John’s, NL in 2004, which counts among its divisions the Provincial Archives, Art Gallery and Museum of the Province of NL as well as three regional museums.He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Council in 1997 where he served for six years. For three of these he was the Board’s appointee to the Executive Committee and Chair of the Governance Committee, which wrote the organization’s first Governance Policy. He has also served on the Board of the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal (2001 – 2008) and on the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University in Halifax (2006 – 2010), where he was Chair of the Development Committee. He currently serves as the Campaign Chair for the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope, a residential treatment centre to be built in St. John’s NL.

Anne Brown is a passionate devotee of the arts, in particular, theatre, but also opera, many genres of live music and the visual arts. She has been a long time patron of several Calgary theatre companies, especially Alberta Theatre Projects, of which she is the current Board Chair.

Adrian Burns was appointed Chair of the National Arts Centre Board of Trustees on December 11, 2014, and has served on the NAC Board of Trustees since 2002. In addition to her recent appointment as Chair of the NAC, Ms. Burns has also served as Vice Chair and as the Chair of the Human Resources Committee.Ms. Burns has dedicated her career to Canadian broadcasting and the arts, education, corporate and public governance, and community involvement. A businesswoman, she also holds business real estate interests in Western Canada.Ms. Burns is a director of SHAW Communications, has been a member of the Copyright Board of Canada, and has been Chair of the Western Independent Producers Fund of CanWest Global Television. From 1988 to 1995, she was a Commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Prior to joining the CRTC, she was Business Editor for CFCN-TV in Calgary, and held the positions of anchor, writer, and producer between 1981 and 1988.Ms. Burns has a degree in Art History from the University of British Columbia, and did graduate work in archaeology and art history at the British Academy in Rome, Italy. She returned to teach art history, in Calgary, at Mount Royal College, 1969-79, and in the City’s continuing education program, 1970-72.

Brian leads a team of dedicated people who are interested in developing Indigenous leaders and managers to make positive change in their communities, organizations and businesses. He has a Master of Laws degree and practiced law. He has published articles on treaties, self-government, economic development and leadership. He has taught as a sessional instructor at U of A and U of C. Brian is Cree and a member of the Sucker Creek First Nation in northwest Alberta in Treaty 8 territory. He received a Blackfoot name, Apahto’kii, which means pine, as in pine tree. He is married with two grown children and three grandchildren. Brian still plays hockey and golfs, and has been known to grab a guitar and belt out some country blues at open mics.

Deane Cameron has devoted more than 40 years to shaping the Canadian music industry. As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall, he oversees Canada’s two premiere concert halls, and the Massey Hall Revitalization, the most significant renovation and enhancement project that the iconic venue has seen in over 80 years. A member of the Order of Canada for his contributions to arts and culture, he has been celebrated by the JUNO Awards for Lifetime Achievement and the Canadian Country Music Association. As long-time President and CEO of EMI Music Canada, he was instrumental in the careers of countless artists, many among the biggest names in entertainment. His continued commitment to artist development has defined a career-long connection to both live and recorded music.

Peter holds a BA in Musical Theatre from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Immigrating to Canada, and wanting to take advantage of his knowledge and passion for theatre combined with his business experience, he started with the Arts Club in 2003 as Director of Marketing and has been with the company through a sustained period of growth. In November 2014, Peter became the Executive Director and has since overseen the opening of the BMO Theatre Centre in conjunction with Bard on the Beach, as well as the opening of the Arts Club’s new 250-seat theatre, the Goldcorp Stage.

Susan Chalmers-Gauvin, Co-Founder and CEO of Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada,is a strategic, results-driven leader with over twenty years of management experience in strategic planning, and community and program development, including leadership roles in the health sector and strategic counsel to First Nations.Ms. Chalmers-Gauvin has been responsible for the strategic, organizational and financial development of Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada since its establishment in 2001, bringing it from a start-up enterprise to an international touring company and positioning itas an innovation hub for arts and public engagement. Ms. Chalmers Gauvin is committed to the critical role the arts play in engaging communities in creative learning and has successfully established cross disciplinary partnerships with the education, health, ICT and social sectors. She is a recipient of Top 50 CEO’s Award, Atlantic Canada; Canada’s TOP 100 Award-Canada’s Most Powerful Women, the Women’s Executive Network (WXN); Honourary Doctorate of Letters, the University of New Brunswick and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award.

Michelle Chawla is the Director General, Strategy and Public Affairs Division at the Canada Council for the Arts. As a key member of the c-suite executive team, Michelle leads the Council’s strategic planning, policy, research, performance metrics, evaluation, results and delivery function. She is also the lead executive responsible for Council’s equity and diversity strategy, international policy and strategic partnerships

Rohit is the Artistic Director for Diwali in BC. Prior he was Apprentice Director at Bard on the Beach 2016, Producer in Residence at the National Arts Centre – English Theatre 2015/16, General Manager for Touchstone Theatre 2013/14 and for urban ink production 2012/2013. He recently launched a sector development initiative called Project SAT (South Asian Theatre project) to create a network for developing, touring, producing and presenting national and international South Asian themed theatre projects in Canada. Rohit grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), home to Bollywood, the centre of the Indian subcontinent’s vibrant performing arts industry.

Daryl is the new Artistic Director of the Citadel Theatre. He comes to Edmonton from Kamloops, BC where he served as Artistic Director of Western Canada Theatre for six seasons. Daryl is also the Founding Artistic Director of Theatrefront in Toronto, where he directed numerous international collaborations including: RETURN (The Sarajevo Project) and UBUNTU (The Cape Town Project). Daryl’s directing credits include: Love’s Labour’s Lost (Bard on the Beach), Liberation Days (Theatre Calgary), In A Blue Moon (Arts Club), Mary Poppins (Persephone), Tribes (Canadian Stage), And All For Love (National Arts Centre), Generous (Tarragon), and Afterplay (Shaw Festival). He has been awarded the Canada Council’s John Hirsch Prize for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Director, and a Robert Merritt Award for Outstanding Director (Halifax).

Kate Cornell is a writer, arts advocate, and spokesperson based in Toronto. Kate advocates nationally on behalf of the arts sector as the Co-Chair of the Canadian Arts Coalition/la Coalition canadienne des arts. Kate has worked in arts management for a range of organizations including: the Canada Dance Festival, Toronto Dance Theatre, the CanAsian International Dance Festival, Canadian Society for Dance Studies/La société canadienne d’études en danse, DanceWorks and many more. Over the years, she has inspired thousands of children to dance with the Learning Through the Arts program and the National Ballet of Canada’s education programs. In addition, Kate has taught at several university performing arts and education programs. With a PhD in Communication and Culture, her graduate research focused on Canadian cultural policy on dance at the federal level. Her research has been published in anthologies, journals, magazines, and online. Kate Cornell is the recipient of the John Hobday Award in Arts Management (2016).

Luc Courchesne is a pioneer in media art and design. From interactive portraiture to immersive experience systems, he has developed innovative approaches which have earned him prestigious awards such as the Grand Prix of the ICC Biennale 1997 in Tokyo, an Award of Distinction and several Honorary Mentions at Prix Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria, an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and participations in Wired’s Next Fest. His work is part of major public and private collections in North America, Europe and Asia including the ZKM (Karlsruhe), the ICC (Tokyo), the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa). A graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (1974) and of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1984), Courchesne was a student of Toni Mann, Michael Snow and Otto Piene. Luc Courchesne [courchel.net] is a founding member and current co-director of research at the Society for Art and Technology [sat.qc.ca], honorary professor at Université de Montréal and member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. He is represented by Pierre-François Ouellette art contemporain.

At LaPlaca Cohen, Phil assists with the execution of Culture Track, overseeing the development of the questionnaire, deployment of the survey, analysis and insight gathering, marketing and communication strategy, design, and event planning. Beyond Culture Track, he also supports a variety of client work through research, strategy, and project management. Before coming to LaPlaca Cohen, Phil worked at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in the Department of Audience Experiences and Performance.

Susan Crocker is a director and community volunteer involved in the Toronto cultural community, the education sector and both local and global economic development. Susan is Chair of the Toronto Arts Council, recent Past Chair of the Toronto Arts Foundation, Board member of the Gardiner Museum, recent Co-Chair of the Board of the Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), and is a past Trustee of the Museum. She is a past Chair of the Canadian Stage Company, and Past Chair and Board member of the Board of Management of St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. She currently serves as Chancellor of St Francis Xavier University.

Kevin Cunningham is an award-winning New York based producer, director, writer, designer, inventor and entrepreneur. The founder and Executive Artistic Director of 3-Legged Dog Media and Theater Group and 3LD Art & Technology Center, he is known for artistic and technological innovation as well as business innovation in the not for profit arts. His artistic focus over the last 30 years has been the creation of large-scale interdisciplinary artwork of all kinds and on the creation of artists’ tools that enable intuitive manipulation of time-based and sensory elements. In recent years he has worked to create a self-sufficient platform for artistic experimentation in the face of declining philanthropic support for the arts.

Mike DeGagné is the seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of Nipissing University. He has served as the founding Executive Director of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, a national organization which addressed the legacy of Indian Residential Schools. He has served on numerous Boards of Directors in the health and university sectors including as Chairman of Ottawa’s Queensway Carleton Hospital, and Chairman of the Child Welfare League of Canada. He has a PhD in Education focusing on Aboriginal post-secondary success from Michigan State University, and Masters degrees in Administration and Law. He lectures nationally and internationally in the areas of Indigenous governance and reconciliation. He is a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Ian A.C. Dejardin is the Executive Director and CEO of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, effective April 3, 2017. Mr. Dejardin joins the McMichael from the renowned Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, England, where he served as its Chief Executive since 2005. Mr. Dejardin is a globally recognized leader in historical art with a passion for Canada and Canadian art, and the driving force behind the critically acclaimed Painting Canada exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, which toured in Norway and the Netherlands before returning to the McMichael in 2013. Mr. Dejardin holds a Master of Arts degree in the History of Art from the University of Edinburgh, and a postgraduate diploma in Art Gallery and Museum Studies from Manchester University. mcmichael.com.

