Board of Directors
The Obsidian Board of Directors is a diverse group of professionals that is passionate about theatre and supporting Black artistic excellence in Canada. As a board we believe in the power of Black artists and their work; the intrinsic value of mentorship; and that artsworkers should be paid a living wage. We help to facilitate the fulfilment of the mission and mandate of Obsidian Theatre through good governance, collaboration, and meeting the goals of strategic initiatives. We are fierce stewards dedicated to ensuring the sustainable growth and continued presence of Obsidian as a gathering place for Black artists for many generations to come.
We are currently seeking additional members to join the Board. To get in touch please contact the Board Chair at: chair@obsidiantheatre.org
Beverley Thomas-Barnes
Board Chair
Board member since 2020
Walter Gibbons
Treasurer
Board member since 2004
Stacey Norton
Stacey Norton
Secretary
Stacey Norton has been a Toronto-based theatre producer and consultant since 2006. In 2013, her journey took a unique turn, as she transitioned into the world of Audit Quality & Risk Management and now, Audit People & Culture at a professional services firm. Today, Stacey serves as the Senior Manager of Global Audit People and Culture, where she champions innovation in the people space.Her passion lies in leveraging technology, centralization, automation, and thoughtful design to drive success across all areas that support professionals achieving their goals; learning and development, technology, and service tools to name a few. Stacey believes enhancing the ‘people experience’ is integral to achieving sustainable success.Stacey is a proud member of two award-winning not-for-profit boards: Obsidian Theatre Company and bluemouth inc.
Ashima Chopra
Ashima Chopra
Director
As an advocate for innovation and a living embodiment of resilience, Ashima is a first-generation lawyer turned angel investor. Challenging the status quo, Ashima has carved out her own path to success and believes in inspiring others to do the same. Her mission to democratize access to capital, champion women, and cultivate spaces for the world’s troublemakers and truth-seekers is fundamental to her ambitions. This through-line comes to life across venture, business and tech in her roles as Community Manager at Toast, Board Member of two award-winning organizations, Obsidian Theatre Company and hEr VOLUTION, and the founder of a holistic wellness company. Embodying “the sky’s the limit” ethos, Ashima is drawn to supporting heart-centered teams with goosebump-y missions.
Kevin Hanchard
Director
Board member since 2018
Alistair Hepburn
Alistair Hepburn
Director
Alistair Hepburn (he/him) is the Executive Director of ACTRA Toronto. Alistair is proud of the work he does, but more so of the work done by the incredibly talented ACTRA membership. A lifelong theatre junkie, he is extremely rewarded by the work done as a small part of the team at the Obsidian Theatre Company.
Renee Laforet
Renee Laforet
Director
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This timeless quote by writer Maya Angelou guides Renee Laforet.
With over two decades of experience leading leaders of large teams delivering complex transformations and technology services, Renee has coached and mentored leaders at all levels to excel and positively impact their results. Renee retired from the City of Toronto in her role as Interim Chief Technology Officer in 2023 and previously served as a Chief Information Officer for five ministries in the province among other leadership roles in health, social services and enterprise-wide technology strategy, policy and architecture. With her desire to continue to contribute, she is serving as Senior Vice President of Transformation for Infrastructure Ontario.
Being an only at many executive tables for most of her career, she is a passionate mentor and sponsor, deeply committed to helping women and youth through groups like the Girls eMentorship program and the Black Professionals in Technology Network. Renee also serves on the Board of Directors for ThriveYouth, a charitable organization that supports youth facing barriers to success through art-based leadership programs.
Renee is a graduate of the Queen’s Executive Program, has an Honours B.A. in Economics from University of Waterloo and is a Certified Mastery Method Coach from the Institute for Coaching Mastery. She is an avid pool player, Toronto International Film Festival contributor, and lives in Toronto with her husband of 30 years and their daughter, who have stood as pillars of strength and encouragement throughout her journey.
Jacqueline Spencer
Jacqueline Spencer
Director
Jacqueline Spencer is a collaborative and inclusive leader who harnesses the best in teams and works with the community to drive positive change and solutions that benefit the public. With over 20 years experience in leadership roles, her expertise spans strategic planning, service delivery, and community engagement.
Throughout her career, Jacqueline has demonstrated a deep commitment to ethical decision-making, and innovation, successfully guiding organizations through periods of change, with a focus on long-term value creation. Passionate about mentoring emerging leaders, she is dedicated to cultivating a culture of respect and engagement in every role she undertakes.
Jacqueline brings a unique blend of people leadership, strategic insight, operational expertise, and a proven track record of driving results. She is committed to supporting the board’s mission and advancing initiatives that benefit both the organization and broader community.
Sandy Thomas
Sandy Thomas
Director
Sandy Thomas recently retired from a distinguished career with the federal civil service having built a reputation for excellence, equity and fairness as a criminal prosecutor. She was Senior Counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) in Toronto, where she practised criminal and constitutional law for 30 years.
Sandy received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Music from York University and her J.D. from Rutgers University, School of Law (Camden). She was called to the bar in Ontario in 1992 and is a former member of the Bars of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Prior to joining the federal government, she was Assistant Counsel to Governor Thomas H. Kean of New Jersey.
Equal to Sandy’s love and respect for the law, is her personal commitment to the legal community and community at large. She is the founding president of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers (CABL) and has been a member of the Black Female Lawyers Network (BFLN) since its inception. .
Sandy is an accomplished musician. She feeds her musical soul through her membership on the board of the Jazz Performance and Education Centre (JPEC), where she is currently chair of the Outreach committee. She has applied her fundraising expertise to numerous important causes including organizing “Jazz at the Drake,” to raise funds for the York University-Westview Partnership and the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics and Character Education (Y.A.A.A.C.E.). In addition, for three years, Sandy organized Rock for LIFE (Lawyers International Food Enterprise). LIFE raises awareness and funds supporting programs focused upon with child poverty in Africa, namely World Vision and the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Sandy’s role as a trailblazer in law and community has been continuously recognized through the receipt of various awards from both the legal community and the community at large.
Lisa-Marie Williams
Lisa-Marie Williams
Director
Lisa-Marie Williams is a versatile, service-oriented in-house lawyer who is experienced in advising large-scale organizations on complex legal, compliance, and policy matters. Currently, she is Senior Legal Counsel, Corporate at The Ottawa Hospital where she conducts complex contract negotiations, manages the Hospital’s Legislative and Regulatory Compliance Program, and advises key internal stakeholders on risk management.
Since graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in 2010 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 2016, she has worked for various public interest organizations including the provincial legislature, a human rights legal clinic, a law reform agency, a provincial trial court, and a provincial regulator. Her time in each of these fast-paced, yet collaborative and supportive, workplaces has refined her expertise in corporate law, regulatory compliance and risk management.
Lisa-Marie has also volunteered with non-profit organizations focused on community development and/or youth engagement, including TMU’s Alumni Association, Toronto District School Board’s Community Advisory Committee, TMU’s Tri-Mentoring Program, Girls E-Mentorship and the Black Opportunity Fund. She believes nurturing, inclusive and intellectually stimulating spaces make a monumental difference for members of historically marginalized communities and, as a result, she consistently searches for opportunities to support organizations dedicated to creating and/or maintaining such spaces. In 2023, Lisa-Marie was elected to TMU’s Board of Governors. She is honoured to serve on the board of a public institution that has given her a solid education, life-long friends, and access to a thriving cultural community.
Outside of work and volunteer activities, Lisa-Marie is an avid reader of contemporary literary fiction as well as a devoted fan of live music – anything from local artist showcases to international music festivals.