Board of Directors

 Born in the beautiful island of Grenada in the Parish of St. Andrews, Byron Cameron migrated to Canada in 1988. Byron is the President of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec (SICDAQ) and is devoted to the cause of promoting the Pure Grenada Brand in Quebec and abroad, strengthening the cultural and social understandings for present and future generations. 

Byron’s life in Montreal was always a big part of the Grenadian culture. He is an active member of the Montreal Calypso Association and Caribbean Voices, a singing group made up of members from the Caribbean. With his stage name “Doggies” he held the title of the Montreal Calypso Monarch in 1997/ 98 and 2012, and also the Groovy Monarch in Grenada during his visit back home in 2005 to participate in the Spicemas carnival competition. Byron Cameron aka “Doggies” mission is to promote and share Grenada’s rich culture through his position as President of Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec and the Spice Island Cultural Festival. 

As cited by the “YWCA Woman of Distinction” Selection Committee, “Gemma Raeburn-Baynes, a 1997 recipient of the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award is a woman who, by her daily actions, strength of character and professional path, enriches the community and contributes to the advancement of all women. This exceptional woman is a role model for young people, inspiring others to excel”. Gemma, who is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and many other Awards, is a graduate of McGill University. She is a native of Grenada and migrated to Canada in 1964. Gemma is the founder and President of Playmas Montreal Cultural Association and has launched “Gem*s Tea”, a fundraising scholarship program for youth, and as a means of bringing comfort to the community. She is also a founding member of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec and holds the position of Vice-President and Coordinator of the Spice Island Cultural Festival. A retired Senior Auditor at BMO Bank of Montreal, Gemma has been active in business, community development and charitable initiatives. Visit her website: www.playmasmontreal.com 

Karen Park-Bernard, considers herself to be a passionate community servant. As a native from Grenada, she has grown to be familiar with striving through strife mindset based on a strong foundation built on educational values. These briefs but significant attributes have naturally inspired her to become involved in her community. She is a proud graduate of the Anglican High School and T.A. Marryshow Community College Grenada. After completing her studies in Grenada, she joined the Financial Service Industry, working for RBTT (Grenada) Limited. Upon migrating to Canada, she became a member of the Grenada Nationals Association of Montreal, where she served as Treasurer and later President. Karen is a member of Les Fondations Du Quartiers; a housing project, funded by the government of Quebec, to assist low income families in Montreal find affordable housing. After graduating from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Finance Degree, she joined McGill University, Faculty of Engineering serving as the Financial Administrator for the Department of Chemical Engineering. Karen has held the position of Treasurer of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec since its inception in 2017. 

Kathy-Ann Stanislaus is the Secretary of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec. Being a very meticulous and professional individual, Kathy-Ann takes pride in assisting the President and Vice-President in their roles with all communication to members. A Travel Specialist by profession, she efficiently looks after booking of travel for the various personalities and Government officials attending the Spice Island Festival. With her Grenadian upbringing, Kathy-Ann enjoys volunteering and assisting with fundraising projects. 

Theodore H. Blaize was the first President of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec formed in 2017. Mr. Blaize who is also the Honorary Consul for Grenada in Montreal, now sits on the Board of Directors as the past president and chief consultant to the group. Theodore migrated to Canada in 1976 after a few years stay in New York. An Engineer by profession he is presently Vice-President, Operations at Kenmont Terminals Inc. in Quebec and a Commissioner of Oaths for Quebec. Theodore has always been an active member of the Grenadian community in Montreal fundraising and donating funds to assist the Grenadians back home. 

Kathy St. Paul-Ollivierre, an Immigration Case Analysis, a fashionista, avid reader, an event specialist and pan enthusiast is the Promotions Manager of the Spice Island Cultural Festival. Being inspired by law enforcement Kathy studied law and excelled at becoming both a Paralegal and an Immigration Consultant. Prior to her immigrating to Canada, she was a Woman Police Constable (WPC) member of the Royal Grenada Police Force and its Band. Being a pan enthusiast, she was a member of the New Dimension Steel Orchestra and the Republic Bank Angel Harps Steel Orchestra. Kathy has been involved in several community organizations both in Montreal and Toronto, including the Parkdale Community Legal Clinic, Each One Teach One Youth Initiatives and Playmas Montreal Cultural Association. Being in the legal field has helped her apprehend her sense of devotion and drive. 

Dan Delmar is the co-founder of TNKR Media, a public relations consultant, media producer and occasional political commentator. He is a former journalist and editor with about 20 years’ experience in print, radio, television and digital media. He contributes to Bell Media outlets like CJAD 800 Montreal, Newstalk 1010 Toronto and CTV News Channel; his recent writings can be found in Postmedia newspapers like the National Post and Montreal Gazette. When off-duty, Dan enjoys cooking, reading, listening to podcasts, cycling or hiking in Quebec’s Laurentian mountains, and tending to his canine daughter, Poppy. 

TNKR Media is a “Thinkbait” Content company based in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, specializing in compelling multimedia web content, inspired by classic journalism and the latest neuroscience, and backed by expert public relations consulting and remote broadcasting services. Learn more at TNKR. We are proud to be a major sponsor of the Spice Island Cultural Festival since its inception. 