Helen Delacretaz joined the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in September 2014. As Director, Exhibitions, she leads the museum’s exhibition department which is responsible for the project management, development, interpretation, and presentation of all CMHR exhibitions, both for the temporary and core galleries. She also head’s up the CMHR touring exhibition program, which will be launching nationally within the next year. Formerly, she held the positions of Chief Curator and Curator, Decorative Arts/Fine Craft for the Winnipeg Art Gallery. She holds two Masters of Arts degrees in Art History, and teaches sessionally at the University of Winnipeg. Helen has been working in the museum and cultural sector for 20 years.

Dr. Sara Diamond is the President and Vice-Chancellor of OCAD University, Canada’s University of the Imagination. She brings expertise in digital transformation, data analysis and design thinking. She is an artist, designer and computer scientist.

Andrew ​is Managing Partner of Canadian Shield Capital, a private equity investment and advisory firm focused on building great Canadian businesses with strong management teams.Canadian Shield is allied with Hatch, a global engineering firm focused on mining and metals, energy, and infrastructure projects. Andrew is a member of the board at Hatch.Andrew spent 27 years at Deloitte, becoming Vice Chair of the firm and Chair of its Client Cabinet, where he was responsible for the firm’s largest clients and government relationships, including co-authoring The Future of Productivity, research aimed at improving the productivity of Canadian business.​Andrew’s practice focused on merger and acquisition planning. He held numerous leadership roles in Deloitte’s tax practice, including as Managing Partner and a member of the firm’s Global Executive. Named one of Canada’s leading advisors by the International Tax Review, Andrew was a regular speaker and author on tax policy, having appeared as an expert witness before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance and the Senate Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce.​Andrew left Deloitte to co-found Altas in 2012, initially serving as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner. Altas completed its first two deals, NSC Minerals, and St George’s University, before Andrew left to found Canadian Shield.​In addition to his board role at Hatch, Andrew serves on a number of public and private company boards. He is currently the Chair of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and serves on the boards of the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada and Upper Canada College.​He is a Chartered Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Accounting from the University of Waterloo.Andrew lives in Toronto with his wife, Christine, and two sons, Charlie and Liam.

Martha Durdin is currently the President and CEO at Canadian Credit Union Association (CCUA). www.ccua.com She is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in management, public affairs and advocacy. Previously, she was the Managing Principal of a leading national strategic public affairs firm and spent thirteen years as an executive at a large Canadian bank. Early in her career, Martha worked on Parliament Hill.Martha volunteers her time for a number of community organizations. Among them, she served three terms as the Chair of the Ontario Arts Council and is currently Chair of the Royal Ontario Museum Board of Trustees. She is also a Director of The Canadian Club of Toronto. Martha represents CCUA on the boards of The World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Co-operatives & Mutuals Canada (CMC) and a member on the National Steering Committee for Financial Literacy. Martha is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.Ms. Durdin is bilingual; holds a BA (Hon) from Western University, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and an ICD.D from the Institute of Corporate

Political scientist, author (L’Occident Imaginaire, PUQ Editions), advisor and volunteer for dozens of national and international organizations, Nassib fell under the charm of a modern day tribe: Les 7 Doigts. He ran away with the circus, as the saying goes, and took on the general direction of this jewel of the Montreal stage. Nassib is currently President of the International Exchange for the Performing Arts (CINARS), and member of the board of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM).

Jeff’s background is as an educator and outreach specialist for performing and media arts in Winnipeg. He served as a juror, lecturer, Board member, teacher and advisor to arts councils, post secondary institutions, non profit organizations and cultural agencies. He was an independent filmmaker for 15 years, creating a nationally recognized body of work of short and feature films. He served as the Creative Manager for Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and most recently as the Manager, Community & Cultural Development with the City of Regina. In that role he lead the policy and planning initiatives, as well as the strategic partnerships, related to Cultural Development, Community Capacity Building and Social Inclusion for Saskatchewan’s capital.Currently Jeff is the Executive Director for the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, one of the largest square footage Art Musuems in Alberta.

Aria Evans is an interdisciplinary artist working in film, dance creation and performance. She draws on her experiences as a woman of mixed race as well as her BFA to capture meaningful social and cultural themes through her interactive art. Aria is artistic director of the Go To Company and co-artistic director of hub14. Her works have been presented in both North America and Europe with SummerWorks – Dance Series, the Toronto Fringe, UofT Scarborough, the Gardiner Museum, Galerie Amarrage, La Maison Bleue, the Harbourfront Centre’s Next Step Series, Series 808 and Dance Ontario, Long Winter, Labspace Studio, and many more. www.gotocompany.org

Tom Finkelpearl is the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In this role he oversees city funding for nonprofit arts organizations across the five boroughs and directs the cultural policy for the City of New York. Prior to his appointment by Mayor Bill de Blasio, Commissioner Finkelpearl served as Executive Director of the Queens Museum for twelve years starting in 2002, overseeing an expansion that doubled the museum’s size and positioning the organization as a vibrant center for social engagement in nearby communities. He also held positions at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, working on the organization’s merger with the Museum of Modern Art, and served as Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art program. Based on his public art experience and additional research, he published a book, Dialogues in Public Art (MIT Press), in 2000. His second book, What We Made: Conversations on Art and Social Cooperation (Duke University Press, 2013) examines the activist, participatory, coauthored aesthetic experiences being created in contemporary art. He received a BA from Princeton University (1979) and an MFA from Hunter College (1983).

Dr. Fleck is an entrepreneur, academic and leading cultural philanthropist. In business, he founded Fleck Manufacturing Inc., and was Chairman of ATI Technologies and Alias Research. He is Professor Emeritus at The Rotman School, University of Toronto and taught at Harvard and York. In the non-profit sector, he was President of the Art Gallery of Ontario and is Chairman of Business for the Arts, a national association of business leaders supporting the arts. He is Chair of the University of Toronto Schools Board, the only high school affiliated with a University and located on its campus. In government, he served as Deputy Minister of Industry and Secretary of Cabinet for Premier Bill Davis. Dr. Fleck’s many honours include Companion of the Order of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Edmund C. Bovey Award for Leadership Support of the Arts, the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts and the International Society for the Performing Arts’ Angel Award.

Jessica Lea Fleming is of Métis (Wendat, Anishinaabe and French) and Scottish descent, from Penetanguishene, Ontario. She is a writer, dramaturge, producer, director and arts manager based in Toronto and Hamilton. Jessica currently works as the Operations Manager for the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, as the Georgian Bay Community Liaison for the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, and as a Producer for Factory Media Centre’s Traditional Recipes: Food and Filmmaking project. Jessica recently completed post-production on her first short film Scales, and hopes to premiere it at festivals this year!

Tony is a partner with Fillmore Riley LLP who practises primarily in the area of insurance law with considerable additional experience in employment and disability litigation. For more than 25 years, Tony has provided timely, effective, and innovative legal solutions to his clients. He does defence, subrogation and coverage work for a number of Canada’s largest insurance companies, adjusting firms, and program administrators.

Current Chair of the Arts Club Theatre Club and Treasurer of the Arts Club Theatre Foundation. Former Chair of KPMG and Canadian Managing Partner of Tax. Board member of BC Artscape, Artscape Foundation, AdvantageBC International Business Centre, HIPPY Canada, Providence Health Care, Vancouver Economic Commission, and Fortius Sports Research Institute.

B.A, M.A. (Economics), CFA. Founder, President and CEO of Capital Canada, an independent investment banking firm. Chair of Civic Theatres Toronto, Vice-Chair of Business for the Arts, and serves on many additional not for profit boards in Toronto. Previously served as the Co-chair of The Mayor’s Task Force- Arts & Theatre, Chair; Toronto Artscape, Co-Chair; The National Arts Centre – Ontario Scene, Board; Luminato.

Graduate of McGill University; Member of the Order of Canada; named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2014 ; former marketing executive and corporate board director: Former chair of 5 not for profit boards including the National Arts Centre, the Ontario Arts Council and the Stratford Festival; Honorary Doctorate from York University in 2015

Professor Monica Gattinger is Director of the University of Ottawa’s Institute for Science, Society and Policy, and Associate Professor at uOttawa’s School of Political Studies. She has published and engaged widely on Canadian federal and provincial arts and cultural policy and Canadian energy policy in comparative perspective. In 2017, she is publishing a history of the Canada Council for the Arts in its sixtieth anniversary year with McGill-Queen’s University Press. Monica sits on the Editorial Boards of the University of Ottawa Press and the journal Canadian Public Administration. She holds a PhD in public policy from Carleton University.

Felicia Gay (Swampy Cree, Scot) from Cumberland House, Saskatchewan. Currently Felicia is Curator at Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon. Felicia is former Director and co- founder of Red Shift Gallery: contemporary Aboriginal art Space (2006-2010). In 2006 Felicia was awarded the Canada Council for the Arts- Aboriginal Curatorial Residency with AKA Gallery. Felicia worked as an independent curator and cultural worker with various arts organizations since 2003; and lectured at the University of Saskatchewan and FNUC from 2008-2015. Gay has a MA in Art History and a BA(Honors), Art History with a focus on Indigenous contemporary art and curatorial praxis.

Cathryn Gregor joined NBS in 2013. Previously, she was with Opera Lyra in Ottawa and was the Arts Investment Fund Program Officer at the Ontario Arts Council. Before that, she was Chief Operating Officer of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Director of Transition Planning for the renovation of the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Arts.She worked for ten years at the Canadian Opera Company, first as Director of Music Administration, then as Administrative Director for the whole company. She has worked with Tapestry New Opera, Soundstreams Canada, the Textile Museum of Canada, Opera Atelier, the 1989 International Choral Festival, the 1985 Bach 300 Festival, and CentreStage Music.In a volunteer capacity, Gregor was Chair of Queen of Puddings Music Theatre for nine years, a board member of Orchestras Canada and the Regent Park School of Music Foundation and Treasurer on the Board of Directors for ArtsBuild Ontario.

