Participants

Abby Vincent
Abby Vincent (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, and arts administrator based in London, Ontario (Deshkan Ziibi).
With a decade of experience in the arts and culture sector, she is passionate about imaginative storytelling, community engagement, and fostering equitable access to creative spaces.
As Head of Marketing and Development at Museum London, Abby leads strategic initiatives that strengthen the Museum’s profile and impact through innovative communications, purposeful community partnerships, and dynamic fundraising. Over her career, she has held key roles at Western University’s McIntosh Gallery, Partners in Art, Forest City Gallery, DNA Gallery & Bookshop, the Dundas Street Festival, and the London Fringe Festival. She also co‑founded Good Sport, a grassroots studio and exhibition space that expanded opportunities for emerging artists and curators in London.
Abby holds a Bachelor of Fine Art and a Master of Art in Art History and Curatorial Studies from Western University, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Arts Management from Queen’s University.

Catherine Doyle
Catherine Doyle is a cultural philanthropy leader recognized for her strategic vision and deep commitment to the artistic vitality of Quebec.
As Director of Philanthropic and Strategic Development at the Orchestre Métropolitain (OM), she assumes responsibility for a key pillar of private funding, modernizing philanthropic practices, structuring major gifts, and developing relations that strengthen the OM’s impact in Quebec and internationally. She recently secured a historic $5M donation to the endowment fund and led benefit events generating more than $700,000 annually, as well as an innovative campaign that raised $600,000 in six weeks.
Named among the Top 50 Women Leaders of Montreal 2024, Catherine works to build inclusive and representative philanthropic models. Aspiring to lead a major cultural institution, she aims to contribute to the evolution of philanthropic practices across Canada and to the growth of a cultural ecosystem that is more ambitious, more accessible, and more sustainable.

Estelle Shook
Artistic and Managing Director of Caravan Farm Theatre, Estelle has produced, developed, and directed over forty-eight productions for the company, in addition to working on stages in Antwerp, Vienna, New York, and across Canada.
A 2025 Siminovitch Prize finalist, Estelle holds an MFA from York University and is a proud alumna of the Canadian Stage / York University Large-Scale Directing Program.
Over her 19 years with Caravan, Estelle has transformed the company’s programming, finances, and infrastructure, creating new programs and events that are nationally recognized and deeply beloved. She is a leader in large-scale, outdoor theatre creation and land-based practice, and is dedicated to exploring and advancing ideas around ecodramaturgy, community, and societal transformation.

Dr. Hayley Andrew
Dr. Hayley Andrew is the Senior Manager of Exhibitions and Collections at the Aga Khan Museum.
She leads a team in the planning and implementation of the annual exhibitions program and in the management of collections care, acquisitions, loans, and digitization.
With a wealth of experience in the museum and heritage sector, Hayley’s expertise includes program development, interpretation and audience research, exhibition design, and curriculum-based initiatives.
Before joining the Aga Khan Museum, Hayley held roles at Historica Canada, the Royal Collection Trust in the UK, and the Annandale National Historic Site in Tillsonburg, Ontario.
Her background in museum practice is underpinned by her academic achievements, including a PhD in history from York University, an MA in museum studies from the University of Leicester, and an MA in history from the University of Western Ontario.
As a passionate museum, arts, and heritage professional, Hayley is committed to connecting art and history with public interests. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences that promote accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that cultural and historical narratives resonate with a wide audience.

Joelle Peters
Joelle Peters is an Anishinaabekwe award-winning playwright and actor from Walpole Island First Nation in Southwestern Ontario.
A graduate of Seneca College’s Acting for Camera and Voice Program, Joelle has appeared on Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), Web of Lies (Discovery+), and in the film In Her City (Raven West Films Ltd). Selected theatre performance credits include Dreary and Izzy (Theatre Northwest), The Election (Nightwood/Theatre Direct/Commonboots/Passe Muraille), Only Drunks and Children Tell The Truth (Western Canada Theatre/Thousand Islands Playhouse), Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin (Signal/Soundstreams), and Women of the Fur Trade (Stratford Festival). She is also the Artistic Director of Canada’s oldest professional Indigenous theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts (T’karonto).
In 2020, Joelle was named the Siminovitch Prize Protegee for Playwriting by Laureate Tara Beagan. Joelle’s plays include Frozen River (co-written with Carrie Costello and Michaela Washburn, winner of the 2021 Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People award), Niizh (shortlisted for the Indigenous Voices Award 2025), and do you remember?
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Kareen Lalicon
Kareen Lalicon is a seasoned arts administrator with over two decades of experience in ticketing, patron services, and performing arts operations across some of Canada’s most prominent cultural institutions.
Kareen launched her arts administration career at the Canadian Opera Company in 2000, progressing from Assistant Box Office Manager into the Marketing Department before going on to hold leadership roles at the Royal Conservatory of Music and The Young Centre for the Performing Arts.
Since returning to the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2012, Kareen has become an integral leader within the Performing Arts division, where she oversees all ticketing operations and serves as the primary liaison between Programming, Marketing, and Box Office on audience relations, data analysis, and promotional initiatives. She partners closely with senior management on daily operations and revenue goals, and takes an active role in data collection and management.
What sets Kareen apart is the culture she has built around her. Known for her mentorship and genuine investment in her team’s growth, she has cultivated a stable, high-functioning, and collaborative environment — one that her staff are reluctant to leave. Her leadership style balances operational rigour with warmth, and her goal is to be not only an exceptional arts administrator, but a lasting mentor and champion for the next generation of arts leaders in Canada.

Keltie Forsyth
Keltie is the Artistic Director of Presentation House Theatre on the unceded territories of the Skwxwú7mesh and Səl̓ílwətaʔ Nations on Vancouver’s North Shore.
A theatre director, producer, educator, and arts administrator of settler ancestry, she is interested in how leadership balances care, sustainability and risk.
She holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from the University of British Columbia and is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s Department of Drama. Her career spans artistic and operational roles, including General Manager of Workshop West Theatre, Associate Artistic Director of Pi Theatre, Operations Manager at Vancouver Creative Space Society, and Director of Operations at the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, where she oversaw the 2023–2025 festivals.
Keltie is currently a participant in the National Theatre School’s 2026 Artistic Leadership Cohort and is grateful to be learning alongside peers across the country.

Kevin Tanner
Kevin Tanner is an executive leader in arts, culture, and live events with a passion for bringing people together to share in incredible experiences.
His career began as a technical director in theatre, advancing through production leadership roles before being appointed the Managing Director of Production at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Now, as the Executive Director of Dalhousie Arts Centre, Kevin is leading one of Atlantic Canada’s premiere legacy venues through an exciting strategic business transformation that will revitalize the organization’s cultural impact, reputation, and build financial stability.
Kevin is a two-time alumnus of Queen’s University, holding a Master of Arts in Arts Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) majoring in Drama. Committed to making arts spaces safer places, he is a co-founder of the national not-for-profit Event Safety Alliance Canada. He is an avid competitive bagpiper, a curler, and, most importantly to him, a new dad.

Meghan Meisters
Meghan Meisters, known professionally as iskwē, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work sits at the intersection of music, culture, and institutional change.
A registered citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation, she is recognized nationally for advancing contemporary Indigenous expression and reshaping how Canada’s cultural institutions engage with community.
A JUNO Award winner, Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize laureate, and Hnatyshyn Foundation REVEAL Indigenous Arts Award honouree, Meghan has built a two-decade career defined by artistic innovation and cultural impact. In 2025 she joined the National Arts Centre Orchestra as Senior Manager, Community Partnerships, leading national initiatives centered on collaboration, trust-building, and public engagement.
As founder of Littlebit Records, she oversees an internationally active arts company while mentoring the next generation of artists through programs including Mikw Chiyâm, Outside Looking In, and Keychange. Her jury and governance roles with Canada’s leading arts bodies position her as a prominent voice in the country’s evolving cultural landscape.

Tak Pham
Tak Pham (he/him) is Curator for the Illingworth Kerr Gallery at the Alberta University of the Arts in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, Treaty 7 Territory.
He holds an M.F.A. in Criticism and Curatorial Practice from OCAD University and a B.A. (Hons.) from Carleton University.
Pham has curated projects for institutions including the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Contemporary Calgary, Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Varley Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario, and Nuit Blanche Toronto. A 2021 participant in Google’s RARE Leadership Academy, he has collaborated with emerging creative leaders across the Americas. In 2023, he received the Hnatyshyn Foundation-Fogo Island Arts Young Curator Residency.
Pham served as Board Chair of BlackFlash Magazine from 2020 to 2023 and, since summer 2025, has been a CAMDO Board member and Chair of its Memberships and Nominations Committee. He also sits on the Advisory Board for the Canadian BIPOC Artist Rolodex project.
Mentors
Aileen Burns
Co-Executive Director and CEO
Remai Modern
Alex Sarian
President & CEO
Werklund Centre
Alisa Palmer
Artistic Producer
Vita Brevis Arts
Chris Lorway
President & CEO
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
David Leinster
Chief Executive Officer
Contemporary Calgary
John Hampton
Executive Director & CEO
MacKenzie Art Gallery
Kondwani Mwase
Executive Director, Audience Engagement
National Arts Centre
Marianne Perron
Chief Artistic Officer
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Paul Larocque
President & CEO
Arts Umbrella
Shelley Falconer
President & CEO
Art Gallery of Hamilton
Executive Leadership Supporting Partners


