Creative Coast co-chair and the Executive Director at The Old School House Arts Centre, brings exceptional career management, digital transformation, sector and marketplace development experience to the team, enhanced by a decade managing 1 to 3.5 million gross per year companies in NYC Arts marketplace. Illana is regularly invited to lecture/make presentations to organizations across Canada about the underleveraged potential of the Canadian art marketplace and strategic opportunities in rural centres.

Creative Coast’s co-chair and regional coordinator, draws on three decades of inclusive creative economic development, as well as 20 years in the role of project manager and senior content developer for a national branding and communications firm. In the past 5 years she has ideated, secured and managing $1.5 million in multi-year/multi-stakeholder grants/projects, including ArtCoach. She currently co-leads a 3 year Canadian Government New Frontiers in Research Fund creative entrepreneurship data discovery and empowerment project with Simon Fraser University (2023-2026) with Dr Sheelagh Carpendale, Canada Research Chair in Information Visualization

Creative Coast’s tourism advisor, whose career spans key roles at 4VI (Director of Marketing, then VP of Operations), as well as senior fundraising and marketing positions with the Shaw Festival Theatre, and the Canadian Stage Company. During the pandemic, Karen spearheaded the award-winning Vancouver Island Tourism Resiliency Program - a program that was quickly adopted by the rest of British Columbia. Karen is currently leading a collaborative project between Creative Coast and 4VI entitled: Foundational Inquiries: Exploring opportunities for Cross-Sectoral Partnerships Between the Creative and Tourism Sectors.

Creative Coast’s economic development advisor, is a seasoned arts marketing and sector development strategist, with two decades of leadership in cultural institutions, sector development agencies, and arts funders. Erica brings exceptional skillsets in program management, design thinking and strategy development that function to strengthen sectors, build business models and shift cultures. She is currently co-leading the NFRF project with Jenny, and fulfilling the role of Data Coach for Mass Culture’s Data Narratives for the Arts.