JAMES INGOLD, President James Ingold hails from ... - SaskCulture

JAMES INGOLD, President
James Ingold hails from Moose Jaw where from an early age he learned to appreciate the many
manifestations of Saskatchewan’s diverse local and provincial heritage and cultural environments. His
early summers offered him many opportunities: whether experiencing the sensory delight of the Motif
Multicultural Festival, participating in the Festival of Words Sage Hill Teen Writing Experience, or
performing music at the Prairie Arts Festival, James came to recognize how the many cultural
opportunities Saskatchewan offers greatly enrich his life and the lives of those around him.
Continuing his education, James moved to Saskatoon where he graduated from the University of
Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Arts, with High Honours in History and a minor in German language
studies. For two years during his studies he worked with the City of Saskatoon researching the city’s
heritage buildings for the Built Heritage Database. He has also attended and presented at various
conferences including the Keewatin Country Graduate Student History Conference. Through these
experiences he came to know more fully the diverse and stimulating heritage that pervades throughout the
province.
James joined the Board of SaskCulture in 2009; in 2011-12 he was elected by the Board as Vice-
President. In addition to his volunteer work for SaskCulture, James continues to be active in various local
and provincial cultural communities. At various times he has served as a judge for the Saskatchewan
Youth Heritage Fairs, Skills Canada competitions, and on Heritage Saskatchewan’s Grant Database
committee. His time on the SaskCulture board has revealed to him the humbling breadth of cultures and
traditions in the province and introduced him to the many people, individuals, and organizations that
continually work to foster a cultural enrichment of life in Saskatchewan.
James was elected by acclamation as President of the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a twoyear
term.
REGGIE NEWKIRK, Past-President
Reggie is well-recognized in Saskatchewan for his work to promote culture, diversity and the protection
of human rights. After graduating with a BA in history and philosophy, Mr. Newkirk worked as
Executive Director of the Napi (Blackfoot) Friendship Association in Pincher Creek, Alberta and served
on the Provincial and National Association of Friendship Centres. Through his volunteer activities and
work experience he builds awareness of effective board governance and promotes a comprehensive vision
of culture that includes facilitating positive relations and unity of thought and action. A skilled trainer,
facilitator, and big picture thinker, he is also a passionate advocate for culture. He places a special
emphasis on young people in the areas of multicultural policy, music and arts.
He has served in numerous capacities in the human rights field with the federal, provincial and territorial
Human Rights Commissions. He currently serves as a Co-Chair of the Saskatchewan African Canadian
Historical Museum Inc., is a former board member for the Regina Jazz Society and a former member of
Depot Commanding Officer¹s Committee on Diversity Management is an associate member Multicultural
Council of Saskatchewan, the Regina Aboriginal Professionals Association and a former critical friend of
the Sakewew High School in North Battleford. He currently runs his own consulting company, Parity
Consulting, from his home in Lumsden, Saskatchewan, through which he offers a wide range of training
and workshop programs.
Originally elected in 2005, Reggie has served three terms on the SaskCulture Board of Directors.
DAVID CORMICAN
David Cormican is a film producer, developer, actor and supporter of emerging cultural talent. He
founded Year of the Skunk Productions in 2004, as well as creating the prestigious Canadian Short

Screenplay Competition in 2008, which rewards writers with their first script fully produced as a film.
In the same year as he started this new Competition, he became the Head of Development for Minds Eye
Entertainment where he currently oversees the development, financing and production of over 30
projects. Outside of his role with Minds Eye Entertainment, David has developed several other
productions, but is best known for his performance work. He has been honoured with three nominations
and one win (Calgary Fringe Film Festival) as Best Actor for his work in Gabrielle Nadeau’s French-
English drama Quebec, Quebec. Recently, David produced and started in the 34-minute thriller Endless
Night (set to make its festival circuit debut mid-2009) and played opposite Rupert Friend and Clemence
Poesy in the Minds Eye/Killer Films Lullaby for Pi.
