President, Brendon Smithson - Director of Regional Recreation Services for Halifax Regional Municipality
Brendon was the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Host Society in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), where the team delivered a safe and supportive environment to over 5,000 Indigenous youth from across Turtle Island. He is also a Board Member of the Aboriginal Sport Circle. He was also formerly with the province of Nova Scotia as a Sport and Recreation Consultant supporting the growth of sport, recreation and physical activity within the Mi'kmaw communities. Before his time with the province, Brendon worked in Municipal Recreation for ten years as a Director, focusing on creating inclusive environments for all participants. In Brendon's free time, you can find him in and around the lacrosse community in Nova Scotia, where he is a player, coach, board member and official. When not on the lacrosse floor, he enjoys all that Nova Scotia has to offer, especially its great outdoors and is a passionate football fan.
President-Elect, Laura Jacobs - Manager of Recreation Services for the Town of Kentville
Laura Jacobs (she/her) is the Manager of Recreation Services for the Town of Kentville. She has worked as a kinesiologist in primary care clinics, in case management with WCB and Manulife Financial, and managed an integrated health centre in Miramichi, NB. Upon moving back to NS with her family she became the Recreation Director for the Village of Port Williams, from there she moved into an MPAL position for the Village of New Minas, then continued along main street to the Town of Kentville. Additionally, she has been elected President of Valley Recreation for the last 4 years and is entering her third year as a Director on the Board of Recreation Nova Scotia. All points of her career have returned to one intention and one goal: helping people. By joining the Recreation Nova Scotia Board, she hopes to further her interest in leadership development and capacity building and support the wider recreation community
Vice President of Finance, vacant
Director at Large (2yr.), Tissy Bolivar - Program Coordinator for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
Tissy Bolivar (she/her) serves as the Program Coordinator for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, bringing over 14 years of dedicated experience in municipal recreation. A graduate of Acadia University with a degree in Recreation Management, Tissy has consistently championed the role of recreation in enhancing community well-being. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusive, welcoming spaces that encourage participation for all. In her latest initiative, Tissy introduced the PRO Fund, an adult subsidy program designed to complement the existing PRO Kids program. This initiative ensures that all residents, regardless of financial status, can engage in recreational activities, reflecting Tissy's vision of recreation as a means to support and uplift every community member.
Director at Large (2yr.), Wil Van Hal - Recreation Manager for Cape Breton Regional Municipality
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Director at Large (1yr.), Andrew Farrell - MPAL, Bear River First Nation
Bio coming soon.
Director at Large (1yr.), Ruth-Ellen Jackson - Northwood Volunteer Coordinator & Community Recreation Lead
Ruth-Ellen Jackson's (she/her) passion for physical activity, recreation, and leisure has been lifelong. As a fine arts graduate of the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts, Ruth-Ellen established an international career as a professional dancer with New York City's prestigious Parsons Dance Company and the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble. Upon returning home to Halifax, Ruth-Ellen continued her professional dance career with Mocean Dance and received the 2016 Nova Scotia Masterworks Award. She has served on the Boards of Dance Nova Scotia and Kinetic Studio and is a certified Pilates teacher. After graduating from NSCC's Therapeutic Recreation Program, Ruth-Ellen joined Northwood as the Volunteer Coordinator and Community Recreation and Wellness Lead. In addition to her interest in recreation in community settings, Ruth-Ellen enjoys engaging people of all ages in dance, performance, Pilates, and the arts.
Vice President of Monitoring, Clare Steele - Active Communities Coordinator for Pictou County
Clare Steele (she/her) is passionate about community and making our beautiful corner of the world a healthier place to live and play. In her spare time, she can be found teaching yoga, paddling, or on a hiking trail with a couple of her four-legged sidekicks.
Recording Officer, vacant
Student Representative, Agustina Cohen – Dalhousie University
Bio coming soon.