Rhonda Tulk-Lane ICD.D, CEO
rhonda@musicnl.ca | 709-351-0291
Rhonda’s job is to let the musicians master their instruments, while she conducts the business of growing the industry. She enjoys the challenge of wearing many different hats. Success oriented herself, Rhonda is equally concerned with helping her team and members achieve success in their lives by providing strategic direction, resources and sage guidance.
STRATEGY: Rhonda brings the following assets to MusicNL: over 20 years leadership and experience in board governance and a decade working with corporate Canada through the chamber of commerce movement. As a former lobbyist and advocate she will represent her member’s voice to the three levels of government and stakeholders.
COACHING: Rhonda has a passion for helping those around her succeed. She will coach her team and members to step up and move forward aligning with the new strategy that MusicNL will put into play in 2021.
PERFORMANCE: To this end, her best advice is to stay positive and have an “I CAN ATTITUDE”. Past President of Positive Thinkers Club, St. John’s Chapter, Rhonda truly believes that hard work and a positive attitude will change your world and get you where you want to go!
Talk to Rhonda about: Strategic planning, governance, business development, connections and leadership
Book and Appointment – rhonda@musicnl.ca
Mariana Castro-Carvajal, Programs Coordinator
Mariana@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 4
Originally from Mexico City, Mariana is a musician and researcher graduated from the Ethnomusicology program at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Brandon University, Manitoba. As a pianist and singer, Mariana has conducted several children’s music projects and a seniors choir. She is a dedicated scholar and an enthusiast of the connections between music, belonging, and stories. With a passion for music and research, Mariana strives to learn ways in which music could contribute to social justice and change. She is thrilled to join the MusicNL team.
Talk to Mariana about: Funding Programs, Services
Book an Appointment HERE
Sarah Newell, Marketing and Communications Manager
sarah@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 3
Sarah is a musical artist originally from Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. She is a Memorial University Alumnus, having completed her Bachelor of Music in 2018 and her Bachelor of Music Education in 2020. Sarah has been working in the music sector for over 7 years and is currently the co-lead vocalist and saxophonist of the alternative pop band, With Violet. Sarah wears many hats in her professional life. You may find her teaching choir and music in her elementary classroom, or centre ice at Mary Browns Centre where she is the in-stand host for the Newfoundland Growlers Hockey team.
Sarah’s history in the arts paired with her passion for business gives her a unique approach to any project.
Talk to Sarah about: Newsletter items, marketing, events, New Music Friday, and opportunities.
Book an Appointment – sarah@musicnl.ca
Manizheh Mohammadi, Play on Gower Project Manager
manizheh@musicnl.ca | 754-2574 ext. 5
Manizheh is a commercial expert with over eight years of experience in import and export with an extensive international shipping background. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Management. Manizheh is originally from Iran and recently moved to Canada. She is really hard working and truly believes that practice makes perfect.
She is really interested in art, especially music, and believes that music is a universal language that connects nations all over the world.
Talk to Manizheh about: Booking inquiries for Play on Gower (Gower Street United Church)
Book an Appointment – manizheh@musicnl.ca
Kerri MacPhee, Project Manager
Kerri MacPhee is a musician, conductor, teacher, and administrator who holds degrees from Texas Tech University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and Mount Allison University. She was the first RBC Emerging Artist Resident Conductor of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and is a founding-member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Band Association.
Growing up in Labrador, Kerri was an active member of the Canadian Cadet Movement and enrolled as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces in 2007 to continue her work with the program. Now a Lieutenant (Navy) and active leader of the cadet music programs and marching bands; she has also been an Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2016.
Talk to Kerri about: HarbourVOICES! International Festival of Collective Singing Traditions
Wanda Rossiter, Marketing Intern
Wanda is passionate about community, an advocate for Mental Health and wellness, and uses music to help create a healthy connection between both.
Wandas background as a business owner lies mainly in marketing & graphic arts and she has worked with musicians to create personalized logos, album covers, graphics & merch.
