Meet the HFTco team!
HFTco Staff
Heather Kanabe
Executive Director
HFTco is led by Executive Director Heather Kanabe, providing oversight in Financial Management, Strategy, HR, and Logistics. Heather is an MBA, with 15+ years leading cultural organizations. As General Manager, she launched the first outdoor public Fringe Club in 2018, expanding programming, sponsorships, and extending visitor stays.
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Christopher Stanton
Festival Director
Christopher Stanton oversees the flagship Hamilton Fringe Festival. He is an award-winning performer, director, sound designer, composer, and educator. His stage work has taken him across Canada to Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Montreal – and internationally to New York, Bogotà, Munich, Brisbane, Dublin, and Vienna. Past roles in artistic leadership include UnSpun Theatre, The Room, and ARC. Chris joined the HFTco team in March 2020.
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Claire Calnan
Artist Development & Frost Bites Director
Claire Calnan was the founder and producer of an arts education program in Toronto for ten years. Also a theatre artist, she has worked extensively in the national and international theatre community for two decades and continues to work as an arts educator.
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Franny McCabe-Bennett
Producer & Patron Services Manager
Franny McCabe-Bennett (she/her) is an award-winning actor, playwright, educator, and producer. She has held administrative and artistic roles at Factory Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Toronto Fringe, The Next Stage Festival, Young People’s Theatre, SOULOTheatre, Soulpepper, George Brown College, and Sheridan College. Franny creates original work from a queer, neurodiverse, sober perspective and has toured her autobiographical solo shows across Canada and internationally.
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Maddie Krusto
Public Programs & Outreach Coordinator
Maddie Krusto supports outreach, policy writing, Kids Club Camp and Frost Bites coordination, and public programming. Maddie is a theatre artist, researcher, and educator. She co-founded McMaster Activist Theatre and is a producer for Femmepire.
email maddie
Board of Directors
David Rundle
President
Fundraising & Governance Committees
Valerie VanLandschoot
Past President
Cairine Wilson
Vice President & Interim Treasurer
Fundraising (Chair), Finance & Governance Committees
Kerry Jarvi
Secretary
Finance Committee
Michele Ballagh
Director
Fundraising Committee
Ruth Flynn
Director
Fundraising & Governance Committees
Ruth Hatch
Director
Finance Committee
Elizabeth Parker
Director
