STAFF
Executive Director
CHRISSY DICKS
Chrissy Dicks is an arts worker of Mi’kmaq and settler heritage from Corner Brook, Ktaqmkuk. She has been instrumental in Lawnya Vawnya’s growth since 2013 and has been the organization’s Executive Director since 2017. With over 15 years of experience working in the arts industry, Chrissy’s main area of interest is community building through art and culture in her home province of NL. Chrissy has a Bachelor of Arts from Memorial University and a post-baccalaureate certificate of visual art from NSCAD University. She also currently sits on the Board of Directors at CB Nuit as the Director of Music and runs a small flower farm with her mom on the west coast of the island.
Programming Director
SARAH HARRIS
Sarah Harris is a musician and arts worker from St. John’s, NL. She contributes to projects across genres as a musician, producer, engineer, and songwriter. Sarah is a fan and writer of music ranging in genre from folk, to guitar-centric rock, to experimental, electronic, and soundscape. In recent years, she has toured internationally as the guitarist for the Montreal band Knitting, released music under the name Ultra Far, and composed scores for short films. Sarah Holds a BA in English from Memorial University, and a BFA in Electroacoustic Creative Practice from Concordia University. Serving as Lawnya Vawnya's Programming Director, she has a passion for Canadian music and organizing. Sarah has been with LV since 2019.
Marketing + Graphic Design Director
NORA DE MARIAFFI
Nora de Mariaffi is a artist, seamstress, and arts worker based in St. John's, NL. She holds a degree in Community Arts Education from Concordia University and a certificate in Graphic Design from OCAD. She has worked for Lawnya Vawnya since 2021 and currently works as Marketing & Graphic Design Director. She is co-admin at I Don’t Do Comics, a comic publication open to everyone. She also owns and operates a small, slow-made apparel brand out of her studio in Downtown St. John's. De Mariaffi was born in Ontario, studied in Quebec, and has now returned to the province she calls home, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Technical Director
MICHELLE LACOUR
Michelle LaCour is a musician, audio engineer, educator, arts worker, and sound designer based in St. John's, NL. She has been with Lawnya Vawnya as the festival's Technical Director since 2019, and works with a number of other festivals including Sound Symposium, the Tuckamore Festival, and the 21st Century Guitar. She plays synths and piano accordion with a number of local acts, records/mixes/masters albums, gives workshops on a variety of audio-related topics, and works as a sound designer for film and theatre. Michelle holds a B.Mus from Memorial University, and an M.Mus in sound recording from McGill University. She was named Recording Engineer of the Year in 2021 and 2023 by MusicNL and was nominated for Live Sound Engineer of the Year at the ECMAs in 2020 and 2021.
Logistics Coordinator
SALOME BARKER
Salome Barker is L'nu and Irish from Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, but based in St. John's. She works in the arts and community sectors, hosting "Good Medicine" on CBC Radio and contributing to Indigenous music from the East Coast. Salome holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Francis Xavier University in Gender Studies. Salome has been attending Lawnya Vawnya since 2013 as a volunteer and sat on the programming committee from 2021-2022. This is Salome’s second year as the Logistics Coordinator for Lawnya Vawnya.
BOARD
Chair
ELSA SIMMS
Elsa Simms is a musician and museum professional from St. John’s. She is currently pursuing her PhD in community archaeology at MUNL and has most notably curated exhibits such as Punk Rock Pearl for Admiralty House Communications Museum. Elsa started playing in punk bands as a teenager and still plays in several local bands today. She is passionate about making heritage, archaeology, history, and punk accessible through inclusive programming and community engagement.
Vice Chair
COREY STEINKE
Corey Steinke (he/him) is a Colorado-born, Montreal-bred, St. John’s-based DJ, organizer & producer. He performs under the moniker Corey Clocksy, and relocated to St. John’s in 2023 with his partner Sarah & dog Mabel. He works in artist and label services at Mega Labs and is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Memorial University.
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At Large
ALLISON CONNORS BROPHY
Allison loves to eat, cook, and play. She is a lifelong hospitality worker, an entrepreneur (punchbowl forever), and now spends her days working with Newfoundland & Labrador tourism to help promote our province's culinary gifts to the masses. She has participated in the Lawnya Vawnya Festival as both a caterer and an attendee since moving back home in 2016 and has been thrilled to serve as a board member since 2020. When not working, cooking, or hosting, you can find her either on the trails or lounging with her partner Harry and their handsome cat Ralph.
At Large
CHRISTEEN FRANCIS
Christeen Francis is a printmaker and musician based in St John’s, NL where she currently works as director of St Michael’s Printshop. She is committed to social and political print that engages with local communities and the public at large and she likes to play in bands. She has exhibited in Canada, the United States, Germany, and Iceland, and is a member of the Justseeds Artist Cooperative.
At Large
ELLING LIEN
Originally from Portugal Cove, Elling Lien is an artist and arts administrator who spends an unusual amount of time encouraging people to make stuff for the fun of it. If you’re from town you may remember him as one of the co-owners of The Scope newspaper, or, more likely, the guy behind Junco’s Pub. Currently he is Executive Director of both the Nickel Independent Film Festival and Unpossible NL, the organization that runs the RPM Challenge. He holds bachelor degrees in Creative Writing and English Literature from Concordia University in Montreal, and a Journalism degree from University of King's College. He really likes Doritos.
At Large
JACOB CHERWICK
Jacob Cherwick is an Audio/Visual artist based in St. John's, NL. He is perhaps best known as a musician, performing with a number of groups including Swimming, Kubasonics & Sick Puppy. His work has resulted in 5 MusicNL awards as well as a number of tours across Canada, Europe, Brazil & the Caribbean. Jacob is also 1/2 of Halfcase, a creative team where he works as a mixing/mastering engineer & graphic designer. After being a passionate supporter of Lawnya Vawnya for nearly a decade, collaborating on countless projects and events, Jacob joined the board in 2025.
At Large
JONNY LUSH
Jonny Lush is a lifelong member and contributor to the St. John’s music community.
In 2015 he founded the local organization DarkNL Community Darkroom which continues to provide local photography programming, workshops and installations.
He is an educator and spends most of his time taking photos and walking his dog, Lottie.
At Large
NADIA DUMAN
Nadia Duman (she/they) is an immigrant from Guayaquil, Ecuador living in St John’s, Newfoundland (Ktaqmkuk) since 2014. She is a self-taught songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with over 14-years of experience performing a variety of genres including Hardcore, Punk Rock, Electronic and traditional Latin music. Currently, they are an active member of locally/nationally recognized musical projects including CUERPOS, Despertá and So Violento. Nadia has been praised for her hypnotic vocals and their experimental approach to guitar-playing which showcases her capacity to generate genre-bending sounds. Through their music, they reflect on the isolating nature of living on an island, issues with geographic mobility, the meaning of belonging, heartbreak as well as their immigration journey.