David is a member of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the Alliance of Canadian
Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, Canadian Actors Equity, and Saskatchewan Motion Picture
Industry Association. He is an ambassador for Raindance Canada and is involved with the Myelin Project
of Canada, Easter Seals Regina, a counsellor for ACTRA Saskatchewan and a board member on the
Regina Downtown B.I.D committee, where he has been involved in the creation of the new downtown
master plan. He lives in downtown Regina with his daughter.
David has been on the SaskCulture Board of Directors since 2009.
DENNIS FJESTAD
Prior to his move to Wolseley, Dennis lived and taught in Fort Saskatchewan, AB. While there he was
very involved with several arts and culture groups. He sang in a 25-voice men’s chorus that toured
extensively through western Canada. He also served as president of the Fort Saskatchewan Allied Arts
Council where he coordinated winter and summer arts festivals and was managing editor of a community
history book entitled South of the North Saskatchewan.
In 1998, he and his wife moved to Wolseley. There he quickly became involved in a variety of activities.
As a former art teacher he was one of the first members of the Ellisboro Artisans group, participated in
shows and sales, taught children’s and adult drawing classes and became a member of the Wolseley
Thespians and acted in two plays. In 1999, he served as councillor for tourism and economics on the
Wolseley Town Council for four years and was chairman of the Wolseley Communities in Bloom
(provincial winners in 2000). In 2003-2004, he took an opportunity to teach English at Yantai University
in China. Upon their return to Canada, Dennis volunteered and became involved in several community
organizations from Wolseley Community Players to serving on the board for South East Saskatchewan
Tourism.
Dennis is greatly involved the preservation of Wolseley’s heritage and was instrumental in the formation
of the Wolseley Heritage Foundation and served as chair for several years. In 2009, he was elected as
Mayor of Wolseley. He enjoys living in small town Saskatchewan with his wife.
Dennis was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a one-year term.
BULA GHOSH
Bula Ghosh has worked as a literacy and ESL educator, both professionally and as a volunteer, since
moving to Canada from India in 1981. She has a special interest in promoting diversity and
multiculturalism, and has done so both through her teaching and through work with a number of
organizations in both Yorkton and Swift Current. She has been actively involved in community building,
and was instrumental in founding the International Women of Swift Current and reviving the South West
Multicultural Association. She also worked with the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan and the
Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival to create an award in the multicultural film and video category.

Bula has volunteered on several boards, including Canadian Mental Health, Yorkton Open Door Society,
Yorkton and District Multicultural Organization and Immigrant Women of Yorkton. She currently works
as the Basic Education Program Coordinator/Counselor at Great Plains College in Swift Current.
In 2008, Bula was placed by acclamation into a one-year term on the SaskCulture Board. She was reelected
in 2011 for a two-year term.
PAT GRAYSTON
Pat Grayston has worked and continues to work at providing cultural activities for members of her
community. Some of her accomplishments include: taking and teaching art/drama classes in excess of 40
years, she produces. directs and co-writes plays for her local drama group. and as part of Shellbrook's
Centennial she initiated the Parkland Artisan Tour, which continues today, produced a DVD based on a
silent movie with the drama group, as well as DVDs depicting the town's history.
Pat's volunteer work includes sitting as an executive member of Shellbrook's Theatre Committee which
works towards restoring and preserving the community theatre for musical productions, drama and
movies, an executive on the town's Movie Committee and a member of the town's Arts Council. She
volunteers for Shellbrook's Provinical Heritage Site, Honeywood Nursery and is Chair of the Mann Art
Gallery in Prince Albert.
She is a retired high school teacher and principal with her own art practice and studio, Riverview Arts,
and has shown in galleries in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Pat's past activities speak to her commitment to
working towards providing and participating in cultural activity. She finds fulfillment in being part of
organizations that provide for cultural growth, development and enjoyment.
