2022-2023 Volunteer Board of Directors
Executive
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Dave Stephens - Chair has had a long career in radio, television and newspapers, and non-profit and government communications. He currently works for Health Canada from his home in Mahone Bay. Previously, he spent almost 20 years at CBC Radio in Ottawa, including 10 as host of the Ontario equivalent of Maritime Noon, and during an earlier stint on the South Shore, served as editor of Lighthouse NOW. He and his wife, Jerri Southcott, came to their senses in 2020 and returned to Mahone Bay, and currently live next door to the MBC with their Nova Scotia duck toller, Macduff.
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Terry Suelzle, Vice-chair
Terry has followed a broad ranging career path, after having worked as an investment banker in Tokyo and Singapore for Barclays and JP Morgan he decided to return to Canada shortly before the turn of the century. Relocating to the West coast, he began pursuing a new career in aviation and while working toward his commercial pilot rating had an opportunity to join the Federal Public Service. Just Barbara Feeney - Secretary
Barbara and her family chose Mahone Bay in 1978. She and her late husband, Joe, decided it was the perfect place to raise their two boys, Joe and Tim especially since the school was just a dash up the hill from where they put down their stakes. She has fond memories of Christmas concerts, band concerts, parents meetings with teachers and of course basketball and the Hawks. It was easy to delve into the culture of Mahone Bay with such diverse activities such as festivals, committees, and learning initiatives available. She is a charter member of the Mahone Bay Business Association which came into being when she owned and operated the Whirligig Handcrafts & Supplies on Main St. for a number of years. She enjoyed volunteering at the Wooden Boat Festival, Father Christmas Festival, and other various committees and organizations. She has been the radio correspondent for CBC Information Morning for almost 25 years. She is learning Tai Chi. Barbara is grateful for the opportunity to serve the community that has added so much to the richness of life Shannon Seaboyer – Treasurer
Shannon spent the first ten years of her education in the building that is now known as the Mahone Bay Centre. It's a place she holds near and dear to her heart and is excited to be a part of a group that works to continue the building's legacy. Shannon attended Dalhousie University where she completed a BSc and MBA. She has a background in finance, working in hedge fund valuation, personal banking, and, most recently, contracts management with a virtual project management company. Shannon and her husband, James, bought a fixer upper in 2011 where they live with their two young children. |
Directors
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Jeff Frampton - Director and Infrastructure chair
I am 64 years old, grew up just outside of Montreal and retired from Pratt & Whitney Canada after 33 years where I was an aircraft engine program manager. Moved to Mahone Bay in May 2018 with Nancy my wife of 32 years looking for a new adventure after spending 18 years working outside Canada. Interests include nature, woodworking, gardening, fishing and travel. During pre-Covid times, could be found at the Saltbox Friday nights with friends. Very excited and an honor to be able to serve on the Board of Directors of the Mahone Bay Center, a community treasure, with all of the other generous volunteers. |
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Rhonda Lemire - Director and Centre Fit Chair
Rhonda Lemire has perpetually worked in the not-for-profit field and has been the Executive Director of Second Story Women’s Centre since 2017 when she moved permanently to Maders Cove. In this role, Rhonda collaborates with partners to address gender inequality and gendered violence. She was previously the Executive Director of the Sexual Health Centre in Halifax - an experienced leader in women’s sexual health and reproductive justice serving upwards of 10,000 mostly younger women yearly. In the capacity as Executive Director of Recreation Nova Scotia, she helped form an organization to support the development of women leaders and participants in sport and recreation. She also co-wrote the NS Strategy for Advancing Recreation. She is keen to bring this recreation background to the Mahone Bay Centre as well as community development. Rhonda has a wide range of skills in change, project, human resources, financial and operations management. In her spare time, she roams the South Shore shoreline looking for sea glass with her rescue dog, Heidi. |
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Jason Martell - Director
Jason is a local entrepreneur of 17 years, and spent his Junior High years in the Mahone Bay Centre Building. Jason has been a long-time supporter in spirit of the Mahone Bay Centre, and looks forward to lending a hand to help the Centre continue to be a community pillar of the Town. Jason and his wife Kristen feel incredibly fortunate to call Mahone Bay their home, where they raise their 2 young children, 2 shepherd dogs and tend to their gardens and their small flock of chickens. |
