Our 2021-2022 Board of Directors
Vanessa Cardoso-Whelan
Vanessa is a multidisciplinary artist, street performer and clown hailing from Brazil, with a passion for contemporary theatre and body movement awareness, especially related to Flamenco dancing. Graduating in Theatre Arts in 2004, she has performed with several artistic groups onstage and in street productions, as an actress, Flamenco dancer, puppeteer and fire flow dancer. Backstage activities include production assistant and stage manager . She also has given theatre and dance instruction to adults and kids. Vanessa has been actively engaged in the local arts scene since moving to NL in 2014, performing in theatre productions, dancing Flamenco, clowning, doing her Living Statue, participating in diverse artistic workshops and festivals. Vanessa likes to give her art back to the community, by doing volunteer performances for new Canadians/refugees and other Institutions.
Vanessa is a multidisciplinary artist, street performer and clown hailing from Brazil, with a passion for contemporary theatre and body movement awareness, especially related to Flamenco dancing. Graduating in Theatre Arts in 2004, she has performed with several artistic groups onstage and in street productions, as an actress, Flamenco dancer, puppeteer and fire flow dancer. Backstage activities include production assistant and stage manager . She also has given theatre and dance instruction to adults and kids. Vanessa has been actively engaged in the local arts scene since moving to NL in 2014, performing in theatre productions, dancing Flamenco, clowning, doing her Living Statue, participating in diverse artistic workshops and festivals. Vanessa likes to give her art back to the community, by doing volunteer performances for new Canadians/refugees and other Institutions.
Giovanna Del Negro
Giovanna is a writer and scholar interested in the politics and aesthetics of performance. Her research has examined how issues of gender, ethnicity, class, whiteness, and queerness play out in women’s expressive culture, from personal experience narratives, to stand-up comedy, drag cabaret, YouTube videos and beyond. Her books include Looking through My Mother’s Eyes: Life Stories of Nine Italian Immigrant Women in Canada; Identity and Everyday Life; and The Passeggiata and Popular Culture in an Italian Town: Folklore and Performance of Modernity. In addition to her academic work, she has hosted French-language radio shows, worked with the non-profit feminist association Centro Donne, acted in theatrical productions at the Actor’s Studio in Montreal, and organized cultural festivals. She teaches in the Department of Gender Studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Giovanna is a writer and scholar interested in the politics and aesthetics of performance. Her research has examined how issues of gender, ethnicity, class, whiteness, and queerness play out in women’s expressive culture, from personal experience narratives, to stand-up comedy, drag cabaret, YouTube videos and beyond. Her books include Looking through My Mother’s Eyes: Life Stories of Nine Italian Immigrant Women in Canada; Identity and Everyday Life; and The Passeggiata and Popular Culture in an Italian Town: Folklore and Performance of Modernity. In addition to her academic work, she has hosted French-language radio shows, worked with the non-profit feminist association Centro Donne, acted in theatrical productions at the Actor’s Studio in Montreal, and organized cultural festivals. She teaches in the Department of Gender Studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Margot Duley - Vice Chair
Margot had an unstellar childhood career in three performing arts. Her tap dance appearance as Bo Peep ended ignominiously when a fellow performer shoved her; in a drama production she forgot a crucial line; and at a music festival performance she and her piano duet partner hooked pinkies and, giggling uncontrollably, could not continue. Nevertheless, she Persisted and is on the Board where she is kept out of trouble but draws upon many years of experience as a university dean of arts and sciences, a feminist scholar, and an activist. She is the author of the Cross-Cultural Study of Women; and Where Once Our Mothers Stood We Stand: Women's Suffrage in Newfoundland, 1890-1925.
Margot had an unstellar childhood career in three performing arts. Her tap dance appearance as Bo Peep ended ignominiously when a fellow performer shoved her; in a drama production she forgot a crucial line; and at a music festival performance she and her piano duet partner hooked pinkies and, giggling uncontrollably, could not continue. Nevertheless, she Persisted and is on the Board where she is kept out of trouble but draws upon many years of experience as a university dean of arts and sciences, a feminist scholar, and an activist. She is the author of the Cross-Cultural Study of Women; and Where Once Our Mothers Stood We Stand: Women's Suffrage in Newfoundland, 1890-1925.
