New Board Members Appointed to Shaw Festival Board of Trustees

Shaw Festival Board Chair Peter Jewett announced today thatSheila Brown, Vivien Dzau, Tim Johnson, Sharon Levite, Eugene Lundrigan and Corinne Rice have joined the Shaw Festival's Board of Trustees. Mr. Jewett also acknowledged retiring board member Marylee O'Neill(2014-2017) for her contributions and service during her tenure.

An avid supporter and a devoted volunteer of the performing arts and athletic community, Sheila Brown recently completed her second term as Board Chair of Young People's Theatre, the oldest professional theatre company in Toronto as well as the first and largest presenter of theatre for young audiences in Canada. Having joined the board in 2007, she remains a member of the YPT Advisory Committee. A two-term Chair and five year member of the Granite Club's Figure Skating Committee, she is also a member of the Athletics Panel. For eight years, Ms. Brown has held leadership roles with a range of provincial and national level competitive synchronized figure skating teams. She is currently the manager and treasurer of the Meraki Intermediate, a national level synchronized skating team. Her work history includes leadership roles in the pharmaceutical industry, in sales, marketing and government relations. She has experience in the lab environment of a major community hospital and holds an Honours BSc in Pharmacology, Toxicology and Genetics from Western University and a MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. A qualified highland dance instructor, Ms. Brown was a highland dancer in her youth and competed nationally, representing Canada as a member of the Canadian Folk Dancers at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland.

As a CA and CPA, Vivien Dzau has spent the last 19 years of her professional life in the taxation area of EY (formerly Ernst & Young), particularly in the firm's international taxation practice. In addition to previously serving as a member of the Shaw Festival Board from 2010 to 2015, Ms. Dzau has also volunteered on the boards of the Victoria Order of Nurses, Ottawa Carlton, as Treasurer; on the board of Waterfront Toronto, as Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee; and on the board of Dixon Hall, as Chair of the Governance Committee as well as Board Chair. Recent appointments include Vice Chair of the Capital Campaign for the Dixon Hall Music School's new youth centre and the At-Risk Youth Program for disadvantaged youth in the newly revitalized Regent Park. Active in many other community engagements, Ms. Dzau has been a mentor and Champion for Mentoring Partnership; volunteered as a Big Sister, with the CNIB and Covenant House; and has been active politically in a variety of roles.

Tim Johnson is the executive producer of the acclaimed documentary RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World and an experienced museum executive. In recent years, he has guided development of two memorials of national significance honouring First Nations' contributions to Canada - The Six Nations & Native Allies Commemorative Memorial (Queenston Heights Park), and the First Nations Peace Monument (Thorold). He serves as the artistic producer of FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre's annual Celebration of Nations in St. Catharines. Formerly the Associate Director for Museum Programs at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, Mr. Johnson, a member of the Mohawk community, managed the museum's largest organizational group across its facilities in Washington and New York. Under Mr. Johnson's leadership, the Museum produced a long list of critically acclaimed exhibits, programs, award-winning books and films, lectures, events, and periodicals, creating an era that significantly advanced the institution's museology and reputation. His exhibit, Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture, served as the basis for RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World. He remains an active member in his home community of Six Nations of the Grand River and continues to work with several prestigious Indigenous art, education and communication institutions. In 2016, Mr. Johnson received the Dreamcatcher Foundation Award for Art and Culture for his significant contributions to Indigenous arts, media and heritage programs over a distinguished 35-year career.

Sharon Levite currently serves as Buffalo Spree Publishing Inc.'s President and CEO.
As president and CEO, Ms. Levite continues to build upon Buffalo Spree Publishing Inc.'s 50-year history of showcasing Western New York as a beautiful and vibrant place to live, work and play. Buffalo Spree Publishing produces 30 publications and events, has over 700,000 readers and over 1,400 advertising partners in the Buffalo and Rochester markets, and prints over 2 million pieces every year. Buffalo Spree Publishing has also won over 75 national awards for design and editorial from the North American Mature Publishers Association and the City and Regional Magazine Association, including three General Excellence awards.

Eugene Lundrigan is Head of Business Strategy for Sun Life Investment Management. Mr. Lundrigan has accountability for business strategy, product development and marketing for the Sun Life Investment Management group of companies. He has over 20 years of experience in financial services and an extensive background in investments, investment governance, strategy and marketing. He joined Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Sun Life) in 1997 and has held a range of senior level positions. He has also served as the investments representative on the pension plan committees of several Sun Life businesses. Raised in Baie Verte, Newfoundland, Mr. Lundrigan has a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University and an MBA (Finance) from McMaster University. He is also a CFA charterholder and member of CFA Toronto Society.

Corinne Rice is a long-time Shaw Festival supporter, ardent sponsor of the arts and education, and lover of travel. Appreciating the critical importance of education to every child's development, Mrs. Rice, along with her husband Victor, has provided a number of educational scholarships to students. She has continued to be involved with the Just Buffalo Literary Center and its highly respected Babel series. She is also an active supporter of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy for over twenty-five years, including a period as Chair. Born and educated in England, Mrs. Rice was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Canisius College and has attended every opening performance of the Shaw Festival since 1979.

The Shaw Festival's 2018 season is on stage April 4 through October 28. The playbill features The Magician's Nephew, Grand Hotel, Mythos: A Trilogy - Gods. Heroes. Men., The Hound of the Baskervilles, Stage Kiss, Of Marriage and Men: A Comedy Double-Bill, O'Flaherty V.C., Oh What a Lovely War, The Orchard (After Chekhov),The Baroness and the Pig, Henry V, Secret Theatre and A Christmas Carol (on stage November 14 - December 23). Tickets for the 2018 Festival season are available through the Box Office at 1-800-511-SHAW and online at www.shawfest.com.