Amandine Gauthier
Combining her managerial skills and social values as Executive Director of Porte Parole, Amandine Gauthier has worked as a director of arts organizations and strategic planning consultant for the past fifteen years. Prior to moving to Montreal and joining the Porte Parole team in March 2020, Amandine was previously at the helm of Quebec City theatres Le Périscope and Le Trident. Outside work, you will typically find her at the theatre when she is not hiking or travelling with her two children.
Favourite play – 887 by Robert Lepage
Causes she is passionate about – Social pediatrics and climate change
Annabel Soutar is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Porte Parole, whose reputation and work has helped introduce documentary theatre to Quebec audiences. Her plays and dramaturgical collaborations include Novembre, Sexy béton, Fredy, J’aime Hydro, The Assembly, Tout Inclus et Rose et la Machine.
In 2015 Annabel was named one of Canada’s Artists of the Year by The Globe and Mail, and in 2022 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from McGill University for her exceptional contribution to both her field, and to society.
Favourite play – Rwanda 94
Causes she is passionate about – Polarization, civic engagement, and democracy.
To contact Annabel Soutar, please write to Laurent Forget at the following address lforget@porteparole.org
Laurent Forget
Laurent Forget holds degrees in both theatre (UOttawa – 2017) and dance (UQAM – 2023). First and foremost a director, he has worked on texts by renowned playwrights (Normand Chaurette, Agota Kristof, Sarah Berthiaume, Steve Gagnon, Dennis Kelly, Fernando Arrabal). A versatile artist, he has also worked as stage manager and production manager on a number of projects. His experiences with cultural organizations (LA SERRE – Arts vivants, OFFTA, DLD – Daniel Léveillé danse) have strengthened his coordination skills and his efficient, thoughtful working approach.
Favourite play – Tom na Fazenda, Michel Marc Bouchard + Rodrigo Portella
Causes he is passionate about – Environmental and pediatric issues
Alex Ivanovici
In 1997 Alex met playwright Annabel Soutar and together they founded Porte Parole. For the past 25 years they have been developing and producing documentary theatre projects that attempt to stimulate a nuanced public discourse on complex contemporary issues. Alex also works as a bilingual actor in film, television, video games and theatre. He also has 30 years of experience as a director and documentary playwright in Montreal.
His favourite play – Bettroffenheit by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young
A cause he is passionate about – Civic engagement
Merissa Tordjman
Normand Vincent
Normand Vincent has worn many hats throughout his 40-year career, working in both the French and English-speaking worlds across Canada. The versatility he acquired both on stage and behind the scenes, both artistically and technically, has led him to collaborate in the creation and national and international tours for productions of prestigious companies including: 4dart lemieux.pilon (Ceci est une sphère, Anima, La Tempête, Norman), PPS Danse (Bagne, Pôles, Strata), Montanaro Danse (Ned angl sed angeli). In 2014, he joined Porte Parole, contributing his expertise to the development and dissemination of many shows by this innovative company.
Favourite play – The 1987 production of Les Feluettes, directed by André Brassard
Causes he is passionate about- Social justice in all its forms
Maxime Bertrand
From backstage of the men’s ready-to-wear industry in Paris and London to the backstage of documentary theatre, Maxime Bertrand was previously a Project Manager and entrepreneur in the luxury industry before a pivot to philanthropy. A graduate of top business schools, he is keen to implement best practices to ensure the sustainable development of the organisation. Giving the Porte Parole team the means with which to achieve its ambitions has been his personal mission since he fell in love with documentary theatre as a vehicle for social impact. Outside work, Maxime has many passions related to culture and adventure.
Favourite play – Rose et la machine by Maude Laurendeau
Causes he is passionate about – The conservation of land and the protection of watersheds, particularly in Lake Memphremagog and Castle Creek.
Saskia Rolland‑Bezem
Saskia joined Porte Parole in January 2022. Passionate about the performing arts, (theatre in particular!), Saskia has always worked in cultural field, both in her native England as well as in Quebec. Most notably she was previously part of the team at BBC Arts, where she worked on arts documentary programming across BBC television and radio, and upon her arrival to Canada in January 2020 held the position of Administrative Director at Festival Bach Montréal. Outside work, Saskia can mostly be found at the theatre and the cinema, or working on drawings for her illustration business.
Favourite play – Too many to list! But Consent by Nina Raine and Beginning by David Eldridge
Causes she is passionate about – Climate change, and accessible healthcare
Sara Karel Chiasson
Sara Karel is a graduate of the ÉTP program at Collège Lionel-Groulx. In addition to acting and writing, she has a passion for sewing and creates her own costumes for theatrical and television productions. A multidisciplinary artist from Ville-Marie in Témiscamingue, Sara Karel has more than one string to her bow, and pursues artistic project creation in all forms, from writing, scriptwriting and playwriting to stand up comedy.
