Gary Vermeir is the Business Agent for Local 849 of the I.A.T.S.E. Motion Picture Technicians, a position he has held for two years. Prior to his term with IATSE, he served as the Branch Representative of ACTRA Maritimes for thirteen years, after a career as a performer in film, television and theatre.
Gary appeared in such Atlantic Canadian titles as George’s Island, Buried on Sunday and Two If By Sea. With his wife, performer and instructor Angela Vermeir, he has written dozens of episodes of children’s television – including Animal Mechanicals, Bo on the Go, Lunar Jim and Willa’s Wildlife.
He also served as writer for sixteen episodes of The Sea Hunters for Eco-Nova Productions. Gary also serves on the board of the Nova Scotia Motion Picture Industry Association and on the Nova Scotian Film Advisory Committee.
Ann Pocket, PAL Halifax’s Operations Administrator, is expecting twins in July so she will pass her duties on to Nancy Morgan while she figures out her new role as a mom! Ann and Nancy worked closely together on last year’s Scrabble with the Stars so she is delighted that Nancy will fill her shoes.
Since Ann lives just around the corner from where the PALifax’s (as she fondly refers to it) first official home will be, while on maternity leave she will look forward to walks with her twins, fantastic dog Pichu and Paul to see PAL’s dreams come to life!
Ann became the first employee of PALifax in September of 2009. Having graduated from NSCAD’s Jewellery & Metalsmithing Program and set up a studio in her home and she wanted to be further involved in the arts community. With years of arts administration experience behind her, she wanted to work for a group that she felt passionate about – PAL is the perfect fit!
Nancy Morgan is truly happy to be part of the PAL Halifax team. Nancy had a great time working on last year’s Scrabble with the Stars and is also delighted to be covering for Ann while she spends a wondrous first year with her twins. Nancy is an arts administrator who has been the GM at Eastern Front Theatre since 2007 and is has recently joined Festival Antigonish as Outreach Coordinator.
She has worked with Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa as well as a past life with Eastern Front. Nancy is on the Board of Theatre Nova Scotia, the Legacy Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Provincial Council of the Nova Scotia Registered Music Teachers’ Association.
With a music degree from Queen’s University and an MBA from St. Mary’s University, Nancy has been a music teacher and arts administrator for more than 20 years…only 20 more to go! She cannot say enough about the amazing talent of professional theatre artists living and working in Nova Scotia. She lives in Cole Harbour with her two amazing teenage sons.
Many thanks to Gay Hauser, Mary Vingoe and Wendy Lill for welcoming me into this community so many years ago!
Kimberly was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, and came to Halifax to study at the University of King’s College. But for a brief sojourn in Fredericton for law school, she’s lived in Halifax all of her adult life. She has a BSc. In biology and a BA in English from King’s, and an LLB from the University of New Brunswick. She’s worked as a lawyer at Stewart McKelvey in Halifax for over 20 years.
She has a lifelong interest in the arts. (And has photos of her as a five year old in a tutu, and belting out show tunes in the chorus of her high school musicals to prove it!) She’s been “on the edges” of the local theatre community for many years, as she’s married to Bruce Klinger, a local arts administrator. Having many friends and acquaintances who make their living in various artistic pursuits, she’s committed to the goals of PAL, and the support and dignity that it will provide to the local artistic community.
Tim Storey has been involved in the Motion Picture Industry in Canada for over 20 years. Working principally in Toronto, Tim was rose through the ranks to become a top Production Coordinator with experience in all formats, from large feature films to small docu-dramas.
Since 2003, Tim has been a Union Business Agent, first with I.A.T.S.E. Local 411, in Ontario, and currently for the Directors Guild of Canada, Atlantic Regional Council. Working with Executive Boards and dynamic memberships, Tim is responsible for negotiating contracts and conditions for members engaged on motion picture productions across Atlantic Canada.
Eric was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois and moved to Halifax six years ago with his wife Pattie, a native Haligonian, whom he met in Boston. He is an Architect with DSRA|Envision Architecture and currently serves as the PAL Halifax Board Co-Chair. His interest in the group runs deep, as he has a number of family members who make their living in the performing arts. Eric also understands the vital role that artists can play in the creation of vibrant, livable communities, and has joined on to leverage his architectural experience to assist PAL Halifax in its mission to secure quality affordable housing for its members.
Eric is the proud father of two amazing little Canadians – son Lincoln, who is almost four, and daughter Vaughn, who is two and a half.
In his spare time (of which there isn’t much these days), Eric enjoys good beer, is VERY serious about BBQ (He smokes pork year ’round under the carport), and is an avid listener to music of all types.
Jeremy Webb is an actor/director/producer and writer. He is thrilled to be co-chair of the PALifax board. He was President of ACTRA Maritimes for 8 years and is now National Councilor. He is on the board of Theatre Nova Scotia and runs his own company Off The Leash Creative Ltd. He writes for the Herald. More on Jeremy can be found at www.offtheleash.ca.
Angela was born and raised in Lumby, British Columbia and only recently moved to Halifax from Vancouver via Boston. Her first time to Halifax is the result of an unexpected adventure! She is a recent graduate in Industrial Design and has found work that enables her to explore many avenues of design. Angela’s interest in PALHalifax stems from her enthusiasm for exploratory community building and a desire to contribute to the development of an arts based community.
She lives with her small black cat, Camila. She writes poetry, loves letters and the Pogues. Angela is looking forward to exploring the beautiful East Coast of Canada!
Pictonian Dan MacDonald usually returned every summer, but in December made the final move “down home” to the South Shore.
Long a worker on behalf of colleagues – First President and Founder of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and First President of the newly restructured ACTRA in the late 90′s – he was responsible PAL’s emergence from Toronto onto the national scene, assisting in creating the first PAL Chapters in Stratford, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary and…our own PAL Halifax.
Amidst a busy career, he continues working throughout PAL, presently editing the national newsletter, Palingenesis. His company recently launched a series of colleague-created greeting cards whose profits are donated to PAL throughout Canada.
These Artists’ Greeting Cards, by the way….Plug!..Plug!!…are available for viewing and sale from Dan on his website at tioramarts.ca.
