Meet the Staff
Below are our full-time and casual staff.
Additionally, we have a dedicated bookkeeper (thank you, Prairie Sky Bookkeeping!); a casual-time research assistant who helps with populating our Events Calendar and things such as video editing; and a rotation of approximately 30 Career Tracks mentors who are scheduled for appointments as booking requests arrive.
We enlist the services of lawyer Kurt Dahl of Murphy & Company for our Legal Services program and Mintz & Wallace for our audit.
We greatly appreciate the help of these folks, as well as our Board and volunteers.
Lorena Kelly
Interim Executive Director (effective Oct 15/22)
Office: Regina
lorenakelly(at)saskmusic.org
Lorena has worked in various roles at SaskMusic, and loves helping to promote the awesome music of our province and helping members navigate this often-confusing industry. She's had experience in a variety of things, from programming lineups and coordinating large-scale conferences and events, to running juries, licensing initiatives, advertising campaigns, economic studies and more, in addition to participating on numerous boards and committees. Most recently she has been overseeing our association communications, marketing initiatives and office operations. Lorena is moving into the Interim Executive Director role while the board conducts their search for a new ED.
Prior to SaskMusic, she studied classical piano, then keyboards at Professional Musicians’ College, toured across Canada, the U.S. and internationally, backing up numerous artists as a freelance keyboard player/vocalist in addition to releasing her own albums; and also worked in advertising, layout and web design. She’s proud mama to a creative little girl.
Kaelen Klypak
Export Manager
Office: Saskatoon/remote
kaelen(at)saskmusic.org
Kaelen received his Arts and Entertainment Management Diploma from Capilano University in North Vancouver and now resides in Saskatoon as the Export Manager for SaskMusic. He manages the export and professional development of Saskatchewan music industry individuals. Kaelen has been actively involved in the Canadian music industry for the past 20 years as a musician, manager, production manager, promoter, and running his own music publishing company. He is now back as an artist with his latest synth-based project, June Thrasher. He is also a jury member for various music organizations and sits on numerous cultural boards including co-director of the Derek Bachman Foundation and recently, the 2020 JUNOs Host Committee.
Brittney MacFarlane
Program & Education Manager
Office: Regina
brittney(at)saskmusic.org
Brittney joined the team at SaskMusic in 2014 out of the Regina office. As Program & Education Manager she manages all educational and professional development offerings including the workshop series, Career Tracks mentorship program, Careers in Music youth information program, and Very Prairie, an annual three-day music conference now in its fifth year.
Brittney holds a Business Human Resources Certificate and Diploma, which have provided many skills she's able to put to use in her diverse roles within the music industry. She sits as a board member and organizer of Girls Rock Camp Regina (GRR!) and was awarded a YWCA Women of Distinction award for her volunteer work with the group. She’s an active industry juror for many organizations including FACTOR (The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings), The Western Canadian Music Awards (WCMA), the JUNO Awards and Music PEI Awards, to name a few.
Ben Valiaho
Program & Administrative Coordinator
Office: Regina
ben(at)saskmusic.org
Ben grew up working within the Regina music community and is excited to keep developing his skills and supporting Saskatchewan artists in his position at SaskMusic. Ben first got his start working in the industry as producer and volunteer host at 91.3FM CJTR Regina Community Radio over fifteen years ago, and still hosts two radio shows at Regina Community Radio today. Ben was also involved on the Community Radio Board of Directors for eight years (2013 to 2020) in various capacities including President and was honoured to receive the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2020 from the station. His commitment to music continued within the halls of the University of Regina where he enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Studies Masters Program with a focus on live performance. While attending the university, Ben was also Research Assistant at the Interactive Media & Performances Labs, teaching workshops and hosting community hours for those who wanted to learn how to make electronic music, scratch records, or record. Ben has been a turntablist for over fifteen years and hosts DJ nights in Regina, some video game Twitch streaming, old skool Games Workshop fan, as well as DJing a number of events in and around Regina as part of the duo 2Beats.
Oghenerukevwe "Rooky" Jegede-Ikpen
Research and Outreach Assistant
Office: Regina/remote
rooky(at)saskmusic.org
Born Oghenerukevwe Jegede-Ikpen, Rooky is a multi-talented, Nigerian-born artiste, songwriter and photographer based in Regina. Aside from creating and performing music with his Regina-based band “The Bad Hvbits”, Rooky is the graphic editor/photographer for the University of Regina's campus newspaper "The Carillon." He holds a degree in Adult Education in English and Literature and is currently pursuing a second degree in Human Justice at the University of Regina.
He is very passionate about discovering, making and listening to music and creating visual imagery; he sees them as a medium of expression and a way for people to connect with one another regardless of background or race.
Rooky joined us in November 2021 under a student internship grant and is staying on with us, working around his classload.
Zaïde Masich
Administrative Assistant
Office: Saskatoon
zaide(at)saskmusic.org
Music has been a part of Zaïde’s life well before she was born. With parents who taught music, it didn’t take long for Zaïde to pick up an instrument (or three!). She has been playing cello for nearly two decades, acquiring her RCM ARCT certification in 2017. She has had multitudinous opportunities in Canada’s classical environment, playing with the North Battleford Kiwanis Music Festival for many years, opening for various acts hosted at the Dekker Centre in North Battleford, appearing as a guest for the Amati String Quartet in Saskatoon (2014, 2015), sitting as principal cellist for the Thomastik-Infeld Canadian String Orchestra (2017, 2018), and more. Most recently, she has been appointed principal cellist in the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra for the fifth year in a row, and the principal cellist in the University of Saskatchewan Symphony Orchestra since its founding two years ago. She has also recently had the opportunity to play with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra as a substitute cellist and was part of the orchestra pit for the Eagles’ 2022 Hotel California Tour for their Saskatoon show. Zaïde is also the cellist for a student-run piano quintet.
Currently, she fills her time as a student at the University of Saskatchewan, pursuing a B.A. in French language and a B.Comm. in Marketing. She is also a tutor, teaching mainly courses in French for immersion and Francophone students under her personal label Education Garden. She is an avid collector of art and oddities. Zaïde is incredibly excited for the opportunity to work with SaskMusic and is thrilled to apply her skills and learn more about the local music communities!
Darwin Roy
Indigenous Music Coordinator
Office: Remote
darwin(at)saskmusic.org
Darwin Roy completed a project-specific contract with us in March 2021 and kindly agreed to continue with us on a casual contract basis, assisting with various programs as needed.
Darwin Roy was raised by his grandparents in Northern Saskatchewan where they lived a hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering lifestyle. Darwin is a proud speaker of the Cree language who has made a career working in public relations for the resource industry, the education sector, and for First Nations. He has a Graduate degree in Educational Administration from the University of Saskatchewan. Darwin has been very active in the Indigenous music scene throughout his career. Darwin has a passion for music and feeds that passion with his involvement with his personal singing ventures or with the group he has played with for most of his life - “Just The Boyz” or “JTB”. In 2005 JTB was nominated for Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Country Album. He has been a part of the Voices of the North Show, a showcase of Indigenous talent during the Prince Albert Winter Festival, since 1998. Darwin continues to play music for the people locally in Saskatoon or somewhere down that long highway.
