Dave Mowat, Chair, Alderville First Nation

Dave Mowat has spent over 30 years working in various capacities at the First Nation level, in Winnipeg, Waabaseemoong, Scugog Island and Alderville. He served on the Alderville First Nation Band Council from 2007 to 2015 and was elected Chief of the community from 2019 to 2023. His passion and focus remain researching and understanding the treaty, military, and settlement history of southern Ontario (Upper Canada).

He was educated in Peterborough, Ontario and later in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he relocated as a young man in the early 1980s, eventually attending the University of Manitoba.

As the great grandson of Alderville’s Fred Simpson, the 1908 Olympic marathon runner who placed 6th for Canada in that famous race in London, England, it is Simpson that became the window through which Dave has searched for a greater understanding of his Mississauga Nation. Since he was a young boy hearing the stories of Simpson’s heroic finish in the grueling Olympic Marathon his interest in history has never waned.

Dave is also a long-time blues musician/singer, having taken up the harmonica back in the early 1980s shortly after relocating to north end Winnipeg from southern Ontario. He still plays professionally in Toronto and south-central Ontario.

As a traditional wild rice harvester, he is a staunch defender of this aboriginal right across Alderville’s treaty areas. In the wake of the 2018 Williams Treaties Settlement Agreement Chief Dave Mowat’s main intent was and continues to be securing the settlement for the immediate and long-term viability of Alderville First Nation.

He currently sits on the Queen’s University Indigenous Elders Advisory Committee, the City of Kingston Sir John A MacDonald History and Legacy Working Group and works with the City of Kingston on the Alderville First Nation commemorative public art project (“Manidoo Ogitigan”) which was approved by City Council in 2017 for installation at Lake Ontario Park. Along with his wife Janet and their granddaughter Brooklyn, Dave lives in the home he built in Alderville (25 years ago), adjacent to his beloved Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie, where he and Janet also raised their 3 children.

Kristin Ives, Past Chair, Leamington

Kristin is currently the Curator/Education Coordinator for the John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area, a 19 acre living historical farm museum, operated by the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA). Growing up in the Hillman Marsh Conservation Area in Leamington, the interpretation of human and natural history has always been of interest to Kristin.

While attending the University of Guelph to obtain her Honours Bachelor of Arts in History and English, Kristin volunteered for the Guelph Civic Museum and McCrae House. It was in that role that she discovered her passion for museum work. She went on to obtain her Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship from Sir Sandford Fleming College, Peterborough.

Kristin began her career as the Acting Registrar for Windsor’s Community Museum. In 2000, Kristin became the Assistant Curator of the John R. Park Homestead, working under the guidance of then Curator Janet Cobban. During that same time, Kristin also worked part time for seven years as the Remedial Action Plan Assistant for the Detroit River Canadian Cleanup environmental organization.

Over the years, Kristin has volunteered extensively with Windsor’s Community Museum, the Algonquin Club, and with various other organizations. Kristin is Past-Chair of the South Western Ontario Heritage Council and serves on the Ontario Museum Association’s Regional Museums Network.

Michael Dove, First Vice-Chair, St. Thomas

Michael Dove, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and the Director and Internship Coordinator of the MA and Minor programs in Public History at Western University. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors for London’s Museum of Ontario Archaeology. A specialist in Canadian maritime, business, social and cultural history, his research and teaching interests include public history, early modern shipping, brewing, and pirates and piracy. His current projects include a history of hockey in London, Ontario and a documentary film on the history of the O-Pee-Chee Company.

His work in public history has encompassed a wide range of topics pertaining to the history of Ontario. As a recipient of Western’s Vice-Provost (Academic Programs) Award for Excellence in Collaborative Teaching, he has worked with numerous local, provincial and national community organizations including The City of London, Southwestern Ontario Region Bicentennial 1812, Labatt Breweries of Canada and Western University Archives, and the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

His profile can be viewed at: Faculty Profile.

Athol Hart, Second Vice-Chair, Kawartha Lakes

Athol began his re-enactment/living history career in 1964 age 17 at Black Creek Pioneer Village under Dr. Dorothy Duncan. He has performed in many re-enactments including playing the Baron de Rottenburg, President of Upper Canada 1813, and was the driving force behind Rebel Heartland in Newmarket in 2012 and 2018, which he wrote, scripted, and directed as well as performed in.

Athol has served as a board member and Chief Financial Officer of the Barrie Native Friendship Centre. As Chair of the Fish Fence Committee of Mnjikaning First Nation, he worked with Parks and Heritage Canada to have the fish weirs declared a National Historic Site. He served as Elder for the repatriation and reburial of First Nations remains formerly held in the Royal Ontario Museum.

