Board of Directors

Stratford

Jeremy spent 12 years working as a production designer in the Toronto film industry. He and his wife returned to Stratford in 2006 when they purchased his family’s landmark retail business, Bradshaws. Jeremy loves music of all genres and is an avid collector of vinyl.

Stratford

Jean is the former Chief Operating Officer at Stikeman Elliott LLP. She previously held senior executive positions in the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, and the Ontario Realty Corporation. She is a Past Chair of the Board of Governors of Seneca College.

Stratford

Barbara is passionate about music and education, as both an active supporter and a professional arts administrator. Barbara’s passion and dedication to all genres of music and to youth and education were the major driving factors in her role for 20 years as CEO and Artistic Director of The National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC), Canada’s preeminent orchestral training institute dedicated to identifying, recruiting and training young, aspiring musicians between the ages of 18 and 28. It is here that, Barbara shared her enthusiasm, and helped to discover and shape Canada’s future classical musicians.

Stratford

Robert G. Lemon is an award-winning architect and writer, whose study, work, and passion for buildings and cities has taken him around the world. Born in St. Thomas, Ontario, he began his architectural studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, but soon left Canada for stints in Paris and London, then returned to the High Arctic as photographer for an archaeological project. Upon
graduation, he received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal in Architecture, as well as the Heritage Canada Student Design Award.

Middlesex County

Andrea was born and raised in rural Middlesex County where she currently resides with her husband and two children.  She has spent her professional career based in London and serving clients across Southwestern Ontario.  She also leads a team across Canada in her national leadership role at Ernst and Young LLP, where she is a managing partner. Andrea has over 20 years of experience serving a wide range of clients in government and public sector, financial services, construction, real estate and not for profit sectors, including executive positions on several volunteer community boards.

Stratford

Andrew was born and raised in Stratford, before leaving to pursue a career in journalism in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Since then, he has lived and worked in Canada, Europe and Asia in a variety of communications roles for government and organizations in the renewable energy and sustainable development sectors. Having returned to Stratford several years ago, Andrew operates a small consulting company providing communications strategy and services to clients in the development and sustainability sectors and is intent on serving the community that he again calls home. Andrew was formerly a director of the Redpath Waterfront Festival in Toronto.

Kitchener-Waterloo

Diane is an active angel investor. She’s a General Partner in the Phoenix Fire: an Archangel Network Fund. Phoenix Fire invests in women entrepreneurs. Since 2009, she’s been a charter member of the Golden Triangle Angel Network (GTAN) and has twice been on its board. In 2016, she received GTAN’s David Borges Community Builder of the Year Award. Formerly an investor advisor with RBC Dominion Securities, she also gives back as a community volunteer. She’s a board member with Stratford Summer Music and chairs the Community Aid Fund for the Kitchener Conestoga Rotary Club. She’s a former Chair of Equation Angels, the board of Governors of the Grand River Hospital Foundation and the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.

Waterloo

Helen, Retired Partner at Miller Thompson LLP, specialized in first-party insurance claims and management. A community leader, she chaired various organizations, now contributing to Stratford Summer Music.

Stratford 

Jessica is an educator with the Avon Maitland District School Board, is passionate about exposing youth to music and art and believes that arts and culture are central to enhancing the creative spirit in children and aid in developing learning skills. 

Martin Ritsma, former teacher and principal, serves as Mayor of Stratford after three terms as City Councillor and extensive community involvement.

Stratford 

Monique has over 35 years of diverse business experience, with expertise in marketing, finance, management, and health administration. Over the past 12 years, Monique has served as the Executive Director of the STAR Family Health Team, where she has actively participated in various provincial and regional committees.