Fred Sweeney, President

Fred retired from the position of Director of Education for the Halton Catholic District School Board in 2001. He currently works as an Education Consultant and is heavily involved as a Rotarian in the Burlington North Rotary Club. He was a founding Board member of The Carpenter Hospice and served as Chair from 2001-2003. He a past Chair of the Burlington Rotary Music Festival and currently chairs the Scholarship Committee for Rotary District 7080. He has also served a three year term on the Finance Committee of Joseph Brant Hospital, and one year on the board of Performing Arts Burlington.  He also works on the Communications Committee

Bill Leslie, Treasurer

Bill Leslie, along with his partner Stephen Bell, owns and operates Pepperwood Properties. Pepperwood Restaurants include Pepperwood Bistro, La Costa Nuova and Walker's Fish Market in Burlington, as well as Rosewood Bistro in Mississauga. Pepperwood’s Catering & Special Events is the exclusive caterer for Beverly Golf & Country Club, Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington Art Centre and Travelodge-on-the-Lake Burlington as well as a full service off site caterer. Bill has been involved in many community organizations and activities personally and through his business with Stephen. Bill and Stephen co-chair the Fundraising Committee and are leaders in coordinating PAB’s French Quarter Festival.

Christine Boyle, Secretary

Christine has served on Performing Arts Burlington’s Fundraising Committee. While on the Board of Directors of Breast Cancer Support Services, Christine served as Vice President from 2001 to 2002.  As the parent of a dancer, Christine has supported the development of a strong arts community and performing arts centre to enable local performers to have a place of distinction to perform.  In her professional career, Christine spent 15 years with CIT Financial and then Vice President of Operations for Leasebank Credit Corporation.

Richard E. Burgess, Past President

Rick practices business law at the Burgess Law Office in downtown Burlington. He is Vice Chair of the Halton Police Services Board and a member of the Burlington Community Foundation Board. He is Past Chair of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce (2005-06), a Past President of the Burlington Art Centre Board and has served on the Board of the Tansley Woods Community Centre, and the Nelson High School Council.

Jessica Pym

Jessica Pym has lived in Burlington all her life, and has been involved in the Arts almost as long. A graduate of the University of Toronto's Theatre & Drama Studies Program, Jessica is the Marketing-Communications Coordinator for danceScape.  She became involved as a student with Burlington Student Theatre in 1991 and remains involved as a volunteer and part-time staff member.  Jessica sings with and is on the board of the Burlington Civic Chorale.

Serena Lee

Serena Lee is a lawyer with SimpsonWigle Law LLP in the Burlington Office and a registered Trademark Agent with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Her practice focus is business law and trade-marks. Prior to joining Simpson Wigle, Serena spent several years at a leading Atlantic Canada law firm in New Brunswick. Her community work included extensive involvement with the United Way of Greater Saint John and the New Brunswick Association for Community Living; for the last year Serena has served on the Fundraising Committee of Performing Arts Burlington.

Brad Hails

Brad Hails, a long time resident of Burlington, has been involved in the performing arts for over twenty five years beginning as a child selling merchandise and touring with his grandfather, Gordie Tapp.  He has travelled across North America performing with several bands, most recently with The Killin’ Time Band.  Brad has worked in the film and television industry and now operates his own web & graphic design company based in Downtown Burlington, Top Banana Media.  He has designed websites for many local businesses and is proud of the site he donated for the Burlington Festival of Lights.

Joe Henning

As Technical Supervisor at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Joe is responsible for making sure the show goes on and, for the performers and audience, comes off glitch-free. Never one to seek the spotlight, Joe’s entire 20-year career in the entertainment industry has taken place backstage and behind the scenes. He has taught and mentored up-and-coming technicians at Sheridan College and held seminars for students interested in rigging and lighting. Joe has kept busy at other theatres besides the Oakville Centre. He was Technical Director at the U of T’s Scarborough College Leigha Browne Theatre. As a resident of Burlington, Joe has been a long-standing supporter of the local theatre.

Barbara Ramsay Orr

Barbara was a drama, English and arts teacher for the Wentworth County Secondary School Board, before she became a freelance journalist.  Her writing focuses on arts, culture, food and travel and appears in Chatelaine, Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail and Hamilton Magazine to name a few.  Barbara is a resident of Burlington, and served as the Vice President of the Travel Media Association of Canada (2004-2006).  Barbara is also an artist.

Shawn Clement

Shawn is a lifelong resident of Burlington, and has been involved in the arts and entertainment community for over two decades. He is one of the founding members of No Strings Attached, a local classic swing big band (and a PAB member), a past member and chair of the Executive for the Top Hat Marching Orchestra, and on the advisory committee for the Humber College Theatre Department. Shawn is a Communications Technology, Computer Engineering, and Entertainment Technology teacher at Burlington Central High School, and can be found at the sound board at many events and festivals around the Golden Horseshoe. In the past year, Shawn has participated in the technical committee for the performing arts centre, and on the selection committees for the entertainment for French Quarter Festival and Streetfest.

Rainer Noack

Rainer is the Founder and Program Director for Burlington Student Theatre.  In his 30 year career in arts education he has developed, coordinated, implemented and encouraged programming targeted at youth ranging in age from three to 30-plus.  He has been involved in event organization and volunteer coordination at almost every gala held in Burlington, and worked on or with several boards including the board of Theatre Aquarius and the Woodview Children’s Centre. 

Rick Goldring

Rick is currently City Councillor for Ward 5 in the City of Burlington and is Chair of the Community & Corporate Service Committee. A lifelong resident of Burlington, Rick has been in business locally for 27 years and actively involved in community affairs. He is a Senior Financial Advisor with Assante Financial Management and is also a Member and Past President of the Hamilton Chapter of Advocis, Canada’s largest association of Financial Advisors. Rick is also former member of the Board of Directors of the Ron Edwards (Burlington) Family YMCA, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore.

Stephen Bell (Chair)
Vicki Scholl
Carol Greenwood
Rainer Noack

Andy Frame
Paul Mitchell
Paul Balogh
Joanne Scher

Jessica Pym (Co-Chair)
Walter Mulkewich (Co-Chair)

Katherine Dobson

Serena Lee

Richard Burgess (Chair)
Fred Sweeney

Bill Leslie

Christine Boyle

Christine Boyle
Rainer Noack

Brad Hails
Helen Zdriluk

Barbara Ramsay Orr

Lawrence Bonanno (Chair)
Lorraine Bedini
Rob Bennett

Jack Brokenshire
Shawn Clement
Trevor Bonanno

Ron Hebbard
Joe Henning