Board of Directors

Dr. Paul Aitken, Chair

Dr. Paul A. Aitken is Emeritus Director of Music of the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise, Idaho. Upon his retirement from the Cathedral in 2020, Paul (and his wife, MacKenzie), purchased the Maple Inn Parrsboro and have been actively running their B&B alongside his professional music career.

Information about his life and work is available through www.paulaitkenmusic.com or at www.mapleinn.ca.

Taylor Redmond, Director

Taylor Redmond is a Project Facilitator for Parrsboro, a position aimed at developing and promoting existing assets in the community, co-ordinating the efforts of local groups and strengthening Parrsboro’s branding efforts.

She is also the founding Chair of Cumberland Art Bank, leading the advisory committees and juries to the annual selection for the collection.

Kitty Brown, Secretary

Kitty considers herself a lifelong learner, especially in all areas of the arts. After a career in education, she moved here in 2018, with her husband Steven, a native of Parrsboro.

"The residents here are friendly and sincere, and the artistry is fantastic. The whole area is a visual masterpiece, filled with art, science and history. This combination results in an almost magical community with an encouraging future. It was easy to say 'yes' to joining the board of Parrsboro Creative and I look forward to working together to help other artists learn and grow in our town."

Delwyn Klassen, Director

Delwyn has been involved in the arts in a variety of capacities from displays of his own work to organizing group shows, professional picture framing, teaching, graphic design and engraving. He is most interested in fostering community involvement and education initiatives.

David Beattie, Treasurer

David Beattie is our entrepreneur extraordinaire. He’s committed not only to Parrsboro Creative but also the Board of Trade and several other key community initiatives. A thoughtful member of the Parrsboro Creative board, we often turn to David for business-based advice.

Jan Rowe, Director

Jan’s career began in broadcast journalism, working in both radio and medium market television news. Her personal passion is Journalling for Joy, which encompasses the use of photography, doodles, quotes, real-life token and creative lettering with colour for the thought provoking preservation of memories. She believes in the power of art to stir the mind and soul to joy, both for the artist and participant.

Sharrie DeCouto, Vice-Chair

Sharrie has recently moved to Parrsboro, and is excited to contribute to the community. She has always enjoyed the artistic field, and been involved in numerous community events promoting the arts. Sharrie has a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and has owned and operated her own practices over the past 30 years in the United States.

Our Team

Shawn Canton