Board of Directors

To complement our artistic team with responsible administrative guidance and governance, County Stage has assembled an accomplished advisory team drawn from Canada’s leading financial and creative organizations.

Anna Hardwick, Chair

Anna is honoured to lead the board of County Stage, having performed in their 2017 season as Titania in Hippolyta’s Wedding: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her roots run deep in the County with a grandmother from Belleville and as a founder of an inn in Picton. She is now building an eco home in Milford and is thrilled to contribute to the growth of a vibrant theatre scene on the island. She brings a lifelong passion for the performing arts to the board, as an actor, producer and writer. www.annahardwick.com

Gregory Sorbara, Treasurer

Greg Sorbara and his family have farmed in Prince Edward County since 2010. In 2015 the family undertook the reconstruction of the historic Royal Hotel in Picton. Greg was a member of the Ontario Legislature for over 20 years and served as the province's minister of finance from 2003 to 2007. He is Chair of the Advisory Board of The Sorbara Group of Companies, the Chancellor of York University, a member of the board of the Ontario Arts Foundation and the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation. But most of his attention is reserved for his wife Kate, his 6 children, and 16 grandkids.

John Burns, Secretary & Founder

John Burns is a seasoned dramaturge having taught acting while directing a range of productions that include multi cast musicals and solo performances. John is the founder of Festival Players, now County Stage and a co-founder of Station Road Arts Collective which highlights the well-honed talent of individuals that call the region of Prince Edward County, Ontario, home.

Julie Haché, Director

Julie is an integral coach, entrepreneur and investor. Social venture, education, and sustainable living. Ex-Shopify eng+HR, former startup CTO.

Michèle Maheux, Director

Michèle Maheux is a 40-year veteran of the Arts & Culture arena in Canada, most recently serving as Executive Director & COO of TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival).

In 2020, Maheux cofounded “LEAN” (Leadership Emergency Arts Network) to connect hundreds of volunteer senior advisers to hundreds of senior Arts & Culture leaders across Canada to help them navigate Covid 19 and its effects on their organizations.

In her next chapter, Ms. Maheux is focused on organizational and leadership effectiveness through her coaching and consulting practice – run from the sunroom of her PEC farmhouse.

Jordan Martin de Rosales, Director

Owner/Creative Director of Merrill House; Jordan moved to PEC three years ago from London, UK following the purchase of Merrill House in Picton. He has converted the Gothic Revival house into a boutique luxury hotel, French restaurant and Wine Spectator-awarded cellar. He is continuing to expand his local hospitality portfolio with the ongoing development of a private leisure estate in Cape Vesey called Domaine Martin as well as a vineyard project on the horizon. Jordan’s love for performance arts is deep and he shares a grand vision for entertainment culture in Prince Edward with the rest of the board.