Ryan Bruce is an ethnomusicologist, jazz historian and saxophonist. His research concentrates on the transition of jazz styles from the 1950s–1960s (bop and the jazz avant-garde) with investigations in jazz historiography, improvisation, musical analysis, and interdisciplinary comparisons to other avant-garde art forms. His work includes special focus on collaborating with performers to create digital resources for teaching jazz history, improvisation, and world music traditions.

Ryan holds a PhD in Music from York University and has published articles on jazz criticism, musical analysis, and specific musicians for the current Grove Dictionary of American Music. He is also an active teacher and performer of jazz and free improvisation on saxophone.
(2022)

Rebecca has worked in professional theatre, municipal cultural service management, as an arts consulting and as a teacher. Her career includes running her own theatre company and positions at the Canadian Stage Company, The Factory Theatre, Janis A. Barlow & Associates and the City of St. Catharines. In the latter, she was responsible for the City’s art collection and public art programming, and she managed the planning study for the development of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts and the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. She teaches arts management and cultural policy and planning.
(2022)

With several years of teaching experiences at Brock University as a TA, marker-grader, and Instructor, Alisa Cunnington also has experience writing in a variety of genres. She has published in several art exhibition catalogues for the Grimsby Public Art Gallery, has written technical and educational documents, and tries her skills at creative writing and poetry.

PhD, Western University
MA, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
BA, Brock University

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Sonya Marie de Lazzer is the Gallery Coordinator of the Visual Arts Gallery and Student Exhibition Space (MIWSFPA) and works in consultation with preparators, curators, artists, students, as well as public outreach. Sonya brings extensive museum and art gallery experience in the areas of curation, programming, exhibition writing, design, and installation. She also teaches in the areas of art history, visual culture, and curation. de Lazzer is trained as a historian of visual culture with an interest in souvenirs, collectibles, and collections. Her research is focused on the visual culture and visual history of Niagara Falls as a tourist site, with investigations into contemporary notions of the sublime that expand on recreational, social, and immersive experiences within landscapes, specifically, the recreational sublime and sublime fiction(s). Her research constellates the material culture of mementos, souvenirs, tourist attractions and experiences. (2023)

Kate Leathers has worked in the arts sector for nearly three decades. As an arts manager, project leader, and technician, they have worked for dozens of theatres, art galleries, and cultural organizations across Canada. Kate’s artistic management practice includes organizational leadership, project management in multiple disciplines, and consultancy work with Janis A. Barlow & Associates and private clients. Most recently, they were the General Manager at the Theatre for Young Audiences company Carousel Players from 2017 to 2023. They are teaching STAC 4P41: Arts Management.

Jill Planche has a professional background in marketing and fundraising for theatre, opera, film and visual arts, including the Shaw Festival, TIFF and the McMichael Gallery. Her academic focus is theatre and its role in social and political discourse, particularly decolonization and social justice. She has a PhD in English Literature and a PhD from Brock’s Interdisciplinary Humanities program. Her dissertation, The Larger Stages: The Becoming ‘Minor’ of South African Theatres, focuses on the space of post-apartheid South African theatre. Jill teaches at Brock University (HUMA 1P50 The Master Student and, previously, COMM 3Q97 Event Management) and Ryerson Chang School’s Fundraising Management program. Jill is teaching STAC 3P93 Producing a Performance Event.  [email protected]
(2022)