Family, Friends, & Fun at the
80th Annapolis Valley
Apple Blossom Festival
May 30 - June 4, 2012

President

Rose Stevenson-Davidson

With education and experience in the fields of public service, education, employment, training and social sciences, Rose brings a unique and wide-ranging perspective to her role as the President of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom festival.

Rose is the first African Nova Scotian and only the third woman to hold the position of President in the festival’s 80 year history. She has a strong legacy of community service and leadership. Rose is a life long resident of the Annapolis Valley and has held previous AVABF Directorships which include Community Liaision, Publicity and Vice-President. She resides in the town of Windsor with her spouse Kent and is proud mother of their four adult children.

Rose looks forward to celebrating the premier family festival with the dedicated ABF Board of Directors and you.

Vice President, Events and Treasurer

Greg Miller

Greg joined the Board in 2010 as Co-Director of Events. His work life is as a CA and partner with Bishop & Company Chartered Accountants in Wolfville, and a director of the AC Group of Independent Accounting Firms. He resides in Coldbrook and has four children. Attending Festival events each year with his family has made Greg appreciate how much Apple Blossom time means to the Valley community. He is looking forward to his year on the Board for the 80th Apple Blossom Festival.

Board Secretary and Office Manager

Debbie Gibson

Debbie grew up on a beautiful Annapolis Valley farm in Millville with her dad, mum, two brothers and four sisters. She attended West Kings District High School and Kings Regional Vocational School with certification as secretary/receptionist and has continued her education through university courses and other courses of interest throughout her life. She has worked with youth, seniors, and spent many years in various roles in the financial industry.

Married to Craig Gibson, a member of the RCMP and father of their two children, she has lived in numerous communities across Canada and is happy to be back home in the Valley. They have three wonderful grandchildren. Many of their yearly vacations were planned around Apple Blossom Festival weekend and Craig often marched in the Grande Street Parade.

Committed to family and community, Debbie is looking forward to an exciting and challenging year serving as Secretary for the 80th Apple Blossom Festival!

Co-Leadership/ Protocol

Angela Pelton

Angela was born and raised in the beautiful Annapolis Valley and has a life-long interest in the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival. Since 2004, she has served as the Town of Hantsport’s Community Representative. Traveling extensively throughout the Valley, she has gained a deep appreciation for all the Valley has to offer and has supported neighbouring communities involvement in the Festival. A mother of three children, her daughter, Katelyn Rose, was chosen Princess Hantsport in 2008. An active volunteer, she won the 2011 Volunteer of the Year award for her community. In support of the Hantsport Harvest Festival, Angela organized the first Little Miss Harvest Fest competition for young ladies between the ages of seven and nine. Angela is delighted to be part of the Board of Directors as they celebrate, "Growing Together for 80 Years."

Transportation

Blair MacMurtery

Since joining the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival Board in 2009, Blair
MacMurtery has held the position of Director of Transportation. He is a long time resident of the Annapolis Valley and has been a police officer in Kings County since 1983. Blair continues to strive for safe and timely travel for the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival Royal Tour.

Co-Leadership/ Protocol

Kathieanne Brown

Kathie is a life long resident of the Annapolis Valley and has resided in New Minas for the past 18 years. She has 2 children in University and is co-raising her Step-Grandson who is 5. She also is and has been a host mom to over 20 International students from all over the world, working in conjunction with the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board.

After graduation from MRHS with a business background, she has been employed with Coop Atlantic for the past 38 years as a Senior Customer Service Rep.

She has been an active volunteer on executives for East Kings Soccer Association, New Minas Invitational Soccer Club and various volleyball associations over the years while her daughter was an active player.

Kathie was also 1st Lady in Waiting to Princess Berwick in 1974 and is now the very proud mom of Princess New Minas, Erika Brown.

When she is not busy with working or volunteering, she enjoys baking, camping and spending time with her family.

Co-Events

Lisa Misner

Lisa went to Acadia University for a Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology. She plans on becoming a regular force Social Work Officer with the Canadian Forces in the future. Currently, She is working with the Canadian Forces as a Corporal and Section Commander with the West Nova Scotia Regiment.

Lisa has been involved with the Festival from a very young child as her mother has been lead judge for many years and was also once the Children’s Parade Director. Lisa started to be a judge for the Children’s Parade when she was 14 and has always had a passion for the Apple Blossom Festival.