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Allison Melnick - Director and Communications chair
Allison moved from Toronto in the fall of 2020 after working in the attraction and retention field of Human Resources for almost 35 years. Moving during the peak of Covid and making a major lifestyle change was a huge challenge however the time had come to step off the career runway and seek out a better quality of life focused on self-fulfilment and community involvement. When not volunteering, Allison can be found zipping around on her ebike or hanging out in the garden and is very proud to call Mahone Bay home! |
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Tim Merry - Director
Tim Merry works with major international businesses, government agencies, local communities, and regional collaboratives to lead breakthrough change, with coaching, training, keynote speaking, engagement facilitation and systems change designed to energize and shake up the status quo. As an engagement specialist and systems change strategist, Tim organizes for forward movement. |
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Lee Simpson - Director
Lee may already be familiar to you as a 15-year resident of NS, the Minister (now retired) of Trinity United, Mahone Bay and Chair of the Three Churches Foundation. Previously, she worked in the publishing community in Toronto (primarily Chatelaine Magazine). She is also the author of My Year of Buying Nothing and has prior Board experience as the Chair of The Arthritis Society (Canada). She and her husband Paul are delighted to live in Mahone Bay! |
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Norman Whynot - Director and Fundraising Team Lead
Class of 1976, here by since birth, here by choice. Norman is returning to the building as chair of our fundraising committee. Sailor, aspiring artist, story teller and heritage advocate, founding member of Mahone Bay Tennis Club the former town councillor, long-time chair of the Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Festival Society and basketball coach remains an active member at St. John’s Lutheran. In 1997 Norman established Kinburn Property Company, a residential construction and project management company base in Mahone Bay. Married to Sara Costner Whynot, a proud father of two grown children, Rachel and Nathan, and always keen to share news of their exploits. Norman’s mother Jackie Whynot, a regular participant at MBC events and programs has been his role model for community volunteering with over 60 years of experience from Girl Guide Commissioner and baker to Founder’s Society volunteer. |
Other Volunteers
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Paul Seltzer - Honourary Chair
Paul Seltzer was born in 1932, and raised near Washington, D.C., as the youngest of four sons. HIs academic degrees were earned at the University of Maryland, Gettysburg Theological Seminary, and Drew University. He served as a Lutheran pastor for twenty-one years. In 1979 he began twenty years of business interests including food services, directing a conference center, and hospice leadership. In 1999, with his wife, Susan, the move was made to Mahone Bay and Canadian citizenship. They owned and operated the Edgewater B&B until 2014. He has served as President of the local Chamber of Commerce, and then as Chair of the Board of Directors of Mahone Bay Centre from 2004 to 2014. Currently, he serves as honourary chair of the Board, participates in other MBC activities, facilitates the MBC Quest group, continues to play trombone in the Swing Band, leads services at Indian Point Union Church, and is a Justice of the Peace for the Province of Nova Scotia. |
Staff
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Kelly Bent - Administration
I have been a member of the Mahone Bay Centre since 2004 and have worked here since April, 2011. My husband Dan Baxter was one of the first board chairs. This place is where our kids had birthday parties and participated in activities and events, it is where we bring our puppies to learn manners, where we buy our books during the Giant Book Sale and see live theatre. It is where we spend time with friends and make new ones and stay involved with the communities of the South Shore. The Mahone Bay Centre has been an integral part of our lives. As the office manager I meet people, talk about all the great things that happen here, book events, sign people up for the gym and run up and down all the stairs! I do love it here! |
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Stephanie Smith - Administrative Assistant
My name is Stephanie Smith and I am the Administrative Assistant for the
Mahone Bay Centre! After living in the city and working for Halifax Public Libraries for seven years, my husband and I decided to move to Mahone Bay and start fresh with new a career. I will be working part-time for the Centre as well as for South Shore Public Libraries. |