President
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Town of Oakville, ON
Sarah Douglas-Murray is the Senior Manager of Cultural Services for the Town of Oakville. In her role as senior manager, she oversees the cultural services division which includes cultural planning and outreach, special events, and the direct operation of the town’s cultural facilities — the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Oakville Museum and Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre. Sarah’s cultural services team is working to implement the Town of Oakville Cultural Plan 2016-2021 and has been successful in exponentially growing cultural programs, outreach, and the capacity of cultural groups within the community. Sarah is a graduate from the University of Toronto with a degree in Art History, Anthropology and Sociology, is a graduate of the Cultural Careers Council of Ontario’s Income Managers Program, and has a Certificate in Cultural Planning from the University of British Columbia.
Past President
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Kelly Jerrott has more than 25 years of experience as a leader in the arts and cultural sector in Canada. She holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University, in Victoria, British Columbia, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Physical Education from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She is currently the Director of Community Services with the City of St. Albert, in Alberta, which includes the portfolios of culture and community social development. Working with a dynamic team in St. Albert, Ms. Jerrott oversees the management and operations of the City’s cultural facilities including the Arden Theatre, visual arts studios, museum, gallery and heritage properties. She and her team also oversee the management of the City’s Public Art Collection, and the direct delivery of a wide variety of festivals, events and programs to support the community. Another focus of her role includes the provision of provision or preventative social services including diversity and inclusion, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing, social responsibility and innovation as well as Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation activities. She was instrumental in the development of the City’s Cultural Master Plan and Heritage Management Plan and Heritage Conservation Program.
Before joining the City, Ms. Jerrott served as the Executive Director of Edmonton’s Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Executive Director of Music Alberta, and General Manager of the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, NS. Her past volunteer service includes serving on the board of the Western Canadian Music Alliance, host committee for the JUNOs, WCMAs, and participating as a jury member for a variety of provincial and national organizations. Ms. Jerrott is also a Sessional Instructor with MacEwan University in the Faculty of Arts and Cultural Management. Ms. Jerrott is a values-based leader who creates a positive culture, empowering others to strive for excellence, fostering a high level of employee engagement and productivity through innovation and creativity.
Vice President
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City of Mississauga, ON
Michael Tunney is the Manager of Culture Planning for the City of Mississauga where he oversees the cultural planning, research and public art programs. Since joining the Culture Division in 2011, Michael has developed and implemented cultural resource mapping and research programs, strategic plans and feasibility studies for cultural infrastructure, and most recently led the redevelopment of a WW2 industrial building into the city’s newest cultural hub. Prior to joining the City he has worked in municipal planning, museums and galleries, and the commercial art sector. Since becoming first involved with CCNC in 2014, Michael has served on various summit organizing committees and working groups, and presented at summits and regional meetings. He has been on the Board of Directors since 2016. Michael holds an Honours Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of Waterloo where he studied geography, economic development, visual arts and tourism planning. In 2008 he completed a post-graduate certificate in Museum Management and Curatorial Studies from Fleming College.
Secretary
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City of Spruce Grove, AB
Brent Oliver is one of the most earnestly dedicated champions and patrons of the Arts in Alberta. For over 30 years Brent has devoted himself to developing and promoting Alberta arts initiatives, events, and artists. This life-long calling grew from Brent’s passion for culture. While earning a Music Degree from the University of Alberta, Brent worked as a talent buyer at the Rev Cabaret, then Sidetrack Café, two of Edmonton’s most iconic live music venues in recent history. Guided by his confidence in the strength of Alberta’s music community, and his desire to help it grow, Brent established (and became Director of) Foundation Concerts, an Edmonton-based concert and arts event promotion company which brought some of the most prominent touring acts to Western Canada. In 2014, Brent brought his wealth of expertise to the City of Spruce Grove as Director of Cultural Services. His responsibilities include management and operation of the Horizon Stage Performing Arts centre, City liaison to the Allied Arts Council and Spruce Grove Library, as well as development of art policy for the future of the City. Brent continues to consult and volunteer on countless cultural initiatives. Brent has served on other volunteer boards including 6 years with Alberta Music, 7 years with the Up + Downtown Music Festival in Edmonton and most recently, Winterruption YEG, a winter-focused January arts festival.
