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ADAC/AMAC Board of Directors 2023/2024
| Deborah Herringer Kiss, PresidentDeborah Herringer Kiss has her Bachelor’s Degree in Art History and has been working in the Calgary visual arts for over 24 years. Before opening the Herringer Kiss Gallery, Deborah was active in the visual arts community working for other galleries, volunteering with the Calgary Artwalk Society and the Triangle Gallery of visual arts (now Contemporary Calgary) where she was a member of the curatorial committee. Deborah has been instrumental in a number of fundraising initiatives for such organizations as The University of Calgary, The Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts, KOAC (Kiyooka Ohe Art Centre), and Contemporary Calgary. Deborah is a regular speaker to students at both The Alberta College of Art + Design and the University of Calgary. The Herringer Kiss Gallery has been a member of the Art Dealers Association of Canada since 2010. Deborah has volunteered on the ADAC Marketing and Membership committees and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2014. She became Secretary in 2016 and has held the position of Vice President since October 2019. |
| Shelli Cassidy-McIntosh, Vice PresidentShelli Cassidy-McIntosh is the Director of Olga Korper Gallery and Board Executive of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC) and Foundation. With over 20 years in the industry, Shelli has become a noteworthy leader in the Toronto gallery network; specializing in curating Olga Korper Gallery's exhibitions and art fairs and conducting key art market research.Shelli began her career as the Assistant Curator of the London Life Insurance Company from 1996-1998 before moving to Toronto to expand her career in the commercial gallery sector. Shelli has over a 20 year history with the ADAC, as she managed the ADAC office from 1998-2002 before joining the Olga Korper Gallery in 2002. Shelli holds an Honours degree in Art History and Criticism from the University of Western Ontario and is an experienced fine art appraiser and accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) from 1999-2019. Shelli is a past President of the Board of Directors for Oakville Galleries from 2013-2016 and a vital board member from 2009-2016. She continues to lead special projects and initiatives with the ADAC Foundation and ADAC Board of Directors, promoting development, advocacy and communications within the organization. |
 | Michael Warren, SecretaryMichael Warren is the Director of Madrona Gallery in Victoria, BC. He established the gallery in 2010 and since then has become a leading dealer of Contemporary, Historic, and Inuit art in Western Canada.Warren has an active history of community engagement. He was a board member of the Victoria Symphony and CFUV 101.9 FM. Additionally, Michael was involved with the Victoria Gallery Walk Association and continues to volunteer with various organizations. |
| Joseph Rumi, Ex-OfficioJoseph Rumi is the past President of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (2019 – 2022). He is also the Founder and President of Rumi Galleries, based in Oakville, Ontario (2007 – Present).Joseph has enjoyed a plus-20 year career in the Fine Arts Industry where he has excelled at leadership roles that combined conservation, curatorial and management positions. He is an accomplished specialist in Post-War Canadian, American and British Art, a seasoned gallery owner, and experienced business leader. He has applied his skill and effort to expand Rumi Galleries’ growth throughout Canada with a focus on the galleries’ three core collecting criteria of exceptional quality, condition and provenance. In doing so, Joseph has helped build many important collections and become an advisor to numerous clients in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Joseph takes a keen interest in the development and mentoring of young arts professionals and is known as a motivational leader in the Fine Arts community. He is a great supporter of Fine Arts education at all levels, providing guidance to university applicants and young professionals, as well as talks and tours for public and private educational institutions. He is a member of the Art and Art History Professional Advisory Council for Sheridan College (2014 – Present) and is the former Program Ambassador to Canada for Sotheby’s Institute of Art. In 2012, Joseph was invited to join the Art Dealers Association of Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Victoria (2005) and a Master’s in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art and the University of Manchester (2007). He is a former Executive member of the Board of Directors of Oakville Galleries (2009-2016) and the Founder and Past Chair of the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital Art Council. Joseph also served on the Town of Oakville’s first ever Public Art Selection Committee and is an advisor to numerous artists and their estates. |
