CMA Hill Day 2024 Delegates
Laurent Vernet
Director, Galerie de l'Université de Montréal
Laurent Vernet has been Director of the Galerie de l'Université de Montréal since 2022. He holds a master's degree in art history from Concordia University and a doctorate in urban studies from the Institut national de la recherche scientifique. He has been active in the visual arts milieu for nearly twenty years, notably as project manager and commissioner for the Bureau d'art public de la Ville de Montréal (2009-2018), project manager for the Collection Lune Rouge (2018-2020), and arts consultant for various public and private organizations. Committed to the cultural milieu, Laurent currently sits on the Board of Directors of Compagnie de danse contemporaine Catherine Gaudet.
Kristen Fader
Curator and Archivist, Sam Waller Museum
Kristen Fader is the Curator & Archivist at the Sam Waller Museum in The Pas, Manitoba, where she wears many hats. Originally from Nova Scotia, Kristen holds a recent master’s degree in art Conservation from Queen's University, specializing in paper and photographic objects, alongside another Master's in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Exeter. Her academic journey, coupled with an undergraduate degree in Political Science, forms a robust foundation for her understanding of museums' pivotal role in communities, their place in history, and how they can be used as pillars for social and political change. Kristen is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and Indigenous reconciliation within the museum space.
Heather Stevens
Manager and Senior Heritage Interpreter, Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre
Heather, a Mi’kmaq woman from Manchester, New Hampshire, has a long history in the academic world and tourism and hospitality. After graduating with a diploma and scholarships, she worked at the Glooscap Heritage Centre and Mi’kmaq Museum. In 2015, she became the Manager of the Millbrook Cultural and Heritage Centre in Nova Scotia. Heather is a passionate advocate for First Nations museums and heritage centres. She played a key role in securing funding and repatriating a significant Men’s Ceremonial Robe to the Millbrook First Nation Community. Her dedication extends to securing funding for the centre itself, a constant challenge for First Nations institutions. Heather will undoubtedly continue to be a strong voice for cultural preservation in the years to come.
Farmer Chomitz
Executive Director, POMO Museum
Farmer is a young disabled Executive Director at POMO Museum in Port Moody BC. They have been at POMO for almost a full year and are working with the board and staff to create a sustainable plan for the institute's future. They graduated with Merit from the University of Leicester School of Museum Studies in 2018 and have been working in the arts, culture, heritage sector since then. Farmer is a member of the DEI+A sub committee at the CMA, and is looking forward to learning and contributing with peers.
Madeline Smolarz
Museum Curator, Base31
Madeline Smolarz (she/her) is an award-winning queer museum worker living with invisible disabilities based in Picton, Ontario as an uninvited settler on the treaty lands and traditional territories of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians, Anishnaabeg, Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Mississauga nations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Classical Studies from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. Madeline has contributed to the success of several arts, heritage, and culture organizations for well over a decade including: the Museum of Classical Antiquities at the University of Ottawa; the Bytown Museum; the Craigleith Heritage Depot; Ruthven Park National Historic Site; the Ontario Museum Association; the City of Kingston's Heritage Services department; the Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries, and Historic Sites; the Canadian Museums Association (CMA); Oakville Galleries; the Group of Ontario Emerging Museum Professionals Committee; and RealMeta. Madeline is an accomplished speaker and avid advocate for emerging museum professionals (EMPs), having presented on topics that intersect with EMPs’ experiences on provincial, national, and international stages. Her previous Board experience includes a term as Regional Director, International/Multi-Location of the American not-for-profit the National Emerging Museum Professional Network. Madeline currently works as the Museum Curator of Base31, a cultural complex and former WWII military training base in Prince Edward County. She volunteers her time as a Director at Large for the CMA’s Board of Directors, as Chair of the CMA’s Advocacy Committee, and as the Founder / Co-Administrator of the Emerging Museum Professionals Canada Collective.
