WE’re Here

PRESIDENT

Born and raised in Ontario, Leslie comes from a family deeply rooted in the arts — her father, an architect and sculptor, and her mother, a potter and painter. A graduate of McMaster University on the Dean’s Honour List, Leslie holds a major in English and a minor in Art History.

Her professional journey reflects a lifelong commitment to community engagement through the arts. While raising two children as a single parent, she served as Volunteer Coordinator for the Brott Music Festival and Event Manager for McMaster Children’s Hospital. Her leadership experience continued in the visual arts sector, where she worked as Program Development Manager with Visual Arts Mississauga and, previously, at the Art Gallery of Burlington — first as Education Coordinator and later as Curator of Education.

In these roles, Leslie developed programming that brought artists and audiences together across a wide range of mediums, emphasizing access, inclusion, and participation. After moving to Penticton in 2024 to be closer to her family, Leslie joined the PAG Board in May 2025.

SECRETARY

Kathi Irvine recently retired as the founding partner of The Watershed Group, an organizational development consulting firm that worked to engage people and transform organizations. Watershed partnered with numerous organizations in Canada and the United States to support business sustainability, board governance and employee development. Kathi has been educated in Canada and the US, she has an undergrad in business, a graduate degree in organizational leadership, and a certificate in dialogue and negotiation. She is an advocate for community involvement and has been a board member of several not-for-profits here in BC and Alberta before joining Penticton Art Gallery's board, most recently the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation in Canmore, Alberta from where she recently moved.

DIRECTOR

Born in Brisbane, Australia, Rhonda immigrated to Canada in 1981. Her academic background includes a degree in Early Childhood Education (ages 3–8) from Brisbane, a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alberta, and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Lakehead University in Ontario.

Rhonda’s professional experience includes five years as an Education Officer at the Thunder Bay Ontario National Exhibition Centre and Gallery of Contemporary Native Art. Her teaching career spanned 14 years, working with kindergarten to grade 3 students in Grande Prairie, Alberta. From 2014 to 2020, she worked in early intervention with non-verbal special needs and neuro-typical children before retiring in June 2020.

With extensive experience in education, a lifelong passion for art and art history, and nearly two years as a volunteer with the Penticton Art Gallery, Rhonda brings a unique perspective and dedication to the Penticton Art Gallery.

DIRECTOR

With over 9 years of dedicated experience as Founder and Director of a Vancouver based registered charity, Alysha has developed a strong passion for fostering community engagement and advancing meaningful causes.She has organized numerous exhibitions and fundraising events, leveraging creativity and strategic planning to support vital initiatives and inspire change. She has combined her love for visual storytelling with her commitment to the arts and co authored a photography book which is used in schools across Canada.

With over 15 years in the hair industry, Alysha brings a blend of hands-on experience, leadership, and genuine passion for people. She has owned and operated her own barbering business, served as a managing partner for one of Vancouver’s largest barbershop companies, and led the barbering program at Blanche Macdonald Centre. Alysha loves supporting creative talent and helping businesses grow in a way that feels authentic, sustainable, and community-focused. She’s known for her supportive leadership style, her ability to bring ideas to life, and her commitment to community.

DIRECTOR

Elaine Brewer-White is a working ceramic artist, recently relocated to Summerland B.C. from the Lower Mainland.  After graduating from Emily Carr College of Art and Design, she has made a 45-year career in the arts, having established both an educational artist in the school and hands-on art events company to promote the necessity of culture and creativity.  She is also an established figurative sculptor and ceramicist; her work can be found in public and private galleries and collections around the world. She currently works from her studio in Summerland, creating one of a kind figurative sculpture and functional work as well as teaching workshops across the country.

Elaine is passionate in her belief that the arts is a vital part of any community. She believes in the power of art to inform, enchant and unite. Elaine is honored to be part of this board and looks forward to contributing her knowledge and expertise.