Board of Directors

Photo by: Shahadat Rahman

COLIN TAYLOR

Chair
Founder of Theatre WUM

Colin Taylor is an award-winning theatre director and producer in Canada. Currently, he is the Producing Artistic Director of Arts&Science Performance Company. Before this, Colin was the Founding Artistic Producer of the company Theatre WUM, and the Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille. He is also a playwright, teacher, designer, sound and video editor, literary critic and dramaturge. Colin graduated from the University of Toronto, in Drama and Philosophy, and is a former Rotary with an honour’s degree. He is a Rotary Foundation International Scholar at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

Donna McCurvin

Vice-President & Secretary
Executive Director,
IRIE Music Festival Incorporated

Donna McCurvin is the current executive director of the IRIE Music Festival. Donna’s career includes more than 15 years of experience developing, planning, producing and marketing music festivals, conferences and lectures ranging from 200 to 100,000 attendees. Highlights of Donna’s career includes co-publishing WORD Magazine for 20 years, serving as Vice-President & Treasurer of the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated, a not-for-profit organization, and co-producing the IRIE Music Festival since its inception in 2002. Donna McCurvin and Phillip Vassell were awarded the Harry Jerome Award for Excellence in Business in 2000. Donna received her B.Sc. in Chemistry & Biochemistry from the University of Toronto and has completed Managing Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis courses at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies.

PAUL BRIDGE, CPA, CGA

Treasurer
Manager of Finance and Administration,
Protagon Display Inc.

Paul Bridge is a CPA, CGA and currently the Manager of Finance and Administration at Protagon Display Inc., a POS Display manufacturer. Paul has over 25 years’ experience, working primarily in the small to medium business area, where he is able to put his business and leadership skills to work and a strategic partner at the table. Paul is an Accounting and Finance graduate from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology.

Owen Gordon, CPA, CA

Treasurer
Strategic Advisor,
Trews Advisors

Owen Gordon is an accomplished Finance and Business leader, with a history of demonstrated achievements contributing to superior performance through business and corporate development, relationship management, and the establishment of strong strategic partnerships. With Trews Advisor, Owen serves as a trusted independent advisor, providing strategic guidance and direction to clients in the areas of Finance and Business Development. He has over 20 years’ experience developing strategic business plans, creating investor collateral and negotiating partnership agreements for early-stage companies across multiple industries. Owen received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor, and he is a designated Chartered Professional Accountant.

Phil Vassell

Executive Director
Former Publisher & Director of Sales,
Word Magazine

Phil Vassell is the Artistic Director of the Sauga City Music Festival and Conference, and the Executive Director of the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated, which produced TUMF and the IRIE Music Festival. He is the Co-founder/Publisher of Word Magazine, Canada's award-winning Black culture magazine which was published successfully from 1992 to 2012. Phil is a Harry Jerome Award Winner for Excellence in Business (2000) for WORD Magazine alongside Donna McCurvin. Before this, Phil acquired years of experience in radio and television broadcasting as the Advertising Manager at CIUT 89.5 FM and a key contributor to the launch of U of T’s campus/community radio station in 1987, and as a researcher at CBC National TV News including as a reporter at CBC TV News Windsor. Phil studied Political Science at the University of Toronto.