Board & Youth Advisory Council

Board of Directors

VIBE Arts is governed by a dynamic eight-member Board of Directors to whom the Executive & Artistic Director reports. The members of the Board of Directors come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Combined expertise of the current members include education, nonprofit management, human resources development, communication, law, financial management, and community development. The Board supports VIBE Arts with astute financial acumen and governance knowledge.

Clare Hacksel

Chair

Bio

Clare is a passionate social justice and health care leader. She is the Executive Director of the Choice In Health Clinic where she advances abortion access and advocates for reproductive justice. She is an expert in strategic planning, project management, and has over 10 years of non-profit experience working in both Vancouver and Toronto. In 2014, Clare received the Toronto Community Foundation Vital People Award in recognition of her contributions to not-for-profit organizations.

Nish Shah

Vice Chair

Bio

Nish is a passionate marketer who has spent his career working at the intersection of consumer behaviour, marketing strategy and design.

In his current role, Nish is the Vice President of Strategy at Initiative, a global communications agency, where he works with a wide range of clients including RBC, Amazon, LEGO, Carlsberg, CBC and Destination Canada.

Prior to joining Initiative, Nish held the role of Vice President/Creative Strategy Director at Match Marketing Group where he developed and led the agency’s strategic approach of experience design. He has also held roles at the National Hockey League and Armstrong Partnership along with running his own agency.

Daniel Cappe

Secretary

Bio

Daniel Cappe is a partner in the Litigation Group at Goodmans. He has a broad-based practice with particular focus in the areas of intellectual property and corporate/commercial litigation. Daniel has appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal for Ontario, the Federal Court, and the Federal Court of Appeal. Daniel has an active pro bono practice, including acting as duty counsel at Law Help Ontario since its inception in 2008. He also previously served as a director of the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club (including acting as Secretary and Vice-President) from 2008 – 2014. Prior to attending law school, Daniel worked as a software designer in the high-tech industry for several years.

Khalid Haddad

Treasurer

Bio

Senior Account Manager with RBC’s Commercial Not-for-Profit (NFP) group. In his professional role, he advises his NFP clients with their business needs and supports them in achieving their mission. He holds a CPA, CA designation with a deep knowledge of accounting and is well versed in the financial services industry. He is passionate about being involved in his community and has recently served as Treasurer of Operation Come Home, a youth-focused NFP based in Ottawa.

John Armstrong

Director

Bio

CEO and Founder of Armstrong Partnership LP, a leading North American Digital Marketing Services Company. John brings extensive board experience, marketing and strategic planning skills. John also has many years of experience in supporting the under-served communities in Toronto.

Tessa Gooden

Director

Dwayne Morgan

Director

Bio

Dwayne Morgan is a writer, performer, and author of twelve books. A Scarborough Walk of Fame Inductee, Morgan uses art to unleash human potential and possibilities.

Fatima Kamenge

Director

Bio

Fatima is an entrepreneur and strategy consultant committed to empowering people though businesses development and financial independence. She is Head of Kamenge Ventures Inc., an outfit investing capacity and capital in sustainable impactful business and Executive Director of not-for-profit Mazava. Although she calls Toronto home, Fatima was born in Burundi and has lived and worked in Ivory coast, Cameroon and Zimbabwe, among other places. She is passionate about community engagement, art and social entrepreneurship.

Steven J. Hudson

Director

Bio

Steven is an apparel industry veteran from the United States with over 20 years experience. He relocated to Toronto in 2019 to take on the role of COO for Knix, where he leads the global product and supply chain lifecycle and execution – from initial development through customer experience. Before Knix, Steven lead Sourcing and Supply Chain for US e-commerce brand ModCloth, and spent 8 years at Urban Outfitters Inc prior.

Outside the office, Steven has a passion for music and the arts as well as travelling with his husband and their three adopted kids.

VIBE Arts Youth Advisory Council

VIBE Arts’ is supported by an additional governing body that meets monthly in order to provide valuable organizational and programming input to VIBE Arts from the perspective of a young person. Members of the Council are youth who have participated in our outreach programs over the past few years and who live in the communities that we work with.

Kate Jarencio

Council Chair

Bio

Has been with Vibe Arts since 2009. She wears many hats at the organization as an arts assistant, emerging artist, and member of the youth advisory council and VIBE Arts Fest committee. After completing an undergrad in Early Childhood Education, she continued her teaching passion by completing her Bachelors of Education at York University. She is now currently a registered primary/junior teacher in Ontario pursuing a career to be a full time elementary school teacher.

Matthew Cuff

Council Member

Bio

A graduate of the School of Toronto Dance Theatre. With over 6 years of Ballet Contemporary, and Hip Hop Dance training, Matthew has performed in numerous events. He has also worked with established choreographers including Christopher House (TDT), Sean Cheesman (SYTYCDC), and Luther Brown (SYTYCDC). With his versatility and passion for dance and choreography, Matthew strives to strengthen the community of dance in Toronto.

Kevin Ye

Council Member

Bio

Kevin Ye became interested in art from an early age through his father who worked as a sculptor. He practiced techniques in visual arts under his father’s mentorship and continued to pursue art throughout his education. He gained his first community mural experience through a co-op placement with Mural Routes. Later, he worked on his first mural project with VIBE Arts and has since become an emerging artist and arts assistant with VIBE. He is currently studying in the Architectural Science program at Ryerson University, and hopes to use his knowledge in both the arts and architecture to promote positive change in urban communities.

Shashann Miguel-Tash

Council Member

Bio

Toronto born and raised self-taught emerging artist that creates anything from small crafts to large scale paintings experimenting with many types of mediums. She is an arts educator who works within many communities throughout the GTA such as Urban Arts and VIBE Arts in schools and community centres. Shashann’s work is heavily influenced and inspired by Toronto culture, music, social issues, and her environment. She is a 2014 graduate of Seneca @ York’s Art Fundamentals program and is currently studying Visual Art and Digital Art at Humber College Lakeshore.