Canada
I am a storyteller by instinct, but an executive by experience. For more than twelve years, I stewarded a historic site through growth, crisis, renewal, and institutional transition—developing programs, leading teams, managing operations, and holding responsibility for a place that mattered deeply to its community. The work demanded creativity and empathy, but also discipline, governance awareness, and the ability to make hard decisions under constraint. Along the way, my work placed me in some unusual and wonderful contexts: cooking for hundreds in a heritage kitchen, guiding visitors through forgotten histories, producing concerts and walking tours, collaborating with artists, technologists, and elders, and learning entirely new skills when the situation demanded it. I value play, curiosity, and experimentation—not as distractions from leadership, but as sources of resilience, insight, and adaptability. I care deeply about how people connect to place, food, and shared history—but I also understand that those connections endure only when the underlying systems are sound. My leadership style blends long-term thinking with practical execution, and I am most effective where trust, accountability, and purpose intersect. I am now exploring leadership roles in tourism, cultural institutions, or community-focused organizations where stewardship and resilience matter. At the Grist Mill, I grew a 12-acre heritage site into a year-round destination with food service, public programming, and event hosting—and I am looking for the next place that needs that kind of careful, committed building.
Served in a short-term transitional leadership role to support operational continuity during the handover to nonprofit governance, working with the board and staff to ensure stability for programs and stakeholders.
For more than twelve years, I held primary operational responsibility for a provincially designated heritage site under contract with the Government of British Columbia. Operating with minimal external funding, I led an earned-revenue model that combined heritage stewardship with entrepreneurial program development, transforming the site into a financially viable, year-round community destination. My leadership was grounded in a core belief: heritage places endure not because they are protected, but because they continue to create new memories and emotional connections. My role was to build those connections—and the systems required to sustain them. Key responsibilities and outcomes: - Directed all operations of a 12-acre heritage site, including interpretation, hospitality, public programming, events, retail, and campground, with most revenue generated on site. - Built a diversified earned-revenue ecosystem aligned with mission and character: food service, workshops, concerts, weddings, community events, retail, and overnight accommodations. - Developed a respected culinary program, including highly sought-after Sunday Dinners and consistently sold-out workshops. - Curated a widely respected concert and events program, earning trust from artists, audiences, and the broader community. - Recruited, led, and supported staff and volunteers, creating meaningful employment and learning opportunities, particularly for young people. - Served as primary liaison with the provincial Heritage Branch and community stakeholders, balancing public accountability with local relevance. - Built operational systems from the ground up and navigated regulatory requirements across multiple domains. - Guided the site through COVID-era disruption and an eventual transition to nonprofit governance, maintaining continuity and public trust throughout. This role required sustained executive judgment and the ability to move fluidly between long-range vision and day-to-day execution.
Served in progressively senior volunteer leadership roles with the region’s chamber of commerce and tourism development organization, supporting economic development, destination promotion, and community capacity-building in the South Similkameen. Key contributions: - Progressed from board member to President, providing governance oversight and strategic direction during a period of organizational change. - Worked closely with municipal, regional, and tourism stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and regional visibility. - Contributed operational insight from the perspective of a place-based tourism operator, helping bridge governance and on-the-ground realities. - Continued to support leadership continuity as Past President, offering institutional memory and advisory perspective.
Provided long-term national leadership to Canada’s professional association for heritage interpretation and public engagement, supporting organizational growth, governance maturity, and sector development. Key contributions: - Served in progressively senior national roles, including Chair, providing strategic oversight and board leadership. - Supported organizational growth through governance development, member engagement, and national-level initiatives. - Represented the association publicly through presentations, workshops, and sector events across Canada. - Transitioned into a Past Chair / advisory role, supporting leadership succession and continuity.
Served on the BCMA Provincial Council, contributing governance oversight and sector perspective for museums and heritage organizations across British Columbia. During a period of organizational transition, stepped briefly into a short-term contract role to complete a multi-stakeholder provincial marketing initiative, ensuring continuity and a clean close-out. - Provided governance-level insight as a council member, supporting sector coordination and strategic direction. - Transitioned from board to staff role to deliver and conclude a complex, externally facing initiative involving multiple institutional partners. - Helped stabilize a critical project during leadership change, then exited cleanly back to an external role.