Connecting through

Giving Tuesday Is Almost Here!

We have so many fun things planned for Giving Tuesday this year! Make sure you tune into our social media on November 27th starting at 10am to see behind the scenes and hear from a few of our current supporters.

As a not for profit charity each year donations from individuals like you play a vital role in helping provide the means for Lakeshore Arts to offer free and subsidized programming to the community.

For the first time, as part of our Fall Giving Campaign we are thrilled to announce a matching gift partner: Adrian and Andrea Toronto Real Estate. What does this mean? For every dollar donated by you, Adrian and Andrea will be matching your contribution up to $1500!

With your contribution, we can increase our impact using the arts to help sustain a vibrant, active and connected community.

Charitable Registration #: 882969744RR0001

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Doha Soliman

Doha has always been a supporter of the arts and believes in the importance of art education. She works as a finance director for a surgery practice and has a background in equity analysis. She has a great passion for civic engagement and serves as the program director for the Canadian Muslim Vote, where she is developing a Youth Internship Program to engage youth in politics. Doha lives in Oakville with her husband and her two young boys.

Robyn Small

Robyn is a passionate supporter of all things community, arts and culture in Toronto. By day, she manages BMO Wealth Management’s employee charitable giving program specializing in non-profit partnership development, community investment and volunteer engagement. Robyn is a design and photography enthusiast and a dedicated supporter of Lakeshore Arts, the AGO and other organizations committed to enhancing the well-being of others and community through art. Robyn currently resides in West Toronto but Mimico holds a very special place in her heart.

Natassha Feo

Natassha Feo is a newcomer to the Mimico community, officially moving the area in March 2016. With a background in corporate communications, Natassha is a professional storyteller who is passionate about crafting narrative to build engagement, understanding and participation. She is an avid reader, perpetual languages student (currently adding Italian and ASL to her native Spanish) and lover of written art.

Kathy Dimas

Kathy Dimas, is a passionate Artist. As a trained Dancer in Ballet she has performed in classical ballet, Latin folklore and modern Latin dance. Her love of art started with the visual arts and continued with photography. It is through her love of the arts that has taken her to volunteer as a dance teacher for the youth and to get involve as a board member with Lakeshore Arts. She is a Professional Accountant with over 15 year experience. She is a board member acting as Treasurer and sits as top management of Carl Zeiss Canada.

Rafiq Al Gailani

Rafiq Al Gailani is a business development leader with expertise in advising on large scale international trade mandates, and principal government relations. During his career, Rafiq also served as Vice President, Head of Fund Services and Client Management MENA at Deutsche Bank; and in senior advisory roles with leading multinationals in Boston, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Toronto. Rafiq holds a BSc in Management from Bentley University in Massachusetts, and has completed multiple executive programs. Rafiq resides in the Lakeshore area, shares a great passion for arts, community development and is a firm believer in selfless service.

Justine Abraham

Justine Abraham is a passionate arts advocate who intends to put her energy towards supporting youth accessibility and participation in the arts. After having taught many classes as a Youth Arts Educator during university, Justine was determined to remain connected to her creativity – by helping young people become involved in the arts. After recently graduating from Humber College with a certificate in Arts Management, her newest self-discovery is her love and passion for fundraising and stewardship. Justine has also acquainted herself with the diverse music scene thriving in downtown Toronto. She currently works at a music promotion company that collaborates with large-scale festivals across Ontario as a talent buyer, as well as a presenter of live concerts – for every genre from jazz to country – locally in the city.

Jennifer McIntyre

Treasurer

Jennifer is a long time resident of Mimico and New Toronto, having lived in these neighbourhoods since 1966. She has seen many changes over the years and is now enjoying the positive changes that are taking place in these neighbourhoods. Jennifer has worked for Alterna Savings Credit Union for 10 years, currently as a personal banker. She is busy with her husband, 2 kids, and a dog and when able, she enjoys running and crossfit training.

Marijana Cuvalo

Vice-President

Marijana has been a resident of Mimico since 2015 and a member of the Lakeshore Arts board since 2014. She has extensive experience guiding the positive transformation and engagement of numerous groups including: children, youth, students, newcomers and young women. She seeks out capacity building opportunities that recognize value in collaboration and that incorporate the wisdom and experiences community members bring to the table.

Mark Koczij

President

Mark has been a teacher at Lakeshore Collegiate Institute since 2006 and serves as the liaison between LCI and Lakeshore Arts. Prior to this, Mark worked as a web and graphic designer for clients ranging from multinational corporations to local not for profits. He believes that the most important and impactful changes start at the community level. Mark and his family have been living in Longbranch since 2002 and he has been a member of the Board since 2012.

Thom Stoneman

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Thom Stoneman is a certified teacher who has been involved in theatre education from a very young age. Thom is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School: Acting Program (2008) and completed his teacher training at OISE at UofT (2015) as part of the Aboriginal Perspectives cohort. Thom strives to integrate social justice and equality training into all of his work in the arts. Thom has taught various theatre workshops to children at Shakespeare in the Ruff, The Second City Training Centre, Canadian Children’s Theatre Company, and a number of schools in and around Toronto. Thom’s passion lies in fostering safe spaces for students to explore comedy, improv, clowning, acting technique, text exploration, Shakespeare, and more, while encouraging students to connect on a personal level. Thom is very excited to be apart of the Lakeshore Arts community!

Adrienne Costantino

Community Programs Coordinator

Adrienne is an arts educator and printmaker who has a passion for developing and facilitating programs that provide audiences of all ages and abilities with the capacity to connect to the arts in deep and meaningful ways. Adrienne is a graduate of the Master of Museum Studies program at the University of Toronto (2014) and holds a BFA in Printmaking from OCAD U (2008). She is a certified teacher under the Ontario College of Teachers having completed a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa (2011) as part of the Arts Cohort, which focused on creating lessons that incorporate the arts into all aspects of the curriculum. Before joining Lakeshore Arts, Adrienne held a two-year TD Curator of Education and Outreach Fellowship at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, and has worked for Harbourfront Centre, Toronto International Film Festival and the Textile Museum of Canada. In her spare time Adrienne can be found gardening, riding her bike, traveling and taking in arts and culture events.

Jacqui Arntfield

Community Project Space Curator

Jacqui is a registered social service worker and socially-engaged artist who maintains a collaborative, conceptual and context-specific practice. She holds a BAH in Continental Philosophy from Queen’s University and a Community Worker diploma from George Brown College. Activating this educational background, she uses the arts as a tool to critically examine social issues and catalyze civic engagement. She has worked with numerous community arts organizations including Artscape Youngplace and 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. As co-director of an interdisciplinary collective focused on interactive and participatory works, she has produced projects for public art events including NXNE Art, BIG on Bloor, Art of the Danforth, Culture Days, 100in1Day Toronto and The Laneway Project. Jacqui loves public art, politics, books and sunshine. Drop by the Community Project Space to say hello!

Alessandra McCreight

School Programs Coordinator

Alessandra is a certified teacher with a rich arts background. She completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University in 2008 with a double major in Art History and Cultural Studies Critical Theory, before going on to complete a Master’s in Fine Art History at Queen’s University in 2010. Since then, Alessandra has made valuable contributions to Toronto’s arts and culture scene at Sotheby’s, Artscape Youngplace, Harbourfront Centre, and as a Visiting Artist in TDSB, TCDSB, and PDSB schools. With endless inspiration from her time spent working abroad as a tour guide in Europe, Alessandra started her own small business called Carte Blanche Creations, specializing in handmade one-of-a-kind Italian marble coasters which she continues to sell at local markets and pop-up shops throughout the GTA. In 2014, Alessandra completed her teacher training at OISE, where she was part of the Aboriginal Perspectives cohort and developed a passion for cross-curricular integration and important social justice issues. She is thrilled to bring her creativity and passion for the arts to Lakeshore Arts and the Mimico community. Her interests include travel, puzzles, soccer, making art, cooking and antiquing.

Kim Dayman

Program Manager

Kim Dayman is a graduate of OCAD U with a BFA in Printmaking (2007) and has thrived in the arts community for the last 15 years. As an arts programmer and educator she has worked with organizations including The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, The Dovercourt Boys & Girls Club, The Living Arts Centre, OCAD U and Art Starts. Pursuing her artistic practice she is a part of the inPrint Collective and has participated in arts events including Nuit Blanche, Culture Days and the Cultural Hot Spot as well as curating to a host of gallery shows. While at Art Starts she was part of the team awarded both the TCF Vital Ideas award and the Arts for Youth Award from the TAF. As a local resident she looks forward to bringing her experience to her own backyard. When she’s not working you can find her digging in the garden, playing with her dog or planning her next vacation!

Ashley Watson

Development & Partnerships Manager

Ashley Watson is an arts administrator and arts educator with a proven commitment to improving the availability of the arts to diverse audiences. Ashley is a graduate of University of Toronto’s Arts Management BA program and has a MFA from the University of Leicester in Art Museum and Gallery Studies. Her academic knowledge is supported by over five years of professional experience working in the arts and cultural sector most recently as the Curator at Humber Galleries and as a sessional faculty in the Arts Management program at the University of Toronto. She also relishes her time spent in the garden, riding horses and rock picking.

Executive Director

SUSAN NAGY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

susan@lakeshorearts.ca

A long time resident of the Lakeshore, Susan is a graphic designer by training, a graduate of Sheridan College and has worked in the culture sector since 1981. Her passion for the arts and community combined with a dynamic management style has been instrumental in the growth of the organization. Susan ensures that arts development is always on every agenda and that it is recognized as a catalyst to drive and foster the local economy. She is a senior member of the LASO’s (Local Art Service Organization) within the City and sits on the Mimico BIA’s executive. In 2004, she was bestowed with the LAMP Award of Merit in recognition for her contributions to the community and 2009, 10 and 11 received a Certificate of Recognition as a community partner at the local high school, Lakeshore Collegiate. Susan was also the recipient of the 2012 Queen’s Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.