Conseil d'administration

Kwende Kefentse est un créateur, chercheur, administrateur et innovateur culturel basé à Ottawa. Au cours de ses 20 ans de carrière, il a mêlé pratique créative, développement des industries culturelles et politique publique, et a été présenté dans CityLab, Spacing Magazine et Monocle Radio.

En tant que premier Responsable du Développement des Industries Culturelles d'Ottawa, il a cartographié les ressources culturelles et co-dirigé le Plan d'Action Renouvelé pour les Arts, le Patrimoine et la Culture (2013-2018), posant les bases de l'Ottawa Music Industry Coalition et de la Stratégie Musicale d'Ottawa (2018-2020). En tant que premier directeur exécutif de CKCU-FM, il a réimaginé la station après la pandémie, en se concentrant sur la modernisation technologique et la reconnexion avec la communauté.

Titulaire d'un MRes de la Bartlett School of Architecture de l'UCL, Kwende a exploré la production culturelle dans les industries musicales locales. Il est chercheur associé au Centre de recherche sur la musique, le son et la société de l'Université Carleton et siège à des conseils tels que la Coalition de l'industrie musicale d'Ottawa et le Bureau du cinéma d'Ottawa.

Sous le nom de DJ Memetic, il a façonné la scène musicale underground d'Ottawa depuis 2005 grâce à TIMEKODE, s'attirant les éloges de Vice Thump et de Radio Nova. Il travaille actuellement à la mise en place d'un cabinet de consultation et d'une boutique de mixage, de masterisation et d'un espace de collaboration pour les projets musicaux.

Kevin Ford est un dirigeant d’entreprise canadien reconnu pour son mandat transformateur de 10 ans à titre de président et chef de la direction de Calian Group Ltd., un fournisseur diversifié de solutions essentielles dans les domaines de la défense, de l’espace, de la santé et des infrastructures.

Sous son leadership, Calian est passée d’une entreprise technologique conservatrice à une organisation mondiale dynamique, offrant des services diversifiés et connaissant une croissance importante grâce à des initiatives organiques et à des acquisitions stratégiques. Au cours de cette décennie, les revenus de l’entreprise sont passés d’environ 242 millions de dollars à plus de 750 millions de dollars, soutenus par plus d’une vingtaine d’acquisitions et une expansion sur les marchés internationaux.

Le leadership de Kevin Ford lui a valu de nombreuses distinctions, notamment PDG de l’année décerné par la Chambre de commerce d’Ottawa et l’Ottawa Business Journal en 2017, Entrepreneur de l’année EY en 2019, Dirigeant de l’année du secteur de la défense au Canada par CDR en 2024, ainsi que le prix NorthStar 2026, qui souligne l’excellence des leaders d’affaires canadiens. Il a été un ardent défenseur de la culture organisationnelle, de l’innovation, de la diversité et de l’inclusion, ainsi que de l’engagement communautaire, notamment en appui aux familles militaires et à diverses causes caritatives. Il est également coprésident de la campagne de la Fondation de l’Hôpital d’Ottawa visant à recueillir 500 millions de dollars pour la construction d’un nouveau campus Civic, et soutient activement l’écosystème de la musique en direct.

Il est marié depuis 40 ans à son épouse Marlene, et ils sont les fiers parents de quatre garçons.

Chris est un stratège numérique et professionnel de la communication avec plus de 16 ans d'expérience. Il parle et consulte auprès d'entreprises et d'organisations couvrant les secteurs privé et high-tech, les gouvernements fédéral, provincial et municipal, les associations à but non lucratif et la communauté des start-ups nord-américaines. Ses spécialités incluent : la technologie de communication et des opérations ; la stratégie et le marketing numérique ; la gestion de communauté ; les médias sociaux ; la gestion de la propriété intellectuelle ; ainsi que la gestion et le développement d'actifs web, imprimés et numériques. Il possède une vaste expérience dans le développement de logiciels personnalisés, d'applications et de UI/UX, et se distingue par une approche axée sur les résultats et analytique pour atteindre les jalons et les objectifs.

Emma Francis is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Regional Programming Manager for Ottawa Bluesfest and CityFolk Festival. Emma has over a decade of experience in festivals, live events, and the nonprofit sector - specializing in artistic programming, operations, strategic planning, government relations, and audience development. 

