Bursary Recipients
2025 Recipients
Congratulations to this year’s John Edwards Bursary Recipients:
| Deborah Beaver (Edmonton, AB) Deborah is the Director of Outreach & Treasurer at the Black Settlers of Alberta & Saskatchewan Historical Society. https://blacksettlers.ca/ |
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| Jessica Chen (Montreal, QC) Jessica is a city planning professional and has been active in Montreal’s Chinatown since 2019, advocating for its cultural heritage protection. She is currently the Executive Director of JIA Foundation which she co-founded in 2022. https://jiafoundationmtl.org/ |
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| Deborah Dobbins (Edmonton, AB) Deborah is the Founder/Executive Director of the Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Roots. https://www.shilohcmr.com/ |
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| Catherine Hurley (Oakville, ON) Catherine is a Heritage Sector Consultant. She presently serves on The National Trust for Canada’s Federal Issues Working Committee and is a former President of the Oakville Arts Council. She was also Chair of the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District Plan Working Group and was the Founding Chair of the Oakville Heritage Trust & Heritage Trails Committee which established the UNESCO-based 100+Km Heritage Trails and the “Oakville Remembered” oral histories projects. https://www.catherinehurley.ca/ |
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| Sharon Jeans (Trinity, NL) Sharon is a Board Member and Treasurer of the Trinity Historical Society. https://www.trinityhistoricalsociety.com/ |
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| Carole Lafayette-Boyd (Regina, SK) Carole is a Board Member and Treasurer of the Saskatchewan African Heritage Museum Inc. (SACHM) and the Regional Representative from Saskatchewan for the Canadian Federation for Friends of Museums (CFFM). She is also a Masters Track & Field Athlete who presently holds 17 World Records and is the first Canadian of African descent to receive the WMA Best Female Athlete Award in 2018 & 2022. www.sachm.org |
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| Thandiwe McCarthy (Fredericton, NB) Thandiwe is a 7th-generation African Canadian spoken word poet and writer. Honored in 2023 as a CBC Atlantic Canadian Black Changemaker, he has also helped establish Emancipation Day on August 1st in New Brunswick. He is a Volunteer with REACH. https://www.reachnb.com/ |
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| Ian Morris (Trinity, NL) Ian was elected to the Board of Directors of the Trinity Historical Society (THS) in 2018 and have served as President since 2021. https://www.trinityhistoricalsociety.com/s |
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| Justin Venslovaitais (Picton, ON) Justin has over 20 years of experience as a woodworker and painter in Ontario, Volunteer, The County Museums. He is currently studying historic building conservation at West Dean College in the UK and plans to pursue an MSc in Building Conservation to deepen his expertise. He is a volunteer with The County Museums in Prince Edward County, Ontario. |
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| Troy Wason (Medicine Hat, AB) Troy leads the Cypress Club of Medicine Hat as President, overseeing the preservation of a prominent city landmark. He also plays a key role in the City of Medicine Hat’s Historical Resources Working Group and the Historical Society of Medicine Hat & District, actively documenting and celebrating the region’s past. https://cypressclub.ca/ |
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| Gary Weekes (Fredericton, NB) Gary is a creative Photographer/Filmmaker and the first Black NB Artist to have a Solo Show at the prestigious Beaverbrook Art Gallery, later having one of his works purchased as part of their Permanent Collection. In 2023 Gary received The CBC Black Changemaker Award for his Community Work. Gary is a Volunteer with REACH. https://www.reachnb.com/ |
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| Colin Yu (Ottawa, ON) Colin is a Heritage Planner with the City of Toronto. He is also a Professional member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals and the President of the Ontario Association of Heritage Professionals. https://cahp-acecp.ca/chapters/ontario-nunavut/ |
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Past Recipients
2024 Recipients
| Adrien Comeau (Meteghan, NS)Adrien is Chairman of the Board of Directors of La Société Vielle Maison, and newly-appointed Treasurer of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia.La Société Vielle Maison Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia |
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| Evelyn Fidler (Fredericton, NB)Evelyn is a board member with the York Sunbury Historical Society and the New Brunswick Historical Society and has volunteered for heritage-related organizations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for 35 years.York Sunbury Historical Society New Brunswick Historical Society |
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| John Dam (Victoria, BC)John is a consulting engineer with his own building conservation firm, and he volunteers for The Hallmark Heritage Society which is the oldest conservation organization in Victoria.Hallmark Heritage Society |
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| Karen Mahoney (Sharon, ON)Karen is a member of the board of directors of the Sharon Temple National Historic Site and Museum.Sharon Temple Museum |
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| Sharon-Ann Brown (Regina, SK)Sharon is the Chair of the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum Inc. (SACHM)Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum Inc. |
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2022 Recipients
| Satwinder Bains (Abbottsford, BC) Curator Sikh Heritage Museum, National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple |
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| Moira Dann (Victoria, BC) President, Board of Directors Craigdarroch Castle |
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| Kokulan Mahendiran (Edmonton, AB) Member of the Board Edmonton Historical Board |
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| Christine Rier (Cambridge, ON) Volunteer Architectural Conservancy Ontario – Cambridge and North Dumfries |
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| Harrison Sheremeta (Edmonton, AB) Board Member; Chair of Policy & Planning Committee Edmonton Historical Board |
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| Ilona Spaar (Vancouver, BC) Co-President, Co-Founding Director Swiss Edelweiss Village Foundation |
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| Sandi Stewart (Halifax, NS) Member, Association of Nova Scotia Museums Education and Training Working Group; Volunteer (social media), Interpretation Canada 2022 National Conference Association of Nova Scotia Museums |
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| Candace Wasacase-Lafferty (Saskatoon, SK) Board Member (University of Saskatchewan representative) UNESCO Ready Fundraising Committee Chair Wanuskewin Heritage Park |
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“The programs run by the National Trust for Canada are so valuable to groups like ours. We learn about the best practices that make a difference at all types of heritage places, plus we’re supported by a community of like-minded volunteers and professionals.”