Sylina Jones - Chair
Sylina is happiest when being creative and helping others. As a lawyer, she is privileged to enjoy a fast-paced career in social justice at Legal Aid NL where she routinely sees the toxic effects of patriarchal standards and systemic bias on people through the lens of criminal law, family law, and child protection. Outside of work, Sylina enjoys spending time with her child, dog, husband, and two moms, and recently completed her yoga teacher training. She has been an actor, stage manager, PA, and festival manager with various local film and theatre productions, and often explores gender and socioeconomic dynamics in her song-writing as frontwoman for the band The Why and The Wherefore. Sylina is thankful to be a part of a group of women interested in creative activism who share her belief in sharing stories, and making space for those who have not been afforded the same opportunities to do so.
Sylina is happiest when being creative and helping others. As a lawyer, she is privileged to enjoy a fast-paced career in social justice at Legal Aid NL where she routinely sees the toxic effects of patriarchal standards and systemic bias on people through the lens of criminal law, family law, and child protection. Outside of work, Sylina enjoys spending time with her child, dog, husband, and two moms, and recently completed her yoga teacher training. She has been an actor, stage manager, PA, and festival manager with various local film and theatre productions, and often explores gender and socioeconomic dynamics in her song-writing as frontwoman for the band The Why and The Wherefore. Sylina is thankful to be a part of a group of women interested in creative activism who share her belief in sharing stories, and making space for those who have not been afforded the same opportunities to do so.
Susan Kelsey - Treasurer
Susan is a multidisciplinary performing artist and a St. John’s native. She has been involved in theatre for over two decades, primarily as an actor but also as a writer, director, producer, and costumer. Most recently she has been working in television on the shows Maroni, Hudson & Rex, and The Surrealtor. In addition, she works as a freelancer in communications, public relations, and event coordination. As well, she is a fashion and arts writer for The Racket and started the column Sin Jawns Style, which profiles fashionable locals. She also spends her time volunteering with several organizations including V-Day St. John’s, The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the LSPU Hall.
Susan is a multidisciplinary performing artist and a St. John’s native. She has been involved in theatre for over two decades, primarily as an actor but also as a writer, director, producer, and costumer. Most recently she has been working in television on the shows Maroni, Hudson & Rex, and The Surrealtor. In addition, she works as a freelancer in communications, public relations, and event coordination. As well, she is a fashion and arts writer for The Racket and started the column Sin Jawns Style, which profiles fashionable locals. She also spends her time volunteering with several organizations including V-Day St. John’s, The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, and the LSPU Hall.
Lauren Flynn
Lauren Flynn is a Product Manager at Mysa Smart Thermostats in St. John's, and loves spending time with her cat Russell. She volunteers on the boards of Pride at Work Canada, and Kittiwake Dance Theatre in Newfoundland. Lauren is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and is very excited to join the board of PerSIStence Theatre Company.
Lauren Flynn is a Product Manager at Mysa Smart Thermostats in St. John's, and loves spending time with her cat Russell. She volunteers on the boards of Pride at Work Canada, and Kittiwake Dance Theatre in Newfoundland. Lauren is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and is very excited to join the board of PerSIStence Theatre Company.
Eileen Maxwell
Eileen, hailing from Montreal, is very happy to have retired in St. John's after being away for forty plus years. Between then and now, she has raised a family; worked as a counselor for people with special needs for 27+ years; created a developmental drama program for youth ;costumed thirty clowns for Alfred Jarry's Boss Ubu as part of the University of Victoria's theatre program in Matsqui Prison ,Abbotsford,BC; co-managed The Chester Playhouse, NS, co-produced The Vagina Monologues at the Rebecca Cohen, Halifax, N.S ; co-founded The Seabreeze Players, an audience -participation murder mystery dinner theatre company based in St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia - to name but a few endeavors!
Eileen's mother's kin, in Paisley, Scotland, had thread mills in the 1840's and gave their workers shares in the mill, so she feels that her belief in equality and sharing with others is a natural way to be.
Eileen has just completed a book called Relative Stories, which is about her grandmother, sisters and women in 1916 Montreal - women helping women. She is ecstatic to be helping PerSIStence Theatre Company in any needed way.
Eileen, hailing from Montreal, is very happy to have retired in St. John's after being away for forty plus years. Between then and now, she has raised a family; worked as a counselor for people with special needs for 27+ years; created a developmental drama program for youth ;costumed thirty clowns for Alfred Jarry's Boss Ubu as part of the University of Victoria's theatre program in Matsqui Prison ,Abbotsford,BC; co-managed The Chester Playhouse, NS, co-produced The Vagina Monologues at the Rebecca Cohen, Halifax, N.S ; co-founded The Seabreeze Players, an audience -participation murder mystery dinner theatre company based in St. Margaret's Bay, Nova Scotia - to name but a few endeavors!
