Vote Now: 2026 Folk Canada Board of Directors Election

Voting is now open for the 2026 Folk Canada Board of Directors Election! Folk Canada members are invited to vote before the deadline of August 18, 2026.

For 2026, there are 10 candidates vying for 3 board positions. The slate was selected from a competitive pool of applicants by the Folk Canada Nominations Committee, and approved by the Executive Committee. Directors will be elected by electronic ballot, and the results of the election will be ratified at this year’s Annual General Meeting (to be scheduled post-conference) with terms concluding at the 2029 AGM. 

The Election is being facilitated through a platform called Election Buddy. All Folk Canada members in good standing should receive a link for voting by email from this platform. Check your inbox (and if not there, your spam folder) for a message from invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com. If you do not have this email, please let Joel know at joel@folkcanada.com.

NOMINEES FOR 2026 Sarah Atkinson

Sarah Atkinson is an artist manager and co-founder of SoundBox Music, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. For nearly two decades, she has worked with independent artists, helping them build sustainable careers through strategic planning, album releases, touring, branding, and digital marketing.

Specializing in folk, roots, and Celtic music, Sarah is known for her hands-on, collaborative approach. She works closely with artists to develop practical strategies that support long-term growth while staying true to their creative vision.

In addition to her work in artist management, Sarah teaches in the Creative Industries Department at NSCC and previously served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for Music Nova Scotia. Passionate about mentorship and industry development, she is dedicated to helping artists and emerging music professionals build meaningful, sustainable careers.

Travis Bird

With 25+ years across every corner of the live music world—from Jane Harbury Publicity to leading operations at NXNE to data‑driven client strategy at Official Community—I’ve had the privilege of supporting iconic artists like Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, and others who shaped modern touring culture.

Anne-Marie Brugger

Anne-Marie Brugger is a bilingual Ottawa-based local arts reporter, radio broadcaster and public speaker. A seasoned strategic communications professional, she served as Ottawa's campus-community radio, CKCU FM’s Station Director in 2023-2025. Anne-Marie has been part of Ottawa’s music landscape for over 20 years and has produced and hosted programs on community radio stations, including Hop The Fence, a popular weekly drive-home show featuring music and interviews with Canadian bands, which ran from 2003 to 2019. Throughout, she has cultivated strong relationships across the music industry with artists, publicists, venues, festivals, broadcasters, and municipal officials. She has served as a bilingual host/emcee for several festival events. Anne-Marie is co-Producer and Curator of FemmeVox, a unique concert series held at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) connecting and celebrating women and gender-diverse singer-songwriters that includes a mentoring and co-writing component.

Samantha DeLory

Sam DeLory is an entrepreneur, registered nurse, and music industry professional with experience in artist management, brand development, digital marketing, and stakeholder engagement. She currently manages Canadian contemporary bluegrass artist Cameron Nickerson, leading audience development, content strategy, industry relations, and showcase and grant submissions.

A two-time East Coast Music Awards juror, Sam is passionate about supporting independent artists and strengthening Canada's folk, roots, and traditional music communities. Her background in healthcare and entrepreneurship has equipped her with strong leadership, communication, research, and relationship-building skills.

Sam is committed to fostering collaboration, inclusion, and sustainability within the music sector. As a candidate for the Folk Canada Board of Directors, she hopes to contribute a practical perspective, support artist and industry development, and help advance Folk Canada's mission of connecting and championing folk music communities across the country.

Tamar Ilana Cohen Adams

Tamar Ilana Cohen Adams is a Toronto-based artist, producer, presenter, and arts administrator working at the intersection of folk, roots, flamenco, and global music traditions. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of the not for profit FabCollab, Artistic Director of and founder of the F for Flamenco Festival, and founder and leader of the internationally acclaimed global music ensemble Ventanas. Tamar has developed internationally recognized programming that connects diverse communities through music, storytelling, and intercultural collaboration; toured extensively across Canada and internationally as a performer; led grant writing workshops, partnerships, artist relations, community engagement, and strategic planning initiatives. Passionate about artist development, accessibility, and building meaningful relationships across the music sector, Tamar has raised over $800,000 in funding for FabCollab over 6 years. With experience spanning both grassroots and institutional contexts, Tamar brings a collaborative, artist-centred perspective grounded in community-building, cultural exchange, and a deep commitment to the evolving Canadian folk ecosystem.

Shakura S'Aida

Shakura S'Aida is an award-winning performer who has spent over two decades captivating audiences worldwide with her powerful vocals. An advocate for human rights, her music reflects themes of community, life, and love. ""I believe we all have a responsibility to look after each other,"" says the Toronto-based artist. She uses music to unite people.

Brooklyn-born and Swiss-raised, Shakura is a central figure in Toronto’s music scene. She has built an international career and starred in theatre, including The Nina Project, a tribute to Nina Simone, and roles like Lena in Schitt's Creek. With her first new album in ten years, Hold on to Love, she steps into the producer role, working with Donna Grantis, Keb' Mo, and Roger Costa.

Valerie Shantz Valerie Shantz is the Executive Director of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, joining in January 2024. She has spent much of her career in the arts working in festivals, theatre, film and funding.

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is a charitable organization that presents one of North America's premier outdoor music festivals. July 2025 marked the 50th edition of the festival where each July the festival’s cumulative attendance exceeds 75,000 and includes visitors and performers from across North America and around the world.

While rooted in folk music, programming includes diverse genres including roots, world, bluegrass and indie rock. Highlights of the Winnipeg Folk Festival include 9 stages, a vibrant camping community of thousands, a family area, an annual prairie outdoor art exhibit, and locally made food and hand made goods. In addition to its summer festival, the organization presents dozens of concerts and events throughout the year.

Krista Touesnard

Krista Touesnard is a creative producer and artist development professional based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. A management team member at The MRTI Agency (Music Runs Through It), she works across concert production, artist management, and community music programming, including the City of Fredericton Summer Concert Series, Kidfest, and NB Highland Games. She is a co-manager of The Hello Crows and is dedicated to growing artist opportunities across the region. A recent graduate of the Women in Music Leadership Accelerator program, Krista brings over two decades of music education experience and a deep commitment to building vibrant, sustainable music communities in Atlantic Canada.

Tamae Vassell

Tamae Vassell is a fundraising professional, multidisciplinary artist, and arts administrator passionate about supporting a thriving cultural sector in Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management from the University of Toronto and a Master's degree in Arts Administration from Baruch College.

As the newly appointed Development Lead at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Tamae is excited to help advance philanthropic efforts that support artistic excellence and meaningful community engagement.

Alongside her professional work, Tamae is a performer whose practice is rooted in Afro-Caribbean folk, liturgical, and tap dance traditions. Career highlights include a 2022 Dora Mavor Moore Awards nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, participation in the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games Opening Ceremony, and a guest performance in the Best Village Competition in Trinidad and Tobago. A lifelong participant in community arts, she grew up singing in her church choir and remains actively involved in her community today.

Jeremy Voltz

After earning his Ph.D. in mathematics in 2016, Jeremy Voltz left academia to pursue songwriting. His debut 2018 EP Bend the Tracks, published through APM, has earned tens millions of streams and even inspired a successful children’s book. In 2020, Voltz signed with Hyvetown Music Publishing (Nathan Ferraro, Neon Dreams), and his debut full-length album Weekender won Album of the Year at the 2022 Ontario Folk Music Awards. Voltz has toured Canada, the US, Mexico, the UK, Japan and Italy as a founding member of the vocal jazz group Countermeasure. Voltz is also a passionate songwriting clinician, mentoring emerging artists with Canada's Music Incubator since 2022. He is currently recording a new TAC-supported folk album to be released fall 2026.

The deadline for votes is Tuesday, August 18 at 5:00 pm EST.