Pat lives 3 km from the town of Shellbrook with her husband and has two married sons and two
grandchildren. She has a Bachelor or Science. Education and Fine Arts with Great Distintion.
Pat was elected to the SaskCulture board in October 2011 for a two-year term.
JAMES HAWN
James was an English language arts teacher for 32 years with the Saskatoon Public School Division.
During that time he also taught music, was involved in choral and church music, musicals, and drama,
both in the school system and in the community. He has been involved in the cultural scene of Saskatoon
and Saskatchewan for many years. He has directed plays and musicals for Saskatoon Gateway Players
(now disbanded) and Saskatoon Summer Players. At present, he is conductor of the Saskatoon Chamber
Singers, an auditioned choir that presents three concert series each year and performs with the Saskatoon
Symphony. He served as a board member for TCU-Place for seven years with one year as chair, as well
as for Friends of the Broadway Theatre. He has been involved with the Association of Canadian Choral
Communities (ACCC) for over 20 years as a board member, secretary, treasurer and various combinations
of the above. James was chair of the Cultural Advisory Committee, a past sub-committee of SaskCulture,
for five years and a past board member of the Saskatchewan Choral Federation.
At present he lives in Saskatoon and still teaches part time in the Adult Basic Education department at
SIAST, Kelsey Campus. He is also a member of the National Technical Team for Skills Canada, a group
that typically serves the trades, but which also looks at the “soft skills” such as prepared speech and job
skill demonstration.
James was elected to the SaskCulture board in October 2010 for a two-year term and was. He also served
on the Eligibility Committee and Spending Plan Committee. His involvement has shown him the

dedication of so many people in Saskatchewan, which has made him want to continue to support culture
in Saskatchewan in whatever way possible.
James was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year
term.
GWEN KING
Gwen King has been active member of her community of Meadow Lake, SK for a number of years. She
has been involved in the organizing/planning of Aboriginal Day for the past four years as Chair of the
committee. Her volunteer work has given her a broad range of knowledge and expertise. She comes from
a large family that is very active in sports and music and believes an education is very important.
She is an employee of the North West Friendship Centre as a teen and young parent worker which utilizes
her education well. She has certificates from the University of Regina in Social Work; from SIAST in
Early Childhood Development; and from Gabriel Dumont Institute in Youth Care.
Gwen thoroughly enjoys the work she does, sharing ideas and new perspectives that everyone can benefit
from.
Gwen was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year term.
JOSEPH OTITOJU
Joseph has a passion for cultural development and community engagement at all levels. One of his key
contributions to cultural development was providing cultural awareness training to new recruits for the
Saskatchewan Police College. He has also been a member of the Regina Police Community Liaison
Committee for six years. He has been awarded two leadership awards by the Saskatchewan Visible
Minorities Employees Association and Daughters of Africa Inc. for his involvement and leadership roles
in the community and African community respectively.
Joseph is an artist and has been involved in arts and cultural activities since a young age. He is currently
forming a combined choir group that consists of individuals from different cultural backgrounds to
expand cultural awareness to diverse groups through music in various languages. He also is the co-music
ministry leader at his local church.
He was born in Nigeria but along with his wife, one child and another on the way, have called Regina
home since 1994. He holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Environmental Studies, a Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Visual Arts a Certificate in Economics and a Diploma in Engineering. In August 2012, he will
have also completed a Master’s of International Trade Degree from the University of Saskatchewan. He is
employed with the Government of Saskatchewan as a Program Effectiveness Consultant, as well as
owning and operating his own consulting business, J-KOL Consulting Ltd.
Joseph was elected to the SaskCulture Board in 2010 for a two-year term. A second term will provide him
the privilege to continue to be part of a great culture and expand his expertise working for and with
Saskatchewan artists and entrepreneurs.
Joseph was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year term.

