Call for Nominations: Folk Music Ontario Board of Directors
Deadline: 11:59PM ET, August 19th, 2022
Online Nomination Form
What to Expect if You’re Elected
Folk Music Ontario (FMO) is now seeking individuals to stand as candidates in the 2022 election of its Board of Directors. Directors will be elected by electronic ballot (or acclaimed) ahead of this year’s Annual General Meeting (September 27, 2022) with terms concluding with the 2025 AGM. For 2022, FMO is looking to fill four board positions through this process. Click here for more information and to apply.
Folk Music Ontario’s Board of Directors is a dedicated and enthusiastic group of thirteen volunteers, elected democratically by the membership via advanced balloting during the fall and at the annual conference in October. Directors serve a three-year term. The Executive Committee is elected by the directors, and each position on the Executive Committee is held for one year.
2017-18 FMO Board
Back row: Paul Fortune, Amie Therrien, Alex Sinclair, Preetam Sengupta,
Front row: Christa Couture, Jan Cody, Kathy Partridge, Rosalyn Dennett
Missing: Dave Cool, Darin Addison, James Keelaghan, Max Merrifield, Liz Scott
2018 Board Elections
Three new directors were elected by the membership at the 2018 conference in Mississauga, and one director was re-elected. Congratulations to:
Tim Des Islets, Toronto
Emma Jane Julien, Toronto
Max Merrifield, Sudbury
Syma Shah, Toronto
2018/19 Executive Committee
Co-President
Preetam Sengupta, preetam.sengupta@gmail.com, term ends 2020
Preetam runs a company called Letting Artists Make Art (LAMA), dedicated to helping (predominantly folk-roots) musicians make a living through their music. LAMA fills in gaps on the business side so artists can focus on creativity. Preetam is a singer/songwriter, balancing the business and the stage. He writes and sings solo and in a band called Crash Bamboo, and works closely with Northstarr Entertainment, a leader in Canadian Urban music.
Co-President
Amie Therrien, amie@balsampiermusic.com, term ends 2019
Amie Therrien is the owner of Balsam Pier Music in Toronto, Ontario. She manages award-winning roots act The Young Novelists (New/Emerging Artist, 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards) and folk/celtic/bluegrass band The Bombadils. She also provides freelance artist services including strategic planning, marketing, publicity, grant writing, tour booking to a variety of artists from different genres.
Vice President
Rosalyn Dennett, rosalyndennett@gmail.com, term ends 2020
Rosalyn is a leader and organizer in the national and international folk community. As a long-standing member, Rosalyn has worked with Folk Music Ontario in many capacities, including official and unofficial showcase artist, official and private showcase presenter, panelist and panel moderator, emcee, exhibitor, reception host and more. Her experience working in the non-profit sector for MusicOntario, CIMA, Music Canada Live, Ontario Live Music, and the Canadian Federation of Musicians would be an asset to any organization, and her dedication to music can be seen through her successful career as an artist, performing and recording with Oh My Darling, Ken Whiteley, Fred Penner, Donovan Woods, Kaia Kater, and many more fine folks.
Treasurer
Paul Fortune, pfortune66@gmail.com, term ends 2019
Paul’s early passion for Folk music has inspired years of support and promotion. A long time attendee and volunteer of the Summerfolk Music & Crafts Festival, Board member of the Eaglewood Folk Festival, and more. With 24 years experience in Sales, Marketing and Strategic Planning, Paul now operates Forch’s Record Store in Cambridge, offering Canadian and international Folk/Americana artists and promoting live music.
Secretary
Syma Shah, syma@torontounion.ca, term ends 2021
As the Director of Programming and Special Events, Syma has been part of the revitalization of Union Station project since 2013. She has been working to connect with all major and grassroots arts and cultural organizations within the City and internationally, to create continuous contemporary programming in one of Canada’s most iconic buildings! Syma has been a passionate arts and cultural producer for more than 10 years. She has had many years’ experience with multidisciplinary arts festivals, with a focus and passion for diversity and inclusivity.
Member-at-Large
Max Merrifield, director@nlfb.ca, term ends 2021
By day (and sometimes nights) Max Merrifield is the Executive Director of Northern Lights Festival Boréal, one of Canada’s original music and arts festivals. The 3 day festival presents an eclectic blend of roots, indie, world and modern music, as well as other art forms. By night, Merrifield is a hip-hop and spoken word artist by the name of Silvertongue, as well as a show promoter with Cage Call Underground Hip-Hop. Merrifield is also the current chair of Myths & Mirrors Community Arts and a board member of Folk Music Canada. He is a lover of diversity and innovation as well as tradition in music and art.
2018/19 Directors
Tim Des Islets, tim@noisemakermanagement.com, term ends 2021
Tim Des Islets is the founder of the Canadian artist management company Noisemaker Management. With achievements in cultivating Canadian talent that has reached audiences both at home and abroad, Noisemaker manages an award-winning roster of artists that includes The Once, Megan Bonnell, Tim Chaisson, and JUNO Award-winners The East Pointers. Tim formerly worked at Bumstead Productions where he managed current clients The East Pointers and Tim Chaisson as well as Poor Young Things, Two Hours Traffic, The Lazys, and The Trews. Tim has helped develop artists and establish these artists into Canadian music canon. Tim’s expertise in artist management has created incredible talent that helps solidify Canada as a major player in the music scene.
Richard Henderson, rhenderson@powergate.ca, term ends 2021
Richard has been practicing law for over 35 years. He recently retired from HSBC Financial, having served as Vice-President, Law and Compliance, Secretary and General Counsel for 27 years. Richard also served on its board and as Chair of its Executive Committee. His roles included overseeing the legal function and managing the company’s regulatory and government affairs, compliance and governance functions. In addition, Richard has served as a Director, and as Secretary and Vice-President, of the Scugog Council for the Arts, a not-for-profit visual and performing arts presenting organization that supports the arts and fosters creativity in Durham Region. Richard has been a musician since his public school days and regularly performs as a singer/songwriter and as a founding member of The Wanted (thewanted.ca), an acoustic roots band.
Liz Scott, lizscott555@gmail.com, term ends 2019
Liz has hosted Irish Mountain House Concerts since 2001, a life-changing decision that has been integral in feeding her passion for live music. She spent four years as Artistic Director at Eaglewood Folk Festival. Liz presents shows in soft-seat theatres in Meaford, Owen Sound and Collingwood and helps books acts into Blue Mountain Resort. Through Serendipitous Music she has provided support for booking, publicity and promotion. In 2013 Liz partnered with Fred Eaglesmith to build and promote his Ontario shows in small town, unconventional venues and now organizes Fred’s annual Charity Picnic. She has been a judge for the Junos and Songs From the Heart, FMO panelist, Folk Alliance mentor, and Summerfolk Media Liaison.
Alex Sinclair, pmsinc@interlog.com, term ends 2020
Alex is a long-time musician and songwriter with deep roots on the Ontario folk scene, both as a solo artist and with the folk group Tamarack. Alex also works as an administrator/ bookkeeper for the likes of Borealis Records, and sits on the board of the ArtsCan Circle.
FMO Committees
Folk Music Ontario’s Board members serve on a variety of committees, some of which also include FMO members, staff members and consultants. Click here to see a list of the various FMO committees and working groups, and the people who sit on them.
