Meet the youthLEADarts Team
youthLEADarts’ Artist Educators are experts in using the arts to increase skills including creative problem solving, interpersonal communication, personal responsibility and self-regulation. Through these skills, the students build resilience, confidence, and their ability to self-advocate to LEAD their future.
Marilyn Field, M.S.M.- Founder
Marilyn is an internationally acclaimed education pioneer who founded DAREarts in 1995 and LEAD in 2020. Her methods have reached over 220,000 children across Canada. In 2001, she conducted at the Nobel Peace Prize’s 100th Anniversary concert. She co-owns Windrush Estate Winery with JC Pennie.
To learn more about Marilyn and her backstory, click the link below.
Shelley MacDonald, Vice President
Shelley MacDonald, Vice President, is an award-winning Canadian film and theatre artist of Mi’kmaw-Scottish heritage based in Nova Scotia. Passionate about the arts and education, she has dedicated her career to youth mentorship and developing skill-building workshops that foster collaboration, youth employment, social justice, and systemic change.
Lori Sherritt-Fleming, President
Lori Sherritt-Fleming is is an award-winning children’s author, performer and teaching artist. She founded the Tickle Trunk Players Theatre for Literacy and performs at major international festivals. Her STEAM based publications are: ‘Hungry for Science’, ‘Hungry for Technology’, ‘Hungry for Engineering’, Hungry for Math’ and ‘Hungry for the Arts’. Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
Deirdre Potash
Deirdre Potash is a renowned Quebec teaching artist who develops and delivers transformative arts programs. She has partnered with The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, DAREarts, Atelier 19, etc. to deliver small and large-scale programs. Based in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Deirdre travels widely with her message that “art feels good”. www.artwill.ca
Roy Mulder
Roy Mulder’s focus is creating strong audio-visual media. He is acclaimed for his underwater videography and heads the Canadian Marine Environment Protection Society.
Trish De Luca
Trish De Luca is a fundraising professional and creator of programs for positive change. Working in film studios of Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros gave her insights into leadership and impact. For LEAD, Trish runs ‘After-school Power Programs’ for youngsters that build positive thinking and confidence in a fun and safe space.
Tina Tucker Bye
Tina Tucker Bye and her husband founded Grove Hall, a community-driven performing arts centre in St. Laurent, QC with year-round performances in dance, theatre, music and arts education for all ages.
Angela Aiello, Board Director
Angela Aiello, Board Director, is a respected wine, food and culinary expert, host and hospitality maven. She is the regular on-air expert for CTV Your Morning, CHCH Morning Live, various radio shows and has her own show called ‘The Juice‘. Known as Super Wine Girl, Angela brings adventure and fun to the world of wine. She has spent over 20 years in the wine industry trailblazing, event planning and studying.
Melanie McDuff
Melanie McDuff is the heartbeat of youthLEADarts Nova Scotia. She is the youth mentor for our monthly youth leadership program and is instrumental in the program’s design and delivery. Her leadership style is collaborative, inclusive and inspirational.
Alicia Jarvis, Board Director
Alicia Jarvis, Board Director, is an award-winning accessibility professional, product manager and inclusive designer (Alicia.design) who solves problems where business goals, human needs, and technology intersect. With 13+ years leading end-to-end accessibility strategy — from discovery research to delivery. She also serves on Accessibility Standards Canada’s technical committee on the design and delivery of programs and services.
Elder Amanda White
Elder Amanda White is from the Haida Nation of Haida Gwaii from the Eagle Clan. She has retired from her work with the Vancouver School Board as the Knowledge Keeper for the last five years. Amanda was an Indigenous Education Enhancement Worker for twenty-two years.
Candice Halls-Howcroft
Candice Halls Howcroft is a member of the Squamish Nation, learning their culture and traditions from them over 20 years. She shares her knowledge as an Essential Skills Instructor at the Native Education College and as an Artist/Squamish Nation Liaison.
Damian Rumph
Damian Rumph is a teacher, writer and storyteller on the Traditional Coast Salish Lands of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw), Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ) & Musqueam(xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) Nations. In students of diverse backgrounds, he uses writing, performance and film to enable language acquisition.
Sheniz Janmohamed
Sheniz Janmohamed is an author, teaching artist, spoken word artist and land artist who has performed internationally for over 10 years, including at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Aga Khan Museum, and Vancouver Writers Fest.
Brunella Battista
Brunella Battista is a multimedia artist with works screened at the UN’s World Peace Forum, and broadcast on CBC, Bravo!, Channel M. She is an internationally published writer, photographer and seasoned performer on stage and TV.
David Lyle
David Lyle brings his unique Indigenous voice to everything, including host of Nations at War documentary series on APTN. He has a distinguished career as a screen and tv actor and director, including in APTN’s Health Nutz, Alaska Daily, Ice Road Terror, Supernatural, CW Network show Arrow, and CBC’s Arctic Air. David is also an accomplished acting and dialect coach.
youthLEADarts respectfully acknowledges the history, the legacy and the important contributions made by First Nations, Inuit and Métis People across Canada, also known as Turtle Island. We are committed to reconciliation and are grateful to the Indigenous Artists/Elders from the Mi’kmaw, Haudenosaunee, Anishinabek, Cree, Dene, Ntle’kepmx, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw who have guided us in our process. Through our program design, we are committed to amplifying Indigenous voices,land stewardship and continued collaboration.