Athol has been a Town Crier since 2015 and served three terms on the Board of the Ontario Guild of Town Criers. He is the Town Crier for Fenelon Falls and Bobcaygeon. As a registered crier with His Majesty’s Pageant Master Bruno Peek, Athol organized and participated in several global commemorations including one of only three registered Platinum Jubilee Beacon events in Canada, in Bobcaygeon.

Athol was involved with Heritage Newmarket from 2008 to 2019 and was Chair from 2011 to 2019. He established a Downtown Heritage Conservation District (2014) and completed Newmarket’s first Heritage Inventory. Since “retiring” to Kawartha Lakes, Athol has become Chair of the Municipal Heritage Committee, was Chair of the Culture and Heritage Network, and was Vice-Chair of the Cultural Centre Taskforce.

Athol is Regimental Genealogist for the 78th Fraser Highlanders and belongs to the Colonel’s Circle of the Royal Highland Regiment (Black Watch), Clan Fraser, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, and the Lord Lyon Society.

Athol Hart has received the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement (2013), the Ontario Historical Society’s Carnochan Award for Lifetime Achievement (2015), the Member of Parliament’s Canada 150 Medal for volunteers (2017), and Newmarket’s Arts, Heritage and Culture Award (2018). He recently received a Letter of Commendation from the Member of Parliament for his service to the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Mark Plishewsky, Secretary/Treasurer, Oshawa

Mark Plishewsky is a Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers, providing general assurance services to a variety of clients across many industries in Canada (including accounting and audit services for utilities, financial institutions, mining, NPOs, emerging tech, and manufacturing). Prior to joining PwC, Mark obtained a Bachelor of Commerce with honours specialization in accounting as well as a post-graduate diploma in accounting from Ontario Tech University (formerly University of Ontario Institute of Technology). Having successfully written the CPA common final examination, and fulfilled his experience requirements, Mark became a fully credited CPA member in November 2023.

It was during the wake of the financial crisis that Mark became impassioned with the need for more honest capital markets and institutions. This led him on a path towards the assurance profession. The “trust, but verify” idiom and emphasis on professional skepticism that underpin the field of public accounting fully align with his personal philosophy. He is honoured to be part of a profession with such rigorous standards and oversight, as well as the mandate to safeguard the public. These notions, together with his love of history, have brought Mark to the OHS Board.

Hans Bathija, Director, Toronto

Hans G. Bathija is a long-time Ontario resident, entrepreneur, and community builder. He has been a proud Ontarian since moving to Ontario from London, England in 1975. Since 1997 he has provided strategy & risk consulting services to financial institutions, governments, and technology companies. He has served in a leadership capacity with several Ontario not-for-profit organizations. He is the Past Co-Chair of Toronto Police Services 14 Division Community Police Liaison Committee, Past Chair of St. John Ambulance Toronto (where he was instrumental in setting up Museum of St. John of Ontario). and Past Master of the Honourable Company of Freemen of the City of London (England) of North America.

Currently, he serves as Chair of St. John Ambulance Toronto Honours & Recognition Committee, President of Rotary Club of Internet & Innovation, Key Music Leader for Canada for Commonwealth Resounds, and incoming Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society Toronto Branch. He is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, Royal Society for Public Health, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Society of Arts, Royal Geographical Society, Canadian Information Processing Society, British Computer Society. The College of Arms granted him arms in 2018, which were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority in 2019. He is a life member of the Ontario Historical Society, a life member of the Royal Canadian Institute, a Founder member of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada 1860 Club, a member of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, a member of the Royal Canadian Military Institute, and a Foreign Liaison Officer with Canadian Forces College. Previously, Hans served as a board member with the Royal Canadian Military Institute, Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs and Science for Peace. For his promotion of the connection between Canada and Scotland, he was made a member of the Order of the Scottish Samurai.

For his services to TPS 14 Division he was awarded the Ontario Volunteer Service Award. For his services to the Order of St. John, he was awarded the Provincial Chair’s Commendation and Chancellor’s Commendation. For his contribution to the Canadian community, he was awarded the Outstanding Asian Canadian Award. Hans graduated with a BA in Political Science from Glendon College, York University, where he completed his studies in English and French. He resides in downtown Toronto with his wife and two children.

Meghan Cameron, Director, Brantford

Meghan has been a secondary school Canadian and World Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences teacher with the Grand Erie District School Board since 2002. Since 2018, she has been the department head of Canadian and World Studies at Cayuga Secondary School in Haldimand County. Throughout her teaching career, Meghan has sought to use local history as a way to connect with her students and to connect her students to their communities.

