Board of Directors

Rebecca Fernandez Short has a degree from Trinity University, Texas, USA and a post-graduate from University of East Anglia, UK. She has volunteered in the arts community as Chair, Arts Awards Waterloo Region; founding Board Member, Region of Waterloo ARTS Fund and on Economic Development Advisory Committee, City of Kitchener. She serves on the Board of Advisors, Waterloo Region Small Business Centres. Her business career in Canada, UK and US was in market research and marketing at Conoco Chemicals, Uniroyal Tires, BFGoodrich and Geon. She is a co-founder of Machteld Faas Xander, a marketing communications firm, and Axonify, an online training SAAS company.

Stephen Curtis is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a member of the national indirect tax practice at Doane Grant Thornton LLP. In addition to his experience as a tax practitioner, Stephen has held executive positions with private and public companies and served the community as a board member and volunteer of several arts organizations and minor sports teams. Stephen has a passion for the arts and for many years played violin and trumpet in the Kitchener-Waterloo Community Orchestra.

Currently Director, Data Analytics Best Practices at Equitable, Samantha has over a decade of experience in data analytics, project management, and team leadership. She excels at tackling difficult problems, finding creative solutions, and explaining complex concepts to audiences of all skill levels.  Outside of work, Samantha spends her time either with her pets or volunteering with a variety of KW community organizations. A creative at heart, she is thrilled to be a part of the the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery as both a supporter and a board member in order to help build a community for artists and art lovers alike.

Marilyn Allen holds degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Toronto. After training as a chartered accountant and working in several sectors, Marilyn began a 30-year career as a school board financial administrator and senior executive. During that time she was involved in local and provincial educational initiatives as well as in training and advisory roles. Her volunteer activities have included several positions in the arts arena such as gala organizer, director, treasurer, and president. Now retired, she continues to work with Kitchener Grand River Rotary Club and with the Gallery.

Tom Mennill is passionate about serving his community. He has held many governance roles with local not-for-profit organizations with a focus on the arts sector. Tom recently returned to the Clay and Glass Board, where he previously served as a member from 2010 to 2018, including as Chair for three years. Tom also was a Board member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery including three years as Chair, and is a Board member of Inter Arts Matrix. He also serves as a Board member of the University of Guelph, and in various leadership roles for Rotary, both locally and regionally. Tom is a Chartered Professional Accountant and is retired from the firm KPMG LLP where he was a Partner for over 25 years.

Lisa O’Connell is the founder and Artistic Director of Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, a nationally recognized catalyst for New Works of Contemporary Canadian Theatre. She also founded and produces annually Femme Folks Fest (Waterloo Region) and the PlaySmelter Northern New Works Festival (Northern ON). Artists work created at Pat the Dog have received and/or been nominated for the Governor-General Award (Drama), RBC Tarragon Playwright Award, the Carol Bolt Award, Tom Hendry Awards, RBC Directors Award, among others. New works of theatre created at Pat the Dog has been presented across Canadian stages and Internationally. O’Connell is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including four Waterloo Region Arts Awards, an award of Excellence by the Creative City Network of Canada and has been nominated for the Johanna (Metcalf Foundation) and the Molson Award among others. She also sits on the Board of Arts Award Waterloo Region.

Amanda Strathearn is a business leader with 20+ years of Banking and
Finance experience. A Waterloo native, she has a diverse background in
HR, Business Development and management, as well as many strategic
initiatives in the corporate world. She inspires and influences teams to execute with excellence and deliver superior results, while providing an exceptional client experience. Amanda is currently Branch Manager, Waterloo/Owen Sound at ScotiaMcLeod in the Scotia Wealth Management group. She worked at TD Bank in similar management positions for over 10 years and was involved in the community as Chair of the TD Inclusion and Diversity Committee for Metro Ontario. Amanda is passionate about the arts, and interested in making the arts part of the education system. She is interested in community education and increasing awareness of the arts, and has been involved in volunteering with a number of community organizations in the past.

Robilyn (Robi) Vanos has been a member of the board of directors at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery since 2024.  She holds an advanced degree in applied science (biomedical engineering) and has enjoyed over twenty years as a patent professional with experience in patent examination, policy, training, patent drafting and as an unrepresented inventor. Robi is passionate about the arts and about engaging with the community and been a board member, committee chair and volunteer for various organizations in the past. In her spare time Robi enjoys long distance running, exploring the outdoors and spending time with her young family.