NS Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage - NS Tourism Partnership Members

Member Profiles

	Eric Mullin Eric is the Chair of the Tourism Partnership Council. He has been the Managing Director of Canadvac Travel and Eastour Services for the past twenty years and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Acadia University. He has been a member of the Canadian Tourism Commission's Working Committee for Europe and Latin America since 2002. Eric has served in various capacities including: former President of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia and former Co-Chair of the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership. He is interested in ecology and preservation of endangered landscapes and rural communities. He has held a number of volunteer positions including: former President Forest Capital of Canada Society and former President Queens Cooperative Society.

	Chris Miller Chris is the immediate past Chair of the Tourism Partnership Council. He joined the Council after serving for 5 years on the Council's Product Development and subsequent Long Term Integrated Planning Committees and currently sits on the Tourism Vision Team. He has served as the project leader for the Vision Quality Recommendations and overseen the work of the Quality Vision Team for the past 2 years. Chris also serves as the Chair of the Executive Committee of Council. Chris is the President of Resource Management and Consulting, a Halifax based property operations and managment company and Co-Principal in the 4Site Group, an urban planning and development consulting firm. Since 1998 he has operated the Shubie Park Campground located in Dartmouth. This work has led him to become engaged as a member of both Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) and the Campground Owners Association of Nova Scotia, serving as Vice President since 2004 and Board member since 2001. His background includes studies in Economics and Urban Planning and has held senior roles in both public and private sector organizations. He has a long standing interest in research, quality and continuous improvement, demographics and public opinion and trend analysis. Chris is a long standing member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, the Atlantic Planners Institute and the Licensed Professional Planners Association of Nova Scotia. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council.

	Chris Larsen Chris is the President of Larsen Marketing Solutions in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

	Tanya Taylor White Tanya is the Marketing and Communications Manager for Parks Canada in Mainland Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Tanya has served on various tourism committees and Boards over the past 10 years including the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS), the Province as well as Parks Canada. Tanya has a Public Relations Degree from Mount Saint Vincent University. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Council and serves as the Vice Chair.

	Sean Buckland Sean Buckland is Owner of Valley Wine Tours as well as a Marketing Director with the Winery Association of Nova Scotia. Since graduating from the Association of Sommelier's Atlantic Provinces Sommelier Certification Program in 2004, Sean has become known throughout the province as champion of the best of Nova Scotia wine. A tireless worker and a leading tour guide, on the Valley Wine Tours side of the business, Sean can often be found in the vineyards of the local wineries or tending his own vines. Sean’s enthusiasm for the local industry is palpable.

	Kim Whytock A tourism strategist, Kim works with Canadian and international travel suppliers, tour operators and destination marketing organizations to develop and market experiential travel opportunities and programs; experiences that responds to both traveler and travel industry expectations, and are in harmony with sustainable tourism principles. He led a Canadian Tourism Commission's task force in direction setting for the advancement of learning and experiential travel product development and its marketing; and he has designed and directed a number of Atlantic Province "product development workshops" for tourism industry members. Kim is an experienced leader of: sustainable tourism; natural and cultural heritage conservation and appreciation policy and programming; and community and protected area land use planning and management. He authored for TIAC, Parks Canada and the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) Canada's Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism and for Nova Scotia’s Tourism Vision Team (TVT) an inventory of Nova Scotia’s sustainable tourism successes in “Face and Places of Successful Tourism”.

	John Somers John is the Executive Director of the Tourism division of the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. John has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary's University and an MBA from Dalhousie University both in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After a period in Pharmaceutical sales and with the Canadian Forces, John "re-invented" himself as a market researcher and joined the Department in that capacity in 1990. He was the Department's first direct marketing officer and project-managed the first Provincial Tourism Marketing web site. In the late nineties, John joined the Department's management team, overseeing research and strategic planning. In 2001 he became the Director of Marketing and Planning with the Tourism Division and was responsible for advertising, literature, on-line marketing, the Customer Contact Center (Check-In), literature distribution and the Provincial Visitor Information Centers (VICs). John was appointed to his current position in July of this year. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council.