Treasurer
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Town of Port Hawkesbury, NS
Paula Davis has worked for the Town of Port Hawkesbury in the cultural field since graduating from Mount Allison University. She is responsible for the recreation, leisure, aquatic, and cultural programming for the Town of Port Hawkesbury. The town has a population of 3300, but attracts regional participation from the surrounding counties. Paula has developed and programmed the Granville Green concert series for 23 years, which is a free outdoor concert series made possible through community partnerships. She has also been responsible for marketing and securing sponsorship support for all cultural events, which is instrumental to their sustainability.
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City of Maple Ridge, BC
Described as a passionate and driven leader, Yvonne Chui has worked over 25 years in the cultural sector focusing on arts, heritage, and tourism. She is known as a “relationship builder” who, through arts and culture, inspires innovative approaches to connecting people, communities and ideas. She has an extensive background in management of arts organizations in the not-for-profit sector and municipal government and some consulting for community groups such as the Chinatown Society Heritage Buildings Association. In her current capacity as the Manager of Arts and Community Connections in Maple Ridge, she is responsible for the development of public art, cultural grants, artist in residence program and special events/festivals. Yvonne received her B.A. in Arts with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology from the University of British Columbia and has continued her education in the arts and culture area including “Arts for Social Change” at SFU, placemaking with Mark Lakeman, the UBC Cultural Planning program and BCIT Leadership program.
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City of Moncton, NB
Employed with the City of Moncton as the Cultural Development Officer, Joanne Duguay holds a bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from the Université de Moncton. She also received a diploma in Small Business Management from the Atlantic Business College in Moncton and a Certificate in Arts Administration Program from the Banff Centre for the Arts. Having worked for over 15 years in the film and television production industry as Production Manager and Associate Producer, Joanne has also been actively involved in Moncton’s cultural and artistic community. Since 1988, she has worked at many cultural organizations, such as Film Zone, Galerie Sans Nom, Centre culturel Aberdeen, Théâtre l’Escaouette as well as the Centre of Arts and Culture in Dieppe.
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City of Ottawa, ON
Julie DuPont is the Portfolio Manager for the City of Ottawa’s Public Art Program, encompassing public art commissions, acquisitions for a circulating art collection and professional galleries. She currently oversees commissioning projects including the Light Rail Transit Art Program, many road and infrastructure projects and engaging the private sector for new public art opportunities. Her work also includes cultural and creative policy development, space making, social engagement, collaborative working with digital media and creative industries.
Before joining the City, Julie was actively involved in the local arts community having worked in artist-run centres and not for profit cultural organizations. She has been with the Public Art Program for 28 years and over her time has held positions as the Collections and Curatorial Assistant, Planner for Exhibitions, and Public Art Officer Commissions. Through the City she has worked with the private sector managing commission projects and has also worked with the University of Ottawa on launching their first public art commissions and policy.She is a graduate from Algonquin College School of Art and Technology’s Fine Arts / Fine Crafts program and also earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa’s Visual Arts program.
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City of Calgary, AB
Lisa Hickey-Besserer has been with Calgary Recreation since 2007, most recently serving as Business Strategist for the cultural strategy portfolio. She began managing Calgary Recreation’s COVID-19 response for sport, recreation and cultural partners in early 2020.
For over 25 years, her career has supported the development of arts and cultural opportunities for artists and communities, through her positions with municipal governments, commercial galleries and not for profit organizations. Her professional experiences include the management of performance and visual arts festivals, public art programming and policy development, community engagement, complex partnership management, strategic program development and capital project management.
Lisa holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts specialist degree in Arts Management with a major in Fine Art History, from the University of Toronto. In 2014, she graduated from the University of British Columbia’s Cultural Planning and Development Program.
Lisa has been on the Creative City Network Board since 2015.
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City of Vancouver, BC
Miko is a Cultural Planner on the Grants & Awards team at the City of Vancouver and brings more than 15 years of non-profit arts management experience, with a focus on community-based, culturally diverse arts programming, outreach, and operations. Her love of music and commitment to social justice issues brought her to CiTR Radio, where she worked as Programme Director and later as Editor of Discorder Magazine. She then became fully immersed in non-profit work doing cluster management at Diane Kadota Arts Management. Her work has focused on capacity building at growing cultural organizations, drawing on her strengths in financial management and strategic planning. She was the General Manager and Programming Director at Powell Street Festival Society, for whom she led revitalization and professionalization efforts, and the Executive Director at Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, where she worked to increase the profile of the museum, created new programs, and implemented a rebranding of the organization. Community-building and supporting artists has been at the heart of all the work she does.