Glen is the Chairman of the Entertainment Committee of the Spice Island Cultural Festival. He has over 20 years’ experience as one of the most popular Disc Jockey’s in Montreal. Being passionate about this art form, he creates a seamless and extended mix of calypso, soca and reggae music for the Festival and his audiences while lending his expertise to the SICDAQ organization. Glen, better known as DJ20, has grown up in the parish of St. David, Grenada and migrated to Canada in 1990. Glen, not only has a passion for DJing, but also is very versed in the lighting and sound equipment. He is therefore the “go-to” person in this capacity. He enjoys cooking and of course, listening to music. 

John is a graduate of the University of Quebec where he studied theology and of Concordia University, where he studied language. For several years he taught English & French, at both the elementary and adult levels. He served as Honorary Consul of Grenada in Montreal for 13 years, and continues to be very active in the community as vice-president of Grenada’s National’s Association of Montreal and as a member of the board of directors of the Black Community Association of Cote-des-Neiges and the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec. 

Olga Jerome from the parish of St.Patrick, Grenada, sits on the Board of Directors as a member at large. Being from a big loving and caring family, Olga reaches out to the Grenadian community to inspire the membership drives. She is a valued member of the Board and enjoys baking, reading, listening to music and volunteering. Olga is a very positive person who enjoys every aspect of her life. 

Roland Gilbert was born in Grenada and moved to Canada at the age of 14. He attended Dawson College where he studied Cinema and Communications. Roland was one of Montreal’s top D.J.’s for over 12 years while working as a financial manager for a pharmacy. It was not long that Roland followed his calling as a photographer. He took up his camera and began making a name for himself as a photographer and videographer, filming many fashion shows, weddings, pageants, concerts, festivals and special events. Roland is the in-house photographer for the Spice Island Cultural Festival even though he has decided to return to Grenada at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Roland is making a name for himself as the new kid on the block, shooting all the on-island participants for the 2021 Festival. Watch for his creative productions on July 10, during the Spice Island Cultural Festival, live and direct from Grenada. 

Before migrating to Montreal, Canada, from her native Grenada, Jenny Noel was an Elementary School Teacher. Presently, she is an Educator at Philip E. Layton School for the Visually Impaired. She is a singer, song-writer and recording artist, who has recorded her first CD entitled: I’m Not Turning Back. Jenny is the founder of the show “The YoungStars Calypso Competition” and of the group “Caribbean Voices.” She was a founding member of Simon’s Dance Company, Spice Island Dynamic Dancers, and the Grenada Ensemble. Also a member of the Montreal Calypso Association, she has shared the stage doing background-vocals for local and international singers such as Doggies, Skippy, The Ajamu, Black Stalin, The Baron, Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Scrunter and many more. Jenny is happy to be part of this Spice Island Festival venture and to ensure that our youth carry on this legacy of showcasing our beautiful Island. 

Nigel Charles and Darlene Burke-Charles, are members of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec. Nigel was born in Grenada and is one of the main DJ’s of SICDAQ. Darlene is of Grenadian parentage and is the assistant secretary of SICDAQ. They have been married for 18 years and have 4 beautiful children. Nigel works in the automotive industry and Darlene works with at risk teenage girls. They both enjoy spending time with family and travelling. Nigel and Darlene are encouraging everyone, to log onto Facebook and Youtube for the Virtual Spice Island Cultural Day on July 10, 2021. This is an event you do not want to miss. See you there! 

Kizzy Gill, an active board member of the Spice Island Cultural Day Association of Quebec (SICDAQ), is a Grenadian who currently resides in Montreal, Quebec where she has lived for the past 26 years. Kizzy is a graduate of Vanier College where she has obtained a DEC in Early Childhood Education. She is a Childhood Educator and enjoys working with children and developing their precious minds. With a passion for her culture and love for her country, Kizzy has been involved in the Grenadian community as a means of bringing people together. She credits being part of (SICDAQ) for teaching her so much about what it means to be a true patriot and the work that needs to be put in to accomplish set goals, but most importantly has widen her knowledge on different aspects of the Grenadian culture. Kizzy is an assistant to the Spice Island Festival’s coordinator and feels that with continuous dedication and hard work, together we can achieve our goal of showcasing our culture and our beautiful Island! 

Art has always fascinated Johanne from the moment it was introduced to her as a child. Embracing its many varied forms, art has cultivated the love of beauty and emotional power it commonly evokes in its artist. Recreating what she sees to what she can produce from inspiration and through imagination, it often is the motivation behind her work. Whether it be partaking in cultural festivals allowing her to work on Carnival costumes, face painting on patrons or creating beautiful hand crafted fashionable accessories, Johanne’s focus is to add that little extra touch to an outfit or social event. She is the Creative Director of the Spice Island Cultural Festival, always on the lookout for something new and challenging. Johanne’s latest project is producing handmade personalized greeting cards for every occasion @sourirecreation or @johannemcmillan on INSTAGRAM. 

Fernando Gelso is an Argentinean-born musician, songwriter, producer and artist. Also known as MRRK (“Merrick”), he began his career at a young age, playing drums in his high school band and later studying music at Vanier College in Montreal, inspiring him to spend most of his youth performing with an eclectic variety of musical acts. He has dabbled in virtually every genre from hard rock to reggae. A sound design and production graduate who worked for years as an engineer and technical producer at Montreal Radio and TV stations. Fernando is also a well-known percussionist balancing his musical work with select freelance gigs in audio and video production. He also serves as a podcast technical director for content company TNKR Media. Fernando sits as a member of the Spice Island Cultural Association of Quebec (SICDAQ) where he produced their first live-streamed virtual Spice Island Cultural Festival in 2020. In 2021, he is creating his second virtual festival with SICDAQ, all while mixing and producing his second studio album.