	Kristi Wenaus Kristi has been the Director, Sales and Partnerships for the Tourism division of the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage since January 2007. She comes to this position with sixteen years of International Tourism experience including Princess Cruises, Tourism Whistler and Marriott. Kristi spent four years studying International Tourism Management on the West Coast of Canada and is the incoming President of MPI Atlantic Canada Chapter. Her passions include international travel, environmental sustainability, musical theatre and her two sons. Kristi is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council.

	Ron MacInnis Ron is a writer and the owner of Oceanstone Inn and Cottages in Indian Habour, Nova Scotia, which received the Crystal Tourism Award of Excellence in 2003. He also served on the Tourism, Arts and Culture Task Force. His general interests include: community development, promotion of music, literacy and the arts. Ron has a background in broadcasting, stage and video productions including numerous shows at the Cohn production of the International Gathering of the Clans Finale and Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler. He also has a background in teaching and professional photography. Ron has an interest in major social change and works with several organizations to bring that about.

	Nahman Korem Nahman has been the President of Crown Jewel Resort Ranch in Baddeck, Nova Scotia for the past five years. He is a member of the Canadian Owner and Pilot Association (COPA). Nahman is interested in aviation and environmental protection and enjoys farming and photography. He is also a partner with the Cape Breton Business Partnership. Nahman is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council.

	Michael Howell Michael is the Chef and Proprietor of Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He is a native of Chester, Nova Scotia and returned to Atlantic Canada in 2002 after 20 years of travel and life around the globe. An honours graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago, Michael first made his mark at the Mobil Five-Star Everest Room in Chicago, IL (America's Top 50 Restaurants - Conde Nast Traveller). He has held other notable positions in the industry including Carol's Cafe (New York), The Whitney Mansion (Detroit, MI), Le Provencal and Urban Catering (Toronto, ON) and head Chef at Scandia Restaurant (Newburyport, MA). From 1999 to 2002, Michael was Executive Chef of the Green Turtle Club in Abaco, Bahamas. He is Co-Chair of the Valley Pumpkin Festival, a director of the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, member of La Chaine Des Rotisseurs and the Nova Scotia Association of Chefs and Cooks. Michael is a graduate of Dalhousie University, Halifax and is the Food Editor of Lifestyle Nova Scotia Magazine, featured Chef for the Chronicle Herald's "Ask A Chef" forum and can be heard and seen regularly on CBC radio's Maritime Noon and CTV's Breakfast Television.

	Christie Chaplin-Saunders Christie is the owner/operator of Artifacts in Clay, a twenty year old production pottery business located in Chester, Nova Scotia. The functional sculptures produced are sold by retailers throughout Atlantic Canada and New England. Artifacts in Clay is a member of the Atlantic Economusee Network, whose members invite retail customers to tour their production facilities and studios and view interpretive materials that explain the historical and technological background of their practices. Christie Chaplin-Saunders is a member of the Nova Scotia Designer Crafts Council (NSDCC), and is on the boards of the Atlantic Economusee Network and of the Chester Area Chamber of Commerce.

	Susan Eldridge Born in Yarmouth, and a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, Susan lived, worked and studied in Japan for five years, during which time she travelled extensively throughout Asia. She returned to Nova Scotia in 1995 to open an inbound tour business specializing in Asian visitors to the province which she sold in 2003. During this period she supported Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership initiatives in the Asian markets, as well as attending KANATA in Japan and Showcase Canada in Taiwan. She volunteered in 2006, on the Long-term Planning Committee of the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council. She has worked for two World Expositions, EXPO '86 in the Nova Scotia Pavilion and EXPO 2005, in Japan, as Personnel Supervisor in the Canada Pavilion. Susan is currently employed as Sales Manager for The Fairmont Algonquin. She has worked as a business consultant for immigrant business owners in Nova Scotia and believes that this part of Canada is a world-class destination for international visitors and business people.

