2018 Candidates | Board of Directors
At our 2018 Annual General Meeting, the Happy City community will elect six new Directors for the Board of Directors. We are very excited that nine members have put their names forward to run as candidates!
If you are a member of Happy City St. John’s, you are welcome to vote for our new Directors at our Annual General Meeting. Who’s a member, you ask? To keep things as accessible as possible, anyone who is on our mailing list is considered a member and has the right to vote at our AGM! You can sign up for our mailing list through our Mailchimp sign up here on our website.
You can find bios for each of the candidates below! Please review and consider who you will elect if attending our AGM this Tuesday, October 16th. Thanks again to everyone who put your names forward!
Candidate Bios
RENEE BOILEAU
Renee Boileau is a Professional Engineer who has turned her penchant for problem-solving to building resilience in small communities by sharing success stories, starting with a single podcast called The Outport Cookbook. She wanted to find a way to make a bigger impact, so she founded an audio coworking group in her community, downtown St. John’s.
Her non-profit organization, The Fogbank, gives storytelling artists a platform to collaborate and share skills and provides a fresh source of local content as they build a community of listeners and producers. From outport Newfoundland to downtown St. John’s, we all live in a village. Renee would like to help Happy City become her town crier.
CATHERINE BURGESS
Catherine, originally from St. Philip’s, NL, is now a happy citizen of St. John’s. She has a professional background in journalism and communications, and is currently completing a degree in social work at Memorial University with a goal of working with diverse communities within the city area. She recently completed a summer contract as the Happy City St. John’s summer student event coordinator, contributing to various events and projects such as the inaugural St. John’s Neighbourhood Summit and BikeFest. Catherine is very excited about the opportunity to continue to contribute to Happy City going forward as a board member.
JUSTIN DEARING
Raised in Newfoundland and Labrador and shaped by its coastlines and communities, Justin has established himself as a leader who inspires others to take a leadership role in designing their future through the realization that one person makes all the difference. He has spent the past 12 years supporting youth, communities, and projects in St. John’s and the wider region and continues to contribute to a healthy and prosperous future for all people in NL.
To Justin, the bottom line is that the depth of our challenges directly relates to the quality of our opportunities and he is committed to helping citizens of St. John’s take ownership of those opportunities. Justin’s personal mantra, “Waiting to make a difference, is the one thing that guarantees you never will”, motivates him to BE the change instead of WAITING for change.
STACY GARDNER
Stacy is a writer, single parent, and downtown dweller with over fifteen years of non-profit sector experience. With experience in writing proposals, designing programs, copywriting, and facilitation she currently volunteers as a reader for Room Magazine, is the Atlantic Representative for the Playwrights Guild of Canada, and works at MUN. Full of ideas, Stacy is excited for the opportunity to do community engagement work in the downtown core.
MEGHAN HOLLETT
Meghan is a community cheerleader with experience in youth engagement and extensive volunteer experience in the St. John’s arts community. She has worked in community organizations provincially and nationally her entire career and enjoys getting to know folks and learning more about how they engage with their surroundings. With a keen interest in offering energy to her city and engagement projects, she’s ready to join Happy City!
CATHERINE KELLY
Catherine is a retired social worker and has volunteered with Planned Parenthood, Children’s Wish Foundation, and the Seniors Resource Center. Her work has engaged folks from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and supported individuals and families navigate complex bureaucratic systems. Catherine is interested in bringing her lived experience and professional experience to the board to advocate for, and with, marginalized populations.
LYDIA LEWYCKY
Lydia is trained and licensed urban planner and landscape architect with 35 years of project experience in the areas of urban design, heritage, downtown revitalization, community development, municipal plan and development standards (zoning by-law) review and update, strategic growth strategies, feasibility studies, adaptive reuse projects, recreation planning and park design, trail design, and industrial park design standards. She lives in Georgestown and is interested in promoting walkability, universal design and complete communities throughout our city. Lydia is interested in using her free time to volunteer on work that fuels her passion.
SHERIDAN MOORES
Sheridan is a documentary researcher with the Provincial government, and a graduate of MUN with a BA in political science. His involvement in local organizations includes the Alpine Club of Canada Newfoundland Section, the St. John’s Tool Library, and TedxSt. John’s. In addition, he has experience as a volunteer on municipal election teams. Sheridan has followed Happy City for the last few years and believes strongly in its purpose and its ability to help civic engagement in St. John’s.
JACKIE SHANAHAN
Jackie is a small business owner who lives in Torbay and grew up and currently works in St. John’s. She has extensive volunteer experience with snowbusters, as a candy striper, teaching children computer skills, as a North West River beach festival volunteer, PTA member, Seniors Resource Center volunteer, breakfast club volunteer and Girl Guide leader. Jackie is excited to bring her management experience and a desire to improve the city to the board.
