Gwynn Scheltema

Gwynn is analytical, organized and focused. In past arts festivals in 2017 and 2019 she worked in various capacities. In 2022 she took on the role of President of Northumberland Festival of the Arts and headed up the steering committee, as well as being a member of all other major subcommittees. She returns to serve the same roles in 2024.

Gwynn Scheltema qualified as a Public Administrator in 1981, and after over 20 years of diversified experience in accounting, education, and administration became a freelance writer offering a full range of services to the public and business community. As a partner in “Writescape”, she offers editing services and creative writing facilitation and keynotes for conferences and workshops. For 15 years she worked in Provincial Government Communications as a senior editor/writer with the Ministry of Education and the then Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities.

As an artist, Gwynn writes fiction and poetry and has been published in literary journals, magazines and anthologies, online and in print. Her poetry book Ten of Diamonds was published by Glentula Press in 2021. Her newest collection Everchild was released by Aeolus House in September 2023. For the last 11 years, Gwynn has hosted the radio show “Word on the Hills” on Northumberland 89.7FM interviewing authors, poets, publishers and anyone else involved in literature.

Gwynn has volunteered for Northumberland Festival of the Arts since 2017, including President since 2020. Gwynn’s past volunteer work includes being on the Board of LICHEN Arts and Letters Preview (9 years) and The Writers’ Circle of Durham Region, including Vice President (4 years) She has also served as contest judge for fiction and poetry contests, and editor for community anthologies.

Felicity Sidnell Reid

In 1959, after graduating from the University of London, King’s College, Felicity Sidnell Reid arrived in Canada and spent seven years in New Brunswick. Then she and her family moved to Ontario. Felicity has taught children of all ages, from Grade 5 to university students and adults, in Canada, England and Thailand. While teaching for the Toronto Board of Education, she taught English, History, ESL and Drama to high school students before taking positions as Vice Principal at Harbord Collegiate and Northern Secondary. During that time, besides raising four children, and writing poetry and short stories, she designed costumes for universities, schools and amateur dramatic societies and directed school plays.

She is the author of a variety of educational materials, including a book for teachers, ESL is Everybody’s Business (with Fran Parkin) and a series of textbooks for language learners. Her books include a novel for young people: Alone: A Winter in the Woods (Hidden Brook Press, 2015, published as an e-book in 2020, and poetry collections The Yellow Magnolia (Glentula Press 2021), and The Many Faces (Aeolus House 2022). Her poetry and short fiction have been published in a number of anthologies and online journals and collections. She also paints in watercolour and acrylic and is currently a member of the Cobourg Art Club.

Felicity has sat on the board for the Cramahe Public Libraries, the ACO , Brighton branch, and has been a Board Member of Spirit of the Hills Arts Association (SOH) serving as secretary from 2010-2014 and from 2016 to 2020. As well she served as the chair of the SOH Writers’ Group for over 10 years. She has also chaired two arts festivals in 2017 and 2019 and was recognized with a Distinguished Civic Award from the Town of Cobourg in 2021, for her work with the festival and the festival’s positive impact on Cobourg. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Northumberland Festival of the Arts.

Tom Pickering

Tom has a history in the arts, both from the performance side to the managerial and administrative. He had roles as an actor, director, producer, and stage hand in various community theatre productions as well as authoring two original plays. Tom completed the Foundation Year from the Ontario College of Art, which was a formative education into fundamentals of design, drawing and painting.

Much more recently, Tom managed the participation of the Writers’ Group of the Spirit of the Hills Arts Association at the 2019 Cobourg Waterfront Festival, and has volunteered with other activities of that Association. He currently serves as Treasurer on the Board for the Northumberland Festival of the Arts.

Melody Crowe

Melody Crowe is an elder of Alderville First Nation and has lived in that community all her life. She studied at Trent University, earning not only her Honours BA in Indigenous Studies, but also numerous prizes including both the ‘Joyce Moonias and ‘K.E. Kidd’ Memorial Awards. In 2007 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award for the preservation of Language and Culture from the Union of Ontario Indians. And she is the recipient of many other awards over the course of her career.

Melody has worked tirelessly for the preservation of Ojibway culture and language for more than 25 years and she’s currently First Nations Education Liaison for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. She also acted as a juror for awards in honour of Ontario’s first Indigenous Lieutenant Governor, James Bartleman. The James Bartelman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing Awards are given each year as a legacy to his efforts to promote literacy among Aboriginal youth. Through her company Aandeg Productions, Melody has produced a variety of materials dedicated to creating a deeper understanding and appreciation of First Nation culture, knowledge, language and wisdom. She has published a number

of books for young readers who are learning Ojibwe. Melody joined the Board of Northumberland Festival of the Arts in 2023.

Mandy Martin

Mandy Martin was raised primarily in Gore’s Landing on the south shore of Rice Lake, and now resides in Colborne. She has a B.A. from Queen’s University in history and psychology, and over 40 years of experience as a communications, journalist and marketing professional. She began her journalism career with Northumberland Publishers, based in Cobourg. She taught photography and worked with an international aid agency in Central America. For three and a half years, she was an international travel and business writer/editor with Southam Communications. Her corporate experience includes nine years with Ontario Hydro as a Communications Officer, Public Utilities Liaison and Retail Officer Supervisor.

Mandy’s volunteer activities include a past role as Vice President of Northumberland United Way and board member of Northumberland Children’s Aid Society, Northumberland Big Sisters, Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation, the Royal Canadian Legion Colborne and Decisions for the Great Lakes (Kingston). Mandy is currently Mayor of the Township of Cramahe. Mandy joined the Board of Northumberland Festival of the Arts in 2023.