The range of expertise, diversity and enthusiasm for the development of Canadian theatre in our Board of Directors makes it a very supportive and effective governing body. NINE dedicated members — among them playwrights, artists and members of the community — contribute their vision and talent to making PWM an inclusive and imaginative space for discovery.
NAHKA BERTRAND
CO-PRESIDENT
Nahka is the daughter of a Dene father and Québécois mother. She was raised under a midnight sky in the Northwest Territories, and near the river in Lévis, Québec. Today, she lives in Montreal, where she’s studied modern languages, theatre, English Literature, Creative Writing, and Journalism. She has been involved with the Indigenous community in Montreal through her artistic practices in writing, song, and theatre, and through her work for over fifteen years. She drums and sings with Odaya, a non-profit organization that brings awareness to the wider public and gives back to the Indigenous community in Montreal.
TIFFANIE GUFFROY
CO-PRESIDENT
Having lived in more than five different countries in the past 15 years, Tiffanie has gained a wide range of academic and professional experiences in the cultural field. She is currently Partnership Manager for a non-profit social innovation organization called Exeko, whose mission is to create social transformation through culture and the arts. Tiffanie would like to contribute her bit to society by doing what she does best: project management and fundraising. Tiffanie has learned from the best at the National Theatre School of Canada, through managing and fundraising for the program Theatre Engaging Communities. Tiffanie is also a musician and a theatre lover, and has directed two plays. Although this wasn’t enough to make a living, it helped her to understand those who make theatre the heart of their lives!
GÉRALDINE ÉMILE
VICE-PRESIDENT
Géraldine is a lawyer currently working in the financial field with an extensive experience in Compliance and Estate law. She possesses a Bachelor’s in Law along with a Masters in Common Law and International Law from Sherbrooke University. Raised in Haiti, from a young age, Geraldine has always had a passion for the arts and has practiced various types such as learning to play the piano and various styles of dancing. One of her most recent art-related projects consisted of organizing of a photo exhibition showcasing the island of Haiti and it’s culture and beauty. On her spare times she enjoys running, boxing and attending plays, opera and ballet shows. She has also participated in interactive seminars to develop her public speaking skills
NICOLE A. LEE
DIRECTOR
Nicole A. Lee (alias: Nicky Montparnasse) is a queer Cantonese community art educator, facilitator, and arts consultant born and based in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, Quebec. She has a BFA in Art Education, with a minor in Psychology from Concordia University. Nicole’s intent as a pedagogue is to foster creativity in order to build interconnected relationships through self-expression and learning. Since 2015, Nicole has experience in cultural mediation, arts administration, art education and arts for social justice. She is also an emotional intelligence, CBC-I (Cognitive Behavioural Coach for Insomniacs) and NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) advisor for mindfulness teaching and wellness coaching. Nicole oversees the MAI (Montreal arts, interculturels)’s equity-driven Alliance Mentorship Program. This program hosts between 10-15 artists from across all disciplines and engages over 100 mentors every year. Her role as an MAI mentor is to assist and support artists through coaching and providing insight into the cultural ecosystem, assisting in professional development and project management. Her ongoing mentorship explorations include understanding the art’s eco-system and assisting the artist in developing professional skills in the art milieu. Nicole has published articles and has been a guest speaker advocating for the AAPI, LGBTQIA+ and non-binary Youths, Lesbians Who Tech MTL Summit and the feminist magazine We Hate Pink. She also fosters a creative practice that includes photography, performance art, fibres and drawing, and is a proud member of the Photo Bill of Rights and the International Visual Literacy Association.
YUMI PALLESCHI
DIRECTOR
Originally from Italy, Yumi Palleschi is a multifaceted management professional with a background in event production, fundraising, non profit administration and piano performance. Yumi began her career as a concert pianist, which gave her the opportunity to perform across Europe, North and Central America and Asia. After nearly twenty years as a performer, she decided to redirect her career towards arts management, which led her to pursue a Master of Management in International Arts Management from HEC Montreal. Since then, she has held various positions in the Montréal arts scene, including being the Market Development and Administrative Director of the theatre company Joe Jack and John, the Project Manager for the vocal ensemble Les Rugissants, and the Fundraising and Sponsorship Manager at Ballets Jazz Montréal. Currently the Head of Artistic Projects at the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, she is responsible for organizing the summer festival La Virée classique, developing innovative digital projects and programming for the venue Espace OSM. An active member of the local community, Yumi is a board member of Contact Theatre. In the last two years she has also been on the Cultural Diversity Committee at the Conseil Québecois du Théâtre, as well as on the Networking Committee at the Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal.
JASON POIRIER LAVOIE
SECRETARY
Jason is a Manager of Corporate Services at Aviation Strategies International, an international aerospace consulting firm based out of Montreal. He has formerly served in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Military Engineer. Coming from the aviation industry, Jason has worked in ground handling operations at Air Canada, and as a Technologist for the CSeries team at Bombardier Aerospace. Jason holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with distinction from Concordia University and a degree in Aircraft Maintenance from l’École nationale d’aerotechnique, Saint Hubert Campus of Collège Édouard-Montpetit. He is a licensed private pilot, as well as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), and Professional Administrator (P.Adm.).
JAMES VACCARO
DIRECTOR
As head of North American growth for a global marketing agency, James specializes in marketing strategy, digital transformation, change management, and organizational operations. He believes mutual respect stimulates innovative thinking, and is energized working with diverse and passionate teams that leave their egos at the door, argue the substance, and strive for the best results. His board and committee experience within the Concordia University community taught him the value of bringing together distinct viewpoints to find common ground, and creating a sustainable path forward. He used that experience supporting the youth committee of Montreal’s Old Brewery Mission, and is thrilled to support the work of new theatre development with Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal.
