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The candidates for election were asked to supply brief biographies about themselves along with their statements of interest in the position. As you consider your selections, please take these into account.
For a downloadable PDF of this information, please click here.
Questions? Please call the OCFF office at 613-560-5997 or toll-free at 1-866-292-6233.
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Adam Oliver Brown
The son of Alistair Brown, one of the Friends of Fiddlers Green and a founder of London’s Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club, Adam has carried a love for folk music into his adulthood. Adam is an active participant in music and dance, and in the folk music community itself. He has been a director on the board of the Ottawa Folk Festival, and ArtsScene Ottawa, and co-founded the Maple Morris dance troupe.
Why Adam Would Make a Good Director:
Adam is a strong advocate for the environment and was instrumental in acquiring grant funding to Green the OFF in 2010, as well as actively promoting green practices at all levels of society. Despite the workload of his professorship at the University Of Ottawa (Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Sciences), Adam is passionate about folk music and dance, both traditional and contemporary; he has a young adult’s energy and willingness to actively participate, and is a reliable professional who can bring a thoughtful and caring viewpoint to the issues the OCFF routinely faces.
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Dan Greenwood
Inspired by his passion for music, Dan has worked on behalf of songwriters and music publishers for over twenty-five years in various roles at SOCAN, Canada’s performing rights organization. He is currently responsible for strategic & corporate planning and major change initiatives in the role of Vice President of Corporate Planning and Business Change. Dan is a current OCFF director whose term is expiring.
Why Dan Would Make a Good Director:
Since 2008, I’ve had the privilege of helping the OCFF set a strategic direction, drawing on my extensive business experience and understanding of the music industry. I believe my unique skill-set and strong work ethic can continue to aid the OCFF in striving to meet its vision.
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Tamara Kater
Tamara is the daughter of an instrument-builder father and a community activist mother. She grew up surrounded by musicians and people building community organizations. A passionate music enthusiast, Tamara has worked in arts management and community outreach for nearly two decades. She has worn the hat of agent, artist manager and festival director within the folk music circle. Tamara is a current OCFF director whose term is expiring.
Why Tamara Would Make a Good Director:
If elected for a second term, I will continue to advocate for the Ontario folk music community, including festivals, musicians and performers. As treasurer for the OCFF for the past year, I have worked collaboratively to improve the OCFF's financial situation, and hope to work with Board and staff to eliminate the deficit over the next Board term. And, most of all, I hope my continued participation as an OCFF Board member will grow folk audiences, and increase the number of viable performance opportunities for musicians.
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Larry LeBlanc
Larry's roots in Canada's folk community reach to the '60s when he contributed to such CBC Radio programs as Sunday & Friends, Folk Circle and Touch the Earth. He was music producer of CBC Radio's Morningside and Dayshift programs and the Canadian bureau chief of Billboard from 1991-2007. He is a current OCFF director whose term is expiring.
Why Larry Would Make a Good Director:
My roots in folk date back to covering Mariposa in the mid-60s as a journalist. The ties strengthened working for Ian and Sylvia Tyson and Leonard Cohen; as well as interviewing such figures as Joni Mitchell, Doc Watson, John Prine, and John Allen Cameron. My experience working in the music industry provides insights beneficial to the folk community in Ontario.
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Jean Mills
Jean is an Appalachian dulcimer player and specialist in traditional Canadian song. She is also a writer, blogger and editor. Jean has been active both as a folk festival performer, and as a teacher of traditional song.
Why Jean Would Make a Good Director:
Why pick me? First, I love folk music and have studied, played, taught and performed it since childhood. Second, I'm a skilled and experienced professional writer/editor. Third, I like people! I'm a team player. It would be an honour (and quite a lot of fun, I think!) to be part of the OCFF team.
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Alex Sinclair
Alex is a long-time musician and songwriter with deep roots on the Ontario folk scene, both as a solo artist and with the folk group Tamarack. Alex also works as an administrator/bookkeeper for the likes of Borealis Records, and sits on the board of the ArtsCan Circle.
Why Alex Would Make a Good Director:
I've spent 4 decades in folk, much of it as a performer and songwriter. I've run a couple of small record companies, hosted a radio show, presented concert series, and kept books for enough musicians to know most of us will never retire. I have a broad perspective on this business - and I still like the music.
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Mark Watson
Mark Watson runs artist management company Watson Entertainment. The company has earned several awards including 2 certified gold records. Mark handles artistic direction for several festivals and events and sits on the programming committee for Burlington Sound of Music. Mark started in the industry as a touring musician, later attending Fanshawe College’s Music Industry Arts Program before moving into artist management.
Why Mark Would Make a Good Director:
Mark is a driven individual who brings with him extensive experience in the music industry. He works with organizations outside of the folk / roots genre giving him perspective and knowledge from other genres and organizations. His hands-on work within the folk community gives him a perspective on the challenges and support his peers are expecting from an organization like OCFF.
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