From 2013-2021, Meghan served as the chair of the Education Committee of the Great War Centenary Association of Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations in a volunteer capacity. This project highlighted the contributions of the men and women from these communities in the Great War—including a database of over 5000 individual profiles. For their work, the organization was awarded the 2019 Veterans’ Affairs Ombudsman Commendation medal. As part of this committee, Meghan gave public lectures, workshops, walking tours of her community, and developed resources for classroom teachers to use this local history in their courses. As a result, two of Meghan’s students were chosen for the Vimy Foundation Pilgrimage Award after being inspired by the local history of their community. Meghan was also nominated for the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2018 because of her approach to using local history in her classes. In her role on this committee, she was able to give workshops and webinars to the Ontario History and Social Science Teachers Association (OHASSTA). Meghan now sits on the OHASSTA executive as Second Vice President and Editor of their blog. Working with this organization provided opportunities for leadership in the field of teaching, including co-writing and editing a course package for the new Civics curriculum in 2022.

Meghan recently completed a one-year contract as a Secondary Instructional Coach with her school board. In that role, she is now facilitating professional development to help teachers with the new de-streamed curriculum and best practices (Universal Design for Learning, Culturally Responsive, Relevant and Sustainable Pedagogies, New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, and Triangulation of Assessment).

Natasha Henry-Dixon, Director, Mississauga

Natasha Henry-Dixon is an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University. The 2018 Vanier Scholar is currently researching the enslavement of Black people in colonial Ontario in her project, “One Too Many: the Enslavement of Black People in Upper Canada, 1760-1834.”

She has been an educator for 25 years, teaching kindergarten through to university. Dr. Henry-Dixon is an award-winning author and curriculum developer, focusing on African Canadian experiences. Her publications include Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), Talking about Freedom: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (2012), a number of youth-focused titles, and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history.

Through her various professional, academic, and community roles, Dr. Henry-Dixon’s work is grounded in her commitment to research, collect, preserve, and disseminate the histories of Black Canadians.

Jenna Kirker, Director, Thunder Bay

Originally from Johnstown, Ontario, Dr. Jenna Kirker has lived and worked in Thunder Bay for over 14 years. She is currently employed as the Senior Development Officer at Confederation College.

She recently completed her PhD at McMaster University in the Wilson Institute for Canadian History, pursuing research on the role of youth in socialist and communist movements in twentieth century Canada. She holds a Master of Arts in History, an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Education degree from Lakehead University.

In April 2024, Dr. Kirker joined the OHS as an external member of the OHS Development Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Directors.

Candice McCavitt, Director, Toronto

Candice McCavitt (she/her) is currently the Major Gifts Officer for the Toronto Humane Society. She’s taken this step outside of the heritage and culture fields, where she built the foundations of her career, in order to expand her professional practice in fundraising and equity-based community engagement work.

Candice earned an Honours BA in History from York University, a MA in Public History from Carleton University, a post-grad certificate in Community Engagement, Leadership, and Development from Toronto Metropolitan University, and most recently received her CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) accreditation.

Candice began her professional career in public programming, focusing on educational workshops, community events, and interpretation programming at several institutions including Grey Roots Museum and Archives, The Canadian National Exhibition, Scarborough Museum, and Black Creek Pioneer Village. She joined Heritage Toronto in 2015, first as the Plaques Program Coordinator before rising to become the Manager of Community Engagement (2016-2019) and Manager of Development (2019-2023). During her tenure at Heritage Toronto, she was responsible for revitalizing both the Tours and Heritage Toronto Awards program, as well as developing, funding, and executing both the Emerging Historians program and the Equity Heritage Initiative.

Candice believes strongly that performing heritage work, whether paid or volunteer, is a privilege. As such, it requires a commitment to pursuing meaningful and equitable partnerships; examining and improving organizational policies and practices; and taking an active role in confronting barriers to access, inclusivity, diversity, and equity.

Sarah Pirani, Director, Toronto

As an employee of the Ontario Historical Society from 2014-15, Sarah became familiar with the John McKenzie House site while collaborating with the City of Toronto and heritage architecture professionals on built infrastructure projects, most notably the House’s major slate roof replacement.

She brings experience working in three museums across Canada, including managing and growing the government grants and corporate partnerships portfolio at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. She gained experience in business development and building partnerships to drive impact at a university for women in Bangladesh, at a Canadian cleantech accelerator, at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, and currently with Hydro One.

Sarah has a Bsc in Environmental Biology and Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Guelph, and volunteers as a member of the Aga Khan Park Landscape Management Committee.