Board Members
Taylor Brandt
Taylor Brandt (Board Chair), as part of the Steinbach Arts Council Board Members, help advance arts and culture in the community. With over 7 years of experience at Golden West, where she currently works as a Sales Executive, Taylor brings valuable marketing and business development expertise to the arts sector. Her professional journey includes experience as a Copywriter and a strong educational foundation from Red River College in Business Management and Marketing. Through her dual roles in media and arts leadership, Taylor actively contributes to the cultural fabric of Steinbach while leveraging her business acumen to strengthen the arts community’s growth and sustainability.
Michelle Hillyard
Michelle Hillyard (Past Board Chair) was raised in Gander, NL, and moved to Steinbach in 2007. She is the Manager of Business Sales and service at SCU, where she has proudly worked for the last 15 years. A love of music and the Arts, especially voice and dance, started at a young age – Michelle has performed in several musicals and was involved with many choirs and glee clubs over the years. For several seasons she was the co-chair of the dance portion of the Southeastern Manitoba Festival
Michelle and her husband Don raised their family in Steinbach, their children attended summer camps at SAC and were involved in many activities in the community. She believes that children learn so much from extracurricular activities – teamwork, discipline, and confidence. She also believes that the arts provide endless opportunities for expression, creativity, and a sense of belonging.
Patrick Friesen
Patrick Friesen (Secretary) brings his decades of leadership and management
experience into everything he does. He leads Jacesco Consulting, a leadership
and career management consulting firm serving clients across Canada. Prior to
consulting, Patrick served as an administrator and faculty member at Steinbach
Bible College for over a decade. Patrick leads with creativity and
curiosity – bringing fresh ideas combined with consideration of strategic
timing to the boards that he is involved in. He is an avid supporter of the
arts, enjoying many forms and contributing through his photography.
Marissa Wiebe
Marissa Wiebe (Director) is an interdisciplinary queer-mennonite artist born and raised in Kleefeld. She spent the last 15 years living with her wife by the Atlantic Ocean and has recently moved back with their two cats, Buba Gump Shrimp and Moses. She is looking forward to participating in the neighbourhood in new ways and is pleased to accept a board seat with the Steinbach Arts Council.
Meghan Esau
Meghan Esau (Finance Chair), a native of South Eastern Manitoba with deep community roots, brings extensive experience in community development and business leadership to Steinbach, where she previously served as Membership Development Coordinator at the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Winnipeg, she built a strong foundation in retail management, where she developed a deep understanding of how local businesses navigate development and globalization challenges. Currently serving as a board member for both the Steinbach Arts Council, Meghan actively shapes the community’s cultural and social landscape. As a mother of two, a business leader, and dedicated community advocate, she continues to foster meaningful connections and drive local economic growth in Steinbach, which she proudly calls home.
Geoff Dilts
Geoff Dilts (Vice Chair) brings extensive board leadership experience to his role on the Steinbach Arts Council, drawing from his valuable tenure with both the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce and Envision Community Living. Having made Steinbach his home since 2005 alongside his wife and two grown sons, Geoff’s commitment to community development is evident through his 20-year career with RBC followed by fourteen years in the Credit Union system. Currently serving as the Senior Manager of Operations at Clearview Co-op, Geoff continues to demonstrate his dedication to community service through his position on the Envision Foundation board while embracing his new role in advancing arts and culture through the Steinbach Arts Council.
Angeline Martin
Angeline Martin (Director) moved to Steinbach in 1999 after earning her diploma in Massage Therapy. She successfully operated her own massage therapy business for 15 years. Following that, she dedicated six years to working with ROC Eastman, an organization she holds close to her heart. Currently, Ang works in compliance and anti-money laundering at Rotessa, a local online payment processing software company. Angeline is passionate about being part of a community that gives every child the opportunity to discover what they love – that thing that lights them up! And she’s seen how Steinbach Arts Council helps make that possible.
Angeline shares her life with her husband, Mike, and their beloved French Bulldog, Scottie Elizabeth. They enjoy travelling, spending time at the lake, and relaxing with a good book in their backyard.
Aryn Pasternak
Aryn Pasternak (Director) is a fifth grade teacher at Kleefeld School, where she has been teaching for the past seven years. Aryn is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and calls Steinbach home. Through her work in education, including teaching art, she has developed a strong appreciation for the role creativity plays in learning and personal growth.
Her connection to the arts began at a young age through participation in the South East Manitoba Festival, voice and piano lessons, singing in choirs, and taking part in community productions. She continues to enjoy attending local arts and community performances and believes that creativity is a skill that grows through practice and opportunity. As a board member of the Steinbach Arts Council, she hopes to help make arts and cultural experiences more accessible to the community and encourage people of all ages to explore their creativity.