artsPlace is run by a small but passionate core team of administrators who strive each day to deliver meaningful arts and culture experiences to Bow Valley residents and visitors. We also work with hundreds of professional artists and more than 100 community partners each year.
Get to know the people behind the scenes.
Executive Director
jeremy@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, French
Director of Fund Development & Strategic Initiatives
becky@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Director of Programs, Outreach & Inclusivity
shanon@artsplacecanmore.com
Director of Communications
jenny@artsplacecanmore.com
Associate Manager of Programs
tessa@artsplacecanmore.com
Associate Manager of Communications
paula@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, Polish
Associate Manager of Administration
noriko@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, Japanese
Major Gifts Manager
laura@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: French, English, Spanish, Dutch
Programs, Events & Operations Coordinator
libby@artsplacecanmore.com
Customer Experience Coordinator
katie@artsplacecanmore.com
Fund Development Coordinator
yash@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, Sindhi, Hindi, Marathi
Community Outreach Coordinator
engage@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, Mandarin
Evening Operations & Volunteer Coordinator
lucile@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, French
Communications Coordinator
content@artsplacecanmore.com
Operations Assistant
julie@artsplacecanmore.com
Operations Assistant
patti@artsplacecanmore.com
Facility Caretaker & Ceramics Technician
joe@artsplacecanmore.com
Inclusivity Liaison
kasia@artsplacecanmore.com
Languages: English, Polish, Spanish
Vic Lewis Band Festival Producer
info@artsplacecanmore.com
Indigenous Liaison
info@artsplacecanmore.com
Team pictures by Eva Urbanska Photography
The Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation (CMAF) is a registered non-profit society under the Alberta Societies Act and is the governing body of artsPlace.
CMAF is governed by a 12 to 15-member Board of Directors. Up to 14 Directors are elected by Members of the Society (CMAF Members) and one Director, a Town of Canmore Councillor, is appointed by Town of Canmore Council on an annual basis.
Chair
Linda is a seasoned business professional with over 30 years of experience in the Transportation and Energy industries. Her expertise spans a wide range of areas, including Operations Management, Customer Service, Information Technology, Strategy Development, and Logistics. Currently, Linda serves as the Board Chair for Homefront Calgary and sits on the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation Board, where she also chairs the Governance Committee. A resident of Canmore since 2021, Linda is actively engaged in the community.
Vice Chair
Heather has been a lifelong advocate in combining education and the arts. As a freelance writer, filmmaker, environmental educator and presenter with the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, her belief is that creativity is available to us all. A longtime resident of Canmore, Heather has served on other arts boards in the Bow Valley including the Bow Valley Chorus (as founding President) and the Canmore Public Art Committee. Heather feels grateful to live, work and play in this beautiful Bow Valley with her life partner, Patrick McCloskey.
Past Chair
Patti is a leader in the social profit sector who has been striving to bring best practices, innovative strategic thinking, and visionary leadership to positions for over three decades. She holds a Masters of Continuing Education Degree with a specialization in workplace learning, focused on creating and shaping learning environments that foster individual and organizational success. Presently Executive Director of the Alberta Real Estate Foundation, Patti has also held roles such as: Founding CEO of Wellspring Alberta, Executive Director of the Alberta Mentor Foundation for Youth, and Executive Director of the Developmental Disabilities Resource Centre of Calgary.
Treasurer
Bruce served as Vice President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Banff Centre from 2015 to 2020. Prior to Banff Centre, Bruce spent five years as CFO of a TSX listed public company in Calgary and 11 years as a partner at Grant Thornton LLP in both Calgary and Toronto where he held numerous senior leadership positions. Bruce has a long history of community involvement. Before moving to the Bow Valley, he served on the boards of Discovery House Family Violence Prevention Society in Calgary, Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park as Vice President, the Calgary Chapter of Financial Executives International and York Support Services Network (YSSN) in Ontario.
