Meet the Board

CHAIR

Maria has a 30-year career as a city planner, of which 14 years were spent working for the Town of Whitby.  In that time, Maria collaborated with many Whitby organizations and community partners, including the Station Gallery, to support community development and strengthen community connections by highlighting the role of places to bring people together.

Among the dynamic projects Maria worked on, one was leading a team in the development of Whitby’s first Culture Plan – Culture Connects Whitby – in which Station Gallery is a key partner in supporting the vision that culture connects people, creativity, communities, places, and stories.

Maria has made Whitby home since 2007 and retired from the Town of Whitby in 2021. Maria now volunteers by supporting organizations that are critical community connectors and hubs – among them, the Whitby Library, the Whitby-Ajax Community Garden Project, and Parkwood National Historic Museum.

SECRETARY

Nancy Harper is Director, Human Resources at a private sector organization, where she is passionate about building inclusive, engaging workplaces where people feel valued and connected. With a long-standing appreciation for the arts and their power to bring communities together, Nancy is proud to support the gallery’s mission to make art accessible, inspiring, and welcoming to all. She believes creative spaces are essential for fostering connection, conversation, and cultural vibrancy. A Whitby resident for over 25 years, Nancy volunteers with both Station Gallery and Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre. Her commitment to giving back is deeply rooted in the example set by her parents, who were active members of the Kinsmen and Kinette service organizations in West Hill, Ontario.

TREASURER

Director, Human Resources – Ontario Power Generation Helen started her career with Ontario Power Generation over 25 years ago and has worked in various human resources, project and construction roles supporting Pickering and Darlington Nuclear. Helen is an experienced and people-focused leader and has overseen several large teams across the company throughout her career. She is currently the Director of Human Resources supporting HR programs and services across the company. In addition to her Board role at Station Gallery, Helen also sits on the Board for Skills Ontario, a not-for-profit organization that promotes skilled trades and technologies to youth throughout Ontario. Born and raised in Toronto, Helen now lives in Whitby enjoying the empty nest life with her husband. She is happiest when the 2 youngest come back from university and when she can visit the oldest in Thunder Bay. In her spare time Helen enjoys hiking, working out, travelling, listening to a good podcast and is an avid Toronto sports fan.

DIRECTOR

Tamara is a management consultant, specializing in strategic initiatives, change management, and program development and delivery. She brings extensive senior leadership experience across the telecom, broadcast, and utility sectors. A longtime Whitby resident since 1990, Tamara is actively engaged in her community through volunteer work. She is also an artist and instructor, creating sculpture in her Whitby studio and leading annual stone sculpture workshops.

DIRECTOR

Leila Farsi is an Iranian-Canadian visual artist whose work explores themes of identity, memory, and belonging through a distinctive visual language shaped by her Iranian heritage and immigrant experience in Canada. Integrating contemporary artistic approaches with the rich traditions of Persian calligraphy, her practice creates meaningful connections between cultural history and contemporary life. Leila has exhibited throughout Ontario, including a two-month solo exhibition at Station Gallery in 2026. Her work has been supported by the Ontario Arts Council, and she was selected to exhibit at the 2026 Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, Canada’s largest outdoor juried art fair. As a Board Director at Station Gallery, Leila contributes to community arts initiatives, cultural programming, and public engagement activities that support emerging and diverse artists. Beyond her studio practice, she actively engages with the community through workshops and educational programs, sharing the art of Persian calligraphy with audiences of diverse backgrounds. Through her work and community involvement, Leila seeks to foster cultural dialogue, inspire reflection, and create spaces where tradition and contemporary expression can meaningfully intersect.

DIRECTOR

Susan Uranowski is a Registered Nurse with a Master’s degree and extensive experience in regulatory compliance, risk management, and organizational accountability. Susan has been in involved in community engagement in Whitby since 1983. She served as President of the Southcentral Ontario Operating Room Nurses Association and led Political Action initiatives with the Durham Northumberland Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. She held a Public Relations role with the Ontario Operating Room Nurses Association. In the arts sector, she served as Principal Flute and Secretary-Treasurer of the Concordia Pops Orchestra overseeing financial stewardship, grant applications, and concert coordination. An accomplished photographer and winner of the Canadian Nurses Association Centennial Photography Competition, Susan continues to develop her creative practice as a photographer and an illustrator. Susan finds the Station Art Gallery to be very inviting and is looking forward to working with the board to help achieve their vision.

DIRECTOR

Edin Ibric, M.Ed. is an educator, artist, musician, and creative industry professional based in Durham Region. He currently serves as Program Coordinator of the Game Art program within the Faculty of Media, Art & Design at Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario. With more than 25 years of experience spanning post-secondary education, animation, interactive media, and creative production, Edin has taught across a variety of programs including Game Art, Visual Effects, Animation, Media Fundamentals-Film & Motion Design. His work focuses on fostering creativity, innovation, and industry engagement while preparing emerging artists and creators for careers in the evolving digital media landscape. In addition to his teaching and leadership roles, Edin is actively involved in applied research and creative technology initiatives. He played a key role in the development and launch of Durham College’s Mixed Reality Capture Studio, a collaborative space where students, faculty, artists, researchers, and industry partners work together on real-world projects involving virtual production, motion capture, immersive media, and digital storytelling. Prior to his career in higher education, Edin spent many years directing, producing, and supervising animated television series and feature films. His creative practice extends beyond visual media into music, where he continues to write, record, and perform with local artists and musicians throughout the region. As a member of the Station Gallery Board of Directors, Edin is passionate about supporting arts education, fostering community engagement, and creating opportunities that connect artists, educators, industry professionals, and the broader public through creative expression and cultural experiences.