Staff

  • A woman of colour, wearing a yellow blouse stands against a stone wall, looking off camera

    Director of Programming - Collaborative Leadership Team | ext 101 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Gabrielle Martin is a cultural producer and live art curator practicing transformative experiential design in one of society’s few remaining ritual spaces. Her work prioritizes embodied criticality, imagination, pluralism, and risk. It centres the body, and is framed by social and political urgencies.

    Gabrielle has a BFA in Contemporary Dance from Concordia University (Montréal), a Certificate in Dramaturgy from the Centre National des Arts du Cirque (Châlons-en-Champagne), and an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from Rome Business School. She was a 2021 Why Not Theatre Cultural Leadership Fellow and a 2021 and 2022 Global Fellow of the International Society for the Performing Arts. She holds certificates in Leadership and Change from the London School of Economics and Leading Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Northwestern Weinberg College.

    Before joining PuSh in 2021, Gabrielle worked as Festival Manager with the Vancouver International Dance Festival. She currently furthers her creative practice as Co-Artistic Director and choreographer with Corporeal Imago. 

    As a contemporary dance and circus artist, Gabrielle performed over 1,400 shows internationally with Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK – The First Flight and Cavalia, participated in choreographic residencies in Belgium, Sweden and France, and presented her work in the UK, US, and across Canada.

  • Director of Indigenous Initiatives - Collaborative Leadership Team

    Cree-Saulteaux Metis performing artist, Margo Kane is the Founder and Artistic Managing Director of Full Circle: First Nations Performance.  For over 45 years she has been active as an actor, performing artist and community cultural worker.  Her desire to share artistic performance that has meaning for her people is the catalyst for her extensive work, travels and consultation within Indigenous communities across Canada and abroad.  Moonlodge, her acclaimed one-woman show, an Indigenous Canadian classic, toured for over 10 years nationally and internationally.  The Sydney Press (AU) during The Festival of the Dreaming praised it as being ‘in the top echelon of solo performance.’  

    She developed and runs the annual Talking Stick Festival celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year and numerous programs including Moccasin Trek: Arts on the Move!, Indian Acts and an Indigenous Ensemble Performing Arts Program in Vancouver.  

    She has received numerous awards and honors including an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of the Fraser Valley, the Order of Canada from the Governor-General, an International Citation of Merit from ISPA – International Society for the Performing Arts and most recently, an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from SFU – Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  • White woman with light brown hair and green eyes looks directly into the camera with a half smile

    Director of Operations - Collaborative Leadership Team | ext 102 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Keltie is a arts administrator and theatre director of settler ancestry based out of the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Keltie began her career in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) as General Manager of Workshop West Theatre and co-curator of their Canoe Theatre Festival. Since completing her MFA at the University of British Columbia, Keltie has worked as an arts manager, freelance director, instructor, grant writer, and associate artistic director of both Pi Theatre for their 2016-2017 season and Ensemble Theatre Company from 2020. She also worked with C-Space as Operations Manager at Progress Lab 1422.

    Keltie is thrilled to be joining Margo, Gabrielle, and the team at PuSh to support the next phase of the Festival’s development.

  • Patron Services and Administration Manager | ext 104 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Sarah Sum (she/her) is a queer performing artist of Chinese heritage, born and living on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people.

    She holds her M.Mus in Opera from The University of British Columbia. You may have spotted her in UBC productions of Die Zauberflöte, the Canadian premiere of Pasażerka, and the Opera and Arias series at Bard on the Beach. Sarah is a recipient of the BC Arts Council Award and has participated in the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute and the Chautauqua Institution Voice Program on full scholarship.

    Sarah has been building a career in patron services and box office, from volunteering for local theatre companies as a teen, to working as a Box Office Administrator at UBC Opera over the course of her Master’s degree. Recently she was the Box Office Coordinator for Vancouver Queer Film Festival and offered box office consultation for Chutzpah! Festival.

    When she isn’t singing or slinging tickets, you can find Sarah cooking as a connection to her culture, hanging art on walls, and daydreaming about new sewing projects.

  • Marketing & Communications Manager | ext.201 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Tricia Knowles (she/her) is a queer, Mi’kmaq settler who has been exploring identity through a pre-colonial lens, within the arts and the natural spaces and places where branches of her ancestry intersects.

    As an arts promoter and cultural curator, Tricia has a passion for creative placemaking and for crafting interactive, immersive events which inspire residents to be part of the change they want to see in their community. She holds a certificate in Cultural Planning and Development from UBC and a diploma in Radio and Television Arts (Broadcast Journalism) from NSCC, and is the Artistic Director and lead creator of Calliope Collective.