– John P. Mason
“The volunteer work I’ve done at Craigdarroch Castle over the past decade has helped me learn a great deal and make lots of new friends. It led to my writing a book and returning to school for an MA in Public History. It’s also tons of fun!”
– Moira Dann
2021 Recipients
| F. Leslie Thompson Board Member, Past-Chair, Committee Member Architectural Conservancy of Ontario & Heritage Toronto Toronto, Ontario https://acontario.ca/ |
Ted Yudelson Vice-president Heritage Abbotsford Society Abbotsford, British Columbia www.heritageabbotsford.ca |
| Claudia Barrett Assistant Archivist Bayfield Historical Society Bayfield, Ontario www.bayfieldhistorical.ca |
Jonathan Got Managing Editor Architectural Conservancy Ontario Ottawa, Ontario https://acontario.ca/ |
| Danielle Graham Warden St. John’s Anglican Church Lunenburg, Nova Scotia www.stjohnslunenburg.org |
Nancy Perozzo Secretary, head researcher, website coordinator, archivist Friends of Grain Elevators Thunder Bay, Ontario www.friendsofgrainelevators.org |
| Nora Reid President of Board of Directors Central Station Education Initiative Welland, Ontario www.centralfirehall.ca |
Bob Taylor-Vaisey Chair, Parks, Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee Municipality of Trent Lakes Trent Lakes, Ontario www.trentlakes.ca |
| John Mason Founding President Friends of Guild Park Toronto, Ontario www.guildpark.ca |
Moira Dann President, Board of Directors Craigdarroch Castle Victoria, British Columbia https://thecastle.ca |
| Christina Han Vice President Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre Brantford, Ontario https://canadianindustrialheritage.com/ |
Christopher Riou Advisor Fort Erie Museum and Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee (MCHAC) Fort Erie, Ontario https://www.forterie.ca/pages/MuseumCulturalAdvisoryCommittee |
“I volunteer in the built heritage sector to preserve a physical connection between past, present and future. Without that connection, we are adrift.”
– Richard Krehbiel
“Volunteers are the heart and sole of our heritage organization and without them we would not exist. Our volunteers are enthusiastic ambassadors and love sharing Chilliwack’s history and heritage with our community.”
– Laura Reid
2020 Recipients
| Dorothy Abbott Treasurer, Board Member Ontario Black History Society Toronto, Ontario http://blackhistorysociety.ca/ |
Jessica Matthys Board Member Norwich District Museum and Archives Norwich, Ontario http://www.norwichdhs.ca/ |
| Jared Althouse Archeology, Learning volunteer The Royal Alberta Museum Edmonton, Alberta https://royalalbertamuseum.ca/ |
Laura Reid President, Board Member Heritage Chilliwack Society Chilliwack, British Columbia https://www.heritagechilliwack.org/ |
| Diane Chin Vice-Chair, Board member Architectural Conservancy of Ontario Toronto, Ontario https://acontario.ca/ |
Richard Krehbiel Secretary of the Kisbey Museum Committee Kisbey Museum Kisbey, Saskatchewan https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/listings/714/kisbey-museum |
| Bruce Scott Secretary, Board Member Canadian Flight Association Langley, British Columbia http://www.canadianflight.org/ |
Leslie Thompson Board Member, Past-Chair, Committee Member Architectural Conservancy of Ontario & Heritage Toronto) Toronto, Ontario https://acontario.ca/ |
