The NPAC Board

DIANA MARTIN: President

president@npac.ca

The defining moment that put me onto the path of photojournalism was Canadian Press photographer Shaney Komulainen’s iconic image of Canadian soldier Patrick Cloutier and First Nations activist Brad Laroque standing face-to-face on September 1, 1990, during the Oka Crisis.

I already loved taking photographs and had a strong interest in journalism, but Shaney Komulainen showed me I could combine the two.

I went to school for journalism at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) before transferring to Loyalist College for two years of photojournalism.

After graduating, I worked for the Winnipeg Sun, London Free Press and the Chatham Daily News for 15 years, before transitioning my skills to the agriculture sector six years ago. I currently work as a multimedia journalist at Farmtario, Glacier Farm Media.

I co-founded the Great White North Workshop (GWNW) for photojournalists and served on the boards for the Eastern Canadian News Photographers Association and the National Press Photographers Association. I learned that when you moan about a gap in service, you’ll be voluntold to produce a solution.

I’ve won awards for my photographs and articles and have been published internationally and in a book. While recognition is nice, I’m most proud of the inspiration and mentorship the GWNW provided to legions of photojournalists.

I realized a long time ago that I’m an enabler, a booster, a behind-the-scenes player who finds the glory in watching the industry flourish and grow. That’s what I bring to NPAC.

You can mourn what isn’t happening in the industry or you can develop a vision and bust your ass to make it a reality.

It’s important to me that NPAC members are seen and heard and their contribution to journalism is valued. Here’s to an NPAC that represents where we photojounalists are today and that embraces the potential of tomorrow.

 


MIKE DREW: Vice-President

vice-president@npac.ca

I started as a photojournalist at the Lethbridge Herald way back in 1978 and then moved on to the Calgary Sun in 1985.
Although I wasn’t born in Alberta – my parents had the good sense to move here from B.C. when I was less than a year old – this wonderful chunk of politically-defined real estate is my home and always will be.
For over three decades now, I’ve been producing weekly photo essays and writing long-winded stories about my forays around our neck of the woods – and quite a few places around the world, too – for my On The Road column in the Calgary Sun’s Sunday edition and the Calgary Herald online. I am truly grateful I get to share my love of our world with so many people.
Now in my eighth decade of riding this ball around the sun, I’m still discovering new things to photograph – and new ways to photograph them – all the time. We live in a golden age of photography, and I can’t believe my luck to be part of it.

 


STEVE WHITE: Executive Director

stevewhite@npac.ca

Steve is the former National Photo Editor of Sun Media, Postmedia and The Canadian Press, taking on editorial coverage and revenue-generating projects for all three organizations.

Those who have worked with or for Steve know he stands out as someone who has always had a deep appreciation and respect for Canadian photojournalism, legacy, and photographers.

Always someone with an idea, Steve’s passion for the industry and his entrepreneurial spirit is what our organization needs to advocate for our rights and foster our community of existing and future photojournalists and find us new opportunities and income sources.

Il a été l’éditeur photo de Sun Media, Postmedia, et de la Presse Canadienne, s’occupant autant des affectations journalistiques que commerciales au sein de ces trois organisations.

Ceux qui ont eu la chance de travailler avec Steve savent qu’il possède une grande connaissance et un immense respect pour le photojournalisme canadien et les photographes qui le font vivre.

Jamais à court d’idées, sa passion pour notre industrie et son esprit d’entrepreneuriat sont exactement ce dont notre organisation a besoin pour défendre nos intérêts et nos droits, créer des liens plus forts parmi les membres présents ou futurs de notre communauté, et pour trouver de nouvelles opportunités de revenues.

 


DAVE CHIDLEY: Treasurer

treasurer@npac.ca 

Dave Chidley has been shooting professionally for over thirty-five years, having worked at newspapers in Toronto, Calgary and London. 

He is now a freelancer primarily for The Canadian Press but also for a wide range of editorial and commercial clients. Teaching, workshops and photography travel guiding has become a large part of Dave’s working world. He taught photography at both Conestoga and Lambton colleges. Winner of three National Newspaper Awards, Canada’s top journalism award and four-time winner of the Eastern / Western Canadian News Photographer of the Year awards.

Dave has served on several Board of Directors for various organizations including a stint as the WCNPA President.

 


CHRISTINA RYAN: Western Representative

west@npac.ca 

Christina Ryan is an award-winning newspaper multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience in telling people’s stories in Calgary and surrounding areas. Watching a person’s eyes light up with understanding as they learn to master their camera and to chase the light is why Christina teaches in the Journalism Program at SAIT.
Recently, Christina went on a whirlwind journey to publish a travel guide called “111 Things You Must Not Miss in Calgary” with a colleague.
When not occupied with freelancing and teaching, Christina guides people in Alberta’s pristine backcountry, paddle boarding and silversmithing.
She lives with her incredibly understanding husband and has three beautiful daughters who have had to put up with midnight jaunts to fires and catastrophes as she covered the news.

 

 


FRANCIS VACHON: French Representative

francais@npac.ca

Basé à Québec et photographe depuis plus de 15 ans, je me spécialise dans la photographie de presse (photojournalisme) et la photo corporative et événementielle.

Diplômé 2006 du prestigieux programme de photojournalisme du Loyalist College de Belleville (Ontario, Canada), je me suis d’abord distingué en étant le first runner up étudiant de l’Association des Photographes de presse de l’est du Canada (Eastern Canadian News photographers Association) pour la qualité de mon portfolio.

De retour dans la ville de Québec après un stage au Ottawa Citizen et au Edmonton Sun, et un contrat au Windsor Star, je me suis rapidement développé une clientèle importante incluant certains des plus prestigieux journaux canadiens.

En 2018, j’ai publié deux livres: La face cachée de la photo et En photo et en Affaires

 


CRYSTAL SCHICK: Honours and Recognitions Chair and Past President

Crystal is a born and raised prairie girl from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. After graduating from the University of Regina in 2012, she moved to Calgary to pursue her passion in story telling and photography.

Crystal graduated from the photojournalism program at SAIT Polytechnic in 2014.

She worked as a visual journalist with the Calgary Herald until 2016 when she began freelancing. Near the end of the 2017, Crystal accepted a staff photography position at the Yukon News in Whitehorse.

She planned to stay in the North for one year, but as happens with many, she fell in love (with the Yukon) and remains working/adventuring there today.

Crystal est une fille des Prairies née et élevée de Moose Jaw, en Saskatchewan. Après avoir obtenu son diplôme de l’Université de Regina en 2012, elle a déménagé à Calgary pour poursuivre sa passion dans la narration d’histoires et la photographie.

Crystal a obtenu son diplôme du programme de photojournalisme à SAIT Polytechnic en 2014.

Elle a travaillé comme journaliste visuelle avec le Calgary Herald jusqu’en 2016, année où elle a commencé à travailler à son compte. Vers la fin de 2017, Crystal a accepté un poste de photographe pour le personnel du Yukon News à Whitehorse.

Elle avait prévu de rester dans le Nord pendant un an, mais comme beaucoup d’entre elles, elle est tombée amoureuse du Yukon et continue de travailler et de s’y aventurer.

 


BRENT CALVER: Website Publisher

webadmin@npac.ca

Award-winning photojournalist working in rural newspapers. World traveler, hiker, climber, lifter, schnitzel afficionado.

 


EVAN BUHLER: Monthly Clips Contest Manager

clips@npac.ca