    With more than 20 years of experience in media, marketing, and promotions she has worked on several festivals such as Kingston WritersFest, Skeleton Park Music & Arts Festival, Kick & Push, Harvest Festival, KNIPD, and Wavelength Music. As a producer she has been involved with WWF’s Earth Hour, Ottawa’s Music and Beyond and the award-winning performance-based immersive haunt experience Fort Fright, among others.

    She is a lover of both old-timey and contemporary circus and is a stiltwalker and costumer. Other joy practices include swimming, bicycles, foraging, dancing, live music (especially big brass jazz bands), and getting lost in a book.

  • black and white headshot of a Caucasian man wearing glasses

    Manager Development & Engagement | ext 103 | Pronouns: he/him/his

    Alex Grigg is a veteran music industry professional with over 25 years of experience in the for-profit and non-profit sectors of the music and live events business. He started out as a promoter in Southern Ontario and then moved to Vancouver where he was an Agent for the Feldman Agency for 11 years. In 2009 he joined (VANOC) Vancouver Organization Committee for the Winter and Paralympic Olympic Games to take on the role of Manager, National Touring Program & Contemporary Music Programmer for the 2009/2010 Cultural Olympiad & Live Sites. 

    In 2010 Alex was hired as a consultant for the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, the non-profit producers of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival and soon made Associate Director. In 2014 Alex was given the opportunity to become the Manager of the Ambleside Live Concerts Series, a 20,000-capacity temporary outdoor concert facility at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver. There he produced two shows, Ed Sheeran in 2014 & Kenny Chesney in 2015.  

    2016 saw Alex be appointed Executive Director, Music BC Industry Association leading the lobbying efforts for the $7.5 Amplify Music Fund & administering $2.8m of funding for the industry.  In 2019 MRG Group appointed Alex as Director of Events (formerly John Donnelly Events & Atomique Productions) Producing / Co-Producing 10+ large scale public events throughout BC.  In 2020 Alex began as an Adjunct Instructor (Music Business) for Metalworks Institute (Toronto) and currently at Capilano University (Festival Management) and at SAE Institute (Music Business). Alex also runs his own consulting company and has done work for various organizations, individuals and municipalities.

  • Producer | ext 113 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Lindsay is an arts administrator and theatre performer, with a wide range of experience in the event industry.

    She first got involved with PuSh in 2019 as an intern for Accessible PuSh, learning all she could about making theatre accessible. For the 2022 festival, Lindsay shifted to Volunteer Coordinator, and this year she is enjoying her second year in the role of Festival Producer.

    As a performer, Lindsay holds a Theatre Arts diploma from McEwan University, and an MA in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

  • A white woman with brown hair looks directly at the camera

    Accessible PuSh Coordinator | ext 204 | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Andrea Cownden (she/her) is an independent dance artist and emerging audio describer of european ancestry living on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. Since completing training at Modus Operandi, she has been honoured to dance for artists such as Naomi Brand, Sasha Kleinplatz, Alexa Mardon and Erika Mitsuhashi, and to facilitate accessible dance classes for All Bodies Dance Project. 

    In 2019, Andrea had the pleasure of working as a sighted guide in Translations, a dance performance for the non-visual senses created by All Bodies Dance Project and VocalEye. Since this rich introduction to the creative potential of integrated access in the performing arts, she has grown as an audio describer through the creation of descriptions for All Bodies Dance Project, Company 605, Arts Assembly, and a number of independent artists. She is grateful for these opportunities, as well as consultation and feedback from friends and community members, as she continues to learn about accessibility and the arts. 

    As a long-time audience member, Andrea is thrilled to be joining the PuSh team! 

    Photo by K Ho

  • Outreach Coordinator | ext.118 | Pronouns: he/him/his

    Born and currently living on occupied Coast Salish territories, Julian is a bi/genderqueer artist, arts worker, and community organizer of European and Acadien ancestry. He co-led the development of the “Eighth and Eight” community arts hub at Massey Theatre and has produced many theatre works including the world premiere of multi-award-winning artist Fairlith Harvey’s “Kill The Ripper.” He also founded the Pride Reading Series at Theatre Northwest and directed its first five plays, including his own queer Pride and Prejudice prequel “Darcy & Wickham.” 

    Recent projects include a dehoused voting initiative on Lheidli T’enneh territory and a solo drag/burlesque/theatre performance, “AMAB inclined to softness.” He is currently working on “Tender Madness,” a dance/theatre piece investigating sublimated queer expression through the music of Tchaikovsky and poetry of Walt Whitman, as well as a community-engaged multi-discipline production of Anne Carson’s “An Oresteia.”

    Following many years as an audience member and a performance at the festival in 2015, he is thrilled to join the PuSh team with a mandate to resist systemic marginalization and steward relations between festival artists, local artists, and the public.

