Staff Members
Executive Director
Laurie Gillis
Atlantic Presenters Association
Halifax, NS
Manager of Operations & Programs
Lisa Gleave
Atlantic Presenters Association
Rose Bay, NS
Member Services Manager
Valerie Hillier
Atlantic Presenters Association
Fredericton, NB
Communications Coordinator
Dani MacDonald
Atlantic Presenters Association
Ottawa, ON
Bookkeeper
Lisa Stitt
Atlantic Presenters Association
Board of Directors
Matthew Barret
Board Member
Matthew Barret
Board Member
Matthew (he/him) has been involved in the arts scene in NL for most of his life. He has organized and facilitated many regional festivals over the years and has been an active part of the music scene during that time. Matthew graduated from StFX with an advanced major in music. He was the chair of the Melville Music Festival for several years, sat on the board of the Labrador Creative Arts Festival, and has been involved in countless other festivals and events in the region. Matthew has been a music educator for over 15 years and has been nominated for MusicNL’s music educator of the year award several times. He was the manager of the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre from 2016-2021, where he is currently on a leave of absence. He is most recently running a construction company, recording a new album with Silver Wolf Band (ECMA and MusicNL award winners) which he is a founding member of, and planning several tour and workshop opportunities for the bands upcoming release.
Lindsay Connolly
Board Member
Lindsay Connolly
Board Member
Lindsay Connolly (she/her), the executive director of Under the Spire Music Festival, is a PEI-born musician and arts administrator who hopes to foster arts sustainability and community relationships in an inclusive environment. After five years as a freelance opera singer, grant-writer and arts administrator for organizations across Canada, Lindsay returned to the East Coast (best coast!) in 2021 to begin work with Under the Spire Music Festival, formerly known as Indian River Festival. She is grateful to work, play, and live in beautiful Kataganek Epekwitk, the traditional unceded and unsurrendered territory of the L’nu and Mi’kmaq.
Jenelle Duval
Board Member
Jenelle Duval
Board Member
Jenelle Duval (she/her) is a Mi'kmaw woman from Seal Rocks, NL who currently lives and is working in St. John's as an Advisor in media and content growth. She has been creating artistic spaces and opportunities for community and arts professionals since beginning her career in community in 2012. She was the Artistic Director of Spirit Song Festival, an annual celebration of Indigenous Arts and Culture in St. John's for almost 10 years. Jenelle is the recipient of YWCA's Women of Distinction Award (2019) for her work in Arts and Heritage, a founding member of EMCA-winning group Eastern Owl, and a tireless advocate for the preservation and revitalization of cultural arts and music. In 2019 Jenelle was acknowledged with her nomination for Indigenous Song-Writer of the year through the Canadian Folk Music Awards and was awarded the annual Achievement Award from the Atlantic Presenters Association for her contribution to Inidgenous arts presentation in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2020. She is a gifted song-writer and is currently composing a series of works that embody a lands-based narrative through her interactions with territorial attachments and interpersonal relations. Jenelle is rooted in her home territory of Ktaqmkuk, where she shares her life with her amazing daughter Kassidy.
Danny Everson
Board Member
Danny Everson
Board Member
Danny brings a unique creative management style and perspective to the APA Board of Directors with broad experience in managing international productions and leading large creative teams of artists, technicians, designers, and directors.
Danny holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Producing for Film & Theatre from the California Institute of the Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Tampa. He has garnered almost two decades of arts management experience in the US and in Canada. Danny currently fills a creative leadership position as the Executive Director for Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia and Creative Producer of MermaidTV. His background includes professional theatre, television and film experience in creative development, financial administration, post-production, and producing. Danny has worked at NBC/Universal, Shine-Reveille Productions, Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center, and Holland America Line prior to his leadership role at Mermaid.
Danny is a current board member for the Windsor Elms Village (long-term care facility) and is a PACT Human Resources committee member. He is also a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, Atlantic Presenters Association, International Performing Arts for Youth, Theatre Nova Scotia, and invited delegate of Contact East, CINARS, IPAY, ISPA, and APAP.
