VPH Board
Serving Vancouver's Poetry Community
Board members are either elected at VPH’s annual general meeting, or appointed by the board itself as directors-at-large.
Martin Fietkiewicz: Treasurer
Martin Fietkiewicz is a business/systems analyst and cognitive scientist who has a keen interest in the performing arts and community building. Martin is a strong believer in the phrase "dreams take volunteers". He has been a Media Coordinator for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, and has donated hundreds of hours to the In The House Festival, Vancouver Public Space Network, and the Jade Project.
Chris Gilpin: Director-at-Large, Word Play Program Coordinator
Chris is a two-time member of the Van Slam Poetry Team. He has conducted dozens of poetry workshops in schools everywhere from Delta to Squamish, and has taught poetry to every grade level. He also serves as the Vancouver Poetry House webmaster, forum moderator, the Van Slam CD project manager, and the Van Slam merchandise coordinator.
Jessica Mason-Paull: Director-at-Large
(photo and bio coming soon)
Sean McGarragle: Director-at-Large, National Slammaster
Sean McGarragle is a poet and storyteller living and working on Vancouver’s Eastside. He helps out with the Vancouver Poetry Slam and the Main Street Slam and the Vancouver Story Slam. He was the artistic director/producer of the West Coast Poetry Festival.
Nooreen Nathoo: Director-at-Large, International Slammaster
(photo and bio coming soon)
Duncan Shields: Director-at-Large, International Slammaster
(photo and bio coming soon)
Lisa Slater: President
Lisa Slater got shoved off a cliff by spoken word on a bright cool Ottawa weekend in October in 2004. Since then, she’s made it her mission to introduce other people to this thing she loves and to make them listen to her poetry. Lisa works in the non-profit sector in fund development, marketing and communications.
R. C. Weslowski: Director-at-Large
RC Weslowski is a former president of Vancouver Poetry House (06-08) and a former Vancouver Poetry Slam Slammaster (06-08). RC was the Artistic Director for the 2005 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, held in Vancouver and the Publicity Coordinator for the 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam. RC is an organizer of poetic events in Vancouver plus a performance poet who most recently was named the 2008 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word "Poet of Honour."
