MEET OUR TEAM
STAFF
ZANDI DANDIZETTE
they/them
Executive Director & Founder
Zandi is a nonbinary settler-immigrant new media interdisciplinary artist. They seek to decenter colonial legacy, and empower voices affected by systems of oppression. They graduated with a BMA in Animation in 2014 from Emily Carr University. Zandi co-founded JBG in 2014, and was the longest resident from the artists-in-residence program. They are a current board member of CARFAC National and PAARC BC representative to ARCA. They helped co-found the Arts and Cultural Workers Union, originated an equity-based commission nonprofit store Pressure Point, and previously served on the board of VIVO Media Arts Centre.
DIANA LUPIERI
she/her
Ceramics Studio Lead
Diana Lupieri is an illustrator and ceramicist in Vancouver, BC. She is interested in building community and relearning how to look at the world through art. Diana volunteered at the JBG from 2020-2022 before taking on a stronger role in managing studiospaces. She also works at The Gathering Place supporting workshops and running the kiln.
MALIV KHONDAKER
they/them
Pressure Point Coordinator
Maliv Khondaker finds home on Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-waututh unceded ancestral territory. They are a recent graduate from Emily Carr University's Critical & Cultural Practices program with a minor in social practice and community engagement. They are interested in where art meets text meets people. Maliv was a longtime casual enjoyer of The James Black Gallery's work, before they were a pod resident in 2022. They now coordinate Pressure Point, where you can buy work by local artists at room 108-2111 main street, just down the road from JBG.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BRONWYN WORRICK
she/her
Chairperson
Bronwyn is a sustainability consultant with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. She is passionate about supporting spaces that build community around the arts. Bronwyn has worked with a wide-range of organizations (start-ups, small businesses, government, and nonprofits alike) on strategic planning initiatives including sustainability goal-setting, visioning, risk management, and annual reporting. She leverages holistic, systems-based approaches and aims to engage key stakeholders, rightsholders, and decision-makers in all of her work.
Bronwyn has owned and operated multiple small businesses, including luuceo consulting, a small sustainability and strategic solutions firm based in Vancouver, from 2019-2022. Prior to co-founding luuceo and completing her MBA, Bronwyn produced, promoted, and managed events in Montreal. She collaborated with established local organizers including Montreal's Mural Festival and Naïve Melodie (an event series spearheaded by members of Arcade Fire to raise funds for KANPE, a non-profit organization that supports rural communities in Haiti).
.jpg)
MOHADESEH JAZAEI
she/her
Executive Secretary
Mohadeseh Jazaei has a Ph.D. in Political Science. With over five years of experience as a Secretary and Vice Chair in the local community, she has led and empowered students. Her passion lies in supporting artists, entrepreneurs and social activists through nonprofit organizations. She is excited to bring her expertise and dedication to the James Black Gallery Board of Directors.
_JPG.jpg)
BRENDAN RILEY
he/him
Member At-Large
Driven to create art that brings forth representation of marginalized communities, Brendan Riley has found passion in amplifying fellow BIPOC & Queer voices. He brings many years of experience in the film/modelling industry as a producer of photoshoots and an actor/model. His latest venture has been opening a successful community-focused cafe (mah milk bar) in the neighbourhood of East Vancouver.
%20(1).jpeg)
SWETHA RANASURIYA
she/her
Vice Chairperson
Swetha is a multidisciplinary human who is passionate about understanding humans. Currently she is doing this through art therapy, clinical counselling, teaching, focusing on her own spiritual practices, and parenting. She strives to decolonize all of these realms as she moves through them.
HEIDI NAGTEGAAL
they/them
Treasurer
Heidi is queer, pansexual, agender or gender neutral depending on the day, a first generation Dutch immigrant, settler, Hard of Hearing, diagnosed Bi Polar, ADHD, and Autistic, undiagnosed OCD, someone that has experienced body pain and physical developmental problems, while being hyperlexic and extremely smart. So it’s a mix. There are things they excel at, and barriers. Heidi is not a perfect person, but aims to continuously learn and unlearn to be a better ally, community member, family member, co-worker, and friend.
As an artist, Heidi has exhibited internationally and locally, with an intention to talk about things that are hard to express in words, by embodying physical and emotive forms. They also started arts organizations Hammock Residency and Centre Centre, which focus on different models around art making, care, and inhabiting third spaces.
_JPG.jpg)
PEDRAM DODANI
they/them
Member At-Large