Board of Directors

Deborah Renz – Chair

Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands

https://www.sidwilliamstheatre.com/

Deborah is the presenter and venue manager of the Sid Williams Theatre Society in Courtenay, BC. She has worked as a publicist, box office / front of house and volunteer with the Sid for many years before becoming the general manager in 2000.

Deb serves on many community committees in Courtenay as well as having served on the BC Live board of directors. She holds a B.A. from York University and a M.A. from Simon Fraser University.

Theresia Reid – Secretary

Presenter Representative

https://www.chilliwackculturalcentre.ca/

Theresia has been working in professional theatre for over twenty years. She started her career as an Equity Stage Manager at Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops, and then became the Resident Stage Manager for Sunshine Theatre in Kelowna, followed by Theatre North West in Prince George. While working in Kelowna she was a Guest Relations Team Leader and Box Office Ticket Agent for the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.

In 2010, Theresia moved to Chilliwack to start a new path as the Rentals Manager for the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, and then in 2022 became the Operations Manager for The Centre.

Lynnda McDougall – Treasurer

North Region

https://www.bvca.me/

Lynnda (she/her) is a Director on the Bulkley Valley Concert Association Board. Since 2012, she has held various executive positions and represented the BVCA to the Northern Presenters Group. She has been an adjudicator for BCTC’s grant applications and for the Pacific Contact Artist Selection Committee.

Lynnda has lived on Witsuwit’en territory in the Bulkley Valley since 1971. For the last 20 years she has worked at the Smithers Public Library. Prior to that, she was a logging contractor, bartender, secondary school teacher on-call, bookkeeper and financial manager. She attended New Brunswick Teachers’ College.

A passionate advocate for the performing arts, she hopes to shine a lens on the challenges of presenting in Northern and other small, remote and rural communities.

Jessica Duran

South West Region

https://actsafe.ca/

With over 16 years of experience in governance within the non-profit sector, Jessica has a strong background in operational management. Her expertise spans financial oversight and organizational development.

Since joining Actsafe a year ago, Jessica has played a key role in supporting the organization’s mission to prevent workplace injuries in BC’s arts and entertainment industries. As Manager of Operations, Finance and Marketing, she collaborates closely with internal teams to enhance operational efficiency and expand the reach of educational and awareness campaigns.

Jessica holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and a Master’s Degree in Administration.

Renae Morriseau

Artist Representative

Renae is a Cree (nehiyaw iskwew ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ) and Saulteaux woman (nahkawiskwêw ᓇᐦᑲᐃᐧᐢᑫᐧᐤ) from the Treaty 1 Territory. She’s been creating artistic works for most of her life, journeying across Canada and the globe in film, television, theatre, and music as a singer, actress, writer, director, and producer. She’s honoured to work and creatively collaborate with a variety of theatre companies, film and television productions, and live musical events in Canada and beyond.

Aaron Schubert

Agent/Manager Representative

https://www.paquinartistsagency.com/

Aaron Schubert is a Vancouver-based Booking Agent with Paquin Artists Agency. He has been with Paquin since 2006 with a short stint in between while working as an Artist Manager, Concert Promoter/Talent Buyer and Consultant. He began attending Pacific Contact in 2007 and was awarded the “Agent of the Year” award there in 2008.

Aaron books music, comedy and theatrical artists and shows across Canada and the US, with a primary focus on Western Canada. Career highlights include working with artists such as Sly & The Family Stone, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave), Owen Pallet, Fred Penner & Buffy Sainte-Marie.

He currently works with artists such as The Debaters, Mary Walsh, PIQSIQ, Alex Cuba, 2023 Juno Nominees Ombiigizi, Ibeyi, Ruby Singh and many more. He is also part of Paquin’s Exhibition team, working on Immersives such as Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond King Tut.

Justine Murdy

Self-Represented Artist

https://www.scrapartsmusic.com/

Justine Murdy’s experiences range from material culture enthusiast to artistic director, producer, writer, and designer (lighting, costume, marketing, instruments).

In 1998, Justine brought her world of design to Gregory Kozak’s world of music. They established Scrap Arts Music to create “Sculptural Music from the Materials Around Us.” Using recycled and salvaged materials of a harbour city in the midst of a massive construction boom as “source” for the instruments, Scrap Arts Music explores concepts of “transformation” through materials, processes, design, movement and sound – while having a great time!

Justine is thrilled to be a BC Live director.

Leah Foreman

South Central Region

Leah was born and raised in the South Okanagan. After high school, she moved to Vancouver to follow her dreams of working in Theatre. After a while, she pivoted to event management and became the concert event manager at the Pacific National Exhibition and then Rogers Arena.

