Key
Board & Staff

Board & Staff

We have passionate people working behind the scenes every day to provide career development opportunities for artists, and quality arts learning and enjoyment opportunities for residents and visitors. Our Artist Advisory Committee provides guidance to ensure that programming and activities are relevant to and inclusive of our membership and wider community, and serve as Peer Assessors in our Artist Fund and other selection processes. Their work was instrumental in helping to shape our 2022-27 Strategic Plan.

We are committed to reflecting and including the diversity of our community, and fostering a sense of belonging, in our organization. Click to read our full Inclusivity, Diversity & Equity Policy.

 

Staff

Janna Smith (She/Her)
Executive Director
Janna Smith (She/Her)

Janna has more than twenty years experience working in nonprofit, government funded arts organizations in both Ontario and Quebec. Past roles include Administrative Manager of Festival Players PEC, and General Manager of Youtheatre in Montreal. At Youtheatre, Janna successfully led projects funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, and Foreign Affairs Canada. She worked closely with emerging and established artists, and developed Youtheatre’s national touring network. Under her tenure as GM, the company embarked on more than 20 national tours, as well as an international tour to the U.K. Since becoming County Arts' first Executive Director in 2017, Janna has led the organization through an incredible period of growth and transformation. Her passion and commitment to supporting artists is demonstrated through the launch of new programs and services, such as the Artist Fund, Artist Residency program, and the County Arts Lab. Janna is always keen to connect people to foster new initiatives for the benefit of the community. Janna holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and a Certificate in Management from Concordia University. Photo by Johnny C.Y. Lam

janna@countyarts.ca
Andrea Dawes (She/Her)
Special Initiatives Manager
Andrea Dawes (She/Her)

In her 17+ year career in the nonprofit sector, Andrea has coordinated an immigration legal clinic, managed a language course program for newcomers, and, as a consultant, helped guide and support a wide range of nonprofit programming activities - from strategic planning and communications, to program evaluation and everything in between. Andrea is also the founder and manager of PecParents.ca, an online resource site for parents and children residing in Prince Edward County. As a former professional musician, Andrea is thrilled to bring her life and work experiences, as well as her passion for helping nonprofits achieve their mission, to her role with County Arts. Andrea holds a Master's in Public Administration degree from San Francisco State University. Photo by Johnny C.Y. Lam.

andrea@countyarts.ca
Stacey Sproule (She/Her)
Programs Manager
Stacey Sproule (She/Her)

Stacey is an artist who earned her BFA from OCAD and has exhibited across Ontario. She has been an artist instructor and facilitator at the County Arts Lab since 2022, and she has taught at Workman Arts, Regina Public Library, The Canadian War Museum, Gotamago and the Makeden. She has held positions at the Canadian Opera Company, The Corporation of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall, The Local Flower Collective and at the Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies Department’s summer institute at Queen’s. She is excited to return to the nonprofit sector and to bring her skills as an artist, instructor and administrator to her role as Programs Manager.

stacey@countyarts.ca
Heather McCorquodale (She/Her)
Membership Services Coordinator
Heather McCorquodale (She/Her)

Raised in Prince Edward County, Heather has grown up with an appreciation for the natural beauty of the area and the art created by talented artists in every corner of the County. A background in digital photography, as well as post-grad studies in Museum Management and Curatorship at Fleming College, have allowed her to explore opportunities in Halifax with the Association of Nova Scotia Museums as well as the Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound, Ontario. Through the Inspire Program at the Prince Edward Learning Centre, she was able to complete fun and fulfilling internships at both the Department of Illumination and County Arts. She enjoys being able to serve the talented members of this diverse community of artists in her role as Membership Services Coordinator.

info@countyarts.ca

Board of Directors

Chair
Julia Howell
Julia Howell

For more than twenty-five years Julia has helped define and advance dozens of cause-driven organizations. A generalist at heart she has held executive roles in communications, fundraising and administration within charitable organizations as well as working from the funder perspective designing and steering community investment strategy. Her experience in the field spans issues and sectors, from immigration to music education, criminal justice to parks, guiding corporate, government and nonprofit organizations, including the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Scotiabank, D+H, Imagine Canada, Maytree, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto and Arts Toronto. This eclectic mix has led to Julia’s current role as Chief Program Officer at Toronto Foundation where she leads teams working across granting, research, communications, donor stewardship and new business development.

Treasurer
Erin Hewitson
Erin Hewitson

Erin is a creative and experienced fundraiser who believes in the power of not-for-profits to connect, inspire and empower. Her passion for new experiences and growth have taken her to Australia, the UK and back home to Canada where she’s developed deep skills in individual giving, foundations, government relations and events. Along the way, she’s helped some amazing organizations achieve their missions, including Victorian Opera, Shakespeare Schools Foundation, the Toronto International Film Festival and Belleville General Hospital Foundation.

Secretary
Catelyn Thornton
Catelyn Thornton

Catelyn is a Performance Artist & Arts Educator with ancestral roots in Prince Edward County, where she now lives. Catelyn holds a Bachelor of Education in Dance and Drama from Victoria State College (Melbourne) and a Masters in Fine Arts - Theatre from York University. In addition to working as a Performing Artist for many years, Catelyn taught with the Toronto District School Board for 25 years, heading up the Arts Department at R.H. King Academy in Scarborough. During her tenure, Catelyn forged partnerships with government, businesses, arts organizations, and the community to bring a host of new arts programs to the school. Catelyn has also worked as an arts education consultant for theatre companies to help them develop outreach programming for students throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

Directors at Large
Andrea Piller
Andrea Piller

Andrea is an award-winning Ceramist with a degree from the Ontario College of Art & Design. Her sculptural hand built works are ongoing investigations of natural form, aiming to synthesize the organic world and human experience. Her work can be found at the Gardiner Museum, Canadian Clay & Glass Museum, Burlington Art Gallery, and more. Andrea is also an experienced artist educator and mentor who is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge for visual arts and creative fluency with her students.

Steve Billinger
Steve Billinger

Steve has spent his whole career in the creative community both in Canada and in the UK and US, as a successful creative company co-founder, writer, producer, director and designer leading to executive roles at Microsoft, News Corp, Bell and running business, strategy and digital for the CBC. Most recently he launched creative entrepreneurship programs at OCAD University and Artscape to help artists and cultural workers start and grow their businesses.

Talitha Tolles
Talitha Tolles

Talitha, a resilient Métis artist, draws inspiration from her Vasseur-Longlade ancestry of Drummond Island Voyageurs. Her art, deeply rooted in her Queer Métis identity, serves as a means to heal personal trauma and uplift her community. Talitha showcases traditional and contemporary jewelry designs, skillfully learned from her mother and other talented artists around Turtle Island.

Event/Program Chairs
Janna Smith (Interim)

Art in the County

Tara Wilkinson

PEC Arts Trail

Dale Wainwright & Heather Kerr

PEC Studio Tour

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