Committees 

The AAO depends on its committees to carry out its mandate. The committees deliver services and resources and contribute to the operations of the AAO in various ways. Below is a list of the committees and their chairs, and on each committee page is you will find the rest of the committee's members as well as a description of the committee.

Volunteering with an AAO committee is a great way to gain experience and network with other archivists. No experience is required to join an AAO committee! If you're interested in joining a committee, please contact the AAO Office at aao@aao-archivists.ca.

Advancement Committee Awards Committee  Communications and Advocacy Committee Digital Access and Preservation Committee Institutional Development Committee	Local Arrangement Committee Professional Development Committee Programme Committee Student and New Professional Outreach Committee

Advancement Committee

Advises the Board on matters relating to fundraising opportunities, membership recruitment and support, opportunities for collaboration and resource-sharing among like organizations, research sustainable resources, and identify Association-based projects that may be used for fundraising initiatives. To consult the terms of reference, click here. 

Members: 

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee is responsible for overseeing the advertising, promotion, adjudication, and presentation of the AAO awards,. These awards include:

1. Advertise, promote, adjudicate and present recognition awards supported by the AAO. These awards include: Alexander Fraser, James J. Talman, Institutional and Corporate.
   
2. Advise the AAO Board on new award categories, modifications to existing awards, and opportunities for special recognition.
   
3. Establish eligibility and procedural criteria for AAO awards.
   

Members:

The Committee shall be comprised of a minimum of four individuals who are members in good standing of the AAO (either individual or institutional). One member shall act as Chair. At least two members must be a past recipient of an AAO award. Membership shall generally be for a two-year term and terms may be renewed.

• Rodney Carter, Chair
• Samantha Shields, Board Liaison
• Jean Dryden, Member
• David Sharron, Member 
• Matt Szybalski, Member

Communications and Advocacy Committee

The Communications and Advocacy Committee advises the Board on matters relating to communication with the membership, the operation of a program of public awareness and outreach, as well as providing leadership in the event that emergency advocacy is required on behalf of the membership. The Committee will provide liaison with the related committee on the Association of Canadian Archivists (ACA) and other archival institutions, as well as pursuing partnerships with other related bodies.

Visit the Advocacy page for more information about the Committee's work. 

Members:

• Tys Klumpenhouwer, Chair and Board Liaison
  
• Daniela Ansovini, Member
• Daniel German, Member
• MacKenzie Gott, Member and Board Liaison 
• Laura Hallman, Member
  

Institutional Development Committee

The Institutional Development Committee (IDC) advises the Board on all matters pertaining to the interests of institutions in Ontario and the development of a provincial archives system. The Committee shall advise the Board on matters relating to the allocation and adjudication of grants to Institutional Members, and the establishment of criteria to determine such allocations.

For more information about the Provincial Acquisition Strategy (PAS) and the role the IDC has played in supporting it's development, please visit the Provincial Acquisition Strategy page.  

Members:

• Matthew Fells, Simcoe County Archives, Chair and Board Liaison 
• Lindsay Osmun, CIBC Archives
• Ryan Kirkby, University of Guelph Archival & Special Collections
• Sean Smith, Archives of Ontario 
• Paul Henry, City of Ottawa Archives 
• Dominy Williams, Bishop Farrell Library & Archives, Diocese of Hamilton 
• Sean Hayes, Seneca College Archives
• Angela Fornelli, City of Kawartha Lakes Archives
• Lisa Snider, Archeion Coordinator
• Iona McCraith, AAO Archives Advisor

Local Arrangements Committee

Members:

• Jenna Lemay, Chair, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University
• William Hollingshead, Sault Ste. Marie Museum
• Kevin Meraglia, Sault Ste. Marie Public Library, Archives
• Louisa Orford, Blind River Museum/ Local Public Historian
• Nicole Curry, Friends of the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site
• Kathy Fisher, Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site
• Maddy Bifano, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University 

Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee of the Archives Association of Ontario supports the archival community by providing basic and continuing education pertaining to information management. The committee seeks to:

• Determine educational needs within the archival community and in conjunction with the AAO Advisor and the Archeion Coordinator.
  
• Engage in active communication with the AAO chapters and committees in order to support them in the development of workshops.
  
• Provide educational workshops at the annual AAO conference.
  
• Develop and deliver educational curricula, in the form of both in-person workshops and through the use of new technologies.

Members:

• Katrina Cohen-Palacios, York University, Co-Chair, 2019-2021

• John Yolkowski, Humber College, Co-Chair, 2020-2022

• Krista McCracken, Algoma University, Board Liaison, 2020-2022

• Alisha Barron, Workplace Safety & Insurance Board, 2020-2022

• Melissa Caza, McMaster University, 2020-2022

• Sarah Glassford, University of Windsor, 2020-2022

• Molly McGowan, Prince Edward County Public Library and Archives, 2019-2021

• Christine Schindler, Stratford Festival, 2020-2022

• Steve Kim, University of Toronto iSchool, 2020-2022

Programme Commitee 

Members:

• Jenna Lemay, Conference Chair, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University

• Krista McCracken, Committee Chair, Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre, Algoma University
  

• Rachel Beattie, Media Commons Archive, Robarts Library, University of Toronto
• Katrina Cohen-Palacios, York University
• Daniel German, Library and Archives Canada
• Laura Hernandez, Library and Archives Canada
• Skylee-Storm Hogan, Know History
• Sara Janes, Lakehead University
• Moska Rokay, Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Toronto
• Raegan Swanson, the ArQuives
• Jennifer Weymark, Oshawa Museum
• Maddy Bifano, Algoma University 

Student and New Professional Outreach Committee

Members: