Staff

In an effort to reduce spam, only the first part of staff emails have been listed, which can be followed by @kelownaartgallery.com

For general email, you can contact the Gallery at info@kelownaartgallery.com

Renée Burgess, Head of Public Programming
ext 310, e: renee@
Renée Burgess has held the position of Head of Public Programming at the Kelowna Art Gallery since 2001. She is responsible for a team of staff and volunteers who work together to create and implement the educational and tour programs for children and adults and community outreach projects.

Burgess received her Fine Arts diploma from Vancouver Community College in 1995 and a BFA from the University of British Columbia Okanagan (previously Okanagan University College) in 1998. Burgess was on the Board of Directors of CAGE (Canadian Art Gallery Educators) from 2003 – 2006. Through her work on programming related to the Kelowna Art Gallery’s Break Away exhibition in 2004, and the In the Spirit of N’ha-a-itk artist educational bundles created in 2007, the Gallery received the BCMA Museums in Motion Award in 2007 and the BCMA Museums Award of Merit in 2008. Burgess has also received formal acknowledgement from Kelowna’s local School District No. 23 for outstanding art programs.

Burgess is a practicing artist with an interest in interactive sculpture and installation art that explores the senses. She has exhibited her work throughout the Okanagan and across Canada. In 1995 she received the Vancouver Community College Mel Fearman Scholarship, and in 1998 she was the recipient of the Helen Pitt Award.

Joshua Desnoyers, Marketing and Events Coordinator
ext 305, e:josh@
Joshua Desnoyers recently joined the Kelowna Art Gallery as Marketing and Events Coordinator. He spearheads the public relations, advertising and social media efforts, assists with the development of sponsorship opportunities, and coordinates gallery openings, events, and facility rentals.

Prior to moving to Kelowna, Joshua was the Tourism Marketing Specialist at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and received the Tourism BC “Marketing Campaign of the Year” award while working as marketing lead at the Van Dop Arts & Cultural Guide to BC. Most recently, he managed sales and marketing efforts at Backroad Mapbooks, a best-selling Canadian outdoor recreation series. He served as hospitality and events manager at Hillside Estate Winery on the Naramata Bench, and has a background in the media sector, which served him well during his time with Sun FM in the South Okanagan.

Growing up in Penticton instilled in him a love for the unique Okanagan culture and landscape, which he enjoys sharing with his son, Kaden.

Brenda Feist, Education Coordinator
ext 312, e: brenda@
Brenda Feist started at the Kelowna Art Gallery as an art class instructor eighteen years ago, while working on her BFA at Okanagan University College. Since then, she has worked in the visual and literary arts communities in a variety of roles, environments, and geographies: from teaching to marketing, galleries to bookstores, the Prairies to the Coast. She returned to the Okanagan in 2009 to complete an MFA in Creative Writing and Sculpture at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, and in March 2012, rejoined the team at the Kelowna Art Gallery as Education Coordinator. This role involves working closely with the Head of Public Programming to develop and implement programs to promote community involvement.

Penny Hechter, Administrative Assistant
ext 306, e: penny@
Penny joined the Kelowna Art Gallery as Administrative Assistant in August of 2007. She is responsible for providing office support to gallery staff, managing the gallery membership, and coordinating the Board of Director meetings, along with many other tasks.

Penny was born and raised near Rotorua, New Zealand. A curiosity to see the world took her abroad to travel throughout Europe and the United Kingdom in the mid to late nineties, before embarking on further travels in the cruise line industry. Originally spending her working days as a hairstylist to the well-heeled clientele, Penny then changed career paths to work in the retail stores on the cruise ships, eventually becoming part of the management team. It was during this time that she met her Canadian husband to be, which is how she came to settle in Kelowna.

Nataley Nagy, Executive Director
ext 304, e: nataley@
Nataley Nagy has over 23 years experience in the visual arts sector. She is an alumnus of the Getty Leadership Institute (2007) and the Banff Arts Administration Training Program (1984). Before moving to Kelowna to take on the position of Executive Director of the Kelowna Art Gallery, Nagy was the Executive Director of the Textile Museum of Canada (2002-2009) where she oversaw the digitization of the Museum’s Permanent Collection of over 12,000 artifacts. She managed a wide variety of complex art projects in her roles as Director of Gallery SAW Gallery/SAW Video (1984-1988), Arts Officer at the Ontario Arts Council (1988-93), and as Executive Director of the Art Gallery of Windsor (1993-2001). During her tenure at the Art Gallery of Windsor, Nataley oversaw the capital campaign and building project that relocated the AGW first into a six-year interim location in a regional shopping centre and then, into a new purpose-built $27million facility. She received an Honorary Doctorate for her contributions to arts and culture from the University of Windsor. In addition to her Board duties at the Canadian Museums Association, Nataley is a member of the Board of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries and a member of Canadian Art Museum Directors’ Association (CAMDO).

Mike O’Doherty, Preparator
ext 311, e: mike@

Kyle L. Poirier, Graphic Designer
ext 308, e: kyle@
Kyle L. Poirier is the graphic designer at the Kelowna Art Gallery, in Kelowna, B.C. He is responsible for handling the image needs of the Gallery. Kyle completed a BFA and diploma in visual communications at UBC Okanagan, and has been with the KAG for over 13 years. He has designed numerous exhibition catalogues as well as newsletters, advertisements and related material. Kyle also designed and maintains the gallery’s website. In his spare time, Kyle enjoys films, traveling and time with his wife and two children. He is also an aspiring painter with a soft spot for acrylics.

Liz Wylie, Curator
ext 303, e: liz@
Liz Wylie has been curator of the Kelowna Art Gallery since 2007. Previously she held the position of University of Toronto Art Curator for eleven years. As well as her work as a curator, she has been writing reviews and articles on contemporary and historical Canadian art since 1977. At the Kelowna Art Gallery she has recently launched a series of solo temporary commissions entitled Dysfunctional Chairs. In addition to the gallery’s exhibitions and collection, she is also responsible for the programming of the newly created satellite gallery space at the Kelowna Airport. Wylie holds an MFA in art history from Concordia University in Montreal. She is a past president of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries. Some of her major publications include Richard Gorman: Pure Painting (Ottawa Art Gallery, 1996); In the Wilds: Canoeing and Canadian Art (McMichael, 1998); Geoffrey James: Past, Present, Future ( University of Toronto Art Centre, 2003); and Nexus: Histories and Communities (catalogue for an exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the Kelowna Art Gallery, 2007).

Gallery Assistants

Santi Bakrie

Susan Cosmann

Lindsey Farr

Heather Leier

Connie Quaedvlieg

Renae Roles

Kristin Statulat

Toby Wesenberg

Family Sundays Assistants

Marion Krahn

Jolene Mackie