Anne Eschapasse
Executive Director, McCord Stewart Museum
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Anne Eschapasse is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the McCord Stewart Museum, Montreal’s museum of social history. A seasoned arts and culture executive with over 20 years of international experience leading museums and cross- functional teams in the development and delivery of high-profile initiatives and programs, she was until recently France Muséums' Managing Director posted at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Anne Eschapasse began her career as a European decorative arts specialist at Christie's, in New York. Appointed Director of Exhibitions and Education at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in 2012, she led the development and planning of the exhibition, educational and cultural programs, as well as the design and operations pertaining to the reinstallation of the contemporary art collection in connection with the opening of a new pavilion designed by Office of Metropolitan Architecture (New York). From 2015 to 2020, she was the Deputy Director, Exhibitions & Outreach of the National Gallery of Canada where she delivered the Gallery's exhibitions, loans and publications programs and administered its collection. Amongst her accomplishments are the reinstallation of the Canadian and Indigenous art galleries inaugurated for Confederation’s 150th anniversary, the European tour of Canada and Impressionism, the renewal of the Gallery’s national and international outreach strategy and the production of several exhibitions presented at the Canada Pavilion for the Venice Biennale. In 2021, she joined the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal where she led its architectural expansion project and organizational transformation.
Sandy Chan
Executive Director, Ontario Museum Association (OMA)
Sandy Chan holds a Master's degree in International Relations and a Bachelor's degree in Media from the University of Macquarie in Sydney, Australia. She worked in a number of institutions throughout Oceania, Asia and North America and across multiple disciplines – from media, to education development, to not-for-profit management. Sandy specializes in inspiring and facilitating change; in fostering partnerships and connections; and in building high-performing teams. In her 14 years with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, she has raised the organization’s profile and diversified its audience, as well as broadened the breadth and depth of its programming. Sandy is known to the community as a leader who is empathetic and vision-driven. Her ability to inspire optimism, build unity and navigate complex situations has enabled the organization to emerge from the pandemic with greater capacity, stability and reach. Sandy is passionate about championing for the inclusion of diverse narratives and is an active voice locally and internationally on the topic of reimagining cultural institutions.
Michael Rikley-Lancaster
Executive Director, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
Born and raised in Chatham, Ontario, Michael Rikley-Lancaster has been Executive Director/Curator of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum since July 1, 2007. He studied Fine Arts at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, before receiving a diploma in Applied Museum Studies from Algonquin College in Ottawa. He was the Assistant Curator at Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum, and Program Coordinator for Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations with the Canadian Museums Association. Paving the way for safe museum spaces, Michael has empowered the MVTM to become Canada’s first Rainbow Registered Museum and strives to create a more diverse and inclusive museum sector. With this goal in mind, he has served on numerous boards, committees, and councils across the tourism and heritage sectors, currently sitting on the Heritage Advisory Committee for the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, the Lanark County Museum Network, and the Ontario Historical Society’s Museums Advisory Committee. As a Cultural Achievement Award recipient within the Municipality of Mississippi Mills, Michael has been consistently improving the Museum and enriching the local community by advocating for funding, inclusion, and partnership. Viewing museums as forums for learning and unlearning, Michael is working towards a sector that is sustainable, equitable, and relevant to the communities it serves. Michael is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community.
Peter Flannery
Senior Curator and Collections Manager, Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery
Peter Flannery is the Senior Curator & Collections Manager at the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery. In 2019, Peter completed his Master of Arts in Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Guelph. Recent curatorial projects include Resonance (2024), Beyond the Bead (2023), Voices (2022), and Confined (2022). He has previously worked at the Woodstock Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Guelph, Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art, as well as the School of Fine Art and Music and Archival & Special Collections at the University of Guelph. He has written for exhibition catalogues as well as Ornamentum Magazine. He is a current member of the Ornamentum Editorial Advisory Committee.
Lisa Dewhurst
Indigenous Advisor, Yukon Arts Centre
Lisa is a member of the Nlaka’pamuk Nation of Merritt, British Columbia. Her immediate roots are of the Interior Salish and Okanagan Nation but also has ancestry tied to Mexico through her Great-Great Grandfather, Jesus Garcia.
For the past 30+ years Lisa has lived in the small community of Teslin, Yukon. Cultural events and practices such as potlatches and Clan obligations tie her family to important Tlingit roots. Lisa was adopted into the Kukhhittan Clan (Raven Children) and her Tlingit name is Keis.ey, which refers to the time just before the dawn breaks.