Kathleen Flanagan
Board Member
Kathleen Flanagan
Board Member
Kathleen Flanagan (she/her) is Chair of the Board of Directors of Cloggeroo - the Island Folk Festival, a non-profit organization operating in eastern PEI. Since 2014, the all volunteer festival has hosted an annual summer music festival in Three Rivers, PEI. Kathleen is also owner and president of Kathleen Flanagan and Associates, an international consulting company specializing in early childhood education research focused on policy development, curriculum design, and strategic planning. Kathleen lives in De Gros Marsh PEI with her husband where they raised 4 children, and spend as much time as they can with 4 grandchildren!
Liliona A. Quarmyne
Board Member
Liliona A. Quarmyne
Board Member
My body is a conduit, a link to past and to future generations.
It takes me back, it takes me forward, it carries the present.
My body is story.
Based in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), on the powerful, unceded and unsurrendered land of the Mi'kmaq people, Liliona is a dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, community organizer, and activist. Originally from Ghana and the Philippines, she has an eclectic background that has taken her through many performance styles on four different continents. Liliona performs across the country and internationally, creates original works as an independent artist, facilitates community programming, and is the Artistic Director of Kinetic. The scope of Liliona’s artistic work is broad, but is particularly focused on the relationship between art and social justice, on the body’s ability to carry ancestral memory, and on the role the performing arts can play in creating change. Liliona loves to work in collaboration and community, and is mom to two wonderful kids.
Bethany Stout
Board Member
Bethany Stout
Board Member
Bethany (she/her) is the Assistant Executive Director at Imperial Theatre. She has been with the Theatre since 2015 and manages Marketing & Communications as well as Programming. She prefers dogs to cats but realizes cats are also pretty cool, just not her first choice.
She agrees she has a whole lot to learn and values the incredible team of presenters and arts nerds in Atlantic Canada because they are so generous with their knowledge and experience. She works with a wonderful team at Imperial Theatre and strives to continue to connect her home town and artists through quality live and/or virtual entertainment.
Courtney Steeves
Board Member
Courtney Steeves
Board Member
Courtney (she/her) has been part of the arts community her whole life, starting as a dancer and moving into other forms of performance throughout her 37 years on earth. Currently, she is the Executive Director at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, located on the unceded/unsurrendered territory of the Wolastoqiwik (people of the beautiful river) in Fredericton, and a member of the APA since 2014. For the past 14 years she has been part of Feels Good Folly Fest (3-day music festival), and looks forward to spending time on the APA to learn, share, and grow through amazing conversations with the incredible members of this organization.
Joe Costello
Board Member
Joe Costello
Board Member
Joe Costello is an arts professional and presenter in Cape Breton Island. Joe is the Program Coordinator for Arts, Culture, and Creative Events for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) and heads the ConnectArts program and ECMA/Music NS nominated Makin’ Waves. With roots in the DIY punk scene, Joe is a lifelong advocate for equitable access to the arts and is a graduate of Cape Breton University and Nova Scotia Community College, and holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Joe is currently pursuing a Certificate in Contemporary Management in Arts & Culture at University of New Brunswick.
Executives
Janet Larkman
President
Janet Larkman
President
Janet Larkman (she/her) is honoured to serve as President of APA — an organization that challenges, inspires, and enriches what we do as presenters. She is grateful to live in the Kespukwitk region of Mi’kmaki/Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, where she has worked in community and the arts for the past 30 years. Janet is Executive Director of King’s Theatre, a 220-seat historic venue that uses contemporary technologies to present a packed schedule of year-round programming. Her work with both King’s Theatre and APA is focused on diversity, community engagement, and a passion for the performing arts. She loves being a part of the APA ecosystem, where all things are possible.
