Who We Are

David LeReaney | President

David’s career as an actor spans 28 years and over 200 professional plays with extensive experience in the film, TV and voice recording industries. He was a member of the Southern Alberta Equity Advisory for six years and recently sat as a member-at-large for the ACTRA Calgary council for four years, serving on the editorial committee for ACTRA Calgary. David is the recipient of the Harry and Martha Cohen award for sustained and significant contribution to theatre in Calgary and two AMPIA “Rosie” awards for his work in film and TV.

Patrick Pearson | Vice-President

Pat has worked at the Edmonton Journal, CKRD Red Deer, CHAT Medicine Hat, CHQR and CHFM Calgary.  He joined SAIT in 1975 as an Instructor of Broadcasting, then administrator until his retirement after 30 years.  He was on the SAIT Board of Governors, coordinated radio communications for the 1988 Winter Olympics, and volunteers with the Calgary Stampede.

Jeffrey Fortin | Treasurer

Jeffrey A. Fortin is a Chartered Accountant and senior tax practitioner with the Calgary law firm Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer LLP. Jeff has served on the boards of directors of several performing arts organizations in Ontario and Alberta.

Christina Smith | National Representative

Christina Smith arrived in Calgary in 1986 from Toronto and joined the Calgary Olympic Arts Festival as Special Events and Promotion Manager.  For the next 12 years she fundraised and consulted for various organizations in the Arts and healthcare including Theatre Calgary, Trail Regional Hospital Foundation, and the Calgary General Hospital. 

Christina joined the Canadian Cancer Society Alberta/NWT Division in 1998.  Along with her team in Revenue Development she has developed strategic plans, introduced new fundraising activities such as Direct Response, Major Gifts, and a $15,000,000 capital campaign for two Cancer Support Centres.  Under her leadership annual revenues grew from $7.6 million to $18.5 million.  Christina is currently the Executive Director of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services in Calgary and Edmonton.

She has been an active member of both the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Association of Healthcare Philanthropy.  Christina has presented nationally and internationally on Healthcare Philanthropy and healthcare restructuring.  She has been the recipient of an Alberta Multicultural Grant in support of Professional Development and is one of two Honorary Lifetime members of the Calgary General Hospital's Nursing Alumnae Association.

In her personal life she has been an active volunteer within her community including sitting on various boards in both the arts and community based organizations.

Kira Bradley

Kira is a Calgary based actor who has performed at many venues including the Vertigo Murder Mystery Theatre, Western Canada Theatre, and the Lunchbox Theatre.

John Hallett

John has been an architect and developer in the Calgary area for over 20 years.  Hallett Architects has designed over 300 local homes, churches and apartment buildings, receiving several awards and nominations for projects.

John is a member of the Alberta Association of Architects (AAA) and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC).  He has been an active member of the Calgary Region Arts Foundation and can frequently be seen performing with the Calgary Opera as a long time member of the Chorus.

John Hyde

John is both a performer composer and president of the 700 strong Calgary Musicians’ Association.  John has performed in many concerts, TV, radio, and clubs such as Alberta Theatre Projects, Jazziz Society of Calgary, Theatre Calgary, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Gail Kennedy

Gail has worked in theatre arts and film production for the past 30 years. She was educated at Montana State University, Portland State University and The University of Alberta in Theatre Arts.  She is an accomplished make-up artist with experience as an actor, singer, dancer, and costumer in both Canada and the U.S.  She also sits on the Advisory Board of the prestigious Vancouver Film School Department of Make-up. In 2007 Gail won an Emmy for her make-up design on HBO's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.

Gail has been a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Motion Picture Technicians (IATSE) for 25 years and has held the position of Vice President for Local 212 Calgary for six years. 

Jock Osler

Jock Osler has spent 50 years in the communications business.  After 16
years as a journalist, he went on to hold senior positions in industry and government, including press secretary to the Prime Minister and Minister (public affairs) at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C.  He has operated his consulting practice, Jock Osler Communications Inc., in Calgary since 1995.

He currently sits on the board of directors of the Calgary Stampede Foundation and the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Society and is a member of the Calgary Stampede grandstand committee, the advisory board of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival and the Calgary Herald community advisory board.

His past memberships include the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Alberta Theatre Projects, the Alberta Performing Arts Stabilization Fund, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Vertigo Mystery Theatre, the Calgary Centre (now Epcor) Centre for the Performing Arts and the Banff Television Festival. He was the 2002 recipient of the Harry and Martha Cohen Award for distinguished service to theatre in Calgary.

Marnie Patrick-Roberts

Marnie recently retired as  Education coordinator for Calgary Opera.  She managed the Let’s Create an Opera program for Calgary schools as well as researched Study Guides presenting Pre-show Chats before each operatic performance.  Marnie has been an active performer with Calgary Opera for 26 productions and has sung with the Philharmonic chorus and Debut Opera.

Grant Reddick

Grant is a graduate of the University of Alberta and the University of Leeds. He trained for the theatre at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and worked as an actor at the Stratford Festival in Ontario and the Stratford Memorial Theatre in England. He continued his acting training in New York.

In the 1960's he returned to Calgary to teach drama and served as Drama Supervisor for the Calgary Board of Education. In 1981 he joined the Drama Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Calgary. He retired from the University as Professor Emeritus in 1991.

Since retirement, he has continued to work as a professional actor. His contribution to theatre has been recognized with two Betty Mitchell Awards and the Harry and Martha Cohen Award.

Ron Hartmann

Originally from Calgary, Ron has earned his living in Canada as an actor, director, radio producer, dramatist, artistic director of Ontario Youththeatre {a training program in all aspects of professional theatre}, for more than fifty years.