Lisa has worked with Indigenous Culture and Tourism in the Yukon, she was a dedicated Manager and leader for 10 plus years for the Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre. She excelled in public relations, partnerships, collaborations, coordination of events and programming.
Lisa is currently working for the Yukon Government as the Senior Advisor for MMIWG2S+, however, she continues to contribute to the Cultural and Heritage sector in several ways. Lisa is an Indigenous Advisor for the Yukon Arts Centre, a current mentor for the Arts Vest program, and is also curating her own exhibit “Honouring our Future; First Nation Graduation Regalia” which will open at Canada House in London, England in June 2024.
Devin Casario
Executive Director, Association of Nova Scotia Museums (ANSM)
Devin Casario has over twenty-five years of experience in the creative industries/not-for-profit cultural sector, wearing a wide variety of hats, and has been extremely fortunate to fill a diverse number of roles. Before taking on the role of Executive Director at ANSM, he completed a two-year contract with the Town of Lunenburg as the inaugural Economic Development and Funding Manager. Prior to that, Devin was a co-founder of Culture Link, a Community Interest Company that brought the Light House Arts Centre to life in the former World Trade and Convention Centre, in the heart of downtown Halifax. Although relatively new to the museum sector, Devin's cumulative experience has positioned him to meet the challenges faced by the sector with hard work and ingenuity, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
Cat Woloschuk
Heritage Education Technician Intern, Diefenbaker Canada Centre
Caitlin (Cat) M. Woloschuk (they/them) recently completed a Master of Arts in History and holds a double honours Bachelor of Arts in History and Women & Gender Studies. Cat sits on the Board of Directors for the Museums Association of Saskatchewan and is an active member of the Saskatoon Doukhobor Society. The time spent working at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre on the University of Saskatchewan campus sparked a passion for sharing the love of lifelong learning with others, archival and museum research, sustainability, EDI&A, and collaboration.
Melissa Lee
Chief Executive Officer, Chinese Canadian Museum
Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee is an arts and culture leader with research interests in public art and social practice. She currently holds the appointment of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Chinese Canadian Museum, in British Columbia, Vancouver which was successfully opened on July 1st, 2023, showcasing 3 inaugural exhibitions in a 27,000 square-foot space in the heart of Vancouver Chinatown. From 2019-2022, she was the Director of Education and Public Programs at the Vancouver Art Gallery. From 2016-2019 she was on the founding team to open Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and Art, Hong Kong—a UNESCO heritage site—serving as the education and Public Programs Curator. She has recently been appointed to the BC Arts Council for a term until July 2026.
Tom Hunter
Collections Assistant, University of Alberta Museums
Thomas (Tom) Hunter is a Nehiyaw from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Tom has been in the museum sector since 1993 when he participated in a pilot program that involved training Indigenous students on the technical side of libraries, archives and museums. Tom began working for the University of Alberta Museums as a Collections Assistant for the University of Alberta Art Collection in January of 1995. In his role, besides his collections management duties he has had an opportunity to sit on the Return of Cultural Property committee which oversaw the return of Indigenous human remains on three different occasions. He is currently working on another such project today. He served on the board of the Alberta Museums Association. He held the offices of director, vice-president and president. Tom has been a strong Indigenous voice in the Alberta museum community regarding reconciliation and repatriation. Tom has been an active member of both the Alberta Museums Association and the Canadian Museums Association since 1993. Tom is also a recipient of the Queens Platinum Jubilee medal for his work with the Alberta museums community. Tom also serves on the board of the Jellinek Society. This is a society which oversees a men’s recovery house. This project is near and dear to his heart.
Cindy Desrochers
Executive Director, Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum
Cindy Desrochers is a distinguished leader with over three decades of comprehensive experience across executive and management roles within the museum, government, and cultural sectors. Her extensive involvement in arts, culture, and sports boards at local, provincial, and national levels underscores her unwavering dedication to advancing cultural enrichment and fostering community engagement.