Raeesa Lalani
Vice President
Raeesa Lalani
Vice President
Raeesa Lalani (she/her) is an arts professional flourishing as the Artistic Director of the Prismatic Arts Festival. After an extensive volleyball career, the arts industry called her back as a professional, as Raeesa has long been active as an actress, singer and has been known to tickle the ivories too.
Some of her performance credits include: Tammy Fae - Cinderelly (Shakespeare by the Sea, Theatre), Titania/Hippolyta - A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare by the Sea, Theatre), Gillian - Dinoasipen (BBC Worldwide, TV), Host - Ocean Playground, Season 1 & 2 (Eastlink, TV).
Passionate about all things fine art and communications, she earned an Arts degree from Dalhousie University and a graduate Journalism degree from the University of Kings College.
Raeesa feels immensely fulfilled being part of an organization that has enabled her to grow personally in the arts but also be a part of a greater cause that continually strives to help the growth of Indigenous and culturally diverse artists. She believes in the importance of supporting the arts sector, and cares about making a difference and enriching the lives or her colleagues, ensuring that ALL voices are heard!
She is active as a board of director for multiple non profit organizations, with the intention of giving back her time to support members of the community. Raeesa is determined, focused, and passionate in all facets of her life, which has propelled her to be the successful young professional she has become.
(Photo credit: James MacLean)
Cathy Green
Secretary
Cathy Green
Secretary
Cathy (she/her) has over 13 years experience in the Sport and Entertainment sector. In her current role as Assistant Manager of Jack Byrne Regional Sport & Entertainment Centre, she is involved in the financial management, marketing & communications, human resources and special events programming for the facility. Cathy has served on multiple committees within her community and is currently Treasurer of the Atlantic Presenters Association. With her two boys pursuing their post secondary education, Cathy was inspired to return to Memorial University full time to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.
Kim Rayworth
Treasurer
Kim Rayworth
Treasurer
Kim Rayworth (she/her) became Managing Director of the Capitol Theatre, southeastern New Brunswick’s premiere state-of-the-art bilingual performing arts centre, in 2015. Prior to leading the organization, Kim worked as Director of Development for six years, securing public funding and developing corporate and community relationships.
Each year, thanks to her team of 13 full and 30 part time employees, she helps to ensure the smooth delivery of more than 150 exciting performances from all performing arts disciplines in one of the country’s most beloved historically restored venues.
Kim has also served as a Board member of the Canadian Live Music Association and as President of the City of Moncton’s Cultural Board. She currently sits on the Board of the Atlantic Presenters Association.
In addition to working to advance the arts sector, Kim has volunteered for her community with organizations including the Moncton Rotary Club, the City of Moncton’s Enhancing Democracy Committee, the Local Organizing Committee of the 2011 ECMAs and the Parent School Support Committee for her daughters’ school.
Kim is an avid cyclist and ran the Boston Marathon….that one time.
Kim Rayworth est directrice générale du Théâtre Capitol, le centre des arts de la scène bilingue par excellence du sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick, depuis 2015. Avant d’être à la tête de l'organisme, Kim a travaillé comme directrice du développement pendant six ans, assurant le financement public et développant relations communautaires et corporatives.
Chaque année, grâce à son équipe de 13 employés à temps plein et 30 employés à temps partiel, elle contribue à assurer le bon déroulement de plus de 150 spectacles passionnants de toutes les disciplines des arts de la scène dans l'un des lieux historiquement restaurés les plus appréciés du pays.
Kim a également été membre du conseil d'administration de l'Association canadienne de musique sur scène, en plus d’avoir présidé le conseil culturel de la Ville de Moncton. Elle siège présentement au conseil d'administration de l'Atlantic Presenters Association.
En plus de travailler à l'avancement du secteur des arts, Kim a fait du bénévolat pour sa communauté auprès d’organismes tels que le Club Rotary de Moncton, le comité sur la promotion de la démocratie de la Ville de Moncton, le comité organisateur local des ECMA 2011 et le Comité de soutien scolaire des parents pour l’école de ses filles.
Kim est une cycliste passionnée et a également couru le marathon de Boston… une fois.