Alan Greyeyes is the Indigenous Music Development Manager for Manitoba Music and the chairperson for Aboriginal Music Manitoba. In 2005 he helped launch the Manito Ahbee Festival and Aboriginal Peoples Music Awards; in 2006 he helped launch the Aboriginal Music Performers Camp (AMP Camp); and, in 2009 he launched the Aboriginal Music Week festival. Alan’s current board and committee commitments include positions with MuchFACT, the JUNO Awards, Canada’s Music Incubator, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Mayor of Winnipeg.

H. Wayne Hambly is President of Hambly Enterprises Ltd. operating Hambly’s BrandSource Home Furnishings and PEI Home and RV Centre, as well as President of Hambly Rentals Ltd. operating residential apartment buildings and land lease communities.Mr. Hambly is very active in the Charlottetown business and philanthropic communities and has served in a number of leadership positions on Prince Edward Island, including Chairman of the Fathers of Confederation Buildings Trust since 1993, President of the Atlantic Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association, President of Canadian Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada 2007, District Governor 1999-2000 District 7820 of Rotary International, Past President of The Rotary Club of Charlottetown, The Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce, The United Way of PEI and past Vice President Atlantic Canada of United Centraide Canada. In 2014, Mr. Hambly received the honour of being named to the Order of Prince Edward Island as well as being named a Member of the Order of Canada.Mr. Hambly is married to Wilma and has three children – Laura Jayne, Julie Ann, Mathew and two grandchildren.

Maggie’s diverse experience in the fields of art, architecture, and design gives her a distinct edge for driving content direction, ideation, and strategic ideas for the cultural world. She has helped to direct messaging, marketing, and communications strategies for renowned national and international projects in the private and public sector that range from urban planning, museums, and performing arts, to education, hospitality, and interactive technology. At LaPlaca Cohen, Maggie is the Managing Director of the firm and the director of the Strategy & Branding department, working with clients across the cultural and creative fields on their brand identity and positioning; visioning and strategic planning for the future; and audience development. With the Strategy & Branding team, Maggie spearheads Culture Track, the largest ongoing national study that examines the ever-changing attitudes and behaviors of U.S. cultural consumers.

Deb Harvey is Executive Director of The Grand Theatre. Deb was a co-founder of Genesis Consulting, a consulting firm based in Nova Scotia that works primarily in the arts and culture sectors, offering facilitation and planning services. Prior to the formation of Genesis Consulting in 1996, Deb was an educator and also co-wrote a text book for high school English students.Deb was owner of a retail store in Nova Scotia for 11 years and a screen printing business for five years. Deb currently sits on the Board of Tourism London as Past President and is Vice President of the Downtown London Board of Directors.

My artistic identity is as a choral conductor, but in a decade of running choirs of all sizes, I’ve become a passionate arts administrator. When I moved to St. John’s, NL from Montreal in 2014, Business and Arts was a perfect fit and a great way to help make an impact in my new community. We are working to unite business and arts to grow our province in unexpected ways. Our programs range from capacity-building initiatives for arts organizations, to awareness-building work within the business community, and an ever increasing portfolio of creative matchmaking, brokering arts engagement for the private sector.

Branislav Henselmann, Managing Director of Cultural Services for the City of Vancouver, and Chair of Canadian Dance Assembly’s Ballet Companies Standing Council, originally trained as a dancer in Munich, later deepening his studies at conservatory level at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. Branislav joined City of Vancouver’s Cultural Services following his most recent tenure as Executive Director for Ballet BC. Branislav holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University. He is a DAAD German Academic Exchange and has been recognized as one of Business in Vancouver’s Forty under 40 in 2014.

Camilla Holland is the Executive Director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Canada’s first regional theatre. Prior to MTC, Camilla was the General Manager for five years at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre. Camilla has worked for a wide variety of professional theatres across Toronto, including large institutions (Canadian Stage Company), theatre for young audiences (Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People), new play developers (Factory Theatre), and smaller creation-based companies (Volcano Theatre). She produced the SummerWorks Theatre Festival (1997 and 1998) and numerous independent productions. She was the Theatre Officer at the Toronto Arts Council for two years and has worked in education and outreach, marketing and fundraising, production and touring.Camilla is currently a Board member for the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and chairs PACT’s Advocacy portfolio and committee. She’s on the Board of Manitobans for the Arts, a member of the Canada Council’s Theatre Advisory Committee, and a new member of the Board of the National Theatre School.

As Director & CEO of Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation, Claire Hopkinson has led these organizations into transformative growth in funding and impact, innovation in strategy and delivery, and has brought about a greater understanding of the role of the arts in city building. Claire has developed partnerships with Toronto’s Library, School and Museum systems to further the reach of the arts into underserved neighbourhoods and launched Arts in The Parks in 2016. Prior to TAC, Claire spent over 25 years commissioning and producing works of opera and theatre while at the helm of leading edge arts organizations. Her volunteer roles have included Co-Chair of the Expo Canada 2025 Steering Committee and Vice Chair of Opera America.Claire is recognized for her notable leadership, her abilities to forge collaborations and her inspiring vision to connect communities through the arts and was recently awarded the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal.

A consummate communicator, Carol has been managing talented marketing teams over the past 20 years. At the Canadian Tourism Commission and Tourism Prince Edward Island she was responsible for online communications, developing and managing websites and social media programs. Under her guidance, her marketing team at Tourism PEI also produced numerous first-quality print publications and award-winning marketing campaigns. While with the CTC in Vancouver, Carol took charge of GoMedia 2008, an international media marketplace in Quebec City, and she enjoys the challenge of finding original story content and sharing it with key influencers in digital, print and broadcast channels. She has also led national partnerships with NBC, American Express and Condé Nast, where US teams produced digital advertising, social media content, micro-sites and sweepstakes, blogger influencer programs, out-of-home and mobile advertising and event management. Since taking on the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Confederation Centre of the Arts in 2012, Carol has been able to merge her love of arts and culture with her expertise in marketing and communications. For the Centre’s 50th anniversary in 2014, Carol led on a special commemorative project publishing an impressive coffee-table style book. Last year she managed the national media buy for the cross-Canada Sir John A. Tour. Carol’s team is also in charge of members, sponsors and donors as well as guest services. She enjoys the collaborative process and thrives on projects with multiple moving parts.

Barry Hughson will celebrate his 25th Anniversary as an arts executive in September of 2017. Following a career as a professional dancer with The Washington (DC) Ballet, Mr. Hughson spent 11 years at the 1600-seat Warner Theatre in Connecticut, as Director of Arts Education and Executive Director. For the past 13 years, he has led several American dance companies, including Atlanta Ballet and Boston Ballet, before joining the National Ballet of Canada in 2014. Mr. Hughson serves as Vice-Chair of both the Canadian Dance Assembly and Dance/USA, and is a member of the Canadian Arts Summit Steering Committee.

Su Hutchinson joined Canadian Stage as Managing Director on May 1, 2012 from the East Coast Music Association where she was the Executive Director. Her experience as a leading arts administrator spanning a number of noted organizations has afforded her numerous opportunities to broker and manage the marriage between art and commerce with a particular focus on change management and leadership. Ms. Hutchinson has worked with Tarragon Theatre, The Writers’ Trust of Canada, Soulpepper Theatre, and Quinlan Road Limited, Loreena McKennitt’s independent record label.

Sarah Iley is currently the Manager of Culture for the City of Calgary. An active advocate for the arts, Sarah co-founded the Canadian Arts Summit, which she continues to serve as Co-Chair of its Advocacy Committee. She also helped to create two other significant national arts associations and continues to serve them, as a member of the Steering Committee of the Canadian Arts Coalition and as Secretary-Treasurer of Culture Days. As Manager of Culture for The City of Calgary Sarah is responsible for the City’s investments in culture including the renowned Public Art program, some 300 annual festivals and events and the capital infrastructure program. From 2005-2012 Sarah was Vice-President, Programming, of The Banff Centre. In that role she was directly responsible for all of the Centre’s work in the performing, visual, literary and media arts, including commissions and co-productions. She was also responsible for the leadership development programs. Prior to joining The Banff Centre, Sarah was President and CEO of Business for the Arts, for a decade. During that time she designed the Artsvest program. Before that, she was the founding administrator of the Ontario Arts Council Foundation (OAC) and Manager of Developmental Services at OAC.

Jessie Inman is the Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Centre is a national institution founded in 1964 as Canada’s Memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. It is a dynamic, multi-functional heritage and arts institution leading in Canada’s cultural landscape. Previously, Jessie was President and CEO of CarbonPartners Limited, based in Calgary, Alberta, a company dedicated to mitigating the effects of climate change and increasing energy security. Prior to this, Jessie spent 5 years as Managing Director and CEO of Cool Energy Limited in Perth, Australia, developing new technologies to capture CO2 during natural gas processing.Jessie has more than 25 years experience in international marketing, business development and foreign direct investment. She has built companies and markets through her expertise in strategic and systematic management skills. Through her earlier roles with Foreign Affairs & International Trade Canada and Industry Canada, Jessie has had extensive involvement in the growth and development of service and technology companies in Canada, United States, Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia. While living in Indonesia for 10 years, she held the position of Canada’s Investment Advisor to Indonesia and later as President Director of Palliser Indonesia, she led the establishment of a large and complex manufacturing organization with multiple partners in Central and East Java.Jessie’s undergraduate studies were in commerce, international marketing and leadership and were followed with a Masters in Business Administration, majoring in banking and finance. She is a member of the Board of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, Discover Charlottetown Inc., an advisor to PEI 2014 Inc., and on the Selection Committee for the Manning Awards based in Calgary. Previously she was on the Board of the YWCA in Calgary and on the Boards of many other organizations in Indonesia and Australia before returning to Canada. She is a Certified Corporate Director through the Canadian Institute of Directors.

Montreal-native Blanche Israël is a multilingual performing arts administrator, and a 2017 Canadian Arts Summit’s Next Gen Leader. Now based in Toronto, Blanche is a trained cellist, a French translator, and a university lecturer who has incorporated her varied interests into arts management work at the Canadian Opera Company, Tafelmusik, Jeunesses Musicales Canada, the Association of Quebec Youth Orchestras, and Tapestry Opera. She teaches in the University of Toronto Arts Management program, her alma mater, and is the Manager of External Relations at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, where she liaises with government officials, program participants, audiences, and media.