  • Digital Communications Coordinator | Pronouns: He/Him

    Sun Woo is a writer and photographer of Korean heritage based on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh lands. Beyond crafting communications for PuSh, Sun Woo writes for Asparagus Magazine, a Vancouver-based sustainability publication, and works as a freelance designer.

  • Bookkeeper | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    CPA, with 20 years of accounting full-cycle experience specifically for performing arts organization. While working to build a successful career, I am striving to keep a good work-life balance, as the best time is time spent with my family and friends.

  • Box Office Coordinator | ext. 205 | Pronouns: she/they

    Amanda (she/they) is a Canadian-Italian filmmaker, writer, and cultural worker with her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Film Production and Creative Writing at Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts. She humbly works on the unceded ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Kwikwetlem, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish nations, otherwise known as Vancouver, BC.

    Their creative work explores gritty, socially relevant topics, including but not limited to: hybrid documentary, experimental, fictional drama, poetry, and short prose. She is most interested in stories that centre the human experience. Her work has been screened and published internationally.

    In their professional career, she celebrates art and community through her work in the arts non-profit sector. They have worked with the Chutzpah! Festival, Inlet Theatre and Galleria, The Cinematheque and Still Moon Arts Society to date. This year, she is extremely excited to join the team at PuSh International Performing Arts Festival as Box Office Coordinator!

    When not crafting words, images, or spreadsheets, they can most often be found playing various role-playing board or video games, tucked in bed with a wonderful book, or petting her well-deserving Mini Aussie, Juno.

  • Production Manager | ext 111 | Pronouns: I celebrate and honour all pronouns, my preference is DK

    DK (David Kerr) would like to acknowledge that he was born and raised on Treaty 6 Territory, the Homeland of the Métis. He pays his respect to the First Nation and Métis ancestors of that place and reaffirms our relationship with one another.

    DK has been a fixture in the Vancouver Festival world for the past 30 years, more than half of that in various management positions. He is well versed in the presentation of large-scale indoor and outdoor projects. Aside from PuSh, he is the Production Manager for the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. He is also the Site Manager for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and a Production Consultant for the Talking Stick Festival

    DK has consulted on several other projects as well including the Canada 150+ Indigenous Production Assistant Program and landscape planning for Bard on The Beach.

    Prior to moving into Production Management DK Stage Managed for numerous Vancouver theatre companies and toured the world with LaJoye Productions’ “Snowflake”.

    He was also the Second General Manger of Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan back in the good old days.

  • Graphic Designer | Pronouns: he/him/his

    With a 250 lb. bench press and multiple tournament wins, Steve is arguably pound-for-pound Vancouver’s strongest graphic designer. His unpredictable technique was cultivated in early stints at The Western FrontRicepaper, and indie music labels; and later refined with LolaDanceWen Wei Dance, and The Holy Body Tattoo — leading to an undisputed, record-breaking 10-year run as Communications Manager of The Cinematheque.

    In addition to PuSh, Steve’s current training partners include the Vancouver International Film FestivalDOXA, the National Film Board of CanadaVancouver New Music, the Criterion Collection, and independent filmmakers in Canada and around the world.

  • Sponsorship and Advertising Consultant

    Trevor Battye Advertising Sales provides client-driven advertising and monetization strategies for print and digital publications, festivals, and events for over 15 years. Clients include The Alberta Teachers Association, The Vancouver Writers Festival, The Vancouver Film Festival, and The Tyee among others.

  • Website Designers & Developers

    Through digital strategy, design, and custom development, Denim & Steel is behind the online presence for leading artistic and cultural producers like PuSh. Our work brings innovation and reliability to producers and connects audiences with new, memorable experiences through the web and mobile apps.

  • Publicist | Pronouns: she/her/hers

    Managing Director of JLS Entertainment

    Jodi Smith, executive director of JLS Entertainment has been working in the entertainment industry in various capacities for over twenty-five years. Throughout her career, Jodi has produced live events, is involved in artist management, entertainment coordination (including PNE, Harmony Arts Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, First Night & Vancouver Olympics) and has been a freelance publicist for festivals, musical concerts, dance, special events, theatre and literary fests.

    JLS Entertainment’s past and present publicity clients include Vancouver Opera, MusicFest Vancouver, Ballet BC, CelticFest Vancouver, Vancouver International Flamenco Festival, Dance In Vancouver, Dancing on the Edge, Carousel Theatre for Young People, Toronto Dance Theatre, DTES Heart of the City Festival, Chutzpah! Festival, and the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.

    Jodi Smith has sat on various boards throughout the years and has taught publicity and marketing at the Trebas Institute.