Our Board is made up of individuals who are active community members, be that as dedicated volunteers in local art and music groups, entrepreneurs, or concerned citizens. We welcome additional board members who are willing to support our project with their individual expertise and resources.

Our Advisory Committee consists of representatives from many of the participating groups. This team has already been working as a support network and collaborations have increased as a result.

The Town of Oakville has included us in their consultative process to assist in future cultural planning.

We welcome any supportive community group and individual in Oakville to become involved in our project and support our dream of creative community centre where different groups interact with each other, support and grow with each other, and create a vibrant, creative, healthy Town of Oakville, where citizens are engaged in many artistic and non-artistic activities and are proud of the environment they jointly create.

2009 CommUnity Arts Space Board of Directors (as of May 4, 2009)
Bill Smith – Board Chair
Bill has been employed by CIBC for thirty years and is currently a Senior Manager in Commercial Banking.  Bill lived in the US between 1960 and 1978 and is a graduate of Illinois State University (Marketing). 

Bill has been actively involved in the Oakville community for many years.  He was a leader with Scouts Canada for ten years.  Bill was the Board Chair of the Community Foundation of Oakville for three years and continues as a member of the Advisory Board and Youth In Recreation Grants Committee. 

Bill was the Board Chair of the Oakville Waterfront Festival for four years and continues to serve on the Board as Past Chair.  Bill is also currently a member of the Town of Oakville Environmental Strategic Plan Advisory Committee.

Kevin September – President and Board Vice-Chair
Kevin is a strategic cross-platform thinker and brand integration specialist, who knows where to find specific audiences and how to get their attention.  His unique approach to reaching clients’ media savvy audiences has produced strategic entertainment and content-based solutions for Ripley Entertainment, Virgin Mobile/Virgin Unite, Wiser’s Whisky and Neilson’s The Ultimate Chocolate Milk™.  While working in Product Placement he was directly involved in integrating brands into film and television content, including the Windex® brand into the record-breaking film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. 

Kevin is also a natural networker.  From his start in radio at 13, through his A&R work with Nickelback (Curb) and his current charitable efforts, Kevin has nurtured deep international connections with key decision makers, industry insiders and celebrities.

He was born in Oakville, and he is excited to be involved with CUAS as local talent comes together to build a place for their art to flourish.
 
Robyn Pangman  – C.A; Treasurer and Secretary of the Board
Robyn Pangman was born and raised in Oakville and has returned to the community after five years to work with Henderson Partners LLP as Manager, Audit and Advisory.  Her travels abroad took her to Australia, New Zealand, parts of Europe and Scotland, with most of this time spent in Edinburgh where she obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2007 with PricewaterhouseCoopers .

Her education includes graduation from St.Mildred's-Lightbourn School in Oakville, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University.
 
Alex Bystrin – Board Member, CEO Oakville Hydro
Alex Bystrin is an energy industry executive with extensive experience in managing companies undergoing significant changes.  He has led organizations through major transitions, acquisitions and joint ventures; and has successfully developed and implemented a number of new energy services and products.

In his current role as President and CEO of the Oakville Hydro Group of companies he is responsible for the Electricity Distribution, Telecommunications, Energy Services, and Specialized Construction subsidiaries.

Alex’ objectives are to enhance services and increase shareholder value, as well as to design and implement strategies to achieve environmental and operational sustainability.

Alex is a graduate of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering of the University of Toronto (B.A.Sc.), and Richard Ivey School of Business of the University of Western Ontario (M.B.A.).

Jean Gandubert - Board Member, CAO Oakville Soccer Club
Jean has been leading the Oakville Soccer Club for over 5 years, establishing this not-for-profit as the largest in Canada with 10,000 players and 3,000 volunteers. He has developed and implemented OSC’s first  strategic plan and built effective partnerships with the Town of Oakville for the construction and operation of facilities (River Oaks $1 M and Pine Glen $11 M).   

Jean also served on the Board of the Oakville Economic Development Alliance and is a strong believer of sport and arts as defining elements of our Culture. A former Senior Policy Advisor at Canadian Heritage, the Laval University Alumni is also a former journalist and an avid photographer.

Kirk Sloane - Board Member
Kirk Sloane was the Chair of the Oakville Waterfront Festival and a member of its Board of Directors since 2002. Prior to joining the Board, Kirk sat on various Festival committees and was involved with the Festival for 10 years.

A lawyer by profession, Kirk has worked in both private practice and as in-house counsel, developing a wide ranging experience in various aspects of insurance law. Currently, he practices with David Share Associates in Toronto where he utilizes his extensive experience representing clients dealing with disability and life insurance claims.

Kirk and his family have lived in Oakville for the past 20 years. When he is not busy with his law practice and Festival responsibilities, he enjoys coaching minor hockey. In addition to his membership on the Board of the Festival, Kirk is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Wildlife Preservation Canada, a non-profit charitable organization devoted to saving highly endangered animal species facing imminent extinction in Canada and internationally.

Ixchel was born and educated in Mexico, developing her skill as a painter and textile artist.  She has been a professor, exhibiting artist and advocate of this art form in Mexico, Central America, Europe, USA, and Canada.  Since moving to Oakville with her husband and two children, Ixchel has been instrumental in raising the profile of textile arts with her involvement in the World of Threads Festivals, as President of the Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild, and founder of the Oakville Tapestry Studio. Lecturer and workshop Leader. http://ixchelsuarez.com

Fred Riche - Board Member
Bio pending

Non-voting board positions:

Britta Martini-Miles, M.A. Political Science – Executive Director

Britta has been the ED since March 2007.  Having lived and studied in Europe, South Africa and North America, Britta has now established deep roots in the Oakville Community by immersing herself in many volunteer activities.  Britta has experience in project management, team building and event planning.

Sherry Fox – Administrator and Community Liaison
Sherry has been an active volunteer in a variety of community organizations gaining extensive experience in Program Management, Event Planning, Volunteer Coordination, Fundraising and Communication.  She is the Administrator for the Oakville Suzuki Association, which is dedicated to providing children with music education using the Suzuki method.  In her spare time, Sherry volunteers with TriUNITY Productions to organize concerts in Mississauga and Oakville.