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Halifax Regional Municipality, NS
Jamie MacLellan is a Community Developer in the Culture and Events division of the Halifax Regional Municipality responsible for municipal policy development, program design and administration serving the professional arts and culture sector in Halifax. His primary professional focusses are overseeing the administration of the municipality’s public art program, the Grants to Professional Arts Organizations Program, and the Poet Laureate Program.
Jamie has previously served as a member of the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, advising the Provincial government on matters of cultural policy including the development of the current Culture Action Plan. He is a past co-director of the HERMES cooperative art gallery and a former board member of the Khyber Art Society. Jamie currently serves as a member of the Public Art Network (PAN) of CCNC and previously served on the 2017 Creative City Summit Organizing Committee for Halifax and on the Summit Organizing Committee for Mississauga in 2018.
He is a graduate of the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver and the University of King’s College in Halifax.
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Patricia is a dedicated cultural development professional and artist, living in Northwestern Ontario. She currently works as the Arts & Cultural Development Coordinator for the City of Thunder Bay, ON. In this role, she manages the City’s public art collection and coordinates various projects, programs, and initiatives that support cultural sector development. She also coordinates City-run cultural events. Previously, Patricia was Curator and Cultural Programs Coordinator with 4elements Living Arts, a community organization on Manitoulin Island. In this role, Patricia was lead on the Billings Connections Trail project, a community driven initiative which involved the installation of 35 historical plaques and 6 new permanent public art installations. The project received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Heritage Conservation.
Patricia has a Bachelor of Arts honours in Art History from Queen’s University and a Bachelor or Fine Arts Interdisciplinary from the NSCAD, She has also enjoyed taking courses through the UBC Centre for Cultural Planning and Development. These courses have explored the foundations of effective implementation of Cultural Policy.
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City of St. John’s, NL
Théa Morash has worked as the Arts and Cultural Development Coordinator for the City of St. John’s for seven years, following roles in various culture-focused milieus including the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Resource Centre for the Arts (LSPU Hall). Her work with the City traverses cultural planning, public art, economic development, event planning, administration of grant programs for artists, arts organizations, special events and festivals, and then some.
Théa is an actor, musician, and writer. She also sits on the Board of Directors for Music NL, the province’s music industry association, and the Cultural Artists Plan for Emergencies (CAPE) Fund, a province-wide artists emergency fund committed to helping professionals working in culture, arts, and entertainment in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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City of Regina, SK
Emma Morris is the Community Consultant for Art and Cultural Heritage with the City of Regina. Emma has always harbored a love for the arts, and she pursued this passion with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of Regina. Upon convocation, she relocated to study an MA in Cultural Heritage and Resource Management from the University of Winchester. During this time, Emma worked locally with two museums and was fortunate to travel within the UK and Europe while conducting research. Emma is currently working to align community and municipal priorities with Regina’s Cultural Plan (2016), including adhering to standards and best practices for collections care and management, research, public art, monuments, and supporting community-led placemaking initiatives. Her skills and interests include public art, diverse heritages, monuments and legacies, cultural infrastructure, research, funding (administration and grant writing), and cultural events.
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City of Toronto, ON
Konrad is committed to elevating the creative and cultural identity of the city. Konrad works as a Cultural Development Officer, Economic Development and Culture at the City of Toronto. His primary role is to develop and implement cultural programs and projects that foster and enhance the growth of Toronto as a creative city. Currently, he manages the City of Toronto’s cultural grants (operating, capital, project, and Indigenous), develops cultural policy, and manages the Cultural Community Space Tenancy’s portfolio. He is a graduate of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education with a Master’s in Education and Community Development and the Graduate Professional Certificate in Cultural Sector Leadership from the University of Victoria, B.C. Currently, Konrad sits on the Humber College Arts Administration and Cultural Management Graduate Certificate program and Ryerson’s Creative Industries degree program.