Our Board

SHAWN BELL

Shawn is a partner at Edwards Bell Jewitt LLP, a law firm in Thunder Bay that mostly serves First Nations and Indigenous organizations from Treaty 9, Treaty 5, Treaty 3 and Robinson Superior Treaty territories. Shawn was in the first class at the Lakehead Law School, and before that had a career as a journalist in the Northwest Territories, northern Alberta and northern Ontario. He grew up in southern Ontario, but has settled in Thunder Bay and feels blessed to have his children born and raised in our wonderful community.

Shawn works with Indigenous organizations in the health, education and social services sectors, represents not-for-profit corporations, does governance and policy work, and has a litigation practice. Shawn also conducts workplace harassment and violence investigations both provincially and federally and is a member of the Roster of Investigators through the federal government’s workplace harassment and violence regulations.

EX-OFFICIO

MATTHEW R. HILLS

An art historian and curator with extensive experience working with collections, Matthew comes to the Gallery having served for 15 years in administrative and curatorial positions with visual arts organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Atlantic Canada.

He served as Director and Curator for Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Grenfell Art Gallery for six years and has an MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies (Art History) from the University of British Columbia. Prior to the Grenfell Art Gallery, Matthew worked in a curatorial capacity for the Vancouver Art Gallery, Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen’s University, and the University of Alberta.

In 2023 Matthew moved his family to Thunder Bay to serve as the Executive Director of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.

MITCHELL MALCOLM

Mitchell brings 12 years’ experience in civil engineering and infrastructure development to the Gallery Board. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Mitchell has spent his career focusing on civil design, construction, and maintenance. Mitchell is passionate about the outdoors, Northern Ontario, and our community. He is excited to be involved with the New Waterfront Gallery project and looks forward to the positive impact the project will have on city residents.

MARK NISENHOLT

Mark has enjoyed a rich career in the visual arts as an educator and artist. He served as Chair of the Department of Visual Arts at Lakehead University until his retirement in 2015. He helped to develop the vibrant visual arts program that now attracts more than half its students from outside Thunder Bay. A talented printmaker who earned his MFA from the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York, Mark has participated in dozens of group and solo exhibitions.

BEVERLY SABOURIN

Beverly Sabourin has had a distinguished professional, entrepreneurial, and volunteer career that has spanned more than 50 years and included time as a human rights advocate, professional counsellor, senior educational administrator, and more. Raised by her mother and grandparents in the Ojibwe community of Pic Mobert, Beverly later went on to acquire degrees in sociology (Lakehead University) and social work (McGill University), and a Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution (University of Windsor). She has made many outstanding contributions to the social, cultural, and educational advancement of her people and to the communities in which she has lived.