JAMES WINKEL
James firmly believes that cultural heritge in whatever shape or form defines our language, customs,
beliefs and identity. It is part of who we are, where we came from and who we will be. He believes that
keeping these three simple, yet fundamental principles in mind will benefit him and SaskCulture in
collective interests towards cultural preservation, promotion and engagement.
Growing up in a rural community helped James appreciate the importance and complexity of our various
cultures, which is why he is willing to contribute his volunteer efforts towards that end as a board member
of SaskCulture. His initial career path after high school led him into the field of journalism where he
learned a great deal over a very short period of time about the diversity and complexity of
Saskatchewan’s cultural heritage. He saw that the geography of certain areas was tied directly to the
ethnicity of many, many cultures, each with their own unique blend of language, customs and way of life.
This led James to purse post-graduate studies in prairie history at the University of Regina. He has also
been a member and past chair of Saskatoon’s Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee since 2005. He
worked for the Heritage Branch of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport – Historic Places Initiative for two
years and understands the challenges that cultural preservation faces in Saskatchewan.
While his interest in heritage and prairie history remains active, his career as a practicing public relations
manager helps him maintain his writing skills; keeps him up to date on current events around the province
and country; and keeps him informed of the various issues and challenges related to culture and heritage.
James hopes his personal interest and commitment to preserving cultural heritage at the local, provincial
and national levels, as well as his professional skills as a communicator, can enhance SaskCulture’s
collective voice and encourage others to maintain their own customs and beliefs so they can be passed on
to future generations.
James was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year term
HARVEY KNIGHT
Harvey is currently involved with several cultural groups and activities in Saskatchewan. He serves as
president of the Muskoday Organic Growers Co-op – a cultural farm group located in Muskoday First
Nation that is working to reclaim the community’s Indigenous heritage in the production of Indigenous
food crops, all of which involves research, discovery, and practice of both modern and age-old traditions
found in the Americas. He is involved as a volunteer and consultant with cultural groups and individuals
in Saskatoon and Prince Albert who organize and coordinate such cultural activities as Indigenous
language programs, round dances, music festivals, showcases, and theatre. At the national level, he has
performed at several Juno Awards, accompanied award-winning artists and served as a judge for the
Aboriginal music category. At the local community level, he participates in many ceremonial activities
and events such as fasting, rain dance, and feast ceremonies and continues to work with knowledgeable
Cree and Saulteaux elders in writing and publishing books and articles on Indigenous culture and history.
Harvey has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Saskatchewan and has
worked extensively in the publishing industry as an author, editor, and photo-journalist. His interests in
the cultural industries are diverse as he is also a musician and operates a music company called Many
Worlds Music; assisting artists in recording and promoting original music. He has a background as a
videographer as well as in painting and theatre.
Harvey is confident that his experience, skills and background with Indigenous cultures in Saskatchewan,
and the knowledge he has gained from serving as a past board member, will continue to contribute to
SaskCulture’s vision and mission. Growing up in both First Nations and Non-Indigenous communities in
Saskatchewan has given him a broader understanding, appreciations, and sensitivity to the multicultural
nature of Saskatchewan’s society. Harvey has been married for 34 years with a family of four adult
children and six grandchildren. He has served on the SaskCulture Board since 2009.
Harvey was elected by acclamation to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year term.

LAUREL REIMCHE
Laurel Reimche has spent her entire working life in libraries, first in the public library sector and now in a
school library, where the promotion of culture and cultural diversity is a natural part of the service. She
has considerable experience working on committees and various boards.
For the past 20 years, Laurel has worked as a teacher-librarian at the Estevan Comprehensive School. To
support her strong belief in promoting libraries, books and reading, she spearheaded the organization of
an annual “Book Festival Day” where students have the opportunity to attend readings by Saskatchewan
authors, and the community can attend these readings at a banquet later in the day. Prior to working in
Estevan, she worked in the regional public library system, including Yorkton Public Library and Palliser
Regional Library Headquarter in Moose Jaw. In 1985-1989, she was the Executive Director of the
Saskatchewan Library Association. She holds a Library Technician Certificate from Kelsey and a
Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Regina.
