President
Ms. Unterhoffer has a decade of experience in public administration and public policy. She is the Corporate Secretary and Director of Strategic Planning, including Chief Information and Privacy Officer, at the Canadian Museum of History-the most-visited Museum in Canada.
Throughout her 15-year career, Ms. Unterhoffer was fortunate to have been afforded numerous professional developmental opportunities, which lead to several promotions and the appointment to her current position. Her passion for corporate governance and compliance with public policy dates back to 2005 when she assisted in the coordination of a special examination conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Prior to working in the administration side of the Museum, Ms. Unterhoffer worked in the client services sector at the Museum from 1998 to 2001.
Ms. Unterhoffer has been a volunteer in the cultural sector in Ottawa/Gatineau since 2017. She is a proud member of the Ottawa Regional Heritage Fair Steering Committee. This past summer, Ms. Unterhoffer was delighted to mentor three emerging professionals through the mentorship program at Capital Heritage Connexion and took part in a Ask the Expert panel discussion. More recently, she joined the Board of Directors of Capital Heritage Connexion as Vice-President and is currently Acting President.
Ms. Unterhoffer is a firm believer in ongoing professional development. She has undertaken a variety of training in areas such as executive leadership, privacy protection, policy development, crown corporation governance, performance measurement, business writing and assertive communication.
Past President
Kelly works at the Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum. Kelly holds a BFAH in Fine Arts from Queens University. She is a communications and marketing specialist with over 15 years of experience in the cultural sector. She specializes in marketing, business development, revenue generation strategy development, fundraising, and web and social media development.
Kelly currently serves on the Membership Committee for the West Ottawa Board of Trade, the Ottawa Museum Network Marketing Committee, and represents the Diefenbunker Museum at Ottawa Tourism. In her spare time, Kelly spends time creating art, and exploring our vibrant city with her family.
Treasurer
Justin works for the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) as their Corporate Services Manager. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in accounting from the University of Ottawa and is currently working towards his CPA designation. Upon graduating in 2012, Justin went to work for the finance department of Centretown Community Health Centre in Ottawa. He has remained in the non-profit sector since joining CAUBO, where is currently responsible for their accounting, reporting, information technology, human resources, and operational support.
Director
Jim is the Creative Director of Haunted Walks Inc., Canada’s largest walking tour company offering experiences in Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto, Ontario. He holds a BA from the University of Western Ontario and an MA in Film Studies from Carleton University. For the past 15 years he has lead product innovation and marketing initiatives for The Haunted Walk. This includes, the popular “Haunted Talks” podcast he hosts, and the hours of video content he has produced. Jim is also the owner of James Dean Creative, which offers consulting services in the areas of marketing, innovation and customer service.
Director
David Dean, Professor of History at Carleton University, holds a BA and MA from Auckland, a PhD from Cambridge, and came to Ottawa after teaching for over a decade at the University of London, England. Co-ordinator of Carleton’s MA in Public History, David teaches a variety of courses on public history, museums, and performance and facilitates the undergraduate practicum and graduate internship programmes.
Co-Director of Carleton’s Centre for Public History, he is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Theatre, University of Ottawa, and a member of the steering committee of the International Federation for Public History. David is a long-time activist with the Workers’ History Museum and currently leads their Ottawa 2017 Arts, Culture, and Heritage Investment Program project, Capital History Kiosks.
Secretary
Teigan Goldsmith works at the Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator. She oversees all social media, marketing, advertising and communications needs as well as provides tours of the facility.
She has a BAH in History from Trent University and a Graduate Diploma in Museum Management and Curatorial Studies from Fleming College. The Diefenbunker Museum is her first job out of school since graduating in 2019 and is looking forward to working in Ottawa’s heritage sector for many years to come.
Director
André is the owner of Chapter One, a design and production company that specializes in conceptualizing, designing, and delivering exhibit experiences. By blending business requirements with form and function, he offers well-designed solutions that target and engage audiences. With a strong connection to Ottawa’s cultural community, he hopes to maximize the CHC’s stakeholder engagement by building stronger partnerships.
Director
Cindy Stelmackowich is an artist, curator, and academic. She has a BA and BFA from the University of Saskatchewan, MA focusing in Cultural Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies from Carleton University, and Ph.D. in the History and Theory of Art from Binghamton University, New York. She has a studio at the Enriched Bread Artists in Ottawa, and her artworks have been exhibited across Canada, the United States, and Europe in solo and group exhibitions.
As a museum professional, Cindy has developed innovative curatorial projects that often feature historical artifacts. She has planned exhibitions for the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Museum of Nature, Bytown Museum, Canadian Consulate in New York, as well as for contemporary art galleries, including the Dalhousie University Art Gallery, Carleton University Art Gallery, Enriched Bread Artists, and Artists Space in New York City.