Our Team
Meet the people behind the Creative Community Impact Association.
Each person brings lived experience, creativity, and care to their role, helping guide CCIA’s mission of building inclusive, meaningful spaces for connection and social impact.
Learn more about our board and how CCIA is governed.
JACQUELYN MICCOLIS (SHE/HER) | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jacquelyn Miccolis is the Founder and Executive Director of the Creative Community Impact Association (CCIA), where she leads with a strong blend of strategic vision, entrepreneurial experience, and a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered arts practice. She ensures CCIA remains responsive, accessible, and rooted in the lived experiences of the communities it serves.
As an Italian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist, Jacquelyn’s leadership is shaped by her belief that creativity is a powerful tool for fostering belonging, strengthening communities, and driving meaningful social change. With over a decade of experience as a values-driven entrepreneur and community builder, she previously founded Sparkles n’ Sawdust Studio, an award-winning arts space recognized for its community impact, and later launched Supernova Events, a social enterprise grounded in accessibility and DEIA principles.
With an educational background in psychology studies at Mount Saint Vincent University, alongside diplomas in Community Development and Office Administration, Jacquelyn brings a balance of behavioral insight and operational strategy to her work. As a keynote speaker and author of Unfiltered Wisdom: A How-To Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs, she is passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and empowered.
Guided by purpose, she leads with passion, integrity, and a whole lot of heart.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our leadership page is currently being updated as part of our upcoming Annual General Meeting process, with updated board roles and leadership information to be shared following the AGM as we continue onboarding additional members to support the organization’s next phase of growth. We also extend our gratitude to those who served during our inaugural year and contributed to helping establish and grow the organization during its foundational stages.
KIRSTEN BASHIR (SHE/THEY)
Kirsten Bashir is passionate about making the arts accessible to all and believes that creativity, in all its forms and levels, deserves to be celebrated. With more than three years of experience in the financial sector and prior service as a board treasurer, Kirsten brings both professional expertise and a deep commitment to responsible, transparent stewardship to her role with CCIA.
Based in Halifax, NS, Kirsten was educated at Dalhousie University. Her professional background includes work in finance, administration, and property management, where she has honed her skills in client relations and operations.
Beyond her professional work, she grounds herself in art. From painting, crocheting and knitting, and even making hand-sculpted pet mementos.
JOVANA RANDJELOVIC (SHE/HER)
Jovana Randjelovic is a multidisciplinary creative, architectural designer, proposal strategist, and community organizer with a practice spanning the built environment, public-facing communications, media production, and cultural programming. She leads business development and marketing at PARTISANS, following a tenure in proposal strategy with Moriyama Teshima Architects and earlier roles in exhibition design, sustainable architecture, heritage practice, and public art. Her work remains informed by material research, circularity, and regional approaches to resilience.
Across these contexts, Jovana has cultivated a keen interest in guiding complex, interdisciplinary projects from early conceptualization into coordinated execution at scale. This carries into a creative practice moving through independent film, scenography, music and nightlife programming, circular textile initiatives, and artist-led collaboration. Since relocating from Toronto to Nova Scotia in 2022, she has become increasingly involved in the region’s arts infrastructure, with a focus on work that brings people together in meaningfully engaging ways.
Jovana’s passion for community-building is shaped by the belief that creative landscapes are tied to a deeper health of place. She brings to CCIA professional diligence, broad artistic appreciation, and sincere enthusiasm for supporting local initiatives.
NAHOM ASSEFA (HE/HIM)
Nahom Assefa is an Ethiopian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist, emerging curator, and writer whose work explores cross-cultural storytelling, belonging, and identity through visual art and community engagement. He is the Founder and Creative Director of Cultured Creative Studio, an independent design studio working with cultural organizations and community-facing clients across Canada, including Atlantic Flamenco, Latispanica Cultural Association, North End Business Association, and Lululemon.
He currently serves as a Curatorial Intern at the Dalhousie Art Gallery under the mentorship of Director/Curator Pamela Edmonds, where he is developing an exhibition on Afro-diasporic presence on Mi'kmaq territory through material culture. His work has been exhibited across Halifax and internationally, including at OFFF Festival 2026 in Barcelona. He has been recognized as a Nocturne Festival 2025 NOISEmaker, a 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival Ambassador, a recipient of the Howl Experience Grant, and the NSCC Immigrant and International Student Experience IMPACT Award.
Nahom holds certificates in Creative Art Criticism & Writing and Public Speaking for Artists & Curators from NODE Center for Curatorial Studies, and a Business Administration Diploma from Nova Scotia Community College, a combination that informs his belief that creativity and sustainable practice are not in conflict.
He brings a commitment to collaborative, community-informed work to the CCIA board, grounded in his conviction that art, approached with honesty and curiosity, has the power to bridge difference and build genuine belonging.
📧 nahom@creativecommunityimpact.ca
COLLEEN FAUSTINO SMALL (SHE/HER)
Colleen Fausino Small is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Occupational Health Nurse with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, wellness, and workplace safety. She has always been driven by a passion for helping others and seeking creative ways to improve herself and the world around her.
Colleen has held leadership roles at Irving Shipbuilding, the Workers’ Compensation Board, and the Mentor Clinic, and brings a deep understanding of systems-level care, client advocacy, and community well-being. She is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Counselling at Acadia University.
A certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and yoga teacher-in-training, Colleen blends strategic thinking with mindfulness and empathy. Her work is rooted in whole-person wellness, collaboration, and a belief in the transformative power of creativity and connection.
She brings to the board a unique perspective that bridges healthcare leadership with values-driven innovation, community care, and personal expression.
KARLEE CAMPBELL (SHE/HER)
Karlee Campbell, based in Rockland, Ontario, is an experienced and creative people leader with a diverse background spanning sales, marketing, nonprofit organizations, and the digital sector. She is highly skilled in relationship building, problem-solving, career development, and conflict resolution, and brings a thoughtful, empathetic approach to leadership. As a queer woman in leadership, Karlee is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and contributing fresh perspectives to important conversations.
Karlee is one of our board members located outside Nova Scotia, reflecting our goal to expand the organization’s reach and impact across Canada.
An entrepreneur at heart, Karlee previously owned and operated a women’s self-defense boxing gym, where her work as both owner and coach reinforced the importance of courage, resilience, and community. She is also the author of All My Loves, a queer poetry collection that celebrates authenticity and creative expression.
Today, Karlee channels her passion for empathetic, truth-driven leadership into empowering others to live authentically. She believes that empathy, compassion, and inclusion are essential to shaping workplaces and communities where all people can thrive.
Interested in getting involved?