Andrew founded The Brown Homestead with his wife, partner and muse, Jennifer, and they live in Port Dalhousie. He has a background in marketing and communications, and, in a past life, worked in theatre and independent film after completing a film & communications degree at McGill University. In addition to serving as the Chairman and Executive Director of the Homestead, he also heads the Humeniuk Foundation, a 50 year old family foundation that empowers ambitious community building organizations.

Jess is a historical researcher dedicated to understanding, preserving, and sharing stories of the past. Growing up just down the road from The Brown Homestead, she has deep roots in this community. She earned a Masters degree in history from Brock University in 2020, using GIS to investigate trade, communication networks, and economic development in Niagara during the early Loyalist period. Jess has been involved at a number of heritage sites over the past eight years, and remains engaged in her spare time with various local projects relating to built heritage preservation, archaeology, technical report writing, historical GIS & digital history, and public history.

Theresa received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Guelph, where she further discovered her passion for history and heritage. She then attended the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, where she completed the three year Heritage Conservation Program. During her time at Willowbank, both as a student and employee, she organized a number of events and helped to establish an international partnership between Willowbank and Messors, an organization that runs hands-on heritage conservation focused field schools in Puglia, Italy. Fun Fact: Theresa was the first employee of The Brown Homestead back in 2016, where she assisted with the organizational development and strategic planning for the future of The Brown Homestead.

Mary Maida is a Fonthill resident and has obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree with an Honours Marketing from the University of Guelph. Mary has worked a number of organizations throughout Niagara and beyond during her 20+ year career in non-profit fundraising and consulting, honing her skills across a broad range of sectors including social services, environment, education, health care and now heritage. Mary’s expertise spans a multitude of projects such as capital campaigns, annual giving programs, major gift acquisition, targeted appeals, legacy programs, grant writing, event and project management.

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Mackenzie has always had an interest in Niagara's history, specifically its built heritage. She recently graduated with a Diploma in Heritage Conservation from the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts in Queenston, ON. During her intern year, Mackenzie worked at The Brown Homestead studying the wallpaper in the Ballroom of the John Brown House. She now works as the Project Manager for the house restoration, working on both design and hands-on implementation. She is also an intern member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP).

Growing up in Grimsby, Sara's passion for sharing local history began as a child after discovering a book detailing the origins of the town's street names. Following her passion, Sara went on to pursue a MA in Public History at Carleton University and build a career in the museum and heritage fields. After over six years at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, Sara joined The Brown Homestead as Community Engagement Manager to continue putting her passion into action, using local history as a platform to bring people into meaningful conversation, build community connections, and amplify new voices.

Pam works as the Administrative Coordinator at the Brown Homestead, where she helps make sure the organization runs as smoothly as possible. Upon graduating from the University of Toronto and the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), she has been involved in the cultural and immigration sector in Toronto, with a focus on community-building and education. She now lives in St. Catharines, Ontario with her partner and their two cats.

Julia Hodgson is joining us this summer as our Program Coordinator. A student at the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, Julia was also our summer intern last year, and will be heading into her final year of schooling this fall. Her interior decoration and design skills and thoughtful approach to heritage conservation are a welcome addition to the team and we are glad to have her back for another season!