Our Story

OUR STAFF

We are...

committed to retaining a strong artistic and administrative team to support the success of The Centre.  Our talented staff is foundational to supporting the experiences of artists, instructors, and patrons alike.  Get to know us and, if you’re curious about us, then feel free to reach out to us at any time!

Explore the Arts with

OUR STAFF

Jean-Louis (“JL”) Bleau
Executive Director
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Originally from Medicine Hat, Bleau has built a career characterized by interdisciplinary productions that create positive, impactful audience experiences. His inventive approach has yielded many immersive performance experiences, some delivered in the mountains, around a lake, in a planetarium, parking garages, an industrial shop, and even a swimming pool. He has collaborated on programming with a variety of musicians, ensembles, choreographers, dancers, synchronized swimmers, aerial gymnasts, as well as First Nations elders and artists. In 2014, Bleau was recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 in Calgary.

Theresia Reid
Operations Manager
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Theresia has been working in professional theatre for over twenty years. She started her career as an Equity Stage Manager at Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops, and then became the Resident Stage Manager for Sunshine Theatre in Kelowna, followed by Theatre North West in Prince George. While working in Kelowna she was a Guest Relations Team Leader and Box Office Ticket Agent for the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. In 2010 Theresia moved to Chilliwack to start a new path as the Rentals Manager for the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, and then in 2022 became the Operations Manager for The Centre. In 2023 she joined the Board of Directors of the British Columbia Touring Council. Theresia is an avid collector of LEGO and is extremely proud of the work she and the rest of the team do at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.

Ann Goudswaard
Marketing Manager
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Ann started her career as a graphic designer working in the sign industry and transferred over to the newspaper business as a co-owner of a small town newspaper in the BC Interior in 1996. Moving back to Chilliwack in 2000, she has an extensive background in newspaper ad design and production in the Fraser Valley. Making the leap to marketing in 2011, she joined the management team at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre as the Marketing Manager. Her many passions include art, gardening, kayaking, camping, and hiking. Ann continues to explore her passion for art and is excited by the many classes at The Centre including pottery, painting, jewellery making, and glasswork.

Chris Reid
Technical Director
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  • Technical Questions
  • Inventory List
  • Piano Booking and Tuning
  • Venue Specifications
  • Equipment Rental Information
  • Crew Requirements
  • Pyrotechnics and Fire Approval

Emily Hamel
Rentals Manager
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Emily has been involved with theatre in Chilliwack since the age of 13, when she participated in her first stage production with The Chilliwack Academy of Music. Since then, she has been involved both on stage and behind the scenes in many productions around the Fraser Valley. After High School, she attended Rosebud School of the Arts in Rosebud Alberta, where her well-rounded education in theatre continued. Upon her return to Chilliwack after receiving a Diploma in the Performing Arts, Emily jumped back into the theatre scene here, getting involved with The Chilliwack Players Guild, Secondary Characters, and The Chilliwack School of Performing Arts. After working in data management and real estate staging, she successfully started and ran a Princess Party Business with her best friend for 8 years. When Emily saw that the Chilliwack Cultural Centre was hiring, she knew she had found a place where she could combine her love of the arts with the organizational skills she had obtained over the years through running a business. In her spare time, Emily sews costumes and historical garments, and is amassing quite the collection of vintage sewing machines.

Jessica Rae
Box Office Manager
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Jessica began her career with the Chilliwack Cultural Centre in 2017 as a ticket sales agent before returning in 2022 as the Centre Box Office Manager. Growing up, she enjoyed being in her school’s theatre productions and trying new mediums of art. Jessica enjoys working in the Glass Open Studio and watching Scary Movies in her free time.

Gavin Cox
Assistant Box Office Manager
[email protected]

  • Ticketing Setup
  • Ticket Counts
  • Ticketing Fees
  • Complimentary Tickets
  • Seating Holds
  • Statistical Analysis

Steph Brubaker
Development Officer
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As the Development Officer for a not-for-profit, Steph brings over 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, including previous roles as the Programming and Volunteer Coordinator for the Chilliwack Community Arts Council, as an independent Mixed Media Art Instructor and Coordinator for Chilliwack ElderCollege. In 2021, Steph joined the Chilliwack Cultural Centre as the Development Officer. She is responsible for grant writing, fundraising, managing Society Membership, securing sponsorships, and coordinating special events such as VIMFF. Steph is deeply passionate about the arts and enjoys spending her spare time exploring the outdoors, practicing textile-arts, and working in the Centre's Glass Studio.

Chrissie Hood
Bookkeeper
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  • Accounts Receivable
  • Accounts Payable

Robb Sharkey
Facility Maintenance Manager
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Robb has been working at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre since 2016 and has been the Facility Maintenance Manager since 2019. He is a talented cabinetmaker, having designed and constructed a number of units in The Centre. Robb has also graced the stages of the HUB International Theatre and Rotary Hall Studio Theatre with the Chilliwack Players Guild. Robb drives a red car.

Trischa Buhler
Education Program Manager
[email protected]

Namu Barker
Volunteer Coordinator
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