The ArQuives functioned as an entirely volunteer organization for the first 30 years. This is an important part of our history, but we are also grateful for a growing team of dedicated and passionate staff team.
Executive Director: Raegan Swanson, BA (Hons), MI
Raegan serves as the Executive Director. She holds a BA from Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface and a Masters of Information from the University of Toronto iSchool. She has worked as an archivist at Library and Archives Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute and as the Archival Advisor for the Council of Archives New Brunswick. She is currently working on her PhD focusing on the role of community archives in Aboriginal and Inuit communities. She is member of the Steering Committee on Canada’s Archives Taskforce to respond to the “Calls to Action” Report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
This position has been made possible by our individual donors and the Guardians of the Archives.
Community Outreach Coordinator: Jennifer Aja Fernandes, BA
Jennifer serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator. She holds a BA from McGill University. She has worked as a Youth in Transition Worker with Supporting Our Youth at Sherbourne Health Centre, and as a Programmer at the Studio with LGBTQ2+ youth. She is an experienced coordinator and youth worker with a history of working in child welfare, community health care, and the LGBTQ2+ community. She is currently a volunteer with the Notso Amazon Softball League as the Equity and Outreach Coordinator. Jennifer is a connector and networker, and enjoys creating community, sharing education, and supporting positive spaces. Jennifer is also a writer, a pianist, and a piano teacher.
Email: outreach@arquives.ca
This position has been made possible by our individual donors and the Guardians of the Archives.
Administrative Assistant: Carmen Tang, RECE, OCT, BASc (Hons), MT
Carmen serves as the Administrative Assistant. She started as a volunteer at The ArQuives in 2015. For years, she has been volunteering at many organizations and events across Toronto, supporting a variety of causes and giving back to the community.
Email: admin@arquives.ca
This position has been made possible by our individual donors and the Guardians of the Archives.
Archivist: Lucie Handley-Girard, BA (Hons), MI
Lucie serves as Archivist. She holds a BA and a Masters of Information both from the University of Toronto. In the summer of 2016 she was the Archives Assistant at The ArQuives, and has previously worked in records management. Her research interests include community archives, archival performativity, and archives as spaces for activism, resistance, and identity formation.
Email: archivist@arquives.ca
Archives Assistant: Charly Wreggitt, BA (Hons), MA, MI
Charly serves as the Archives Assistant. She has previously served as an Archives Assistant and Collections Volunteer at The ArQuives since the summer of 2017. She holds a BA from the University of Manitoba and an MA from McMaster University, both within the field of Gender and Feminist Studies. She also holds a Masters of Information, collaborative degree in Sexual Diversity Studies from the University of Toronto.
Project Archivist: Ariana Ho, BA, MA, MISt
Ariana serves as Project Archivist. She has previously worked as an Archives Assistant at the City of Ottawa Archives and the Wilfrid Laurier University Archives. She holds a BA from Concordia University and a MA in Fashion from Ryerson University. She also holds a MISt from McGill University’s School of Information Studies. Her research interests include community archives, public history and memory.
Email: projectarchivist@arquives.ca
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada and the Documentary Heritage Communities Program.
Communications Assistant: Sorcha Beirne
Sorcha is working on her Bachelor of Journalism degree at Ryerson University. Prior to attending Ryerson, she spent years involved in community organizing on Canada’s East Coast.
This position has been made possible by the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership.
Archives Assistant: Shamsa Abdullahi, BA
Shamsa serves as an Archives Assistant for the duration of the summer. She holds a BA in English from York University. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Information at the University of Toronto with a focus on community archives. Her research interests include the politics of representation and archives as a space for healing.
Email: ycw@arquives.ca
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada.
