STAFF
Executive Director
CHRISSY DICKS
Chrissy Dicks is an arts worker of Mi’kmaq and settler heritage from Corner Brook, NL. She has been instrumental in Lawnya Vawnya’s growth since 2013 and is now the organization’s Executive Director. Chrissy also works as First Light’s community events consultant, helping to coordinate the annual Spirit Song Festival. With over 10 years of experience working in the industry, Chrissy’s main area of interest is community building through art and culture. Chrissy has a B.A from Memorial University and completed post graduate studies at NSCAD University. She now lives in St. John’s, NL.
Programming Director
SARAH HARRIS
Sarah Harris is a musician, sound engineer, and arts worker from St. John’s, NL. With a primary focus on community organizing, performance, composition, and recording, Sarah is the Programming Director for Lawnya Vawnya’s, a recording engineer, and a live and session musician. Writing and performing musical styles ranging from folk to experimental, Sarah has worked as a film composer for a handful of Canadian short films and performed or engineered on recent releases by Knitting, Backxwash, Amery, and Kelly McMichael. Sarah holds a BA from Memorial University in English and Folklore, and a BFA in Music in Electroacoustic Creative Practices from Concordia University. Sarah has been with LV since 2019.
Marketing Director + Graphic Design
NORA DE MARIAFFI
Nora de Mariaffi is a artist, seamstress, and arts worker based in St. John's, NL. She holds a degree in Community Arts Education from Concordia University and a certificate in Graphic Design from OCAD. She has worked for Lawnya Vawnya since 2021 and currently works as Marketing Director & Graphic/Web Designer. She is co-admin at I Don’t Do Comics, a comic publication open to everyone. She also owns and operates a small slow-made apparel brand out of her studio in Downtown St. John's. De Mariaffi was born in Ontario, studied in Quebec, and has now returned to the province she calls home, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Technical Director
MICHELLE LACOUR
Michelle LaCour is an ECMA-nominated and MusicNL award-winning audio engineer in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. After earning a Bachelor of Music in piano and historical musicology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, she went on to complete a Masters of Music in sound recording at McGill University, where she worked as an audio engineer and as a camera operator and director for the Schulich School of Music webcast series. Michelle has worked as a recording, mixing, and mastering engineer for classical and jazz ensembles, folk and pop acts, rock bands, and electronic artists. She has worked as a videographer, producer, and livestream engineer; as a live sound engineer at venues across Eastern Canada; and has held Technical Director roles for various festivals and conferences including the Sound Symposium, Lawnya Vawnya, the Tuckamore Festival, and the 21st Century Guitar. She has worked on a number of films and theatrical productions as a sound designer and composer, and her work as a location sound recordist has taken her all over our beautiful province. Michelle is also an educator, mentoring emerging audio engineers and giving workshops on topics such as location sound recording; music recording, mixing, and mastering; and videography.
Logistics Coordinator
SALOME BARKER
Salome Barker, of Mi'kmaw and Irish ancestry from Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, is based in St. John's. She works in the arts and community sectors, hosting "Good Medicine" on CBC Radio and contributing to Indigenous music from the East Coast. Salome previously specialized in events at First Light Friendship Centre and holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis Xavier University. Salome has been attending Lawnya Vawnya since 2013 and sat on the programming committee from 2021-2022.
BOARD
Chair
MARA PELLERIN
Mara Pellerin is a musician, songwriter and educator living in St. John’s, NL. She has toured across Canada and internationally as a horn player and vocalist, and is featured on over a dozen studio recordings as a collaborator with a number of artists. Mara has served on the board of directors since 2017 and is proud to be a part of the Lawnya Vawnya team!
Vice Chair
GLEN MAY
Glen lives in St. John’s with his partner Jess, his daughter Ellery and their three cats. He has been actively involved in promoting and performing in the local music community for over a decade.
At Large
ALLISON CONNORS BROPHY
Allison grew up in and resides in downtown St. John’s and is currently the Events & Communications Manager for Terra Bruce Productions. Allison is a Certified Nutrition Practitioner (CNP) who has spent over a decade in the food, beverage, & hospitality industry. Allison has also spent time as an entrepreneur, hosting unique seasonal dining experiences in different venues across St. John’s. Allison has participated in the Lawnya Vawnya Festival as both a caterer and an attendee since moving back home in 2016 and has been thrilled to serve as a board member since 2020. When not working, cooking, or obsessing over table-scapes on Instagram, you can find her either on the trails or lounging with her partner Harry and their handsome cat Ralph.
At Large
CHRISTEEN FRANCIS
Christeen Francis is a printmaker and musician based in St John’s, NL where she currently works as director of St Michael’s Printshop. She is committed to social and political print that engages with local communities and the public at large and she likes to play in bands. She has exhibited in Canada, the United States, Germany, and Iceland, and is a member of the Justseeds Artist Cooperative.
At Large
ELSA SIMMS
Elsa Simms is a musician and museum professional from St. John’s. She is currently pursuing her PhD in community archaeology at MUNL and has most notably curated exhibits such as Punk Rock Pearl for Admiralty House Communications Museum. Elsa started playing in punk bands as a teenager and still plays in several local bands today. She is passionate about making heritage, archaeology, history, and punk accessible through inclusive programming and community engagement.
At Large
NADIA DUMAN
Nadia Duman (she/they) is an immigrant from Guayaquil, Ecuador living in St John’s, Newfoundland (Ktaqmkuk) since 2014. She is a self-taught songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with over 14-years of experience performing a variety of genres including Hardcore, Punk Rock, Electronic and traditional Latin music. Currently, they are an active member of locally/nationally recognized musical projects including CUERPOS, Despertá and So Violento. Nadia has been praised for her hypnotic vocals and their experimental approach to guitar-playing which showcases her capacity to generate genre-bending sounds. Through their music, they reflect on the isolating nature of living on an island, issues with geographic mobility, the meaning of belonging, heartbreak as well as their immigration journey.
At Large
COREY STEINKE
Corey Steinke (he/him) is a Colorado-born, Montreal-bred, St. John’s-based DJ, organizer & producer. He performs under the moniker Corey Clocksy, and relocated to St. John’s in 2023 with his partner Sarah & dog Mabel. He works in artist and label services at Mega Labs and is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Memorial University.
At Large
JONNY LUSH
Jonny Lush is a lifelong member and contributor to the St. John’s music community.
In 2015 he founded the local organization DarkNL Community Darkroom which continues to provide local photography programming, workshops and installations.
He is an educator and spends most of his time taking photos and walking his dog, Lottie.