Board of Directors
Gillian Story, President and Chair
Gillian Story professionally bridges the arts and business, with a decade of not-for-profit arts experience, followed by an exciting transition into the finance industry. She is currently Director, Digital Enterprise Business Initiatives with Sun Life, where she where she leads major strategic projects and won an award for her work on Sun Life’s United Way campaign. Gillian holds an MBA from University of Toronto’s Rotman School, a Masters Certificate in Public and Not-For-Profit Management from York’s Schulich School, and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Music and Psychology from Concordia.
Prior to joining Sun Life, Gillian held roles in some of Canada’s largest arts organizations, including the Canadian Opera Company and The Royal Conservatory of Music. In addition to playing keytar in a band, she is an award-winning published author and artist, and hosts the Royal Conservatory Orchestra’s pre-concert interview series at Koerner Hall. She has served on the board of Xenia Concerts since 2017, and took on the role of board chair in September 2022.
Gillian is a passionate advocate on the importance of the arts, delivering the keynote at U of T’s School of Commerce Alumni Event, and developing and leading a workshop series on the application of creativity and arts in the business world.
Robert Williams, Vice-chair
Robert Williams, Vice-president of Xenia Concerts, has Master’s degrees in Social Work and Fine Arts and a Ph.D. in Bioethics. He has worked as a bioethicist, social worker, archaeologist, dance historian and bookseller. His great-grandfather was the distinguished founder of “R. S. Williams & Sons,” a prominent Toronto company that made and sold musical instruments in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His grandfather donated an important collection of historical musical instruments and materials to the Royal Ontario Museum. Robert collects instruments associated with his family’s company and has loaned a number of fine stringed instruments to promising young musicians. He has also supported the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) and the Royal Conservatory of Music through its scholarship and chamber music programs. Understanding the universal power of music, Robert is proud to support Xenia Concerts, which makes great music accessible to all people.
Jesse Rosensweet, Director & Treasurer
Jesse Rosensweet is a corporate and commercial lawyer practicing with Aird & Berlis LLP in Toronto. He advises corporate clients on mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and reorganizations and advises financial institutions, private and alternative lenders, and corporate borrowers on debt financing. Jesse holds a J.D. and an M.B.A. from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate degree from Indiana University. He enjoys hiking, cycling, and all genres of live music. He is married with two sons and a daughter.
David Visentin, Director
Amanda Smith, Director & Secretary
A highly respected cultural and non-profit leader based in Calgary, AB, Amanda Smith’s broad expertise as a corporate consultant, collaborative executive team-builder, strategic planner, fund developer, and marketing and operations specialist has been shared with a diverse array of organizations from coast to coast. Through this work she is an ardent supporter of the long-term sustainability and growth of the arts in Canada, with emphasis on the cultivation of new and diverse audiences.
For six years, Amanda served as the Director of Marketing & Communications at Canada’s Honens International Piano Competition. During her tenure, she successfully guided the organization through a pivotal leadership transition, assuming the full responsibilities of Interim President & CEO during the 2022-2023 season. At Honens, Amanda played a critical role in conceiving and launching the Keys for Newcomers initiative, a ground-breaking program that bridges financial and language barriers to provide newcomers to Canada with accessible music education while creating employment opportunities for immigrant teachers.
An active volunteer and strong advocate for arts accessibility, Amanda’s local, regional, and national commitments extend to nurturing robust financial stewardship, cultivating cohesive teams centered on mutual objectives, and championing youth empowerment through equitable access to arts, education, and wellness opportunities.
A graduate of Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Music, Amanda holds an MBA in Non-Profit and Charitable Organization Management from Trinity Western University.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Amanda finds fulfillment as a devoted wife and proud mother of two remarkable children.
Jenna Richards, Director
As a portfolio musician, Jenna Richards embraces a demanding schedule of performance, research, and arts administration. Jenna is currently pursuing her PhD, Interdisciplinary Research in Music, serving as the Canadian Centennial Choir’s Associate Music Director, and co-programming 100+ events annually as Director of Artistic Planning & Community Engagement with Ottawa Chamberfest.
Daniel Ashworth, Director
For Dan Ashworth, his love for music and disability/civil rights has led on to one incredible path. Currently pursuing a career as an Accessibility Specialist for music festivals through his project, Access In Excess, Dan’s mission to make it so more people can find similar joy and community he found through music without having to be met with systemic and ableist barriers.
In 2024, Dan worked as an associate producer for CBC Music, assisting in producing shows as well as major broadcasts for the JUNO’s and Polaris Music Prize. He also sits on the board for the Festival and Event Accessibility Project run by Independent Living Canada, which aims to bring government accessibility standards to festivals.
Dan has been going to shows since he was a teenager. Whilst in college he founded a music blog which took him to festivals and concerts all around Turtle Island and Europe. At these events, he realized that he was often the only person there who had a visible disability, due to the inaccessibility of these spaces, and that is what led him into disability advocacy. He is also a vocalist/songwriter and was in two punk/hardcore bands, one of which focused on accessibility and civil rights.
If Dan is not at show or a festival, he’s either baking, involved in community projects, or exploring nature and traveling with his partner.
Jillian Turman, Director
Jillian has been involved in the arts since childhood, having studied classical voice. She has pursued this passion into adulthood, regularly singing the Canadian, Ukrainian, and American national anthems atlarge events. Her passion for the arts extends to musical theatre, which she participates in often, both on-stage and behind the scenes.
Holding Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice, Forensic Crime and Intelligence Analysis, and Forensic Psychology, Jillian has always been passionate about advocacy and equity, and volunteers with a number of organizations to that end. She is especially passionate about her involvement with the Terry Fox foundation and QuickStart Early Years.
With a breadth of experience in accessibility advocacy, Jillian is thrilled to have the opportunity to combine her love of music and the arts with her fervent dedication to ensuring that music is accessible to all.