Board Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement

North York Arts is committed to fostering and supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in its operations, programming and governance structures as an organization. The purpose of this statement is to express the commitment of the Board of Directors to promoting achievement of equitable, diverse and inclusive representation through appointments to its board and committees, and in the performance of its governance duties and responsibilities for the organization.

This includes an ongoing commitment to achieving a board membership that fully reflects the diversity of artistic and other expertise within the community and encourages inclusive representation including Persons with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous and Persons of Colour (BIPOC), and LGBT2SQIAP community members.

The Governance and Nominating Committee will use its best efforts within its processes to apply best practices to reach out to identify and recruit highly-skilled potential candidates who have skills, experience and knowledge supportive of roles on the board and its committees and who reflect the diversity of Canadian society, having particular regard to under-represented groups and equity seeking groups represented by race, sex, disability, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.

The Governance and Nominating Committee will periodically review its practices and procedures to ensure alignment with best practices and principles for diverse recruitment.

North York Arts Board of Directors – July 7, 2020

Apply to our Board of Directors

Term: Begins Summer 2025

Time Commitment: 7 Board meetings per year

Application Deadline: June 9, 2025

ABOUT NORTH YORK ARTS:
North York Arts (NYA) is a non-profit, charitable organization created to uplift and expand the arts across
all six wards of North York by investing in artists, inspiring community members, and collaborating with
partners and businesses.

For nearly 15 years, NYA has built a strong audience of more than 230,000 attendees and participants to
arts events and programs in the region. We serve the broader public with a focus on youth, families,
seniors, newcomer communities and Neighbourhood Improvement Areas as well as serving the arts
community through local artists and arts organizations.

NYA is one of six Local Arts Service Organizations (LASOs) whose purpose is to deliver on the City of
Toronto’s social, economic and cultural goals outside of the downtown core. As such, we collaborate with
City Councillors, the Economic Development and Culture division, and various community stakeholders.

ABOUT THE ROLE
New Board members will be supported and mentored by current Board members to help ease the
transition into this leadership role. Participation on the Board is voluntary and there is no remuneration
for service. See below for detailed information on the roles and responsibilities for Board members.

Board of Directors Key Role:
The volunteer Board of Directors provides strategic leadership and governance, establishes policy,
oversees the operations and financial performance of NYA and assesses the Board’s own effectiveness.
Our Board members serve on several committees, including Finance & Audit, Fundraising, Nominations
& Governance, and Marketing.

Expected Commitment from Board Members:
The Nominations & Governance Committee is interested in adding two (2) new members for the
following commitment:

● Term begins summer 2025.
● Expected to attend 7 Board meetings each year, one in conjunction with the Annual General
Meeting.
● Able to commit the time and resources to serve on the Board and on one Board committee, and
to represent NYA as requested.
● Expected time commitment is approx. 3-5 hours per month.

The Nominations & Governance Committee is particularly interested in candidates with the following
knowledge and expertise who either live or work in the City of Toronto, ideally in North York:
● Fundraising and corporate sponsorship.
● Public relations, media, and communications.
● Finance, accounting, governance, and strategic partnerships.
● Experience working with and navigating processes of the City of Toronto.

Qualifications:
● Commitment to NYA’s Vision and Values and an appreciation for the arts.

● Personal commitment to devote the time necessary to perform the responsibilities of a Board
and Committee member.
● Strong communication and collaborative skills.
● Previous non-profit board experience is an asset.

To apply:
● Please submit a cover letter and your resume/CV by June 9, 2025 to board@northyorkarts.org
● All applicants must submit a cover letter and resume/CV to be considered for the position.
Selection Process:
● All cover letters and resume/CV’s will be reviewed by the Nominations & Governance Committee
to be selected for an interview.
● The Committee will then make recommendations for each open position to the Board.
● The Board will review the recommendations and then motion for selection.

NYA aligns with the City of Toronto’s commitment to being an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to
creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve.
We thank all applicants in advance, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Interviews may be conducted throughout the posting period. However, no offers will be made until after
the application deadline.

For more information about the role and nomination process – please contact Interim Executive Director,
Deanna Cadette at ed@northyorkarts.org.

Bill Stephenson

Board Chair

Meet Bill

Bill is a Chartered Professional Accountant , Chartered Director, and holds a business degree from the University of Toronto. With over 30 years of experience ranging from startups to Fortune 500 organizations, he has worked as a senior finance professional in a variety of industries and roles primarily helping organizations that are undergoing transition. Bill has always enjoyed and supported the arts and is an active member in many community musical organizations. He is thrilled at the opportunity to serve as Board Chair of North York Arts.

What does art mean to you?
Self-expression, creativity, and connection.

Elka Weinstein

Board President

Meet Elka

Elka is an independent curator and the museum advisor for the province of Ontario. She offers advice to all community museums across Ontario and as the current President of the International Council of Museums, Canada, she champions museums and galleries locally and internationally.