	Jenna Boon Jenna joined the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council in 2009. She is currently the Director at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs; Canada's newest UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jenna was instrumental in establishing the Joggins Fossil Centre, an award winning green interpretation and research facility and preparing the nomination dossier for inscription of the Fossil Cliffs on the World Heritage List. Jenna has worked in the tourism industry in Nova Scotia for the past decade as a business operator and in the not-for-profit sector. She has national and international experience in post-secondary education and environmental management. She continues to volunteer for various local, provincial, national and international organizations and is interested in environmentally sustainable community development. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is currently completing a Masters Degree in Management of Marine Affairs.

	Richard O’Beirne Richard is the General Manager of the Holiday Inn Harbourview in Dartmouth a role he has occupied for the last four years. Prior to his current position, he was with the Lord Nelson Hotel for six years. Richard grew up and completed his hospitality training in Ireland and arrived in Toronto in 1981. He held a number of positions in Toronto and London, Ontario before moving to Halifax in 1988 for the first time. He went on to General Manager roles in hotels in Sydney, Nova Scotia and Ottawa before returning to Halifax, where he has lived for the last ten years. Richard’s passion for the industry has kept him very involved in many industry organizations over the years including appointments as President of the Hotel Association of Nova Scotia, Chair of Destination Halifax (on whose Board he still sits), Vice-Chair of the Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority and Member of the Board of Hotel Association of Canada. He joined the Council in 2009.

Ex-Officio Members
	Bob Book Bob is the Director of Development and Planning, Tourism Division, Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.

	Wendy Barnable Wendy is the Acting Director of Marketing with the Tourism division of the department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.

	Eileen Lannon Oldford Eileen holds an MBA from the City University in Seattle Washington, USA and is also a graduate of the Nova Scotia Eastern Institute of Technology. She earned a BBA degree from the Cape Breton University, undertook a CIM from the Canadian Institute of Management, and has received a Professional Manager designation with the Canadian Institute of Management. Her life-long learning process has an emphasis in Economic Development, Marketing and Communications. She teaches a course in the Marketing Program at Cape Breton University. Eileen has held positions as Senior Employment Officer, Industrial Relations with the Sydney Steel Corporation, Executive Director , Glace Bay Downtown Development Corporation, General Manager of a local radio station, and Executive Director, Glace Bay YMCA Enterprise Centre. During her tenure at the Enterprise Centre, along with the staff, the Centre established 242 businesses in Cape Breton resulting in the creation of over 539 jobs. Presently, she is the Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority (CBCEDA). As CEO, Eileen works with the Board and staff in promoting and facilitating economic development through the promotion and implementation of strategic planning, business recruitment, marketing and community development initiatives. Under her leadership, CBCEDA has been recognized internationally, nationally, and regionally for its marketing and business recruitment efforts and continues to work with partners on viable projects and initiatives. She has served in the position of Chair for several regional and national development related associations. As well, Eileen continues to serve as Chair of various community organizations.

	Madonna Spinazola Madonna Spinazola joined DSWNA as General Manager in July 2006. She has owned and operated several businesses, including a consulting business specializing in community economic development and strategic planning, and a bed and breakfast. She has a Master of Business Administration degree in Community Economic Development as well as a certificate in Leadership Development. Madonna was involved in Municipal Council in Kings County for more than 14 years and served on many provincial committees and Boards. She brings to DSWNA more than 30 years experience as an entrepreneur, community leader, and workshop facilitator. She has a wide variety of experience related to business and business management development practices, strategic planning, human resources development, and community economic development initiatives. Madonna's experience has proven that when people work together on a common goal, much can be achieved! She lives with her spouse Dick Killam, a well known photographer in Hall's Harbor on the Bay of Fundy. She has two children and three grandchildren who she says "are the shining lights in her world"

Secretariat
	Ebenezer Annan Ebenezer has been coordinating the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council since 2006. His background includes: studies in History and Archaeology and a Masters degree in International Development from Saint Mary's University in Halifax. He has worked in various management capacities and has extensive experience in Sales, Market Research and Customer Service from his work in the automobile and telecommunications industries. Ebenezer has traveled widely and brings a unique perspective to his role as Coordinator of the Council.