Benjamin Jain serves as National Co-Chair of Business for the Arts’ artsScene program. He is a member of Steering Committees for both the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGONext) and Soulpepper Theatre Company and is a young patron of the National Ballet of Canada, TIFF, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He is from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Alanna is the Executive Director of The Guild, a community leader , a Holland College distinguished Alumni Award recipient, and winner of the 2016 Cultural Industry Award of Charlottetown PEI. She has grown The Guild into a cultural hub where artists gain much needed exposure and creative industries have space to be innovative.

Following a career in theatre production, touring & general management, Tim served as Managing Director of Toronto’s Roseneath Theatre (2000-08), Seattle Children’s Theatre (2008-12) and the Tony Award-winning Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis (CTC) (2011-15) before assuming his current role. At all of these organizations Tim increased revenue, built endowment, created new business alliances (including commercial partnerships and enhancements) and supported the visionary work of his artistic partners. Mr. Jennings has taught at Ryerson and Humber College and served on several boards, including TCG – the American Theatre Association – where he is currently serving his second term as Treasurer. He has been lead negotiator on several CBAs, including 2 US national AEA contracts.

Peter Jewett practises a wide range of corporate and securities law. He has particular expertise advising senior management and boards of directors of major corporations and several not-for-profit organizations on a broad range of topics, including current issues of corporate governance. Peter is experienced with national and international mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He has participated in many of Canada’s largest acquisitions and divestitures, including privatizations of major federal and provincial enterprises. Peter has served on numerous committees investigating securities and corporate law for the Ontario Securities Commission and the Canadian Bar Association. He is the chair of Torys’ Capital Markets Practice.

A lawyer by training, Mélanie Joly is passionate about her city of Montréal and the power of positive politics.Mélanie worked at two major law firms in Montréal before making the leap into communications, as a managing partner of the Montréal office of the international communications firm Cohn & Wolfe. Founder of Le Vrai Changement pour Montréal party, Mélanie ran for mayor of Montréal in 2013.A firm believer in the importance of community involvement, Mélanie has served on numerous boards of directors, including those of the Régie des rentes du Québec, Fondation du CHUM, and Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. She has also served as a spokesperson for Logis Rose-Virginie and as an ambassador for Herstreet.Mélanie’s hard work has been recognized on many occasions. She was selected by Elle Québec as the 2008 Woman of the Year in the “up and coming” category, and was later honoured as the first Quebecer to receive the Arnold Edinborough Award for her involvement in the cultural community.Mélanie holds an Honours Bachelor of Law from Université de Montréal and a Magister Juris in European and Comparative law from the University of Oxford.

Stephan Jost joined the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2016. Upon his appointment, he demonstrated immediate leadership by strategically focusing on three mission-aligned areas: art, access and learning. He has overseen the revitalization of several key areas in the Gallery; helped clarify new target segments to ensure sustainable audience development; and launched Look:Forward, a major reinstallation of the AGO’s remarkable Collection.Before joining the AGO, Mr. Jost was Director of the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) for five years, where he worked toward a goal of making the Museum a welcoming and accessible place for a more diverse audience to experience great art. Prior to that appointment, Mr. Jost was the Director of the Shelburne Museum in Vermont, the Director of the Mills College Art Museum in Oakland, California, and held several curatorial positions at the Allen Memorial Art Museum of Oberlin College in Ohio.Born in Michigan, Mr. Jost holds a BA in art history from Hampshire College in Massachusetts and an MA in art history, specializing in the history of photography, from the University of Texas at Austin

Frédéric Julien is first and foremost a humanist and a citizen. His full-time job is Director of Research and Development at the Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA). His various volunteer engagements include: Co-Chair of the Canadian Arts Coalition, board member of Arts Health Network Canada, and Chair of his neighbourhood association in Gatineau (we all have be rooted somewhere, don’t we?). Frédéric recently co-authored two research reports: “Digitizing the Performing Arts” and “Arts and Belonging”.

Vinnie Karetak is the chair of the Qaggiavuut, the board tasked with delivering Inuit cultural programs in and around Nunavut. The ultimate goal of the board is the build a performing arts centre in Nunavut. Meanwhile, the board is busy with providing programs for youth and children, recording elders with their stories and teaching artists to teach their art. Vinnie lives in Iqaluit, is married and has 2 boys.

Alex founded Shadowpath, a charitable theatre company in 2002 as a professional outlet for local performers in York Region. She developed the site-specific theatre series; Plays in Cafes, Readings In Wineries and Hotel Solstice, transforming everyday spaces into creative places for suburban audiences. She is training the next generation of female creative leaders with a paid apprenticeship program and has received innovation awards from Newmarket’s Chamber of the Commerce Business Excellence Award, Richmond Hill’s Creativity Symposium Award for Best Innovation for Shadowpath’s Cafe Cruise project and is currently nominated for Not-For-Profit of the Year by Vaughan’s Chamber of Commerce.

Anthony Kiendl is Executive Director and CEO of the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan.Born on Long Island, New York, Kiendl grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he was Executive Director of Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) from 2006 to 2013. At Plug In Kiendl led a major capital development project and construction of a new facility for arts and education co-owned by Plug In ICA and the University of Winnipeg which opened in 2010. Previously he was Director of Visual Arts at The Banff Centre from 2002 until 2006, and was Curator of the Dunlop Art Gallery in Regina from 1997 to 2002.In 2011 Kiendl was appointed curator of Contour: Biennale of the Moving Image in Mechelen, Belgium. In 2007 he was Leverhulme Visiting Research Fellow at Middlesex University, London, UK.

Jenny Koons is co-founder/curator of ThisGen 2016, curator of New York City Center’s MIXTAPE, and co-founder of Artists 4 Change NYC. Jenny is on the leadership team for The Ghostlight Project, the advisory board for UK-based Artistic Directors of the Future, and serves on New York City Center’s Artists’ Board. She joined the SPACE Ryder Farm team as lead curator with the mission of increasing equity and inclusion. Projects include: Gimme Shelter (Why Not Theatre), I’m Not the Stranger You Think I Am (Arts Brookfield), A Sucker Emcee (LAByrinth Theater), Queen of the Night (Diamond Horseshoe), The Odyssey Project 2012 (Across NYC).

Ron Is a Landscape Architect with a private practice in London, Ontario. His firm has designed the landscapes for many of Southern Ontario’s premier commercial, industrial, institutional, residential and municipal projects. Now retired as a professor of Landscape Architecture, he is working on projects around the world including the Caribbean, Europe and the US. Ron is chair of London’s Grand Theatre Foundation Board and sits on the operating board as well.

Grazyna Krupa is an Executive in Charge of Arts Programming with CBC TV Factual Entertainment. She oversees a myriad of programs and concepts in various stages of development and is a key member of the development and programming team.

Titulaire d’un baccalauréat ès arts en économie de l’Université de Sherbrooke, d’une maîtrise en gestion de projet de l’Université du Québec à Montréal et d’une maîtrise en administration des affaires des HEC, monsieur Langlois a cumulé plusieurs années d’expérience en gestion des arts et en tourisme, notamment au Centre d’Arts Orford, au Conseil local de développement MRC de Memphrémagog et au Groupe Intermont inc. En 2008, il se joint à l’équipe de l’École nationale de cirque à titre de directeur administratif et, en mars 2016, il est nommé directeur général.

Ed Lantz is an entertainment technology engineer, immersive experience designer and innovator in 360 digital cinema. While at Spitz, Inc. he led the design and development of digital planetariums including the Library of Alexandria in Egypt and Papalote Museo del Nino in Mexico City. Ed founded Vortex Immersion Media in 2007 to bring immersive media into arts and entertainment. Vortex produces 360 concerts, group immersive experiences and VR Cinemas for Fortune 500 companies including EMC2, IBM, Live Nation, Microsoft, NBC Universal, NFL, Nike, Nokia and Cartoon Network. The company also operates the Vortex Dome, the first commercial immersive media production and events studio in downtown Los Angeles.

Paul Larocque is the President & CEO of Arts Umbrella, Canada’s visual and performing arts institute for young people. He is proud to have a long history with Arts Umbrella, which he returned to in 2016 after having served as the Associate Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery for more than a decade. Paul is an active member of Vancouver’s cultural community and is a long-time member of Chor Leoni Men’s Choir. He has participated on the boards of several organizations including Volumes Project, Boca del Lupo, and Chor Leoni Men’s Choir, and is volunteer/mentor with the Loran Scholars Foundation.

Marc Lemay was appointed as the Director General of the Arts Policy Branch at the Department of Canadian Heritage in December 2012. In this role, he contributes to the development of Canadian cultural policy with a specific responsibility for the arts. Leading a team of over 40 staff, he is responsible for policy, programs, and selected legislation in support of federal government objectives to encourage excellence in creation, strengthen access to the arts, and foster an environment that strengthens the resilience of arts organizations. Federal programs administered by the Arts Policy Branch provide grants and contributions valued at over $100 million annually to arts and heritage organizations. These programs provide support for physical infrastructure improvements and specialized equipment purchases, professional presentation of festivals and arts series, matching endowment incentives and other strategic investments, as well as support for over three dozen institutions providing the highest calibre of arts training to the next generation of Canada’s artistic leaders. Before joining the Arts Policy Branch, Marc was the Regional Executive Director for the Quebec region of the Department of Canadian Heritage since 2001 where he was one of the key players in the implementation of the Department’s mandate in the Quebec region. He has over 24 years of experience in the Public Service of Canada and has worked in different departments and central agencies.Marc holds a Diplôme d’étude approfondies in public policy and administration from l’Institut d’études politiques de Paris. Mr. Lemay also holds a Masters and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Université de Montréal.