Eileen's mother's kin, in Paisley, Scotland, had thread mills in the 1840's and gave their workers shares in the mill, so she feels that her belief in equality and sharing with others is a natural way to be.
Eileen has just completed a book called Relative Stories, which is about her grandmother, sisters and women in 1916 Montreal - women helping women. She is ecstatic to be helping PerSIStence Theatre Company in any needed way.
Christine Taylor
With three decades of professional work history as a writer, comedic performer and filmmaker, Christine Taylor Fearing is a feminist thinker who has written and performed on stages the world over and for film and television in Canada, the United States and Australia. Based in Vancouver, Christine has has recently completed her Master of Arts in women’s studies at Mount Saint Vincent University and is specializing in the history of butch lesbians. Christine has a long time connection to the Newfoundland and Labrador feminist performance community, and brings an emic perspective on how the gift and dis/ability of neurodiversity can foster public outreach and intersect with the neurotypical world.
With three decades of professional work history as a writer, comedic performer and filmmaker, Christine Taylor Fearing is a feminist thinker who has written and performed on stages the world over and for film and television in Canada, the United States and Australia. Based in Vancouver, Christine has has recently completed her Master of Arts in women’s studies at Mount Saint Vincent University and is specializing in the history of butch lesbians. Christine has a long time connection to the Newfoundland and Labrador feminist performance community, and brings an emic perspective on how the gift and dis/ability of neurodiversity can foster public outreach and intersect with the neurotypical world.
Kim Todd - Secretary
Kim Todd is founder of Guide to the Good, a social enterprise striving for provincial sustainability through building brand and market share for local, social and green companies. A communicator by trade, Kim believes in inspired thinking, community collaboration, and practical action and is excited to work with Persistence toward making positive change for women and everyone.
Kim Todd is founder of Guide to the Good, a social enterprise striving for provincial sustainability through building brand and market share for local, social and green companies. A communicator by trade, Kim believes in inspired thinking, community collaboration, and practical action and is excited to work with Persistence toward making positive change for women and everyone.
Victoria Wells-Smith
Victoria works as a producer, director, choreographer, writer and rehearsal director across the country. She has worked on the rock for CBC, Rogers Television, Rock Island Productions, RCA Theatre, Theatre St. John’s, The New World Theatre Project, Atlantic Light, Spirit of Newfoundland and many more. Canadian credits include Nomadic Pictures, The National Ballet of Canada, Alberta Ballet, Ballet Jörgen, Bard on Bower and Roles for Womxn.
Victoria works as a producer, director, choreographer, writer and rehearsal director across the country. She has worked on the rock for CBC, Rogers Television, Rock Island Productions, RCA Theatre, Theatre St. John’s, The New World Theatre Project, Atlantic Light, Spirit of Newfoundland and many more. Canadian credits include Nomadic Pictures, The National Ballet of Canada, Alberta Ballet, Ballet Jörgen, Bard on Bower and Roles for Womxn.
Cara Winsor-Hehir
Cara Winsor Hehir is a loud-mouthed feminightmare. She works as a visual and performance artist – performing stand up and musical comedy as Swervy Garland - with a focus on intersectional feminism. Her album, Great Big Ditties, was released in December 2018. While Cara loves being on a stage, she became a PerSISter to be a quieter supporter of womxn in the arts, and to be part of a strong, smart, forward moving, feminist organization.
Cara Winsor Hehir is a loud-mouthed feminightmare. She works as a visual and performance artist – performing stand up and musical comedy as Swervy Garland - with a focus on intersectional feminism. Her album, Great Big Ditties, was released in December 2018. While Cara loves being on a stage, she became a PerSISter to be a quieter supporter of womxn in the arts, and to be part of a strong, smart, forward moving, feminist organization.
Jocelyn Young
Jocelyn Young is an advocate for the women and human rights, particularly in the areas of pro-choice, education, political and judicial matters in Newfoundland and Labrador. A Twillingate-native, Jocelyn works in logistics and distribution, and has been a right-hand-woman with The Telegram for many years. Her experience as a mother to four children reinforces her strength as a “get-it-done” go-getter and straight-talker on the PerSIStence board of directors.
Jocelyn Young is an advocate for the women and human rights, particularly in the areas of pro-choice, education, political and judicial matters in Newfoundland and Labrador. A Twillingate-native, Jocelyn works in logistics and distribution, and has been a right-hand-woman with The Telegram for many years. Her experience as a mother to four children reinforces her strength as a “get-it-done” go-getter and straight-talker on the PerSIStence board of directors.