Secretary
Jerome Laycock brings valuable experience from his background in environmental conservation and program management. He has worked with the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University and has been involved with WWF and TRAFFIC, focusing on natural capital assessment and local community integration. Jerome is bilingual French/English and has a history of leading initiatives in gender equity and climate adaptation. He has a deep love for the Bow Valley and a passion for the arts, which aligns with the mission of artsPlace.
Director
By day, Meredith is a communications and public relations leader with experience in libraries, hospitality, and not-for-profits, both provincially and internationally. Her expertise is in communications strategy, brand architecture and management, creative design, and facilitative leadership. She brings her creative experience in writing, illustration, pottery, printmaking, and podcasting from personal projects. She is passionate about community engagement and advocacy. Meredith has varied board and volunteer experience ranging from the 2010 Paralympics to artsPlace's Creative Combat.
Director
As an immigrant to Canada, Juan understands the importance of cultural and demographic diversity and the benefits they provide to the broader community.
"It is a privilege and a great honour to live in the Bow Valley. Nature and the Arts are alive here, and both are a vital part of my life. As a resident of Canmore, I wish to give back to this wonderful community, to help build it further and to enrich others’ lives through the arts. As a member of the board of artsPlace I believe I can help make this possible."
Director
Simmi has been blessed to call Canmore home for the past 28 years, raising two children here. She has been involved in the very early days of the arts/creative community as a member of Canmore Art Guild. As a local artist, Simmi has a strong commitment to the arts/creative community while fostering personal relationships with many local artists. She holds a strong belief in communicating the benefits of artsPlace and the many activities artsPlace delivers to our community.
Town of Canmore Council Representative
Rob Murray is best known as Canmore's former local radio morning show host for over two decades. Rob also runs a local DJ company, and he began the next chapter of his career after being successfully elected to Canmore Town Council in 2025. Rob is an avid fan and supporter of artsPlace and has been an instructor, performer, audience member, and now the Town of Canmore Council representative on the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation Board of Directors.
Director
Garth brings a unique blend of technical expertise, financial acumen, and community dedication to his role on the board. With a background in chemical engineering, he gained leadership experience across international locations, specializing in complex decision-making and collaborative team development. His work developing engineering talent from historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa fostered a deep appreciation for the value of diversity. Since settling in Canmore, Garth has become an active member of the local arts community, volunteering with the Pine Tree Players and Canmore Folk Festival while pursuing his own creative interests in oil painting, singing, guitar, and scale model building. He combines his professional experience in fostering inclusive environments with a genuine passion for supporting a vibrant regional arts community.
Director
Frank is a leader in interest-based negotiations, focusing on crafting complex, high-value settlements, modern treaties, and commercial and economic agreements. Much of his practice has been dedicated to Indigenous reconciliation and claim settlements across the country. Alongside his partner, Sue Panning, Frank moved to Canmore 35 years ago. He feels privileged to have raised a family and established deep connections in this vibrant and unique community. artsPlace embodies the true spirit and values of Canmore, and as a board member, Frank looks forward to supporting the vitality and opportunities that artsPlace offers.
Director
"I have always had a love for the arts. In my youth, I remember being moved by the visual arts and being thrilled by the incandescence of live performance. It continues to move me. The Arts are a gift from one human to another. I am excited to be part of the team that ensures that this gift will continue to flourish in the Bow Valley. I have over 35 years of experience as an architect, owning and operating a business with a market across western Canada. I have sat on numerous boards for organizations providing human services. Serving on this board allows me to combine what I’ve learned throughout my career with my lifelong appreciation and respect for the arts." -Jan Pierzchajlo
We're looking for dedicated volunteers to join our Board of Directors and Board Committees.
Learn MoreWe're looking for dedicated volunteers to join our Board of Directors and Board Committees.
Learn MoreWe're looking for dedicated volunteers to join our Board of Directors and Board Committees.
Learn More