With a proven track record of notable achievements, Cindy brings to the forefront a unique blend of strategic acumen, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Her expertise spans across key areas such as organizational development, financial management, and human resources, where she has consistently demonstrated the ability to drive impactful outcomes and promote sustainable growth.
Passionate about promoting cultural vibrancy and preserving heritage, Cindy has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing public engagement, fostering inclusivity, and promoting cultural diversity. Her collaborative approach to governance and extensive experience in board leadership positions further underscores her commitment to advancing the arts and culture agenda at local, provincial, and national levels.
Cindy's multifaceted skill set, combined with her unwavering passion for arts and culture, positions her as a valuable asset and trusted partner in advancing the cultural landscape and shaping policies that reflect the diverse needs and aspirations of our communities.
Jennifer Forsyth
Executive Director, Alberta Museums Association
Jennifer Forsyth is an artist, independent curator, and museum professional. She has worked for and volunteered at museums, art galleries, artist-run centres, and non-profit organizations for over twenty years. As the Executive Director / CEO, Jennifer leads the AMA Secretariat in achieving the Association's ENDs statements, reporting to the AMA Board of Directors. She holds expertise in visual art, organizational development, non-profit governance, collections management, fund development, community engagement, copyright, and advocacy. Jennifer is passionate about advocating for arts and culture, and helping museums make the world a better place.
Janis Monture
Executive Director, Canadian Museums Association (CMA)
Janis Kahentóktha Monture is a member of the Mohawk Nation, Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River. She is an experienced, well-rounded and knowledgeable professional with nearly 20-years' experience leading successful organizations, prioritizing healthy relationship building and promoting equity and transparency.
Janis previously served as Executive Director of Woodland Cultural Centre for over 20 years and two terms. In that role, she lobbied for funding of the restoration of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School from 2015-2017 with both federal and provincial governments and oversaw a successful capital fundraising campaign budget in excess of $20 million.
She has also served a number of other community initiatives, including steering committee member for the Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures, of the Arts & Culture Advisory Council for the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Para Pan American Games as well as for two 18-month periods on secondment to Harbourfront Centre as the Guest Artistic Director of Planet Indigenous.
Janis earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Western Ontario and a Museum Studies diploma from Algonquin College.
She continues to volunteer in her community at Six Nations and in Brantford through organizations such as Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Brant Community Foundation, BIPOC Fellowship and the Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation. In April 2022, Janis received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers by the Governor General of Canada.
Stephanie Danyluk
Senior Manager, Community Engagement, Canadian Museums Association (CMA)
Stephanie Danyluk is a public historian and researcher with extensive experience in community engagement supporting Indigenous heritage and governance initiatives. At the CMA, Stephanie works with colleagues and partners to develop and lead projects related to reconciliation and UNDRIP implementation in the museum sector, leads engagement with the museum community in relation to these initiatives, as well as leads delivery of the CMA National Conference. She is also a co-author of the CMA’s recently released Moved to Action report, a response to TRC Call to Action #67.
Her experience includes history, policy and community-based research and community engagement in support of Indigenous history, language, and culture initiatives as well as treaty, land claims and self-government negotiations. Stephanie has a Master of Arts in History from the University of Saskatchewan.
Dnyanesh Kamat
Senior Manager, Advocacy, Canadian Museums Association (CMA)
Dnyanesh Kamat is a policy and strategy professional in the creative and cultural industries (CCI). Prior to joining CMA, Dnyanesh worked on policy and strategy advisory at Portico Global, a Montreal- and Paris- based consultancy that advises governments in North America, the Middle East, and Asia on fostering growth in their CCI sectors. Dnyanesh has also worked in a senior policy and strategy role for a Government of Dubai agency where he helped craft policies to support the government's long-term economic diversification and innovation plan.
As senior manager of policy and research at CMA, Dnyanesh designs and leads research projects on a broad range of issues of interest to the museum and heritage community. He also supports the implementation of CMA’s policy and advocacy agenda by collaborating with his CMA colleagues.
Dnyanesh strongly believes in centering decoloniality and reconciliation with Indigenous communities in the heritage sector. Dnyanesh has an MA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a BA in Economics and International Relations from the College of William and Mary.