| Stephen Bulger, DirectorStephen Bulger engaged in photography as a hobby throughout his youth. Eventually studying at Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Image Arts, he became interested in the history of photography and began organizing exhibitions. He was asked to be the founding director of the Ryerson Gallery (located at 80 Spadina Ave., Toronto), served on its exhibition review committee and managed over thirty exhibitions. After graduating with a BA in photographic arts in 1991, he worked in the photography department of the Ontario College of Art and began working on the idea of opening a gallery of his own. While employed as a Technician at OCAD University, he opened the Stephen Bulger Gallery (700 Queen St. West, Toronto) on March 23, 2995; moving to 1026 Queen Street West in 2004, and to 1356 Dundas Street West in the fall of 2017. Since that time, he has curated over 200 exhibitions; been the representative for numerous Canadian and international photographers; published catalogues and books; and has participated in many North American and European art fairs. He has served as: President of the Board for the Association of International Photography Art Dealers (AIPAD), Washington, D.C.; Member of the Board of the Canadian Cultural Property Review Board; and Chair of the Advisory Board for the Ryerson Image Centre, Toronto. He is also a co-founder of CONTACT, Toronto’s photography festival that celebrated its twenty sixth annual event in May, 2022. |
| Colette Hubner, DirectorColette Hubner is the Director of Wallace Galleries in Calgary and has been involved in the Calgary visual arts scene for more than 18 years. She has served on the Calgary Art Walk Committee and was formerly a board member of the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre. In addition to her passion for the arts, Colette also has a love for animals and has coordinated fundraising efforts for the Animal Rescue Foundation and volunteered for PEACEAnimals. Colette joined the ADAC Board of Directors in 2015. |
 | Simon Bentley, DirectorBorn in London, Ontario, Simon Bentley studied Art History and Philosophy at the University of Toronto, with a Master's Thesis at the University of Western Ontario on the work of Jack Chambers. In 2011, upon completion of his master's degree, he joined Miriam Shiell Fine Art in Toronto, where he spent 9 years apprenticing under the watchful eye of Canada's foremost secondary market dealer. In 2020, Simon Bentley Fine Art was founded, and is devoted to seeking out artworks of quality and aesthetic interest, with a primary focus on Post-Modern Canadian Abstraction. The gallery is committed to the promotion of Canadian Art both in Canada and abroad, as well as protecting and nurturing Canadian Heritage and Cultural Sovereignty. Building on this foundation, Simon hopes to combine research and academics with aesthetic sensitivity and market awareness in his new gallery, offering collectors the opportunity to discover and connect with art that rewards prolonged investigation. |
 | Elyse Jacobson, Director |
| Kyle Matuzewiski, Director Kyle Matuzewiski is the Co-Director of Bau-Xi Gallery and manages both the 1384 Dufferin Street and 340 Dundas St. West locations in Toronto. Before becoming Co-Director in November 2021, Kyle was Bau-Xi Gallery’s Associate Director and responsible for coordination of exhibitions, developing artist relations and assisting with day-to-day operations. More recently, Kyle has become involved with Arts Effect, an annual auction that benefits Vibe Arts. He has also overseen the creation of an annual OCADU Graduate Exhibition hosted by Bau-Xi Gallery. Kyle earned his BFA from OCAD in 2007, where he majored in Drawing and Painting, as well as attending the Florence Off-Campus Study Program from 2006-2007. |
| Tamar Zenith, Director Tamar Zenith is a pioneering contemporary art dealer and the Owner / Director of Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art in Calgary, Canada, with over three decades of experience as a Canadian Art gallerist, collector, advocate for artists, and philanthropist. Throughout her career, Tamar has brought recognition and market success to many contemporary visual and conceptual artists, and showcased multiple modern and contemporary art luminariesTamar graduated from McGill University in 1992, and opened Newzones alongside her mother, Helen Zenith. Together, Tamar and Helen have built Newzones into one of North America’s leading contemporary commercial art galleries, specializing in process-oriented artwork including painting, photography, and sculpture by prominent Canadian and international artists. |
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