Meet Katie Crane!

 

Katie Crane will be a mentor on Public Folklore at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Katie Crane is a PhD candidate in Folklore at Memorial University, analyzing the reasons why people in Newfoundland and Labrador are interested in the care for historic cemeteries. She holds an MA in Public Sector Folklore from Memorial University and has worked for museums and heritage organizations such as the Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove Museum, Heritage NL, and Admiralty House Communications Museum.

We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Speaker Introduction- Elsa Flack

Elsa Flack will be a speaker for our genealogy panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

 Elsa Flack is a certified genealogist. For many years, she has provided genealogical research services. In 1987, the Genealogical Institute of the Maritimes awarded Elsa the professional designation, Certified Genealogist (Canada).  

Elsa has volunteered with several heritage organizations, including: the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Portugal Cove – St. Philips Heritage Advisory Board, and the Town of Gaultois. She was also chairperson for “Peace by Piece - Quilted Memories of Newfoundland in the Great War”.

Elsa was the founding president of the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, then called the Genealogical Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, for which she was inducted into the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2007. 

She was the chair of the committee which created the exhibit "Peace by Piece - Quilted Memories of Newfoundland in the Great War". The project involved hundreds of volunteers who made this project successful. The exhibit was part of the commemorative events honouring the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. In 2016, this exhibit travelled extensively in the Province, as well as to France and Belgium, to the interpretation centres at the Somme and Vimy. The exhibit is an example of how people can tell important family history stories using textiles. Now the seventeen quilts are displayed throughout the campuses of Memorial University. 

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Meet Crystal Braye from Octopus Consulting!

Crystal Braye will be a mentor on Exhibit Design at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Crystal Braye is a Public Folklorist and Interpretive Planner with over a decade of experience helping to preserve and share the heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador. She began her career at the Wooden Boat Museum in 2012, where she honed her skills in exhibit development, oral history documentation and interpretive writing. In 2020, she founded Octopus Consulting to collaborate with heritage organizations, municipalities, and tourism operators, offering services to help communities celebrate and share their unique cultural heritage.

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Meet Andrew Walsh!

Andrew Walsh will be a mentor on Volunteering/Being on a Board at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Andrew Walsh was born, raised, and is living in Cupids, Conception Bay North. Andrew is a historian with a passion for the unique history of his community, and of Newfoundland and Labrador in general. Throughout his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Master of Arts at MUN, and Master of Letters from the University of Oxford, Andrew has remained closely involved with heritage in his community, primarily through his role as chair of St. Patrick's Parish Heritage Committee in Brigus. He loves to encourage others to get involved in their local heritage groups, as volunteering in that space improves both us and our communities. 

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Mentor Introduction- Megan Webb

Megan Webb will be a mentor on Volunteering/Being on a Board at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Megan Webb (she/her) is the Museum Manager at Admiralty House Communications Museum in Mount Pearl. She holds a both a Bachelors degree in Archaeology and a Masters degree in Folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Megan has over a decade of experience working in the heritage industry through archaeology, archives, museums, folklore, and built heritage. Along with her educational background and work experience, Megan places significant importance in volunteering, especially for organizations within the heritage sector. She serves as the President of the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives, Treasurer of the Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, and acts as the Chair and Historian/Archival expert on the Built Heritage Experts Committee for the City of St. John’s. Admiralty House Communications Museum is a partner of the Youth Heritage Forum and Megan is a mentor.

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

MANL Professional Development Survey is coming to a close on Friday, March 13th!

Our friends at MANL (Museum Association of Newfoundland and Labrador) are looking for feedback on their Museum Studies Certificate Program to make sure their programming meets the needs of their members. 

They want to hear everyone's voices, whether volunteer, professional, or anywhere in between. 

If you haven't already, take a few minutes to fill out their MANL Professional Development Survey - the deadline is Friday, March 13th at 4:30 PM!

Meet Pascale Gerdun!

Pascale Gerdun will be a mentor on Employability at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Pascale started working for Parks Canada as a student over 10 years ago while she was studying History and Anthropology at McGill University. Pascale has since worked for Parks Canada at eight sites across three provinces, mostly focused in the fields of visitor experience, heritage interpretation, and operational management. As the National Historic Sites and Visitor Experience Manager for the Parks Canada Newfoundland East Field Unit, her role involves the operational oversight and cultural resource management for five national historic sites, including Signal Hill, Cape Spear Lighthouse, Hawthorne Cottage, Castle Hill, and Ryan Premises.

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Newest Fieldnote! St. Michael's Convent

After doing some digging on St. Michael's Convent, we found there is a lot more mystery surrounding the property than we realized. The convent is located on a property called 'Belvedere' which can be traced back to the turn of the 19th-century when the land was owned by Peter McKie. For decades, it was believed that a Nova Scotia born lawyer, Hugh Alexander Emerson, purchased the property in 1821 from McKie, then went on to build the dwelling house in 1826 - 1827. Oral history even describes events that took place in the 1820s while under the ownership of Emerson, but interestingly, the earliest record for his purchase was twenty years later in 1841.

Our newest fieldnote dives into these divergent timelines and tries to suss out the truth.

Read all about it here: https://heritagenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/047-St.-Michaels-Convent-Belvedere.pdf

Mentor Introduction- Jared Hogan

Jared Hogan will be a mentor on Reconciliation and DEI-AR at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

 Jared T. Hogan (he/they) is a settler anthropologist living in Mi’kmaw and Beothuk territory on the island of Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), with family ties to Conception Bay North and Central Newfoundland. His research explores the representation of Indigenous Peoples in museums and education spheres. Currently, Jared is a PhD Candidate and a Per Course Instructor at Memorial University, a Continuing Education Instructor at the College of the North Atlantic, and Sessional Lecturer at the University of Regina. In his work, Jared strives to help correct colonial misconceptions about Indigenous history, motivated by his experience growing up in urban Newfoundland and not learning about Indigenous Peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador (or Canada).

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator