Recreation Nova Scotia (RNS) would like to introduce our new Board of Directors for 2023-2024. We want to take a moment to welcome our new Board Members, Ruth-Ellen as Director at Large (1 year) and Brendon Smithson as President-Elect, as well as all returning Board Members.
Ruth-Ellen Jackson's passion for physical activity, recreation, and leisure has been life-long. As a fine arts graduate of the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts, Ruth-Ellen established an international career as a professional dancer with New York City's prestigious Parsons Dance Company and the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble. Upon returning home to Halifax, Ruth-Ellen continued her professional dance career with Mocean Dance and received the 2016 Nova Scotia Masterworks Award. She has served on the Boards of Dance Nova Scotia and Kinetic Studio and is a certified Pilates teacher. Following her graduation from NSCC's Therapeutic Recreation Program, Ruth-Ellen joined Northwood, where she is currently the Volunteer Coordinator and Community Recreation and Wellness Lead. In addition to her interest in recreation in community settings, Ruth-Ellen enjoys engaging people of all ages in dance, performance, Pilates, and the arts.
Brendon is the current Director of Regional Recreation Services for the city of Halifax and the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Host Society in Kjipuktuk (Halifax), where the team delivered a safe and supportive environment to over 5,000 Indigenous youth from across Turtle Island. Additionally, he is a Board Member of the Aboriginal Sport Circle.
Brendon was formerly with the province of Nova Scotia as a Sport and Recreation Consultant supporting the growth of sport, recreation, and physical activity within the Mi'kmaw communities. Before his time with the province, Brendon worked in Municipal Recreation for ten years as a director, focusing on creating inclusive environments for all participants.
In Brendon's free time, you can find him in and around the lacrosse community in Nova Scotia, where he is a player, coach, board member and official. When not on the lacrosse floor, he enjoys all that Nova Scotia has to offer, especially its great outdoors and is a passionate football fan.
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!