Versatile in every form of theatre craft, Robert Lepage is equally talented as a director, playwright, actor and film director. His creative and original approach to theatre has won him international acclaim and shaken the dogma of classical stage direction to its foundations, especially through his use of new technologies.Among his most noticed work for the stage: Dragons’ Trilogy (1985), Needles and Opium (1991), The Far Side of The Moon (2000), The Andersen Project (2005), Lipsynch (2007), his solo performance 887 (2015) and his most recent production Quills (2016); his multimedia creations: The Image Mill (2008) and The Library at Night (2015); at the opera: The Damnation of Faust (1999), The Nightingale and Other short Fables (2009), Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (2010) and L’Amour de loin (2015).

Après une carrière d’artiste de cirque professionnelle, Joanie Leroux-Côté quitte la scène pour compléter une Maitrise en Management des entreprises culturelles avec mention d’excellence à HEC Montréal. Depuis 2010, elle travaille aux développements de partenariats avec le directeur général chez les 7 doigts de la main.

This is Leslie’s 15th season with Soulpepper as Executive Director as well as the concurrent role of Managing Director for its multi venue home the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Leslie’s background includes producing for VideoCabaret (1991-98) Nightwood Theatre (1994-2001), as well as independent multi-disciplinary projects including the world premiere, national tour and television special of Beatrice Chancy: The Opera for The Queen of Puddings Music Theatre Company.She has also produced several Benefits for PEN Canada, participated in the peer jury process at the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts and has served on the Community Advisory Committee for the Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre. Leslie received the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award for performing arts administrators from the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts in conjunction with the 2012 Dora Mavor Moore Awards

Shannon Litzenberger is Toronto-based dancer, choreographer, creative facilitator, arts consultant and advocate. Through the umbrella of her company Shannon Litzenberger Contemporary Dance, she creates imaginative, multi-disciplinary productions, often collaborating across art forms and communities. Shannon also designs and facilitates workshops on creation, innovation and leadership within community and corporate settings, using movement-based creative process to foster effective collaboration, authentic personal expression and ingenuity. Shannon was the 2012 recipient of the Jack McAllister Award for accomplishment in dance. She is currently the Program Director of the Canadian Arts Summit and a Resident Dance Artist at Soulpepper Theatre Company. www.shannonlitzenberger.com

Originally from Toronto, Keira has been pushing the boundaries of Canadian theatre for over 20 years as a producer, director, actor, dramaturg and playwright with companies across the country. She currently serves as Associate Producer for the Forum and Laboratory at the Stratford Festival, spearheading organizational change through these initiatives, under Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino. Prior to Stratford, she was Artistic Producer of the SummerWorks Festival from 2005-2007. Her company K’Now Theatre produced two shows which garnered seven Dora nominations, including two for her: Outstanding New Play for Little Dragon, and Outstanding Direction for Pu-Erh.

Hon. Roy MacLaren, P.C., is a graduate of the Universities of British Columbia, Cambridge and Toronto. He was a Canadian diplomat from 1957 to 1970, a businessman from 1970, and a federal Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister from 1979 to 1996 when he became High Commissioner for Canada in the U.K. Upon completion of his London appointment, he joined several boards in Britain and Canada and resumed his earlier membership on the board of the Canadian Opera Company. He is also a director of the Royal Ontario Museum Foundation.

Natasha is an actor, producer and director. Currently she is a board member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and Theatre NS.

Digital artist. Cultural worker, organizer and advocate. Musician, composer, sound artist, installation artist. Co-creator of Silophone.net. Member of [The User]. Co-founder of Undefine.ca, an artist-run production facility in Montréal. National director of IMAA – the Independent Media Arts Alliance.

Kenji is the artsVest BC Program Manager for Business for the Arts, Executive Director of the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance, and the CEO of Production Heads Network and Vancouver Actor’s Guide. For five years he was the Executive Director of DOXA Documentary Film Festival, Western Canada’s largest documentary festival. Kenji has worked in film, TV and theatre as a performer and producer, and has been active on various boards and committees such as the Society to Bridge Arts and Community, Alliance for Arts and Culture, Documentary Media Society, 110 Arts Cooperative, and the City of Vancouver Arts and Culture Policy Council Outreach Subcommittee.

David Maggs carries on an active career in both the arts and academia. As an artist he continues to perform as a pianist, has written several works for the stage, has led the development of interarts performing ensemble Dark by Five, is working on his first feature length documentary film, and is increasingly involved in developing augmented reality and new media experiences. He is the founder and artistic producer of Gros Morne Summer Music, a year-round interdisciplinary arts organization in Eastern Canada. In 2015 he launched Liminus, an interdisciplinary initiative dedicated to the intersections of Arts, Health, Sustainability, Indigeneity, Technology, and the Natural World. As an academic, David’s focus is on forging a more robust engagement between the arts and sustainability. His doctoral thesis Artists of the Floating World: Art-sustainability relations in the late days of Modernity helped form the basis of Sustainability in the Imaginary World, a SSHRC Insight funded multidisciplinary research initiative. David is a SSHRC post-doctoral fellow at the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, UBC, working with John Robinson.

Michèle Maheux is the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for TIFF and has been with the organization since 1989, holding progressively more senior positions. Maheux’s focus includes strategic planning, leadership development, staff and volunteer resources, special projects and key operational activities at TIFF and for TIFF Bell Lightbox. Maheux has been a member of provincial, municipal, industry and arts organization committees, and has served as a juror at international film festivals and as a mentor within the industry. In December 2011 she was recognized by WXN among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and in September 2012 she was awarded, with Piers Handling, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She is past Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of Ryerson University and is a Director of the Movie Theatre Association of Canada and Toronto Downtown Jazz Society.

Judith Marcuse’s career spans over 50 years of professional work as a dancer, choreographer, director, producer, teacher, writer, consultant and lecturer in Canada and abroad. She has created over 100 original works for live performance by dance, theatre and opera companies as well as for film and television and has produced seven large-scale, international arts festivals. Her repertory contemporary dance company toured extensively in Canada and abroad for 15 years, while also producing community residencies and youth programs. Founder/Co-Director of the International Centre of Art for Social Change (ICASC), she has created Canada’s first graduate program in the field. She is a Senior Fellow of Ashoka International and, among many honours, has received Canada’s major choreographic awards and an honorary doctorate. She is an Adjunct Professor and Artist in Residence at Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University and leads the five-year ASC! research project

Jennifer Matotek has held curatorial and administrativepositions at a variety of institutions including the TorontoInternational Film Festival, The Power Plant ContemporaryArt Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Hamilton. She has curatednumerous exhibitions for galleries and artist-run centresacross Canada and is a practicing video artist whose work hasbeen shown internationally. Her writing has been publishedby YYZ Artist’ Outlet, Gallery 44, Vtape, Momus andMagenta, among other publications. She holds an MA in ArtHistory from York University and a Diploma in CuratorialStudies. She completed an MBA from the Schulich Schoolof Business, York University in 2011, with a specializationin Arts and Cultural Management. Matotek is the Director/Curator of Dunlop Art Gallery.

Tara Mazurk is a Consultant with Global Public Affairs. Her career began as a gallery curator, with a focus on educational, heritage, and community-based programming. She has held contract positions with Canadian Artists’ Representation Ontario and the Ontario Nonprofit Network, and has coordinated projects on art fundraising events, accessibility, decent work, and more. She has volunteered on several steering committees, including the Canadian Arts Coalition and Connect the Sector. Her field of knowledge includes network building, stakeholder engagement, communications, and advocacy strategy. She helps the sector by facilitating approaches for policy and systems change – seeking to resolve inequities so that artists and organizations can do their work well.Tara holds an Honours BA from the University of Toronto, with a specialist in Arts Management and a minor in Studio Art.

Dana has been a Director with Arts Umbrella since 2008. First with the Arts Umbrella Foundation Board and currently with Board of Directors where she co-Chairs the Capital Campaign Cabinet and is the Chair of the Governance Committee. Prior to Arts Umbrella, Dana created and participated in a lunch program that taught children gardening at an inner-city school and was also a Board Trustee and Vice-Chair of the Community Arts Council of Vancouver. Dana’s new role as Event Chair for the YWCA metro Vancouver’s Women of Distinction Awards which is a natural progression of her philanthropic work.

Following positions with the Canadian Film Institute, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and the Ottawa Arts Centre Foundation, Heather joined the NAC in 1994 as a marketing specialist for the NAC Orchestra, eventually becoming the NAC’s Director of Marketing. In 2004, she was named Producer and Executive Director of the Alberta Scene (2005), and of subsequent Scene festivals for Quebec, B.C., the Prairies, the North and Ontario. In the summer of 2017 she will produce the NAC’s Canada Scene, featuring more than 1000 artists from all 13 provinces and territories. Heather has recently been named the Artistic Producer for the NAC’s National Creation Fund. Beginning in November 2017, the National Creation Fund will invest $3 million a year in 15-20 compelling and ambitious new Canadian works in theatre, dance and music. In addition to her work as a member of the NAC’s artistic leadership team, Heather has chaired the development of the NAC’s last three Strategic Plans, including the most recent, Canada Is Our Stage 2015 ‒ 2020. Heather holds a B.A. in Music (University of Toronto) and a M.A. in Canadian Studies (Carleton University), where her thesis examined the impact of corporate sponsorship on Canadian orchestras.

Valerie Morelli earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Post-Degree Diploma in Arts Management from Western University. Since joining Business for the Arts in 2014 she has planned, promoted and organized the annual Canadian Arts Summit and The Canadian Arts and Business Awards while working closely with national event stakeholders including major sponsors, donors, patrons, and business members who support the arts. Prior to joining Business for the Arts, Valerie held roles in fundraising and marketing departments at a number of Canadian arts organizations including Luminato Festival, Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage, and The Grand Theatre.In addition to her passion for arts management, Valerie regularly attends theatre productions, galleries, recitals, and festivals.

With a background in both the performing arts and the global contemporary art world, Hil brings a diverse range of insights into the cultural landscape and the unique opportunities that organizations possess as they move into the future. As the Associate Director of the Strategy team at LaPlaca Cohen, Hil has worked with a broad range of clients on branding, positioning, and visioning for the future. She also leads the team fielding Culture Track, LaPlaca Cohen’s cultural innovation engine dedicated to solving the most critical challenges facing the worlds of culture and creativity through research, education, dialogue, and action. Hil received a BA in Art History and a certificate in African Studies from Princeton University.

