Executive Director & Curator

Jennifer Stead, BFA, Dip in Art Ed, MFA  joined the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery as Executive Artistic Director & Curator in 2017.  Along with a successful professional art practice, Jennifer has over 25 years of art education experience having worked in five provinces and at all levels of visual art education.

She received her BFA at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, completed an Arts Education degree at McGill University and completed her MFA at the University of Calgary, winning the 2007 Chancellor’s Medal. She was a Director and Treasurer at ArtsNB for two terms and is a founding member of the Art Centre Directors Association of New Brunswick.

2026 Board of Directors

Elspeth Hagan 

Chair of the Board of Directors

Elspeth has spent most of her thirty year career as a lawyer advising global organizations ranging from engineering giant Siemens to McCain Foods and TD Bank Group. A graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall, Elspeth built her practice in the business law section of McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto (with a focus on Information Technology and Intellectual Property). Fifteen years ago, Elspeth relocated from Toronto to New Brunswick to be closer to family.

Since 2016, Elspeth has called the District of Carleton North (Lakeville) home. She is passionate about community involvement and has served on numerous boards, particularly museums, galleries, and cultural organizations. Prior to her career in law, Elspeth’s first love was archaeology. She studied and worked on excavations (Egypt, Ontario) and in museums and galleries (Australia, UK, and Toronto). Elspeth continues to feed her soul through her volunteer work with the 4H Arts and Crafts group and ALMAG.

Carol Brennan

Treasurer

Carol grew up on a farm in the Annapolis Valley and spent her career working in the agricultural industry. After graduating from the University of Maine, Orono with a degree in Agriculture & Resource Economics she was employed the the federal and provincial departments of agriculture for ten years, becoming the first female District Agriculturist in New Brunswick. Carol went on to work for ten years with the Mutual Insurance companies and twenty years with Farm Credit Canada.
Carol was a long-time 4-H leader, a founding member of the Bath Access Centre and the Northern Carleton Minor Basketball Association, served as a member and chair of the CNHS Parent Support Committee, was treasurer for the CNHS music program for many years. She is a member of the Catholic Women’s League and the Florenceville Rotary Club.
She and her husband, Joe, have four children and six grandchildren. They recently retired from thirty -five years of farming and enjoy still living on the farmstead in Johnville.

Karie Young

Secretary

With a professional background spanning business development, hotel management, business ownership, retail merchandising and buying, and account management, Karie Young brings both creative insight and practical experience to the board.

Karie’s work has consistently centred on relationship-building, thoughtful leadership, entrepreneurship, and supporting community growth.

A strong believer in the importance of arts and culture in rural communities, she is passionate about helping create spaces where creativity, conversation, and connection can flourish.

David Bailey

Board Member

Laurel Bradstreet

Board Member

Laurel Bradstreet joined the Gallery Board in 2023 as the representative from the District of Carleton North. A dedicated volunteer, Laurel Bradstreet has been a resident of the District of Carleton North for over 35 years. He brings to his new role a strong enthusiasm for volunteering, arts and culture.

Vicky Lentz

Board Member

Vicky Lentz is a visual artist based in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Her multidisciplinary practice explores the resilience and quiet presence of the living world.

Drawing inspiration from natural and often overlooked environments, her work reflects a deep engagement with place, observation, and material process. In addition to her studio practice, she is an active member of the regional arts community through exhibitions, collaborations, and mentorships.

Vicky brings to the board a strong commitment to supporting artists and strengthening connections within the arts sector.

Joy Lockhart

Board Member

Joy Lockhart joined the Board of the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery in May of 2022. She is a retired Physiotherapist following forty years of practice.

Joy came to Bristol after practicing in four other provinces, and has remained in the area since 1986. She and her husband raised three children, and are now blessed with nine grandchildren, all perfect.

Joy has been involved with the PSSC, and the Board of the River View Manor. She formed and captained a seventeen member running group, which participated in the annual Cabot Trail Relay race, formed a book club, and helped initiate a local running club. She is a lover of the outdoors and nature.

Liz MacDougall

Board Member

Amrit Pal Singh

Board Member

Amrit Pal Singh is a young supply chain professional at McCain Foods with experience in operations and process improvement. Originally from India, he has lived in Canada for nearly five years and completed his Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University in 2025. During his studies, he gained professional experience with employers across New Brunswick, and has lived in multiple communities throughout the province.

Known for a results-driven mindset, Amrit has led projects from initiation to implementation, with a focus on efficiency and long-term impact. Now based in Woodstock, he is passionate about leadership, community engagement, and creating meaningful change. He currently serves on the Woodstock Youth Council, collaborating with peers to bring forward ideas to municipal leaders. He is also a recipient of the Frank H. Sobey Award for excellence in business studies and has participated in various leadership programs and conferences.

Cathy Stephenson

Board Member

Cathy Stephenson is a retired educator with a 35-year teaching and administrative career. A native of Saint John, Stephenson relocated to Florenceville in 1979 upon completing her Bachelor of Education degree from UNB. She later obtained her Masters of Education in curriculum and Instruction from UNB. Invested in the cultural and educational vitality of Carleton County, Stephenson actively serves on the Florenceville Rotary Club, and the board of the Carleton North Imagination Library.

Cathy and her husband Carl have three children and six grandchildren who keep them busy.

She is eager to bring her collaborative leadership, deep community roots, and passion for rural enrichment to her role on the Board of Directors for the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery.

Karen Taylor

Board Member

Karen O. Taylor, O.N.B. is a dedicated community leader with a lifelong commitment to inclusion, governance, and the arts. A former director of education at the NB Human Rights Commission, she played a key role in shaping public policy and advancing equality. She has served on numerous boards, including UNB, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Kings Landing Foundation. She was the first woman president of Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Now based in Woodstock, Karen continues to support local organizations, including the Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery, where she is honoured to serve as a board member. She has an organizational development consulting business and brings expertise in governance, fundraising, and strategic planning to strengthen arts initiatives. In 2024, Karen received the Order of New Brunswick in recognition of her "lifelong dedication to addressing injustice, improving others' lives, and supporting ventures that make her community, province, and country better."

Karen Birnie

Previous Chair

Karen Birnie is a retired educator who dedicated her career, spanning over 30 years, to working with and advocating for children with Learning Disabilities.  As a special education teacher, literacy lead and Vice Principal, in Toronto, Karen worked to build the literacy skills and confidence of elementary children.  Karen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Allison University, a Bachelor of Education from Queens University, followed by Specialists in Special Education and Reading from the University of Toronto and then her Principal Qualifications from the Ontario Principal’s Council. Upon retirement in 2016, Karen returned to her Carleton Country roots, where she continues to support the development of literacy skills, as a volunteer Tutor Co-ordinator and Board member with Northern Carleton Laubach Literacy Council.  Karen is honoured to be an ALMAG Board member, supporting the Gallery’s mission of increasing the access, awareness and appreciation of art in her community.

Kevin Flanagan, Ex Officio

space

Kevin Flanagan, Ex Officio, was former Chair for many years. During his tenure the gallery developed and grew. Kevin remains dedicated to the success of the gallery and continues to volunteer in many capacities.

Nancy McCauley 

V.C. 2020

Nancy grew up in Montreal where she received her Bachelor of Commerce degree from Concordia University. In 1992, she and her husband Mark moved to Florenceville. In 2005 as a municipal councillor, Nancy joined the Andrew & Laura McCain Library and Gallery board, which originally operated as one entity. Nancy has been involved with the Gallery board ever since and loves the art journey that she is on. In that time, she has witnessed the Gallery and cultural community flourish in the Town of Florenceville-Bristol, a place that she is proud to call home.