Erin is an accomplished professional with over 30 years experience in the live music industry, arts programming, and community engagement. 
Those experiences have expanded her knowledge, grown her versatility in the arts and culture sector and set the stage for a long-term commitment to supporting the community.  
Erin has had the privilege of collaborating with numerous talented artists and their dedicated teams, fuelling her passion for championing their work, vision and creativity while creating opportunities to build a legacy that will succeed them. 

My name is Qianjia Huang, aka Shy—but I’m not shy at all! Since moving to Ottawa in 2017, I’ve been committed to strengthening the local music scene. I’m the founder of the Ottawa Chinese Musicians Association (est. 2019) and a vocalist with 20+ years of band experience. I specialize in event planning, cultural programming, and cross-sector collaboration. By connecting local talent with international opportunities across Asia, and North America, I aim to build a vibrant, inclusive music community. As an OMIC board member, I’ll champion diversity, community-driven events, and help position Ottawa as a global music city.

Joel Elliott is the Operations Manager of Folk Canada, which preserves and promotes Canadian folk music, supports musicians at all career stages, and cultivates a vibrant, inclusive community through advocacy, education, and collaboration. Folk Canada presents the annual Folk Music Ontario Conference, Canada’s largest gathering of the Folk music industry, being held October 15-19 2025 in Ottawa.
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Joel is the former co-host of The Monday Special Blend on 93.1 CKCU FM, as well as the former host of The Ottawa Music Video Showcase and Live! On Elgin Open Mic on Rogers Cable 22. He previously sat on the board of OMIC from 2018-2020.
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In 2017, Joel wrote the score and acted as Musical Director for Phantom of the Opry, a play which ran for 5 sold-out shows at Ottawa’s Gladstone Theatre. Joel is also a singer, composer, and Bandmaster of Magic Machine, who are aiming to release their second ep in 2025.

Andrew Vincent is a writer, strategist, songwriter and business owner. He is Partner & Strategy Director at Spruce Creative, an Ottawa marketing communications agency focused on city and community building.

Andrew is a passionate advocate for music as a key city building activity in Ottawa. In 2014, he was the lead author of the provincially funded study Connecting Ottawa Music, whose recommendations included the formation a local music industry association. Following that report, Andrew volunteered as the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition’s executive director for the organization’s first two years. In 2017, Andrew led the team that developed Ottawa’s first municipal music strategy.

As a songwriter and musician, Andrew has released a number of albums on Ottawa’s Kelp Records, toured Canada and Europe, and has has music licensed for use in advertising and video games. 

Nimkeehns Wemigwans is originally from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, but currently lives in Ottawa, ON. He's been living on Unceded Unsurrendered Algonquin Territory for the past 8 Years. 

In his formative years, he was given many opportunities to learn and participate in many cultural activities and events that took him across Ontario and eventually the world. This, in turn, has helped him in working within the indigenous communities he resides alongside the host nations.

Nim has also worked in the music industry in many different capacities. Helping form a music festival in his hometown alongside Coalition Music. He has also worked with many different artists across Canada, putting him on many different stages. In recent years, he also built a foundation in the Ottawa Music community alongside his business and frequent collaborative partner, Basil Park, to build a merch company '613 Merch.' Nim is always looking for the next opportunity to help and assist artists in the many different avenues in their creative journeys.

Christian Garceau is the Founder and President of ASA Live, an Ottawa-based event agency producing festivals, public activations, and high-profile corporate events. Since 2017, he has led over 500 events, including major initiatives with the National Capital Commission, the European Union Delegation, and national organizations. He previously served in a leadership role with Capital Pride, overseeing large-scale festival operations and city-wide programming. His work focuses on animating public spaces and building partnerships that bring cultural programming to life. As the leader of a queer-owned business, Christian is committed to strengthening Ottawa’s music and cultural ecosystem through inclusive, sustainable growth.

Joe Armstrong is President of 49North, the defence subsidiary of MDA Space, and a senior business leader with over 25 years of experience in aerospace, defence, and advanced technology sectors. He is also a Senior Partner at Prospectus Associates and CEO of Eraii Consulting Inc., specializing in strategic advisory, digital transformation, and complex program execution. Joe has led global operations exceeding $1.4B in annual revenue and is recognized for delivering large-scale, technology-driven solutions in complex environments. An active musician, his interests span electronic, rock, metal, and jazz. He is a strong advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion, youth development, and bringing practical business acumen to support growth in the music industry.