Lisa is involved in many community leadership opportunities such as helping coach the Berwick Junior Ringette team, a team captain for Relay for Life, an ice marshal for Hearts on Ice, as well as many other activities. She loves working with children and participates in S.M.I.L.E. and Kinderskills at Acadia University.

Community Liaison and Culture

Lori VanTassell

Lori is pleased to be joining the Apple Blossom Festival Board as Director of Community Liaison. Originally from Digby, Lori moved to Kentville in 2009. Lori is the very proud mother of two, Amanda and Andrew. Having volunteered with many community organizations, Lori is looking forward to being part of the 80th Apple Blossom Festival.

Co-Events and Sponsorship

Mark Pound

Since joining the Board in 2005, Mark has held positions in; Publicity, Cultural, and Grand Street Parades.
Mark enjoys volunteering with many community organizations such as the Kentville Volunteer Fire
Department, and St. John Ambulance. Mark lives in Kentville with his wife and son. Mark is extremely excited and honoured to help organize the Apple Blossom Festival.

Past President

Cathy Reid

An active community volunteer, Cathy has been involved with the ABF for nearly 10 years. The spirit of Festival is magic for people in the valley, requiring a dedicated team to make the magic happen every year.

Calling Kentville home, Cathy has two adult daughters who have been involved with Festival in a variety of ways, for nearly as long as Jessica and Elizabeth can remember! She owns Absolutely Fabulous Bed, Bath & Home in New Minas and understands the value of giving back to a supportive community.

Looking forward to the 80th!

Past President

Sally Swanburg Wallace

Since joining the Board in 2001, Sally has held positions in; Sponsorship,
Events and then as President in 2006. Sally, while still serving the Board as Past President enjoys being able to share in this common passion, for family and fun, with fellow Board members. As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) since 2001, the financial planning pinnacle for this industry, Sally continues to be enrolled in additional courses as she is always adding to her knowledge base in financial planning. Sally lives and practices, as a financial planner, in Wolfville.

Advisory Board

Claude O'Hara

Claude is a past president of the Apple Blossom Festival and has joined several of his former colleagues on the Board in providing support and mentorship to our team of dedicated volunteers determined to continue the 80 year festival tradition.

Currently the Executive Director of the Hants Regional Development Authority, Claude's background and experience includes a twenty three year career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, specializing in developing programmes to tackle and mitigate potential disasters through community problem management, crime/crisis prevention and crisis communication.

Claude has been involved in many community efforts where his management skills and government relations experience has resulted in successful campaigns for climate change and community projects.

Claude comes from a traditional seafaring family and even though he has a passion for the ocean, he has chosen to settle in farming country where he now lives with his wife Judy and together they have one adult daughter.

Advisory Board

David Cunningham

David was born and raised in Kentville. He has spent the last 17 years working for Valley Communications & Valley Alarms in Kentville. Over the last 6 years, he has assisted with the Grand Street Parade and last year assisted with the Children’s Parade. David is looking forward to being directly involved with the AVABF as a member of the Advisory Board for the 80th Apple Blossom Festival.

Advisory Board

Donna Higgins

Donna has lived in the Annapolis Valley all her life. She graduated from Acadia University, and began a teaching career at the Nova Scotia Community College - Kingstec Campus where she taught Hospitality Management courses for over 30 years. She worked for the Tourism Industry of Nova Scotia presenting seminars on Business
Practices and Safe Alcohol Delivery Practices.

Donna holds the designation of Certified Hospitality Educator from Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Restaurant Association and won the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Nova Scotia Community College in 1997.

Donna has done extensive volunteer work with 4-H and has served on several boards throughout the Valley. She was an active member of the Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival board from 2002 through 2009 holding positions as Community Liaison, Protocol Director and Director of the Leadership Competition. She is pleased to once again be working with the AVABF as a member of the Advisory Board.

Advisory Board

Greg White

Bio Coming Soon

Advisory Board

Ray Savage

Bio Coming Soon

Artistic Advisor on Advisory Board

Tony Stephenson

Tony Stephenson, originally from the UK, has an extensive background and qualifications in music. His career in Misc Education was in Newfoundland after which he moved to Kentville in 2004.

He joined the AVABF team for the 79th Festival to initiate the Blossom Hike, to co- create the Intergenerational Massed Choir and the Twinning of ABF with the Goosnargh and Whitsuntide Festival in the U K. He is married to the former Holly Mills from Gander, Nfld.