Alexander Neef, General Director of the Canadian Opera Company since 2008, has worked with some of the most prestigious arts organizations in the world. His career as an artistic administrator has taken him from the Salzburg Festival to the RuhrTriennale in Germany, Opéra national de Paris and New York City Opera, to leading the COC, Canada’s largest opera company and one of the most important in North America. He has been instrumental in the COC debuts of numerous Canadian and international artists, as well as important collaborations with composers to create COC-commissioned operas. Neef’s many credits for the company also include increasing the public profile of the COC’s Ensemble Studio program, a training program for young opera professionals. Neef has a master of arts from Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen where he studied Latin Philology and Modern History.

Iris Nemani is Harbourfront Centre’s Chief Programming Officer responsible for overseeing and delivering Harbourfront Centre’s diverse arts, culture and educational programs. She has worked in the arts and culture sector for over 25 years, bringing her expertise and leadership to a variety of organizations, most recently as Managing Director of PANAMANIA, the arts and culture program of the TO2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.

Litigation lawyer Chadwick Newcombe is a third generation Calgarian. He holds degrees as a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Calgary, and was admitted to the Alberta Bar in 2001 after completing articles with a national firm wanting to specialize as a litigation lawyer. He has volunteered for Theatre Calgary since 1994.

Nancy Noble is the Director/CEO of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax since September 2016. She previously led the Museum of Vancouver Museum through transformative change resulting in numerous awards from within and outside the museum community. Nancy has worked extensively in museums in Canada for over 25 years. Nancy holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan and a Masters from Leicester University in England. She has been active in numerous arts and cultural organizations over the years and was President of both the Canadian Museums Association and the Alliance for Arts for Greater Vancouver.

William Norris was appointed to the position of Managing Director of Tafelmusik in June 2015, and took up the post in October. He came to Tafelmusik from the one of the UK’s leading period music ensembles, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE), where he was Communications & Creative Programming Director. While at the OAE, William spearheaded a massive increase in OAE ticket sales and introduced a series of ground-breaking audience development initiatives, including the innovative late-night series The Night Shift.

Sean O’Neill is the Director, Public Programs & Cultural Partnerships at the Art Gallery of Ontario. At the AGO, Sean leads the development and implementation of talks, screenings, performances, concerts, artist residencies and special events for adult, youth and family audiences. He also oversees special projects and major partnerships between the AGO and other cultural organizations. He was the founding programmer of AGO First Thursdays and led the development of Creative Minds, a bi-annual series of events co-presented by the AGO, Massey Hall, CBC and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. He also is the host of the CBC’s art-focused primetime television show Crash Gallery.

Maurizio Ortolani is responsible for the National Arts Centre’s web presence and digital outreach programs including websites, online audio and video, podcasts , webcasts and the National Arts Centre’s next-generation distance learning project, “Hexagon”.The Hexagon project allows the NAC to produce high-fidelity, high-definition interactive videoconferences using research networks like the CANARIE network in Canada and Internet2 across the United States and around the world.NAC New Media currently produces six very popular performing arts podcast series , among them the NACOcast, one of the most downloaded classical music podcasts on the iTunes Music Store.

Alisa Palmer is an internationally trained award-winning theatre director, playwright, dramaturge and theatre producer. Her work crosses genres, including the classics, contemporary plays, creation projects, musicals and operas. Her work is characterized by vivid performances, a bold use of music, powerful visuals and a passionate commitment to the body politic. She is the recipient of numerous awards and has premiered and toured original and provocative theatre creations for over twenty years. She has taught in conservatories and universities across Canada. She was Artistic Director of Nightwood Theatre and Resident Director for the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings.

A resident of Vancouver since retiring as President of the University of Windsor in 2008, Dr. Paul is an Adjunct Professor at UBC and a regular consultant/writer on issues in post-secondary education. A graduate of Bishop’s, McGill and London universities, he was previously President of Laurentian University; Vice-President Academic at Athabasca University; and Academic Dean of Dawson College.A former President of Montreal’s Island City Singers, he was co-composer of its Festival Folk Mass, and has written and performed in many satirical musical revues at fringe festivals and university conferences.. He was a founding member of the Summerfest Board which helped create the Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival. He served a decade as a National Governor of the Shaw Theatre Festival and was an inaugural member of the Advisory Committee to the Ontario Minister of Arts and Culture.For his widespread community activities, he was awarded the Governor General’s Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Confederation in 1992, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2010.

Imelda Perley is Wolastoqew, a descendant of the people of the river. Presently, she is Elder-In-Residence at the University of New Brunswick. She is also Cultural Coordinator for all Maliseet communities in Health Initiatives. Her Cultural roles include Sweatlodge Keeper, Sacred Pipe Carrier, Storyteller and Keeper of Women’s ceremonies. Most recently she has been appointed Canada’s 150 Ambassador.

Robert Perry was born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan. He graduated as a Chartered Professional Accountant in 1974, and has served as Chief Financial Officer and VP Finance for Kramer Ltd for the last 39 years. Robert was elected to the MacKenzie Art Gallery Board of Trustees in 1990, and again in 2011 before becoming Board Chair in 2015. In addition to his work with the MacKenzie, Robert has been a board member of the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation since 2013. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the National Gallery of Canada from 2003-2008.

Artistic and General Director of Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in Montreal since 1992, Lorraine Pintal is involved in all aspects of the cultural sphere, from acting and radio hosting to movie and television directing. In theatre, she has directed over 100 classical and contemporary plays by some of the world’s greatest playwrights: Brecht, Molière, Arthur Miller, Henrik Ibsen and, from Quebec, Marcel Dubé, Michel Tremblay, Claude Gauvreau and Réjean Ducharme.Lorraine Pintal received the 2001 Gascon-Thomas’Prize, many Critic’s and Masques prizes, and two Gémeaux/Geminy Prizes for her television work. She was appointed member of the Order of Canada in 2002.

Jan-Fryderyk Pleszczynski est président et producteur exécutif de Digital Dimension, une entreprise spécialisée dans la création de contenu numérique et l’animation pour l’industrie du film, de la télévision et du jeu vidéo. Avant de faire le saut comme entrepreneur, Jan-Fryderyk a évolué plusieurs années à titre d’avocat en droit des affaires chez Fasken Martineau, un des grands cabinets d’avocats internationaux.Très impliqué au sein de la communauté, Jan-Fryderyk est président du Conseil des arts de Montréal et siège à différents conseils d’administration, dont celui du Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.En 2015, il se voyait remettre le prix Arnold Edinborough par l’organisation Business for the Arts pour son leadership et sa contribution bénévole exemplaire dans le milieu des arts.

Janice Price became President of The Banff Centre on March 16th, 2015. She most recently served as CEO of the Luminato Festival, Toronto’s Festival of Art and Creativity, an organization she led since its inception in 2006. As the Festival’s Founding CEO, Janice helped Luminato become one of the world’s largest and most respected annual multi-arts festivals. The Festival reaches over 800,000 audience members annually, and in its first eight seasons commissioned 75 new works. Previous to Luminato, Janice was the President and CEO of The Kimmel Centre for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia from 2002-2006, and prior to that position she was Vice President of Marketing and Communications and then Interim Executive Director at New York’s Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts. Prior to her professional engagements in the United States, Janice held senior positions at a number of Toronto arts organizations, including the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts and The Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall. From 1992 – 1996, Janice was the Director of Marketing and Special Projects for the Stratford Festival.Ms. Price has served on numerous arts related Boards, and currently serves on Business for the Arts, Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Council, and the Council of Post-Secondary Presidents of Alberta.

Cate Proctor, MBA, is an experienced producer, consultant and senior manager in the arts sector since 1990. She facilitates opportunity for both artists and their creative output to connect through networks, processes, and holistic planning, focusing on sustainable, creative, and economic prospects for all participants. Her journey in the arts sector reflects opportunity, risk and a passion to contribute, currently influencing Ottawa Little Theatre as its Managing Director. She focuses on win-win results, incorporating evidence-based research, business knowledge and experience from the grass roots level, working in collaboration with artists, arts organizations, or independently.

Aubrey Reeves is the newly appointed Executive Director of Culture Days. From 2010 – 2017, she led Ontario Culture Days from a fledgling arts and culture alliance into a thriving not-for-profit organization. Previously, Aubrey was Artistic Producer and Project Manager of spOtlight, a pilot program of the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario’s Ministry of Culture as well as the Programming Director at Trinity Square Video, where she curated exhibitions of local, national and international artists. Aubrey holds a M.A. in Curatorial Studies from Bard College in New York and a B.A. in Visual Arts and Arts Management from the University of Toronto.

Kevin Rice was named director of Confederation Centre Art Gallery in June 2009 bringing more than two decades of experience in collections and curatorial roles. He remains enthusiastic about administration, programming, collection building, and engaging audiences with Canadian visual art. He is a member of the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization; a longstanding member of the Canadian Museums Association; past president of the Atlantic Provinces Art Gallery Association; and active on the steering committee for Charlottetown’s dynamic and collaborative outdoor visual arts festival, Art in the Open.

Josephine Ridge was born and educated in Melbourne, Australia. Since 1986 she has worked in the performing arts across a variety of sectors including theatre, dance and music working in marketing, communications, sponsorship, philanthropy and general management. She has worked for Playbox Theatre Company, The Malthouse Theatre, Opera Australia, Australian Chamber Orchestra and The Australian Ballet. In 2003 she was appointed as General Manager, later Executive Director, of Sydney Festival where she worked for nearly ten years before her appointment as Artistic Director of Melbourne Festival (2013-2015). In 2016 she was appointed Artistic Director of Luminato Festival in Toronto.

Penny has been the Citadel Theatre’s Executive Director since 2003. Agraduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, she worked formany years as a stage manager, production manager, tour coordinatorand producer of theatre, dance and music productions, festivalsand industrials, across Canada and the US. She later returned to NTSas Director of the English Production Section.In the mid-80’s, Penny crossed over to film and television, producingseveral award-winning documentaries and dramas, with internationalcoproduction partners, for the National Film Board, Great NorthProductions, and Alliance Atlantis.Penny’s long and varied experience in the arts makes her a strongleader, able to appreciate and direct the many activities of a major artsorganization and a large facility. She has received the Maclab EnterprisesAward for Excellence in Arts Administration, the Rozsa Awardfor Innovation and was nominated for a Women of Vision Award.Penny is a passionate participant in and advocate for the arts in alltheir forms and has served on numerous juries and committees. Sheis currently a member of the Executive Council for TRG Arts.

CEO of TRG Arts, Jill Robinson is a true believer in the power of arts and culture to transform individuals and communities. She also holds the belief that financial success enables organizations to do more of the vibrant, creative work they were designed to do.TRG’s insights, tools, teaching, and hands-on support help clients achieve their biggest goals, and the firm has served more than 1,200 clients of all genres throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and now the United Kingdom. TRG’s new team in the UK also provides support for the arts sector by facilitating major cross-industry conferences and providing subsidized support services to the UK’s leading campaigning body for public funding of culture, the National Campaign for the Arts.

Jennie is a creative technologist focused on empowering collaborative arts and culture communities. She helps organizations that centre diverse identities develop sustainable technical infrastructure – so that everyone can create freely and focus on the good work they do for a more just, equitable future. She’s the executive director of Dames Making Games, a feminist video game arts organization; on the board of the Toronto Media Arts Centre, a new purpose-built media arts facility and cinema providing a permanent home for five Toronto non-profits; and founder of Gamma Space Collaborative Studio. “

Lisa Rubin was named Artistic and Executive Director of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts in February, 2014. However, her involvement with the world of theatre and with the Segal Centre especially, from both onstage and behind the scenes, began over twenty years ago. Lisa launched her professional acting career at the age of fifteen, performing within Canada and internationally, in several award-winning productions. She is a graduate of McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Theatre and a graduate degree in Public Relations. Lisa has been a member of the Canadian Arts Summit Steering Committee since 2016.

Jason Ryle is the Artistic Director at imagineNATIVE, which presents the annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the world’s largest Indigenous film festival, based in Toronto. Jason develops and oversees all aspects of the organization’s year-round and Festival artistic programming in addition to national and international co-presentations. In addition to his role at imagineNATIVE, he has made short films, is an emerging producer, and is a script reader for The Harold Greenberg Fund, which provides financial aid to Canadian filmmakers. As an award-winning writer, Jason has written for the Smithsonian Institution and numerous publications throughout North America.

Karran Sahadeo is a multimedia artist who uses photography and video to explore our relationship and reliance on using technology as a memory aid. His works have been exhibited internationally in United States, United Kingdom, and Georgetown, Guyana. While in Guyana, Sahadeo placed third in the biennial Guyana Visual Arts Competition & Exhibition (2014), coordinated and moderated The Photography Sessions lectures at Moray House Trust (2015), and curated the first independent photography exhibition, VISIONS (2016). His most recent group exhibitions are Un | Fixed Homeland (Aljira, Newark, NJ, USA, 2016) and Manifesting Monuments (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK, 2016)

Erik Sande joined the Medavie Health Services Group of Companies (MHS) as President in August 2013 where he leads a team of 3,500 healthcare professionals delivering out-of-hospital emergency medical services and primary clinical care across six Canadian provinces and the state of Massachusetts.He is a dedicated community leader, and has participated on numerous boards including sitting as Vice-Chair on the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Board of Govenors

Mark Sandiford is executive director of Culture PEI, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the outcomes and incomes of arts, heritage and creative industry workers on PEI. A documentary filmmaker by trade, Mark won a Gemini award in 2008 for his NFB coproduction, Qallunaat! Why White People are Funny

Studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University then 13 years in BBC radio/TV production and presentation, and Head of Artistic Planning for the BBC Proms and BBC Symphony. Artistic Projects Director at London’s Southbank (responsible for much of Southbank’s original programming) then Head of Arts for Birmingham City Council running major projects like the 10-year Festival of the 20thC, Towards the Millennium (jointly with Sir Simon Rattle). Rejoined BBC management for nationwide radio/TV Millennium Music Live festival, then in 2000 appointed founding General Director of Sage Gateshead (pioneering international centre for music and musical discovery). Moved to Canada in 2015 as CEO of Toronto’s Luminato festival. Elected Chair of ISPA, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and (jointly with UK football legend Sir Bobby Robson) awarded the Hotspur Award for outstanding contribution to the development of NE England.

Trudy has been the Executive Director of the WSO since July 2008. She held a similar position with the Winnipeg Folk Festival for ten years prior to that. Earlier in her career she worked for the City of Ottawa in the field of cultural policy development, arts facility development, heritage preservation and business communications. She holds an MBA from the Asper School of Business, a Performance Singing Degree from the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, an Arts Management degree from University of Ottawa, and a B.A. (Political Science) from University of Winnipeg.

Andrew Shaver is a bilingual performer and director based primarily between Toronto and Montreal. He was the Canadian Artistic Director of the International touring ensemble SaBooge Theatre from 2000-07, and is currently the Artistic Director of SideMart Theatrical Grocery (sidemartian.com). His french language production of Grease for Juste Pour Rire has sold over 100,000 tickets and continues to tour.

Dr. Peter Simon was appointed President of The Royal Conservatory in September 1991, a time when the venerable Canadian institution founded in 1886 was re-emerging as an independent entity and faced substantial financial, operational and program challenges.Since that time Dr. Simon has led a dynamic transformation of the programs and facilities of The Royal Conservatory resulting in a dramatic expansion of the number of participants, earned and donated revenues, endowment funds, and scholarship support for students. Today the broad array of RCM programs is used by 500,000 people annually.

Ruth Smillie is a director, actor, playwright and teacher. She has been the Artistic Director and CEO of Globe Theatre since 1998. From 1985 to 1995 Ruth was the Artistic Director of Catalyst Theatre. She was the founding Artistic Director of Persephone Youtheatre.Ruth Smillie was presented with the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Award in 2000, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the YWCA Women of Distinction Arts Award in 2004, and the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal. In 2008, Ruth was named as one of ten Women of Influence by SaskBusiness Magazine. In 2011, Ruth Smillie received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, the province’s highest honour.

Colleen was named the Executive Director of Theatre Calgary in January, 2015. Colleen was formerly the Director of Operations at The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, a position she held for six years. Prior to her role with Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, Colleen was the Managing Director with Factory Theatre (Toronto), Director of Finance and Education at Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, and the Program Manager for Learning Through the Arts® at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has also been a board member with the Toronto Arts Council, Downtown Yonge BIA, and the Toronto Alliance of the Performing Arts.

Originally, from Montreal, Sarah now lives in Kingston and works from Ottawa. She is the Associate Artistic Director, English Theatre and Interim Facilitator, Indigenous Theatre at Canada’s National Arts Centre, creative catalyst SpiderWebShow, and a former AD of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Throughout her award winning career, Sarah has directed and dramaturged from coast to coast and internationally. Curator for The Collaborations, leader for The Cycle(s), and recent directing Kill Me Now (RMTC/NAC) Bunny (Stratford Festival) and Helen Lawrence (CanStage, BAM, Kammerspiele etc.,) She trained at École Jacques Lecoq, Vancouver Film School and received her BA and MA from Queens University. Sarah was recently awarded The LMDA Elliot Hayes Award for her focus on the Indigenous Body of Performance work in Canada.

With more than two decades experience in leadership, branding and development, Michèle Stanners is a long-time advocate and dedicated member of Calgary’s arts community, having founded, served with or consulted for several organizations. Michèle holds an MBA/Law combined degree from the University of Alberta and graduated from the Harvard Divinity School with a Masters in Theological Studies in 2012. While at Harvard University, she worked with faculty at the Kennedy School to design leadership courses and seminars on the integration of the arts for positive social movement and change. She is sought out for her unique talent for embracing and leveraging the power of diversity to respond to complex cultural challenges and ensure broad-based commitment and inclusive decision making. In her role as the Executive Director at Making Treaty 7, Michèle is engaging stakeholders to ensure that the spirit of Treaty 7 is shared not only with the people of Treaty 7 but with all of Canada and beyond.

Christopher Stowell was born in New York City and received his training at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and the School of American Ballet. In 1985, he joined San Francisco Ballet where he danced for 16 years, appearing in theaters throughout the world including Paris Opéra, New York’s Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. As a Principal Dancer, Mr. Stowell performed leading roles in the full-length classics Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and Othello, and had roles created for him by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and by contemporary choreographers including Mark Morris, William Forsythe and James Kudelka. An established interpreter of the George Balanchine repertoire.Mr. Stowell has taught and coached in San Francisco, New York, Japan, China and Europe. He has created new works for San Francisco Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Diablo Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, as well as the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. He has also staged the works of George Balanchine, Mark Morris and Christopher Wheeldon.In 2003, Mr. Stowell became Oregon Ballet Theatre’s second Artistic Director. He made significant additions to the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s repertoire, bringing to Portland works from some of the world’s most celebrated choreographers, including Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe, Paul Taylor, Helgi Tomasson, Christopher Wheeldon and Lar Lubovitch. Mr. Stowell held the position until 2012 and has recently been freelancing as a choreographer, ballet master and teacher in the US, Europe and Asia as well working for the Balanchine Trust. In addition to serving as Ballet Master and Assistant to the Artistic Director at San Francisco Ballet for the 2014/15 season, he worked in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Antwerp, Beijing, Cincinnati and Copenhagen and created his first work for Los Angeles Ballet as well as his first film for the SF Dance Film Festival.

Alexandra (Sasha) is Curator of European Art and R. Frasier Elliott Chair of the Print and Drawing Council at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Sasha was born in Orillia and raised in Toronto before completing a BA at Princeton University, an MA at Williams College, and a PhD at The Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Sasha’s passion for art is fueled by its ability to inspire dialogue across time and place. Thanks to art, she is also mesmerized by the limitless potential for human creativity. At the AGO, her most recent exhibition, Small Wonders: Gothic Boxwood Miniatures, has received extensive positive press for its high level of scholarship which is driven by the public’s curiosity about these wondrous works of art.

