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’s career has spanned clinical, corporate, and municipal sectors, all rooted in her commitment to helping people live healthier, more connected lives. She has worked as a kinesiologist in primary care settings, served in case management roles, and managed an integrated health centre in Miramichi, NB. After returning to Nova Scotia with her family, Laura transitioned into municipal recreation—first as Recreation Director for the Village of Port Williams, then as MPAL Coordinator for the Village of New Minas, and eventually joining the Town of Kentville, where she now leads recreation services.
She has been the elected President of Valley Recreation for four years and previously served three years as a Director on the Board of Recreation Nova Scotia before stepping into her current role as President-Elect.
As a mother of three teenagers and partner to a busy farmer, Laura brings a deep understanding of balance, community, and commitment to everything she does. These roles—and the many hats she wears—shape her leadership in every setting. She is passionate about strengthening communities, building sector capacity, and supporting the recreation profession across Nova Scotia.
Vice President of Finance, John Mitchell, CPA - Associate, Mergers & Acquisitions, EY-Parthenon
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
Wil has been the Recreation Manager for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality since April 2024. Prior to joining CBRM, Wil worked for the Tim Horton Children's Foundation at camps and the home office. Wil also spent 15 years working in Long Term Care in Therapeutic Recreation in Cape Breton. Wil has coached basketball and soccer for many years and also spent the past 5 years as President of Soccer Cape Breton. He currently volunteers with Special Olympics as a coach with the Active Start and FUNdamentals program in Sydney. Wil and the CBRM Recreation Department are on a mission to build relationships across the municipality and to promote arts, culture and recreation for a more engaged, active and healthy community.
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
Agustina (She/Her) is a Master of Arts student in Leisure Studies at Dalhousie University. Her research focuses on how youth engage with nature to support wellbeing and advance equitable access to outdoor spaces in NS, using photovoice as a participatory research method. With nearly a decade of experience working and volunteering with children, youth, and adults through the Adventure Earth Centre, Agustina is committed to supporting safe, inclusive, and welcoming outdoor opportunities for all young people. Beyond her academic work, Agustina is also volunteers coaching high school rugby, and is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, camping, and sea kayaking along the coast of Nova Scotia. In the role of Student Representative, she hopes to advocate for opportunities to introduce high school and undergraduate students to the field, and help connect young people across the province with volunteer and employment opportunities in recreation.