Board of Directors
Leadership Behind the Curtain
The Board is comprised of up to eleven Directors elected from within the membership of Theatre Sarnia . The term of office for a Director is usually 3 years and a Director may sit for a maximum of two terms. The Imperial Theatre Executive Director sits on the Board as an ex officio member with no voting rights.
The following were elected and currently serving on the Board of Theatre Sarnia for the 2024 - 2025 term.
Amanda Wright
Amanda was elected to the Board of Directors in 2021. She is also a member of the Governance and Community Engagement committees.
She has a BA in Psychology/Sociology from Carleton University in Ottawa. Amanda is a partner at Wright General Contractors where she has worked for thirteen years. She specializes in administration and safety management.
Amanda was born in South Africa and her parents emigrated to Canada in the late 1970’s. They lived in Sarnia and then moved to Bright's Grove when she was in Grade 7. After university, Amanda travelled to South Korea to teach English for a year. She finally settled down in Toronto for a decade and worked in the software industry in a management role. She met her husband John there and once they had their first child she convinced him to move to Sarnia to raise their family. They have been living in Sarnia for 15 years and have two teenage children.
Amanda is passionate about the community that the theatre provides and is excited to be a part of this group.
To contact Amanda, email: awright@theatresarnia.org
Phil Bedard
Phil was elected to the Board of Directors in 2020. He is also a member of the Production Committee.
He is a recently retired principal from the St. Clair Catholic District School Board. He worked for this organization and its predecessor, the Lambton County Roman Catholic Separate School Board, for over thirty years. In that time he served in a number of capacities, such as Science teacher and Department Head of Science at St. Patrick’s Catholic High School. He was also Vice-Principal at St. Therese Catholic School, St. Anne Catholic School and St. Christopher’s Secondary School. He ended his career serving as Principal at a number of schools including Good Shepherd Catholic School in Thamesville, Holy Family Catholic School in Wallaceburg and Holy Trinity Catholic School in Sarnia.
A resident of Sarnia-Lambton since 1990, Phil hails from the small town of Tilbury, Ontario. He received his Honours Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1986 and pursued a medical research career for three years at Western where he was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. In 1989, he attended St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and received his Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1990.
A strong advocate for the Performing Arts, Phil has been involved with many production groups throughout his years in Sarnia-Lambton including our very own Theatre Sarnia.
Phil is married to his beautiful wife, Julaine, for the past twenty-two years and they have raised three children. Together they are season ticket holders with the Imperial Theater and treasure their nights spent being entertained by all the local talent in Sarnia-Lambton. Their children have been participants in many productions as well.
As an active supporter of the Performing Arts, he wishes to increase his role in participating in the delivery of top-notch entertainment to the residents of Sarnia-Lambton in the gem of a facility, the Imperial Theatre. The future will be an exciting place and he hopes he can fulfill all the expectations that a contributing Board member can bring.
To contact Phil, email: pbedard@theatresarnia.org
Joyce Veenstra
Joyce has called Lambton County home since 2007. She values the theatre.
Her career in Long-Term-Care provided valuable experience in human resources, financial/resource management and policy and procedure development.
Joyce was elected to the Board of Directors in 2022 and currently serves as treasurer and finance committee chair.
Joyce can be reached at jveenstra@theatresarnia.org.
Rosaleen O'Mahony
Rosaleen O’Mahony joined the Board in 2024 and serves on the Production and Community Engagement Committees. She is a senior communications advisor with degrees in political science, media, and journalism from Western University. Rosaleen has been actively involved with Theatre Sarnia since 2018 and is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and the power of theatre to inspire and unite.
To contact Rosaleen, email romahony@theatresarnia.org
Doug Hakala
In his retirement, Doug was looking for volunteer opportunities that contribute to our community. Doug and his family have been involved in the theatre community for the last 20 years. Theatre Sarnia and the Imperial Theatre play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for Lambton County residents. Doug is excited to be a Director on the Board of Theatre Sarnia and to be on the set construction crew.
Henri Canino
Henri Canino was elected to the board in 2022. She is Chair of Production Committee and Chair of Play Reading Subcommittee.
She is an honorary life member who has had extensive experience volunteering backstage and onstage for Theatre Sarnia for over 38 years.
She is a retired high school teacher from the St. Clair Catholic School Board where she taught drama, religion, philosophy, and film studies.
Henri has been married to her wonderful husband, Frank Canino, for almost 20 years now, and together they have four children and 9 grandchildren.
Henri wishes to increase her role in creating an educational and encouraging atmosphere for new talent by implementing guidelines, mini-workshops and post production assessments that will help new talent feel supported in their endeavours.
She is really looking forward to working with this diverse group of people on the board who have terrific skill sets which are such an asset to a quality run organization.
To contact Henri or learn more about the Production Committee, email: hcanino@theatresarnia.org
Christian Dempsey
I am thrilled to be putting my name forward as a candidate for Theatre Sarnia’s Board of Directors. Over the last 20 years, I have been involved in many productions both on and off the stage of the Imperial Theatre. In addition to being a performer, I have also served backstage in various capacities (props, curtains, mics etc) and have developed an understanding that productions are bigger than any one person: “It takes a village”. I was involved in the early 2000s, when Theatre Sarnia struggled to fill seats. And since then, it has been exciting to watch, and to be a part of its growth and revitalization. This has led to cutting edge technical developments, innovation and sold out shows, drawing audiences from across the province. I would like to be a part of this continued success as a board member. In terms of personal attributes, I am a team-player with an optimistic approach to challenges and problems as they arise.
With over 2 decades of experience in local theatre I have also developed a clear sense of audiences, and the types of content / shows which tend to work (and not work) in this unique city. As such, my depth of experience could be a valuable voice at the table when it comes to decision-making. And finallyas an educator, and lifelong learner, I also bring with me a keen willingness to learn. I do not claim to have all the answers, but I am excited by the prospect of learning the inner workings of Theatre Sarnia at the Board level. Places everyone!
To contact email: cdemspey@theatresarnia.org
Godfrey Stevens
Following retirement, a chance encounter led me to volunteer in the Theatre Box office which I continue each Friday to this day. I have served on the Theatre Sarnia Board and as Finance committee member for a number of years including a term as Treasurer. In past years I handled both lighting and sound in some Theatre Sarnia productions including Festival productions. My terms on the Board have seen Theatre Sarnia transition from a community theatre to a well organized business with substantial assets and a high performance standard. I am also a life-time member of Theatre Sarnia.
Sheena Passingham-Johnston
I have been involved with the arts community in Sarnia Lambton since my teen years with Talent Ltd
(Northern high-school’s drama club). I later moved to Ottawa where I studied Theatre Arts at Algonquin College. Afterwards I was offered the opportunity to help run my family’s Insurance Brokerage in Brights Grove. I have now been a third-generation broker and financial security advisor for the last 18 years. I feel I'd be a particularly good fit for the board as I did serve for about a year on the board for the Lawrence house about 10 years ago.
Also coming from a business back ground I am very analytical and detail orientated. I have been involved in multiple shows with Theatre Sarnia since 2013. The theatre will always be a love for me and bringing arts to our community is very important. In 2019 I shattered my leg so I haven’t been involved in much since then. Well, that and the combination of the pandemic. I am now looking to help as much as I could. I am co-producing The Little Mermaid as well in the upcoming season. The theatre has always been my happy place and want to do what I can to protect it and help many others share in that same love.
Rob Larose
Trevor Taylor
Brian Austin Jr. - Executive Director
Become a board Member of Theatre Sarnia
Complete the application form and submit it to the Imperial Theatre Box Office.