About the session
This panel brings together professionals from performing arts and live events industries to explore how health and safety is a collective responsibility. Through diverse perspectives and real-world experiences, panelists will discuss how collaboration, communication, and accountability across departments contribute to safer workplaces for everyone on stage and behind the scenes.
Trina Pollard
CEO, Actsafe Safety Association
MODERATOR
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Trina Pollard is a BC not-for-profit organization (NPO) professional, subject matter expert, and self-proclaimed “governance nerd.” In addition to joining the Actsafe team in early 2022 in her “dream job” as CEO of an industry Health, Safety & Training Association, Trina has 20 years’ experience working and volunteering for other NPOs, including on their Boards, and many committees, including currently volunteering on the ScreenBC Board of Directors.
Trina is honoured to be Actsafe’s CEO and proud to be associated with an industry she’s been so impressed with over the years.
Trina is committed to prioritizing transparency, collaboration, and efficiency to enable us to work together as true partners to tackle the changing landscape before us. She is passionate about Actsafe’s mission and proud to work alongside team members she respects and values. She is committed to realizing our plans, delivering high-quality initiatives, and sharing the successes we achieve together for this organization, our team, and our industry. By enhancing knowledge, improving attitudes and beliefs, and ultimately shifting behaviours, Trina knows we can make a meaningful and measurable difference to those involved in the arts and entertainment industry. Trina is the industry’s biggest fan and is passionately committed to supporting the sector thrive, particularly by optimizing the workforce with effective training and safety services.
Mark Knowles
Occupational Health & Safety Professional, PNE
PANELIST
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Mark Knowles has been an occupational health & safety professional for over 25 years. Mark started his career in the pulp & paper industry and was exposed to multiple hazards in the workplace, at a young age.
He first role was a safety & training advisor in a large paper mill. Training and getting to know the people and processes, helped to make a positive influence on the overall safety culture. Mark also spent over 10 years working with engineers developing alternate fuel systems for vehicles.
Mark’s passion for safety and learning, helps to motivate others & lead by example. Mark spent many years with a full-time job and family, taking courses at BCIT. He also added an environmental role (EHS), becoming a lead auditor for ISO 14001.
Currently Mark works as the OH&S Manager at the PNE. This role allows Mark to engage & strengthen the safety culture throughout the organization.
Paul McManus
Senior Manager, Production, Vancouver Civic Theatres
PANELIST
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Paul is currently the Senior Manager, Production for the Vancouver Civic Theatres (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Orpheum, Playhouse Theatre and The Annex) and has sat on the VCT OH&S Board since 2021. He has been a member of the Performing Arts Standing Committee since 2022 and gladly joined the Board of Directors of Actsafe in 2023.
Paul graduated from The University of Victoria’s Theatre program in 1991 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and has been working in the performing arts ever since. Paul moved to Vancouver in 1993 and has travelled the world with various musical groups as a monitor engineer, FOH engineer, Production Manager, Tour Manager or Promoter Rep. In 2015, he decided to put his suitcase away and join the Vancouver Civic Theatres as the Head Stage Carpenter at The Orpheum Theatre. In 2021 he moved to his current position.
Ace Martens
Director of Production, Arts Club Theatre Company
PANELIST
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Ace Martens is the Director of Production at the Arts Club Theatre Company for the past 16 years, for which he has collaborated on over 200 original productions in various capacities, primarily as a technical director or production manager, and occasionally as a designer and technician. Ace has always been an advocate for safe working practices in the arts, and has been a continuous and active member of the Arts Club's Joint Health and Safety Committee for as long as he's worked there. Additionally, Ace has sat as a member of the Performing Arts Safety Committee with Actsafe on and off for a number of years, both for the Artsclub and for the GVPTA (Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance). Ace has volunteered in past years as a member of the boards of BC-CITT and GVPTA, and most recently has been volunteering with PACT as a member of one of their labour negotiation teams.
In addition to his work at the Artsclub, Ace has also worked for other theatre companies in Vancouver and Canada including the Electric Company, Search Party Productions, Studio 58, Canadian Stage, and the Segal Center. Ace has also worked as the showrunner and production designer for over a decade on local TV/live show Paul Anthony's Talent Time (Shaw, NOVUS and Amazon Prime) and plays music in local bands (you can check that out at acemartens.com). But overall - his dedication to safety in the arts is in service to making sure he gets to go home everyday to his wonderful family, and he wishes the same for anyone who shows up to any Theatre for work.
David Orchard
First Aid Instructor and Paramedic
PANELIST