What does art mean to you?
Without art we would be poor.

Ash Matta

Board Member

Meet Ash
Ash brings extensive corporate management experience, having held positions in risk management, internal controls, product development, marketing, and operations in the financial services industry. He is currently on the Board of a seniors services charity and a Board committee member of a Food Bank. Ash was also previously a Board member of national health charity, and served on multiple committees including as National Treasurer and chair of the Finance, Audit, Risk committee. He is a CPA, CA and holds a business degree from the University of Toronto. He enjoys music, multiple performing arts, and travel. 
 
What does art mean to you? 
An expression of self, individuality, creativity, and emotion. 
Donald Bilodeau

Board Member

Meet Donald

Donald Bilodeau offers thirty years of marketing, design, sales, and account management experience working with industry leaders in technology, financial services, telecommunication, and real estate. As the President and Chief Creative Officer of a brand marketing agency called PACT Advertising Inc. and a licensed realtor with Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., he oversees day-to-day operations, leads business development, and directs client services for many established and aspiring brands, and GTA home buyers and property owners. PACT’s leading accounts include Microsoft Canada, Great Gulf Homes, Canam Fresh, Intelliware, BlueDot, Concerto Cloud Services (now DXC Technology), and CIBC, to name a few. From 2013 to 2017, Donald was Vice President of Marketing with a Toronto-based application and web development firm BlueRush Digital Media Group, working with top-
tier financial institutions like Manulife, CIBC, TD Canada Trust, Allstate, MBNA Canada, and DUCA Credit Unions. An entrepreneur at heart, Donald creates opportunity from ideas and develops strategies that surpass marketing and business objectives. As a former graphic and web designer, Donald has a deep appreciation for the arts and for artists of all disciplines, from sculptors to painters to dancers and musicians alike. Artistic expression enriches communities across this great nation. He actively supports
organizations that help art and artists prosper across the GTA.

Fabiana Montoya

Board Member

Meet Fabiana

Fabiana has deep expertise in program management, strategy & business transformation. She is passionate about helping organizations rethink how to deliver value. She currently works as Director of Fintech Partnerships and Innovation at Scotiabank. She loves arts, enjoying painting, attending performances and visiting museums.

What does art mean to you?
Food for our souls.

Irene Fatehi

Nominations & Governance Committee Chair

Meet Irene
Irene is a finance lawyer dually admitted in Ontario and New York. She is currently legal counsel at Standard Chartered Bank. Her prior experiences include policy development and fintech.

 

What does art mean to you?

Expression for the soul.
 
Jessica Singh

Marketing Committee Chair

Meet Jessica

An artist at heart and aesthete at being. She is an Oxford graduate specializing in research, arts, and gender studies. Jessica is an interdisciplinary artist and in that, she embodies the essence of fluidity in art forms like poetry, photography and painting.

 

What does art mean to you?
ikigai, soulsong, dawn, entire, beyond

Jonathan Stewart

Treasurer; Finance & Audit Committee Chair

Meet Jonathan

Jonathan is a Canadian CPA, CA with 7 years of experience in the accounting and advisory field. He currently serves as a Manager in the Anti-Money Laundering department of TD bank. He previously served as an auditor with a focus in the non-profit niche with MNP LLP.

What does art mean to you?
Bringing the community together

Marina Di Pancrazio

Fundraising Committee Chair

Meet Marina

Marina Di Pancrazio has 30+ years of experience in the Canadian audiovisual industry (film, TV, digital, VR), including content creation, sales, broadcasting, and leadership. Currently the Chief Content Revenue Officer at the Just for Laughs Group, she oversees a TV Development arm, as well as a Distribution, OTT, and FAST Channel division.

Previously, Marina was the Director of Sales Service and Marketing at The Walt Disney company, for content including Pixar, Marvel, LucasFilm, ABC TV, and Disney Channels. Marina joined Disney in 2008 as the Executive Director for Disney Channel Worldwide, overseeing content programming and brand strategies. While there, she led the launches of multiple TV channels, digital platforms, and apps.

Marina holds a B.F.A. in Film Production from Concordia University as well as an
M.B.A. from Queen’s Smith School of Business.

Paniz Ghazanfari

Board Secretary

Meet Paniz

Paniz Ghazanfari obtained a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology and a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is currently a lawyer for a prominent national association in the financial services industry in Toronto. Her primary focus is providing legal advice on matters concerning non-profits, securities, privacy, and capital markets. As a pianist and music educator, she has always been passionate about advocating for the advancement of the arts in her community. Paniz has previously worked in legal clinics in the GTA serving low-income families and new immigrants. She is also fluent in Persian and French.

What does art mean to you?

Art for me means transcending language barriers and bringing communities together.