TINA SVEDAHL, CMAVice President, InvestmentsHarvard Developments Inc. Tina has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry and has been at Harvard for 18 of those years. In 2004, she was appointed to Vice President Investments with Harvard Developments Inc. – A Hill Company. Tina draws on her experience to provide strategic expertise, organizational guidance, governance oversight and leadership to mergers, acquisitions and operations of The Hill Companies’ diverse interests in the broadcasting, manufacturing, insurance and real estate sectors.Tina is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CMA), holds her Canadian Securities Certificate, and has the Institute of Corporate Directors’ Designation. Tina is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Saskatchewan, as well as a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. Ms. Svedahl currently serves as Chair of Regina’s Globe Theatre Board, and as a Director of the board for Harvard Western Insurance, SaskEnergy and the One Life Makes a Difference Foundation. In addition, she is also a member of the Audit and Finance Committee for SaskEnergy, and a member of the Advisory Committee for RBC Women Executive in Residence. She has previously held positions as a member of The Executive Committee (TEC) and the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority (RREDA) Future Leaders

Ryhna Thompson is an entrepreneur, artist manager and producer who has been working in the cultural and creative industries for 15 years. Under the banner of her company Envision Management & Production, she has worked with internationally acclaimed, award-winning musical artists such as Kid Koala, Amon Tobin, Bell Orchestre, Esmerine among others. She has produced films in numerous formats such as animated shorts (Basin Street Blues), live stop motion features (Nufonia Must Fall), and worked on documentaries (Foley Room). Over the years, she has planned and executed dozens of live tours through the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia and produced numerous projects straddling different disciplines such as music, film, theatre, animation, interactive and literature. Ryhna continues to serve on the Board of Music Managers Forum Canada after acting as President of the organization from 2010-2014.

As Group Head, Personal & Commercial Banking, Jennifer Tory is responsible for RBC’s banking businesses in Canada and the Caribbean, including all personal and commercial, credit cards and payments, sales and branch distribution, operations and advice centres. She is one of ten Group Executive members setting the overall strategic direction of RBC – a role she continues when assuming the global mandate of Chief Administrative Officer in May, 2017. Awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2012, Jennifer sits on the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation Board and is Chair, Toronto International Film Festival Board. Awarded the 2011 Catalyst Canada Honour for championing women in business, Jennifer was recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women in 2010, 2015 and 2016.

Kelly Tweeddale became President of the Vancouver Symphony and VSO School of Music in November 2015 to lead Canada’s third largest orchestra during a time of innovation and transition which will include the organization’s centennial celebration and the introduction of its next music director. For almost three decades, Tweeddale’s career has had one focal point: connecting people and places through music. Prior to joining the VSO, she was the Executive Director of Seattle Opera, where she was responsible for transforming its performance facility, McCaw Hall, into one of the finest opera halls in America and helped lead the growth of Seattle Opera into being one of the preeminent Wagner companies in North America and one of the highest per capita opera attendance in the United States.

With 30 years theatre experience, since 2005, Susanna has been the Artistic Director of Theatre Terrific, an all inclusive theatre company. The company does not seek to inspire, but rather to tackle subjects that deeply questions universal human issues, relevant to all of society. Casting consists of artists who may or may not have physical, mental health, cognitive, gender or cultural differences and who would normally never have the opportunity to collaboratively create ensemble theatre productions. Respect, rigor, and challenge to risk are her guiding mantras in over twenty productions she has collaboratively written and directed for the company.

Becka Viau, BFA, MFA, M.S.M., is an artistic leader celebrated for her capacity to manage multi venue and interdisciplinary events, engage various levels of government through fundraising and partnerships. She pushes the boundaries of artist as manager.She is also a practicing Artist. She received her BFA, 2008 and MFA, 2013 from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and has exhibited throughout the Maritimes and Europe. She was long listed for the Sobey Art Award in 2011 and 2014. She has worked as a curator, educator and coordinator of arts organizations and arts festivals. Much of her artistic activity engages with questions relating to the institutions, dissemination and social networks of power, art and culture.

Michael Vukets, Founding Partner. Founder and principal of the firm. Specialist in estate planning, corporate and personal income tax integration and inter-generational wealth transfers. Previously enjoyed a 23-year career as senior tax partner with KPMG. Appointed youngest partner is KPMG’s history. Frequent industry keynote speaker on tax and estate planning for affluent families.

Clyde Wagner, an internationally accomplished producer, is the President and CEO of Civic Theatres Toronto. His experience includes: Senior Producer, Park Avenue Armory; Executive Producer Luminato, up to and including its 10th anniversary; Partner in the Visual Art production company PVW, which produces Art for Public Spaces; Founder for Sweet Caesar Inc., a cutting-edge start-up software company created to build interactive platforms for mobile devices; Associate creative director for eLUXURY.com, the largest luxury website on the web, owned by LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Clyde has an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, and his BA from Queen’s University.

Carolyn Warren is the Senior Arts Advisor at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and previously Vice-President of Arts, overseeing a unique diversity of programming for artists at all stages of their careers in Visual/Digital and Media Arts, Performing Arts (theatre, dance, music, opera), Literary Arts and Translation, Indigenous Arts and interdisciplinary programs that cross disciplines and sectors. Committed to supporting all forms of contemporary artistic expression, Warren is a strong advocate for the importance of technology both in contemporary artistic production and dissemination. She oversaw a revisioning and renewal of arts programming at the Banff Centre as well as the creation of a new “Convergence” brand of arts residencies and symposia on the intersection of art and technology. She also oversaw the development of digital content including video shorts, Banff Centre Talks, Banff Centre radio and podcasts, and digital publications through Banff Centre Press. Warren was formerly Manager of Cultural Programs at CBC, based in Montreal, where she was responsible for local and national talk and music programs for Radio One and Radio 2, network TV programming featuring independent productions by Quebec filmmakers and innovative online arts initiatives for CBC Books.

Ari is in his second year as Winnipeg Jewish Theatre’s Artistic Directorand is part of the Music Theatre Performance faculty at Sheridan College, his alma mater, as Internship Advisor. As an arts administrator, Ari has held various positions including Fundraising and Events Coordinator for Lakeshore Arts, Discovery Coordinator for Markham Theatre, and Metcalf Foundation Intern Artistic Director for Acting Up Stage Company. As an actor and teaching artist, he has performed and taught all over Canada and the United States. Ari has produced several cabarets to support initiatives for LGBTQ youth.

Russell Willis Taylor was President and CEO of National Arts Strategies in the United States from January 2001 to January 2015, before coming to Banff Centre. She has extensive senior experience in strategic business planning, financial analysis and planning, and all areas of operational management. Educated in England and America, she served as director of development for the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art before returning to England in 1984 at the invitation of the English National Opera (ENO) to establish the Company’s first fund-raising department. During this time, she also lectured extensively at graduate programs of nonprofit management and arts and business management throughout Britain. From 1997 to 2001, she rejoined the ENO as executive director.Mrs. Willis Taylor has held a wide range of managerial and Board posts in the commercial and nonprofit sectors including the advertising agency DMBB; head of corporate relations at Stoll Moss; director of The Arts Foundation; special advisor to the Heritage Board, Singapore; chief executive of Year of Opera and Music Theatre (1997); judge for Creative Britons and lecturer on business issues and arts administration. She received the Garrett Award for an outstanding contribution to the arts in Britain, the only American to be recognized in this way. She was part of the founding team with Diana, Princess of Wales, for the National Aids Trust in the UK, and a member of the 1998 Parliamentary Review Committee on Nonprofit Management. Mrs. Willis Taylor currently serves on the advisory boards of the Salzburg Global Seminar, the British Council’s Arts & Creative Economy Advisory Group, The Charlottesville Community Foundation, Fractured Atlas. and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In 2013, Mrs. Willis Taylor was honored with the International Citation of Merit by the International Society for the Performing Arts, presented in recognition of her lifetime achievement and her distinguished service to the performing arts. She has written a number of articles on nonprofits and cultural management and on policy issues in arts and culture.

For the majority of her career, Erin Woods has been on small teams with large scopes, playing multiple roles. Her official jobs have included HR, events, sales and marketing, and her current role as Leadership Program Manager at Banff Centre; unofficially she has been a writer, problem solver, makeup artist, designer and comic relief. While her background is in the service industry, her heart has always been in the arts. With degrees in theatre from Colorado College and communication from the University of Denver, she can imagine no better place than a premier arts institution in the Canadian Rockies.

Cornell Wright is a director and vice-chair of The National Ballet of Canada. He is a leading corporate lawyer and Co-Head of the M&A practice at Torys LLP.

Nora Young is the host and the creator of Spark, CBC Radio’s national show and podcast about technology and culture. Spark is a fun and informative look at new technology, with an eye to understanding how it is changing our relationships, our work, and our society. As a journalist, author, and speaker, Nora explores how new technology shapes the way we understand ourselves and the world around us. Her book, The Virtual Self, is published by McClelland and Stewart. Her favourite technology is her bicycle

Madani took over as Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre in 2012. In 2013 he programmed the company’s most successful season to date, which saw the theatre play to 99% capacity. For the Bush he has previously directed The Royale (2013 and reprised at The Tabernacle 2016), Perseverance Drive and Chalet Lines. He has overseen the successful £4.3 million capital redevelopment of the Bush Theatre, which reopened to the public on the 18 March 2017.

Haley has been the Executive Director at the Kings Playhouse in historic Georgetown, PEI since 2015. She is a versatile musician, fierce advocate for arts education and strong believer in the power of community. Her passions lie in rural community development, collaborative, community-based art and accessibility.

Johann Zietsman is the current President & CEO of Arts Commons (formerly EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts) in Calgary, Alberta. Originally from South Africa, Johann lived for a number of years in the United States, where he served as President of the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), Executive Director of the Mesa Arts Center, and Director of Arts and Culture for the city of Mesa, Arizona.