She is an active member of the Saskatchewan School Library Association and an institutional member of
the Canadian Library Association. She is also a member of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, Estevan Art
Gallery and Museum, and served on the committee that founded the Saskatchewan Youth Readers
Choice/Willow Awards.
She and her husband, mystery writer Scott Gregory Miller, live in Estevan.
In 2011, she was elected to the SaskCulture Board for a two-year term.
BRENDA SHENHER
Brenda Shenher has worked in the arts and entertainment industry in North America for the past 25 years.
Her career path and education has taken her into areas of music, film, journalism, photography and
costume design. She believes that from her years of experience in various disciplines she would bring an
informed and all encompassing vision to support he growth and development of policies that would
benefit all of the province’s various cultural strands.
Brenda began her career working for MCA Records and Perryscope Concert Productions, promoting such
touring artists as Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, The Clash, Kiss, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Willie
Nelson and more. During this time, she also worked as a photographer and journalist for New Music
Express. She went on to film school and produced and directed experimental and alternative films for
three years before earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature and a Bachelor of Education
Degree in the early 1990’s. During this time, she worked as an Editorial Fashion Shoot Producer and
launched her career as a Costume Designer. Since this time, she continues to work as a costume designer
on international, national and provincial productions including the international mini series Diamonds,
and several American productions. Her work on “Corner Gas” garnered her a Gemini nomination for Best
Costume Design in 2004.
In all areas of her life and craft, Brenda considers herself an educator. Throughout her career, she works
tirelessly to train new people to the challenges and joys of this profession. Brenda lives in Regina and
intends to pursue an inter-disciplinary Masters Degree in film and education in the near future.
In 2011, she was elected to serve a two-year term on the SaskCulture Board.
BRENDA SHERRING
Brenda holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Concordia University and a Masters of Education from
McGill University. While living in Montreal, Vermont and New Brunswick, she worked as a professional

visual artist, an arts educator and Literacy/ ESL and Workplace Essential Skills instructor. Upon returning
to Saskatchewan in 1998, she held the positions of Literacy Coordinator for the Parkland Regional
College, Founding Executive Director for the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery, Executive Director of the
Museums Association of Saskatchewan and Acting Executive Director of the Regina Symphony
Orchestra.
While in Yorkton, Brenda was instrumental in implementing an Aboriginal Curator in Residence and
Aboriginal Arts and Cultural Leader for the Godfrey Dean Art Gallery. In Regina, she led the Museums
Association of Saskatchewan's hosting of the first provincial Aboriginal Heritage Symposium and was
instrumental in the Regina Symphony Orchestra's partnership with the Chief Piapot Anniversary
Committee resulting in the premiere of 'Oskana Symphony'.
Brenda served several years on the board of East Central Tourism, the Museums Association of
Saskatchewan, Tourism Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance. In these capacities, she
participated in discussion groups focused on community development from the perspective of heritage
preservation, the link between economic prosperity and support for the arts, and the positive impact of
cultural diversity and inclusion. She sat on a provincial committee that reviewed the Canadian Language
Benchmarks and linked them to Workplace Essential Skills, as well as on the Federal Roundtable for
Brownfield Redevelopment. She has volunteered at and actively attends theatre productions, art gallery
exhibits, musical performances, heritage celebrations and multicultural festivals.
Currently, Brenda is teaching ESL at the University of Regina and SIAST Wascana campuses while also
providing services as an independent cultural consultant for rural communities and museums. She feels
her collective and direct experience furthering art, heritage, cultural diversity and community inclusion
will allow her to make a relevant and informative contribution to the vision and mission of SaskCulture.
Brenda was elected to the SaskCulture Board of Directors in 2012 for a two-year term