Favourite play – Des arbres à abattre by Thomas Bernhard, directed by Krystian Lupa
Causes she is passionate about – Feminism and social injustice
Béatrice Flynn
Béatrice joined the Porte-Parole team in June 2024. After studying fine arts at Concordia University, she first worked as a freelance photographer before landing at 1700 La Poste, where she spends many years working to expand the reach of local artists to a wider audience as Communications Coordinator. She draws on her skills in graphic design, photography and video to explore new ways of promoting the various projects she undertakes. In her spare time, she enjoys cinema, literature and digital creation.
Clara Pierre
A graduate of HEC-Liège in social economics and environmental management, Clara began her career in the agri-food industry before quickly shifting her focus to sustainable entrepreneurship and joining the Porte Parole team.
Her role is to help coordinate projects and create a supportive environment for the team. She has expertise in sustainable strategy, CSR reporting (impact measurement, action plans, communication), and the circular economy. By joining Porte Parole, Clara is putting her skills and energy at the service of a project that makes sense.
Favorite play :
Mamma Mia!
A cause she is passionate about :
Degrowth
Gabriel Girard
Gabriel joined Porte Parole in August 2024. With a bachelor’s degree in art history from Université de Montréal, he began his career in the cultural sector with an internship at Les Impatients, an experience that impressed upon him the importance of making a positive impact on his community. A few years later, he joined the Visitor Experience team at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), where he acquired fundraising expertise. Outside of work, Gabriel enjoys cooking and visiting exhibitions around Montreal.
Board
Matthieu Sauvé
President
Matthieu Sauvé holds a Master’s degree in communications, beginning his career in the field in the early 1980s.
He has worked in both the public and private sectors, as well as in consulting, notably with the public relations firm NATIONAL, before co-founding the agency Zone franche in 2010. A member of the College of Fellows of the Canadian Public Relations Society, he received the Yves-St-Amand Award from the Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques for his contribution to the advancement of the profession and was also the receipient of the Reconnaissance Award from the Faculty of Communications at Université du Québec à Montréal.
Passionate about culture, Matthieu previously chaired the Board of Directors of the Château Ramezay Museum for four years and now chairs the institution’s Board of Trustees. He has chaired Porte Parole’s Board of Directors since 2019, a commitment motivated by his deep conviction of the relevance of the company’s mission.
Fortunat Nadima Nadima
Secretary
Fortunat Nadima has been practising as an intellectual property litigation and dispute resolution lawyer in Montréal since 2019. He represents and advises companies of all sizes and in a variety of fields in matters involving patents, industrial designs, copyrights and trade-marks, as well as advising on regulatory issues. Prior to practicing in this area, he gained experience in regulatory affairs in Ottawa and in international arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
Passionate about arts and culture, he is involved in the Governance and Ethics Committee of Porte Parole’s Board of Directors, as well as for other Montreal cultural organisations.
Mary Dailey Desmarais
Administrator
Chief Curator of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts since 2020, Mary-Dailey Desmarais leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to enriching, enhancing and preserving a collection of more than 45,000 works and objects dating from Antiquity to the present day.
Since joining the museum in 2014, she has curated the exhibitions À plein volume: Basquiat et la musique (2022), Adam Pendleton: Ce qu’on a fait ensemble (2022), Combien de temps faut-il pour qu’une voix atteigne l’autre (2021) and Il était une fois… le western: une mythologie entre art et cinéma (2017), whose catalogue won two awards.
Her texts on subjects ranging from Impressionism to modern and contemporary international art have been published in a number of scientific journals, exhibition catalogues and art magazines.
Originally from New York, Mary-Dailey holds a PhD in art history from Yale University, an MA from Williams College and a BA from Stanford University.
Mathieu Johnson
Administrator
Mathieu Johnson joined Hydro-Québec serves as Vice President – Strategy, Corporate Evolution and Development. In this capacity, he is tasked with establishing Hydro-Québec’s overall business strategies and spearheading its transformation in light of the rapidly changing energy sector and new market needs, with a view to helping bring about Québec’s energy transition in an optimal manner. His mandate also includes the implementation of changes in Hydro-Québec’s regulatory framework and rate structure. In addition, he is responsible for partnerships and investments concerning renewable energy infrastructure related to generating options other than hydroelectricity, such as wind power.
Previously, Mr. Johnson was Director of Renewable Gas Strategy and Development at Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro). Earlier in his career, he worked as a strategy consultant with KPMG and Roland Berger, in Canada, Europe and United-States. Mr. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance from HEC Montréal
Julie Pilon
Administrator
Julie Pilon has been working in the marketing communications agency industry since 2007. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal, with a specialism in marketing and finance.