She has recently completed a 65 week Social Media and Web Marketing course and has been applying this knowledge helping local artists build loyal fanbases, sell merch and pack rooms at successful shows while sharing their gifts with the community.
Wanda is especially excited to have the opportunity to work alongside MusicNL to continue supporting NL artists and is grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow in this environment built on the foundation and vision of “Music cultivated at home and celebrated everywhere”
Directors
Nigel Jenkins
Nigel Jenkins is a graduate of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University, with a Certificate in Entertainment Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. Nigel is an artist manager and record label owner based in Steady Brook, NL. Through his company, Laughing Heart Music, Nigel has worked with artists like Classified, Heather Rankin, Ben Caplan, Hillsburn, The Lytics, and many others as a manager, label owner, and consultant. Nigel has sat on the boards of the Halifax Pop Explosion Music Festival and the Halifax Urban Folk Festival. He was nominated for the 2019 East Coast Music Award for Artist Manager of the Year and the 2018 Nova Scotia Music Week Artist Manager of the Year Award.
Mary Beth Waldram
While working in the music industry for the past thirteen years, Mary Beth Waldram has organized and supervised large-scale events, created successful grant proposals, and helped artist’s both in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Mary Beth is a graduate of Memorial University’s School of Music and NSCC’s Music Business Program. Afterwards going on to work with many Atlantic Canadian music festivals including Halifax Pop Explosion and Lawnya Vawnya and The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, managing bands and booking tours for Atlantic Canadian artists. Mary Beth currently resides in St. John’s Newfoundland currently working with Lawnya Vawnya, NL Folk Festival and many local artists.
Théa Morash
Théa Morash has been working as the Arts and Cultural Development Coordinator for the City of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador since 2012, following roles in various arts and cultural organizations including the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador and Resource Centre for the Arts (LSPU Hall). In her position with the City of St. John’s she administers arts and cultural funding, public art, and Poet Laureate programs; organizes and executes special events, helps develop and review City policy, and more. She is also a staff lead on the City’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from local arts and cultural organizations, community members, City Council, and City staff. Along with being a proud member of the MusicNL board of directors, Théa sits on the board of the Creative City Network of Canada (CCNC), a national non-profit organization made up of municipalities, organizations, and individuals working to support cultural development in their communities. She also acts as Treasurer on the board of the Cultural Artists Plan for Emergencies (CAPE) Fund, a province-wide emergency fund committed to helping professionals working in culture, arts, and entertainment in Newfoundland and Labrador. Théa has worked as a professional musician, playwright, actor, director, stage manager, and theatre reviewer. She is a founding and current member of Ladies Who Lunch Productions, a theatre collective whose focus is staged radio drama – bringing audiences back to the golden age of radio through the performance of original audio dramas live on the theatrical stage. Théa’s diverse background in various artistic milieus and hands-on experience as a working artist has always proven to be a valuable asset in cultural and municipal administration, and her commitment to arts and culture informs all her work.
Derrick Sturge
Derrick is from St. John’s, NL where he has spent his entire career. Derrick has been a Chartered Public Accountant (CPA) for over 35 years and is also a graduate of the Music Business program at Berklee College of Music, Boston. Derrick is currently the owner of Pharos Music Inc., providing management and business services to artists, with a primary focus on the pop, country, and country-pop, genres. Through his career Derrick has held senior executive positions, and has significant experience in financial management and corporate governance. In his spare time Derrick is a drummer which has been his life-long passion. Derrick currently resides in St. John’s with his wife Bonnie.
David Smallwood
What do you do when you retire from a business you’ve owned for twenty odd years? You start a new career of course. My life has taken me from being President and Founder of Academy Canada to research for the Forestry Sector to CEO of the Rotary Arts Centre. Along the way I’ve been involved in raising money for our 1999 Canada Winter Games, to being Event Chair of the ECMA event hosted by the City of Corner Brook in 2009, along with a 40 year career on the Board of Directors of Theatre Newfoundland Labrador and other community and government organizations.
In 2012, the late Tina Dolter and myself dreamed a dream of a new arts facility for our city. By 2015 we were able to open the Rotary Arts Centre and it is that facility and its programming that has brought me to this new position as a Board member of MusicNL. A challenge for sure but as with most things in our arts’ communities, a lot of fun.
Krista Vincent
Krista Vincent started her musical career in the small town of Lewisporte, NL. She has gone on to become a dedicated specialist in the performance and interpretation of contemporary music, with a career spanning three continents as pianist, composer and actress, and arts administrator.Krista holds music and ethnomusicology degrees from McGill University, the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and Memorial University. From 1999-2007 Krista was based in the Netherlands where she was active as electronic music composer and performer. From 2016-2018, Krista was the Marketing Coordinator for the Canberra International Music Festival in Canberra, Australia, and in 2019, manager with Kittiwake Dance Theatre. Since 2014, Krista has held the role of General Manager with the Tuckamore Festival.
Lindsey Wareham
Lindsey is a lawyer and registered Canadian trademark agent practicing with Cox & Palmer in St. John’s. Lindsey graduated in 2016 from Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. Her practice focuses on general commercial law and intellectual property law matters, serving clients across a broad range of industries, including technology, hospitality and the arts. Before practicing law, Lindsey practiced classical piano performance and received her B. Mus (Hons) from Memorial University in 2012.
Leonard Pecore
Leonard is founder and a corporate director on the board of Genoa Design International LTD., formed in 1995. With a current employee count of more than 300, the company has experienced more than 10 times growth since 2012. Leonard is also an emerging board of director with a focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, business development, governance and an appreciation of interpersonal relationships. Outside of Genoa, he is an active member of the Marine Institute of Memorial University’s Industry Advisory Board, a member of the Naval Architecture and Marine Systems Program Advisory Council, a member of the Genesis Centre Client Success Committee and a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. He currently sits on the Institute of Corporate Directors Newfoundland Chapter Executive Committee, the Learnsphere Board and the Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association Board of Directors.
Leonard graduated from Acadia University in 1986 with a bachelor of arts and joined the Canadian Military as a Naval Officer in 1987 where he completed 10 years of service. He possesses a diploma of technology in naval architecture, a master’s certificate in project in project management, and is an ICD.D Certified Director.
Ayon Shahed
Ayon is strategic leader with over 10 years of experience in the health, housing, technology, social enterprise, homelessness, and public policy arenas. With extensive strategic planning and facilitation experience, Ayon brings a critical focus to ensuring strong communication and inclusive spaces that embrace divergent and convergent thinking. He is currently supporting the growth and impact of community care initiatives and actively developing an innovation pipeline for new ventures. He has also served on a range of boards and committees, including the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, the St. John’s Tool Library, and the City of St. John’s Affordable Housing Committee; he is currently the Chair of Housing Committee for the Catherine Donnelly Foundation and a member of MusicNL’s strategic planning team. Earlier this year, Ayon completed the Strategic Innovation Programme at the Oxford University Saïd Business School. In 2015 he was named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 Under 40, and in 2019 he received an Engineering Excellence Award from Queen’s University.
Heather Stamp-Nunes
Heather is founder of Leadership Matters Inc, an executive coaching and organizational development firm based in St. John’s, NL specializing in strategic planning, governance and leadership strategy, executive coaching, group facilitation and mediation. Heather’s leadership practice is built on deep academic training, executive certifications, and over 20 years’ experience as a manager, consultant, and executive leader in strategy, people, and organizational development. In addition to her governance, strategic planning, executive coaching, facilitation and conflict resolution work, Heather is an instructor in the Marine Studies Master’s Program in the School of Ocean Technology at Memorial University’s Fisheries and Marine Institute, as well as a frequent instructor in the Centre for Higher Education Research and Development Program at the University of Manitoba. She is a business graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, holds a MEd from Memorial University, a Masters of Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors at the University of Toronto. Currently, Heather serves on the boards of TFNL and the ADR Atlantic Institute. She has served on other boards at the province and national level including St. John’s Board of Trade, ICF Atlantic and the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.