Following the birth of her son, Leah chose to return to the South Okanagan in 2019, seeking a stronger connection to community. She became General Manager of the Oliver Community Theatre Society, which governs the Venables Theatre. Although it was a bit of a crash course in arts management, she knows she has found her place. Leah is most passionate about bringing high-quality performing arts to a rural audience, creating meaningful shared experiences, and finding new ways to engage and connect with her community.

Eliseo Santillan

Festival Representative

Eliseo Santillan is a Mexican composer, artistic director, music producer and sound designer. Over three decades, he has worked across music, theatre, dance, documentary, television, multimedia shows, and large-scale cultural events. He has collaborated with companies such as Les Petits Français (France), La Fura dels Baus (Barcelona), and Butoh Dance Company 0.618 (Mexico). His notable works and collaborations include the multidisciplinary show Mi Raza, presented at the Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City; Yo México – 100th Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution; the BBC documentary Octavio Paz: Man of the Century; the World Taekwondo Championship Opening Ceremony; and acclaimed theatre productions in Mexico City such as Freud’s Last Session, Dogville, and the off-Broadway play Indecent.

In addition to his artistic work, he has worked as a producer and event manager for major festivals in Mexico, including Festival Barroquísimo in Puebla, MUTEK Mexico City, Feria de la Candelaria in Tlacotalpan, and Festival Cumbre Tajín in Veracruz. Now based in Kelowna, Eliseo continues to compose, perform, and collaborate, blending live music, sound design, and interdisciplinary performance. He is the Managing Director and Producer of the Living Things International Arts Festival.

Elijah Larsen

Festival Representative

Elijah Larsen is a multifaceted creative professional based in Smithers, BC, where he lives with his wife Heather, their two Boston terrier/French bulldogs, Phoebe and Radar, and their Siamese cat, Mr. Baker. With a lifelong passion for recording that began in his high school’s analog mix room, Elijah has developed expertise in music, audio production, video creation, and festival direction.

Over the past six years, Elijah has collaborated with a diverse range of artists and organizations, from recording albums for musicians like Kym Gouchie and Luke Wallace to producing videos for the Canadian Olympic Committee, Chu Cho Environmental, and local community groups. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the Kispiox Valley Music Festival, a role close to his heart.

Elijah has adapted to a transient lifestyle for over a decade, setting up makeshift studios in dorm rooms, cabins, and other unique spaces wherever he lived. After years of touring and moving, he and Heather have now established a state-of-the-art recording facility they cherish. Officially opened in May 2023, Soniquinn Studios has quickly become a creative hub for many talented musicians and projects in the region.

Xin Xuan Song

Festival / Artistic Company Representative

Xin Xuan is an arts administrator, programmer, and grant writer currently working as Manager, Grants & Sponsorship at Vancouver Opera and Artistic Associate with the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.

She has been an active presenting member of BC Live for the past eight years through her work with Kay Meek Arts Centre, where she most recently held the role of Director of Artistic Planning. Xin Xuan also had the pleasure of serving as an adjudicator for BC Live’s funding programs and as a member of the Pacific Contact Showcase Artist Selection Committee, and is currently a member of the EDI Caucus.

Shortly after moving to Vancouver from her hometown, Shanxi, China, in 2009, she discovered her love for the arts, studying and working behind the scenes as a student stage manager at Simon Fraser University. Since then, she has continued to take on freelance projects whenever possible, maintaining a close connection to the artistic process alongside her administrative work.

Tara Nazemi

Presenter Representative

Tara Nazemi is an accomplished arts and cultural leader, performer, and collaborator with extensive experience in designing and managing arts programming in Vancouver. Since 2018, as Arts and Cultural Programming Manager at the City of Vancouver’s Civic Theatres, she has created sustainable frameworks for programming, grants, and community engagement across multiple venues, boosting public access and participation in diverse arts.

Tara is also a trained dancer and serves as Assistant Director at Vancouver Pars National Ballet. Her acting work includes collaboration with Iranian filmmaker Amir Naderi and a film produced by the National Film Board of Canada, enriching her creative insights.

Her early career included leadership in cultural programming and event production for major events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup Closing Ceremony and the Grey Cup Half-Time Show. She has contributed to equity and social policy initiatives in the city.

Tara holds a Bachelor of Recreation Management, a Diploma of Recreation Leadership from Langara College, and a Graphic Communication and Design Diploma from Vancouver Community College. Her leadership and community dedication have earned her awards, including the BCRPA Provincial Scholarship and the CEI Recreation Leadership Award.