Recreation Nova Scotia (RNS) would like to introduce our new Board of Directors for 2024-2025. We want to take a moment to welcome our new Board Members, Wallace Bernard, Recording Officer; Tissy Bolivar, Director at Large; Olivia Walker, Student Rep, and all our returning Board Members.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to outgoing Board Members Gord Tate, Gabrielle Riley Gallagher, and Joel Dawe for their leadership and direction over the years in their roles. We appreciate all you have done for RNS and the sector, and your contributions have been invaluable.
Thank you to outgoing President Rachel Bedingfield for your guidance over the past two years. We look forward to working with you as you transition into the Past-President role.
Wallace Bernard grew up in Wekoqmaq. He has earned a Recreation Leadership and Aboriginal Leadership Development diploma and has been heavily involved in Mikmaw sports and physical activity since then. Wallace has been on the Mission Staff for Team Mikmaw and Team Atlantic for the North American Indigenous Games and The Nation Aboriginal Hockey Championship. He was also on the Host Society Board for the North American Indigenous games. Wallace is very passionate about the outdoors. He likes finding new adventures, either a new waterfall, an epic mountain peak, or kayaking, no matter the season. Wallace likes showing people epic adventures and getting them outdoors. Wallace also volunteers with the local Cape Breton Search and Rescue.
Tissy Bolivar serves as the Program Coordinator for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, bringing over 14 years of dedicated experience in municipal recreation. A graduate of Acadia University with a degree in Recreation Management, Tissy has consistently championed the role of recreation in enhancing community well-being. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusive, welcoming spaces that encourage participation for all. In her latest initiative, Tissy introduced the PRO Fund, an adult subsidy program designed to complement the existing PRO Kids program. This initiative ensures that all residents, regardless of financial status, can engage in recreational activities, reflecting Tissy's vision of recreation as a means to support and uplift every community member.
Olivia Walker is in her final year of Community Recreation at NSCC, Truro Campus. Growing up in Digby provided Olivia with many opportunities to develop leadership skills. These skills were developed through the Student Council, NSSSA and Me to We. Olivia also served one year as a DRHS School Advisory Committee student representative. In addition, she was trained to be a lifeguard and swim instructor for Digby Area Recreation Commission. This continued until Olivia graduated high school in 2020. In 2022, Olivia completed her studies at Kingstec NSCC as an Early Childhood Educator with honours. She values creating age-appropriate activities for growth and development and working alongside families.
Enrolling in the Community Recreation program enabled Olivia to obtain the position of Community Recreation Programmer for Digby Area Recreation. Olivia's goal as a Recreation Nova Scotia Board member is to be the voice for incoming students entering the recreation profession and learn from others already working in the field.
Meet the rest of the Board Members here.
RNS inspires and supports a diverse and comprehensive network of partners committed to addressing the recreation needs of all Nova Scotians through the provision of leadership and a strong provincial voice. Under the guidance and counsel from the Board, RNS can continue to champion, promote, and advocate for recreation as an essential element in building healthy, caring, and vibrant communities; facilitate the education and development of recreation professionals and volunteers; and promote connectivity between recreation sector professionals, influencers, and beneficiaries.
The Board of Directors will direct, control, and inspire Recreation Nova Scotia through the established written policies that reflect the values and perspectives of the Board, aiding in what is to be achieved and the means to be avoided. Cultivating a sense of group responsibility, we look forward to each Board Member bringing their individual expertise to enhance the Board as a whole and, therefore, the operations of RNS.
We look forward to working with you all over the next year!
