Executive Director

Sara Lopez Assu
director@crartgallery.ca

Sara Lopez Assu: photo by Wild Shay Photography

Born in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke), Sara received post-secondary degrees from Marianopolis College and Concordia University, in Commerce and Urban Planning. She worked in child development, communications, and academic counseling for many years following her schooling.

A desire to raise her kids (Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw and Nuu-chah-nulth) in community, immersed in their culture, led her to move to Campbell River, the traditional territory of the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ people, in 2016. Since then, Sara has been engaged in the community through volunteer Board and governance work and a career in culture, communications and corporate social responsibility. 

Since 2020, Sara has been the Executive Director of the Campbell River Art Gallery. At the time, the Gallery already had a social justice direction and a goal to decolonize its practices and structures under a new Strategic Plan. Sara has taken this to heart, and has been working tirelessly to turn these sometimes vague principles into concrete action and organizational accountability towards reconciliation. 

Curator of Contemporary Art

Jenelle Pasiechnik
curator@crartgallery.ca

Born and raised at Mohkinstsis, I have lived on Vancouver Island for 15 years, and have been the Curator of Contemporary Art at the Campbell River Art Gallery since 2018. I work daily toward being a good ally as a settler on the unceded, traditional territories of the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ speaking people; the Wei Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum, and Kwiakah First Nations. Through a research and relationship based approach, I work to ensure that diverse communities see their experiences reflected in the cultural offerings of the institution. I aim to create community impact through exhibitions and programs that support the endurance of communities, the resurgence and celebration of diverse cultural perspectives, and the recovery of erased histories. By working in consultation with Ligwiłda’xw Knowledge Keepers, I strive to ground exhibition work on the territory, and take real steps toward decolonizing the institution and my curatorial approach by re-examining current practices, asking who they are meant to serve, and adapting ways of working to respond to the needs of artists and communities. 

I completed a Masters in art history and visual studies at the University of Victoria on the unceded territories of the Lekwungen speaking peoples of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, in 2015. My thesis examined transnational and post-colonial frameworks for studying art histories, the rich artistic traditions and modernities of West Asia, and contemporary West Asian artists of the diaspora living and working on Turtle Island. I focussed specifically on Parviz Tanavoli, the father of modern Iranian sculpture, who had his first solo at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 2023 since immigrating from Iran in 1989.

Over the five years I have been here at the CRAG, I have seen the institution professionalize, shift to a social justice mandate, make real community impact, and gain wider recognition in the field of arts and culture on Turtle Island. I am honoured to work with the brilliant team, inspired by the mutual support, and amazed by the work a small and dedicated group can accomplish. 

Portrait of Jenelle Pasiechnik curator of contemporary art

Jenelle Pasiechnik photo by Wild Shay Photography

Programs Coordinator

Tamasyn Kennedy
programs@crartgallery.ca

Tamasyn Kennedy – Programs Coordinator

Raised in Campbell River on the unceded territory of the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ Peoples, Tamasyn spent her youth in Jakarta and Doha. Her diverse experiences shaped her worldview, further enriched by a Political Science degree from the University of British Columbia. With expertise in marketing, copywriting, and strategy, she’s also honed her program management skills, starting as an Outreach Intern with the CRAG. There, she built strong relationships with the team and community partners. She’s now excited to step into her role as the new Programs Coordinator, working with facilitators in the community to build engaging, barrier-free programs.

Gallery Shop Manager

Yuma Bailey
communications@crartgallery.ca

Born in Ashiya City, Japan, I moved to Vancouver Island in 2010 and have spent most of my life now living, working and playing on the unceded traditional territories of the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ people, as well as the Homalco, K’ómoks, and Tla’amin First Nations. 

I am currently pursuing a Fine Arts Diploma at North Island College. 

As a working artist with experience entrusting my own artwork to retailers and galleries, I am committed to treating the works of others with the same respect and care I would expect for my own. I firmly believe that clear and open communication is essential for fostering positive, collaborative relationships with our consignors. My dedication lies in ensuring that local artists and their works are presented and supported in the most thoughtful and professional manner.

I joined the team as a Gallery Assistant in 2024 and am now excited to step into the role of Gallery Shop Manager at an institution that cares so deeply about its community.  

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work and grow within an organization that actively pursues reconciliation, demonstrated through initiatives like the Art Hive, consultations with Traditional Knowledge Keepers, and the exhibition of work by Indigenous artists. I look forward to continuing my learning journey and exploring how I can contribute to being a supportive and informed ally.

Marnie Neaves
Executive Assistant
admin@crartgallery.ca

Volunteers

Dawn Dudek, Kristiana Lowe, Kerry Huyghe, Peggy Benoit and Tom Lackey.

Board of Trustees

President: Jane Hirst

Vice President: Brett Woodside

Treasurer: Merci Brown

Secretary: Libby King

Officer: Ian Baikie

Officer: Pete Allen

Officer: Shawn Decaire

Officer: Pascale Knolinger

Officer: Cole Speck

Officer: Lacey Service