Gail Dexter Lord – experienced, innovative, effective, creative – is one of the world’s foremost museum planners. Gail has extensive experience in the museum and cultural sector and brings exceptional vision and knowledge to each of the projects she leads.

Gail has been instrumental in developing museum planning having co-authored with Barry Lord, five museum planning manuals, The Manual of Museum Exhibitions (2002), The Manual of Museum Management (1997; re-printed 1998 and 2002; 2nd edition 2009), The Manual of Museum Planning (1991; 2nd edition 1999; 3rd edition, 2012, co-edited with Barry Lord and Lindsay Martin) and The Cost of Collecting (1991).

Her in-depth knowledge of museum audiences and sensitivity to the cultural resources that all communities have, as well as their need to nurture and develop those resources for the public benefit make Gail particularly effective in planning for innovative approaches to cultural organizations such as the National African American Museum of History and Culture, the new branch of the Smithsonian Institution on the National Mall in Washington, Canada’s new national museum, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, Art museums and contemporary art centres employing her expertise include Tate in London, Museo Guggenheim Bilbao and the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Gail is a frequent presenter at professional conferences, including the American Association of Museums, the British Museums Association, The International Council of Museums and the Canadian Museums Association.

Edward Burtynsky is known as one of Canada’s most respected photographers. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes are included in the collections of over fifty major museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.

Born in 1955 of Ukrainian heritage at St. Catharines, Ontario, Burtynsky is a graduate of Ryerson University (Bachelor of Applied Arts in Photography) and studied Graphic Art at Niagara College in Welland. He links his early exposure to the sites and images of the General Motors plant in his hometown to the development of his photographic work. His imagery explores the intricate link between industry and nature, combining the raw elements of mining, quarrying, manufacturing, shipping, oil production and recycling into eloquent, highly expressive visions that find beauty and humanity in the most unlikely of places. In 1985, Burtynsky also founded Toronto Image Works, a darkroom rental facility, custom photo laboratory, digital imaging and new media computer-training centre catering to all levels of Toronto’s art community. Mr. Burtynsky also sits on the board of directors for: Toronto’s international photography festival, Contact and The Ryerson Gallery and Research Center.

Mr. Burtynsky’s distinctions include the TED Prize, The Outreach award at the Rencontres d’Arles, The Flying Elephant Fellowship, Applied Arts Magazine book award(s), and the Roloff Beny Book award. In 2006 he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Canada and holds six honorary doctorate degrees.

Daniel Libeskind, B.Arch. M.A. BDA AIA, is an international architect and designer. His practice extends worldwide from museums and concert halls to convention centers, universities, hotels, shopping centers, and residential projects. Born in Łód´z, Poland in 1946, Libeskind was a virtuoso musician at a young age before giving up music to become an architect. He has designed world-renowned projects including: the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Denver Art Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Military History Museum in Dresden, and the masterplan for Grand Zero among others. Daniel Libeskind’s commitment to expanding the scope of architecture reflects his profound interest and involvement in philosophy, art, literature and music. Fundamental to Libeskind’s philosophy is the notion that building are crafted with the perceptible human energy, and that they address the greater cultural context in which they are built. Daniel teaches and lectures at universities across the world. He has received numerous awards including the 2001 Hiroshima Art Prize — an award given to an artist whose work promotes international understanding and peace, never before given to an architect — the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal in 2010 and the AIANY Medal of Honor in 2012. He resides in New York City with his wife and business partner, Nina Libeskind.

Doris L. Bergen is the Chancellor Rose and Ray Wolfe Professor of Holocaust Studies at the University of Toronto. She is the author of War and Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust; Twisted Cross: The German Christian Movement in the Third Reich; and numerous articles on issues of religion, gender, and ethnicity in the Holocaust and World War II. Bergen received her PhD from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1991, and has taught at the Universities of Notre Dame and Vermont. She is a member of the Academic Advisory Committee of the Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Claude Cormier has a strong background in both the theory and practice of landscape architecture. Over the years, he has acquired a solid reputation as a prolific designer, noted for his originality and creativity. Working in tandem with teams of other urban design professionals, Claude has demonstrated an innovative, imaginative capacity for problem solving. He approaches each obstacle as a challenge, each new constraint as a stimulus for fresh creativity. Claude is a dedicated and sensitive team player, for which he has gained the respect of clients and colleagues alike.

Dov Goldstein is a Principal Consultant at Lord Cultural Resources, the largest cultural planning practice of its kind in the world. With over 20 years of experience in cultural, interpretive and strategic planning, Dov has led and managed some of the firm’s largest and most complex projects in Canada, the US and around the globe.

With a background in urban planning, Dov’s focus is on public projects that impact cities and the urban realm. At Lord, Dov works in both management consulting and exhibition development with specializations in master planning, strategic planning, interpretive planning and project management. He has worked with a diverse roster of clients including museums, public libraries, public gardens, private companies and municipal, provincial and federal governments. Recent projects include the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa, the Bentway in Toronto and Canada’s Diversity Gardens in Winnipeg.

Daniel Friedman, Council Chair is serving as rabbi at Beth Israel Synagogue in Edmonton. He is past-president of Jewish Family Services Edmonton, an executive member of the Rabbinical Council of America and member of the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Currently, he is pursuing a doctorate in international relations at the University of Alberta.

Ralph E. Lean is counsel at Gowling WLG, a Toronto legal firm. He serves on the board of governors of both B’nai Brith Canada and the Portage Program for Drug Dependencies, and is chair of Right to Play Canada.

Elliot Lifson is vice chairman of Vêtements Peerless Clothing Inc. He is president of the Canadian Apparel Federation and one of the longest-sitting members of the Apparel and Footwear Sectoral Advisory Group on International Trade. He is a member of the boards of Apparel Quebec and Export Development Canada, a director of the Fondation de la mode de Montréal, the Tolerance Foundation and the Apparel Human Resource Council. Mr. Lifson is a past chair of the board of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and serves as professor at McGill University’s Desautels School of Management.

Alvin Segal is chairman and chief executive officer of Peerless Clothing and president and chairman of the board of the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2002 and promoted to officer of the Order of Canada in 2010 for his continued philanthropy. Additionally, he was appointed officer of the Ordre national du Québec in June 2011 for his dedication and contribution to arts and health care in the city of Montréal.

Fran Sonshine is the national chair of the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, Canada’s leading authority for Holocaust education, commemoration, documentation and research. She is a past chair of both the Baycrest board of directors and its foundation, and a former member of the board of National Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). She received UJA Federation’s 2011 Ben Sadowski Award of Merit, 2010 JFNA Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award, 2003 Shem Tov Award and 1996 Hadassah-WIZO’s Volunteer of Distinction Award.

Margi Oksner is currently the principal of Margi Oksner & Associates, a full-service consulting firm that offers strategic, creative and business planning for fundraising organizations. She is also a professional speechwriter for many of Toronto’s foremost community leaders.

In her 35 years in the fundraising industry, Oksner has developed a history of involvement in philanthropy and volunteerism that has crossed many different sectors in the Toronto community including Toronto Hadassah-WIZO, Baycrest Health Sciences, Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary, the Jewish Foundation of Toronto, Jerusalem Foundation and the Women’s Brain Health Initiative.

In her role as the Executive Director of the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, Oksner has said, 'This is without a doubt the highlight of my career as a fundraiser. I feel very privileged and honoured to be working on this once-in-a-lifetime initiative. My parents, both Holocaust Survivors and both very proud Canadians, would have loved knowing that I had a hand in this outstanding project.'