2026 – 2027 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jessica Allen: Co-chair
In addition to her municipal and museum work, Jessica curates @SimcoeCurator, an Instagram platform dedicated to showcasing the diverse history of Simcoe County. She is also a digital artist with works featured both locally and in international exhibitions. Her creative practice explores the intersection of memory, place, and storytelling; offering a contemporary lens on heritage preservation. With her combined expertise in administration, public history, and the arts, Jessica brings a unique and valuable perspective to cultural and civic initiatives.
Kyle Peacock: Co-chair

growth of the Orillia community.
Ronda Hales: Treasurer
Ronda has lived in the Orillia area for 26 years after growing up near Elmvale. She has one daughter and three grandchildren who reside in Calgary, Alberta. Her daughter moved west after being among the first graduating classes of the teaching program at Lakehead University.
Ronda enjoys playing hockey and has participated in a variety of sports over the years. For the past 10 years, she has operated an income tax and bookkeeping business in downtown Orillia.
She has been involved in various non-profit organizations since making Orillia her home. Ronda has also enjoyed renovating and living in several older houses in the city and currently resides in a home built before 1900, which has sparked her interest in local history.
Dr. Donald Philip: Secretary

Trish Crowe-Grande: Past Chair

Dillon Bickell
Dillion Bickell is the quillwork artist behind Quillin’ By Dillon. A proud member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, he is a self-taught Ojibwe quill worker and birch harvester. Each piece of Dillon’s quillwork is handmade with natural materials, like birchbark, porcupine quills, and animal hides and skins, all sourced and harvested locally.
Janet-Lynne Durnford
Janet-Lynne has been an Orillian since moving here with her parents at the age of eight. She attended Orillia Central School, Marchmont Public School, and Park Street Collegiate, before attaining an Honours BA in English, and a Bachelor of Education. She and her husband Max have raised two children in Orillia. After a 30-year career as an elementary school teacher, she retired in October 2022 to take on her new role as Orillia City Councillor for Ward Four.
Janet-Lynne has been an Orillia Farmers’ Market vendor, a long-time union representative at her workplace, and has served on the boards of the Orillia and District Arts Council and Mariposa Arts Theatre. She is a cofounder of Mosaic Productions, a theatre company that has raised over $50,000 for local women’s and children’s charities. As co-host of Rogers TV Arts Scene Orillia, she promoted our vibrant local arts community.
She is a life-long learner who loves to act, garden, read, walk her dogs, and spend time with family. Janet-Lynne is committed to working with other members of council, residents of Ward Four, and all citizens of Orillia to ensure a bright and sustainable future for the Sunshine City.
Susan Gibb

Susan has called Orillia home since 2000 and is married to local business owner, Brian Gibb and is mother to two young adults, Sarah and Jacob. Susan describes herself as a “true extrovert” who loves being with people and dogs, enjoys blues music, gardening, cooking and good conversation.
As a Registered Nurse for over 30 years, Susan also holds a Master from University of Toronto in Health Performance Management and Evaluation. She spent many years working frontline at various Ontario hospitals, including Orillia Soldier’s Memorial Hospital. For the last 9 years Susan has worked as a Health System Planner, currently within Ontario Health Central Region as Director of Capacity Access and Flow within Acute Care. Susan has led small and large teams implementing change within the system and is recognized as an experienced healthcare leader who views relationships as the foundation of any successful, sustainable change.
Daniel Greaves

broadcasting, live performance, and audio production. He has hosted national radio
programs, created original radio features, and led a successful music career marked by
multiple gold and platinum records. His entrepreneurial work includes running a live music
venue, where he manages operations, booking, and staff. Known for his versatility, Daniel
also contributes to community causes through a range of volunteer activities.
Allison MacDonald

Through student positions at several museums across Simcoe County, Allison developed a passion for preserving and sharing the region’s rich heritage. She has enjoyed working these last 10 years as an administrator in the residential real estate sector. In her spare time, she enjoys researching family genealogy, watching documentaries, and drinking bubble tea.
Jo Ann Warren

background in event planning, promotions, and digital platform development. She has led
initiatives for major brands, managing everything from web and mobile site launches to
large-scale corporate events and national contests. Jo Ann is known for her strong
organizational skills, attention to detail, and collaborative approach.Colleagues describe her
as an effective manager who “is delightful to work with and gets the job done with everybody feeling good,” and commend her “commitment to quality and service” as “unrivaled.” In addition to her professional accomplishments, Jo Ann has a long history of volunteer service and creative involvement in community theatre, further reflecting her dedication to building strong communities and fostering positive experiences.
Land Acknowledgement
The Orillia Museum of Art & History is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. The Anishinaabeg include the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Pottawatomi nations, collectively known as the Three Fires Confederacy. We respect and observe the long and enduring presence of Indigenous Peoples – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – on this land. Their teachings and stewardship, culture and way of life have shaped our City’s unique identity.
In acknowledging that we occupy colonized Indigenous territories, and out of respect for the rights of Indigenous people, we accept our collective responsibility to recognize our colonial histories as well as their present-day manifestations in order to honour, protect, and sustain this land.