She began her career at FCB Montreal, where she assisted brands such as Fido, Loto Québec and Molson Export with their brand and communications. She then joined LG2 in 2013, where she later became a partner. She works with organizations including Hydro-Québec, Bell, Beneva and Boréale, accompanying them in various transformations and brand evolutions.
Julie chose to get involved with the Board of Directors of Porte Parole because she firmly believes in its mission, its raison d’être and its power to advance our society.
Alex Ivanovici
Administrator
In 1997 Alex met playwright Annabel Soutar and together they founded Porte Parole. For the past 25 years they have been developing and producing documentary theatre projects that attempt to stimulate a nuanced public discourse on complex contemporary issues. Alex also works as a bilingual actor in film, television, video games and theatre. He also has 30 years of experience as a director and documentary playwright in Montreal.
François Prénovost, CPA
Treasurer
François is an executive and entrepreneur with extensive experience in finance, management and corporate governance.
François is a theatre enthusiast and has served on the board of Porte Parole since 2017. Also passionate about public policy, he previously sat on the Board of Directors of the Westmount Municipal Association between 2013 and 2015.
François holds a Bachelor’s degree in management accounting from the Université du Québec à Montréal and has been a chartered accountant since 1992. He was co-owner and responsible for operations and business development at RailTerm between 1999 and its sale to Siemens Mobility Limited in 2021. He is now Administrator.
Lili de Grandpré
Administrator
A seasoned consultant and administrator, Lili specializes in corporate governance, talent management and succession planning. A recipient of several awards for her professional achievements and philanthropic work, she has held executive positions in Canada and the UK.
In 2019, she joined the Intel:Talent team as Senior Associate, Governance and Talent. In 2005, she founded a specialized consulting firm, CenCEO Conseil. Previously, she led the Canadian practise of Mercer Management (now Oliver Wyman) and the Marketing and Product Development (Treasury) group at the Bank of Montreal.
Lili has served on numerous boards including McGill University, the National Circus School, Brain Canada and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. From 1992 to 2001, she was a lecturer at the Executive Development Institute at Queen’s University.
Lili holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Montreal, a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Western University and an MBA from McGill University. She is also a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
François Le Moine
Administrator
François Le Moine is a lawyer, practising art and cultural heritage law with the firm Règles de l’art. He also teaches intellectual property law at the Université de Montréal, is President of the International Literary and Artistic Association for Canada and co-presides over the Commission permanente d’art public de Culture Montréal. He holds degrees in History from the Sorbonne, in Philosophy from the School for Advanced Studies, Paris, and in Law from McGill University.
Annabel Soutar
Administrator
Annabel Soutar is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Porte Parole, whose reputation and work has helped introduce documentary theatre to Quebec audiences. Her plays and dramaturgical collaborations include Novembre, Sexy béton, Fredy, J’aime Hydro, The Assembly, Tout Inclus et Rose et la Machine.
In 2015 Annabel was named one of Canada’s Artists of the Year by The Globe and Mail, and in 2022 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from McGill University for her exceptional contribution to both her field, and to society.
Jonathan Carrier, CPA, CMA
Administrator
With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal and as a member of the Quebec Order of Chartered Professional Accountants, Jonathan has contributed to the growth of both small and large organizations, such as Rail-Term and Schneider Electric, through numerous integrations and reorganizations over his 15 years of experience in accounting, finance, and management.
Currently serving as CFO at Siemens, he is committed to driving and supporting the organization’s change and growth through his unifying and collaborative leadership. He leverages his expertise in technology, software, and business processes, along with his skills in problem-solving and financial modeling of large-scale projects.
A passionate art enthusiast in all its forms, he defines himself as a change-maker, driven by a desire to optimize organizational processes.
Alexandra Bonnefoy
Chair of the Development Committee
Alexandra Bonnefoy is strategy consultant in the financial sector. Advising clients such as RBC and BDC Capital, she has led multiple major strategic initiatives in venture capital, in private equity and in technology to help entrepreneurs across Canada.
Alexandra has also held several positions at National Bank of Canada where she led mandates ranging from acquisitions to strategic partnerships implementation to financial product management.
Actively involved in the community, she currently sits on the executive board of Quebec Tech leading the governance and HR committee.
Alexandra holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from École Polytechnique and a bachelor’s degree in applied economics from HEC Montréal. She is also a certified corporate director (ICD.D).
She recently became the chair of the development committee on Porte Parole’s board of directors, actively supporting the organization’s long-term sustainability and growth.
