Image by Board of Directors President, Terry Blake
Board of Directors
The School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa benefits from the professional skills, expertise and associations, and oversight of its board members. Appointments are for three years and meets six to eight times per year (approximately every two months). If you wish to be considered for membership on the Board of Directors, please send an expression of interest by filling out this form.
TERRY BLAKE
President
Terry is a retired finance professional now involved in various governance, education and leadership mentoring initiatives. Terry spent 20 years as a chief financial officer for subsidiaries of multinational financial services companies in Canada, the United States and Asia, often starting up subsidiary operations and turning around businesses in crisis. Terry now volunteers on Ottawa-based NPO boards, having served as board president for The Mens’ Project/1in6 Canada, a board, audit and governance committee member for Ashbury College, and a board, audit committee and governance committee member at the Shepherds of Good Hope. Terry has been involved in many philanthropic projects throughout his career, including the restoration of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, and the building of rural schools in Thailand.
BILL PALAMAR
Secretary
Bill Palamar, MSW, CHRP, is Ashbury’s Director of Human Resources. Bill brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in the human resources field to his position, which he is the first to hold at the school. Previous to arriving at Ashbury, Bill worked for many years with Scouts Canada as their National Director of Human Resources, and most recently as the Executive Director of the Canadian Council of HR Associations. He is very active in his professional associations, and is passionate about ongoing professional development.
ALLISON SOLOWAY
Treasurer
Allison is a chartered professional accountant and a top graduate of the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management. She has more than 15 years of experience working in the federal public service in financial management, including budgeting, costing, accounting operations and transfer payment programs. She has been recognized as an emerging public service leader and is currently the Director of Accounting Services at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Throughout her extensive travels across Europe and Canada, Allison has developed a passion for culture, food and wine. A native of the National Capital Region, she is also a supporter of the local arts community.
PATRICIA BARR
Director
Patricia Hidalgo Barr has been committed to the Ottawa Arts community and a healthy region by connecting artists, arts professionals and art patrons with local businesses and non-profit organizations for over 15 years. As a past director of a local gallery, Patricia was keenly aware of the artistic excellence of SPAO's graduating students and their influence on Canada’s cultural scene. With previous experience in fundraising for organizations, Patricia brings her enthusiasm and energy to SPAO Photographic Arts Centre.
ZACHARY MURRAY
Director
Zachary is an associate at Mann Lawyers LLP, practicing corporate and commercial law. Zachary holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and history from the University of Toronto and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ottawa. In his daily practice, Zachary regularly advises clients on matters relating to incorporation, commercial leasing, the purchase and sale of businesses, and related corporate and commercial law matters. As a resident of the downtown Ottawa community, Zachary is passionate about the development and enhancement of arts and culture in his neighborhood and beyond.
TIMOTHY JONES
Director
Timothy Jones is President, lead Creative Director, and Managing Partner at Banfield, an Ottawa-based creative agency and one of the oldest in the country. His demonstrated creative thought and leadership has been earned through over 25 years of experience in marketing and advertising. He is also a proud Maritimer, an avid traveler, an art lover, a yogi and a runner.
PATRICK GAUCH
Director
Patrick J. Gauch, MBA, LLM, ICD.D is a collaborative and consultative leader and seasoned executive with experience in the not-for-profit, corporate, and academic sectors. Patrick brings a wealth of experience as a Corporate Director serving on over fifteen boards in the private, not-for profit and municipal sectors over the last 25 years where his areas of expertise include financial management, human resources, operations, and governance. Currently, Patrick is the Vice-President, Finance and Operations at the Ottawa Cancer Foundation.
PETER SIMPSON
Director
Peter’s 37 years as a journalist include 15 years as the Ottawa Citizen’s arts editor and visual arts critic. He now writes about art for various publications and clients, and is the former marketing director for Flora Hall Brewing in Ottawa. He founded and curated the annual fundraiser Portraits of Bluesfest, and cofounded Men Who Care Ottawa. He is a Maritimer, and served as the 2016 Irving Chair of Journalism at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B. He lives downtown with his wife, the journalist Jennifer Campbell, their Large Black Cat, and more than 100 pieces by artists from across Canada.
TIM DESCLOUDS
Director
Tim desClouds is an Ottawa-based artist, born in Montreal and raised in Ottawa. He has been an educator, and arts advocate for well over 40 years. He has served on both the Ottawa Art Gallery and Gallery Saw Board of Directors. Tim has recently retired from a 30 year teaching career at Canterbury High School Regional Programme for the Arts within the district of the Ottawa – Carleton Board of Education. Tim’s artwork is represented by Galerie St Laurent plus Hill in Ottawa. He has created numerous public art works throughout Ontario and Quebec, and his work has been acquired for numerous corporate, private and government collections throughout North America.
EVELYN DUBERRY
Director
Evelyn Duberry is a Canadian flameworked glass artist adapting ancient hot glass sculpting and decorative techniques for contemporary expression. Outside of art, Evelyn has an established career in enterprise investment governance, process improvement; and project and change management.
JONATHAN HOBIN
Creative Director, Ex-officio
Jonathan is an award-winning and internationally noted photo-based artist from Canada. His work draws from iconic literary, cinematic and historical references and popular culture to explore the darker aspects of childhood, storytelling and politics. Considered a controversial figure and “one of Canada’s most polarizing visual artists” (CBC’s Q), Hobin’s work is exhibited internationally and has been the subject of lectures at prestigious institutions, including the National Photography Museum of Finland, and Oxford University. Features on Jonathan’s work have appeared on CNN, BBC and CBC, in in art publications including Art Das Kunstmagazin (Germany), Beaux Arts (France), and the Photographers Companion (China).
SPAO IS SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS
On our second decade of exemplary education, we are seeking dynamic and passionate new board members. With key developmental initiatives ongoing, SPAO seeks proactive individuals to strengthen its Board, with particular emphasis on areas including fundraising and human resources. Our Board meets six to eight times per year (approximately every 2 months).