Welcome to the Team Colleen Smith! | Board of Directors Spotlight
Welcome to our Board of Directors, Colleen Smith!
Leadership Niagara would like to give a hearty welcome to our newest board members!
Our Board of Directors (BOD) is our governing team of community leaders that guide and shape Leadership Niagara. Their dedication and guidance have made programs such as our Accelerate Civic Leadership+ program possible.
These amazing volunteers make LN the top leadership development program in Niagara and we would love for you to get to know them!
Today we welcome Colleen Smith, Executive Director of FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
Welcome Colleen Smith
A Bit About Colleen Smith
Colleen Smith is a Canadian arts executive with experience that spans strategic planning, organizational development, financial management, digital innovation and execution of large-scale events.
Prior to accepting the role as Executive Director of the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines (May, 2020) she has held executive leadership roles responsible for national and international teams from Toronto to Calgary to the East Coast. Serving as Project Director of Phase 1 of the Massey Hall Capital Project and in 2019 co-leading the Arts, Culture and Digital Transformation Summit at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Smith weaves industry knowledge with a curiosity for innovation and a pursuit of excellence.
An MBA graduate from the Schulich School of Business, Smith recently worked as a business consultant in Western Newfoundland in designing and implementing a national rollout strategy for a provincial multidisciplinary arts organization that resulted in the successful development of partnerships with the Aga Khan Museum, Humber College School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the Banff Centre. Her work often intersects government relations and advocacy, as well as funding and policy development at both a provincial and federal level.
She is humbled and inspired by the artists and colleagues that she has met throughout her work, and regularly gives back to her community through volunteer service with various mentorship programs and service organizations.
Current and past Board membership and committee work include involvement with the NYC-based International Society of the Performing Arts, The Downtown-Yonge Entertainment District BIA and the Entertainment District BIA (Toronto), and the national advocacy committee for the professional Association for Canadian Theatres.