Staff & Board

Executive Director - Darren Halsted

Darren joined the ODHS in the Spring of 2022. Originally a lawyer from Northern England, he and his wife moved to Canada a few years ago. Darren worked in the Leisure and Cultural Heritage Sectors at Tumbler Ridge as General Manager of the trails organization and Project Manager at the UNESCO Global GeoPark. Darren manages the overall operations of the ODHS and large heritage projects among many other duties. Darren is an avid skier when he’s not working.

Curator - Janell Lancaster

Janell is originally from Ottawa and obtained a B.A in History and Religious Studies and later obtained a Museum and Archives Degree. Janell joined the ODHS in the Fall of 2022 and carries forward several years of professional experience working in the Ontario and BC Heritage sectors at museums, archives and National Historic Sites on BC’s Coast and Interior. As the Curator, Janell manages the ODHS artefact and archive collections, develops exhibits and school educational programs. When she’s not working, Janell enjoys hiking, biking and spending time at the lake. She’s also a photographer, check her website https://www.janelllancasterphotography.com/

Archives Assistant - kayla cazes

Born and raised in the South Okanagan, Kayla brings to the job over seven years of experience in the arts and culture field. In 2010, Kayla earned her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Toronto in military history and genocide. She then moved on to achieve a certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship from Sir Sandford Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario. Kayla is currently in the process of completing her masters in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Alberta. Kayla helps to process archival materials and ensure collections access. Outside of work you can find Kayla hiking and reading.

ODHS Board Members

President— Vance Potter

Vice President— Dave Janzen

Treasurer— Terry Killough

Members

Sue Morhun

Jenna Bower

Sharon Giesbrecht

Ed Collen

Ian Hunt

Bruce Hamilton

Michael Goeres

Town of Oliver Representative

Terry Schafer

Representative from the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS)

Rick Knodel