Author Archives: Keri Ryan

William Evan Butler is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and educator whose work explores identity, place, and culture through the lens of his mixed L’nu (Mi’kmaw) and European heritage.

As Shore to Shore’s documentarian and a member of the organizing committee, Evan captures the people, stories, and moments that define the conference while helping preserve the experiences and conversations that make this gathering so meaningful.

Through creative storytelling and cultural preservation, his work highlights the voices, landscapes, and communities that connect us all.

We’re excited to have Evan helping tell the Shore to Shore story.

Join us on June 17 between 7:45 – 9:05 AM Newfoundland Time (NDT) for Reimagining Leadership: Feminine Approaches in Social Enterprise, a unique transatlantic research session connecting the CRRF/NAF Conference at Memorial University in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, with the Social Enterprise Summit Scotland in Dundee.

The session will take place in Room AS2034 at Memorial University for those based in Newfoundland. This is an additional opportunity alongside the core CRRF/NAF conference programme. 

Drawing on insights from the Women in Social Enterprise (WiSE) Collective research, the session will explore how leadership grounded in care, collaboration, lived experience, and community is shaping a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Featuring:
• Dr. Liz Gardiner – researcher, social enterprise leader, and advocate for inclusive, community-led development.
• Casandra Bryant – researcher focused on rural social entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, and community development.

Participants in Scotland and Canada will come together to discuss shared challenges, identify opportunities for collaboration, and consider how community-led approaches to leadership can drive positive social and economic change.

This conversation is not about gender exclusivity—it is about leadership values and practices that can be embodied by people of all genders.

We look forward to sharing insights and connecting with participants across both events.

🌊 Shore to Shore Community Gathering

We’re excited to highlight the Shore to Shore Community Gathering in Flat Bay, Newfoundland & Labrador, taking place June 20–23, 2026.

Known for its rich Mi’kmaq heritage and vibrant community spirit, Flat Bay will welcome participants from across the country to connect, learn, and celebrate during National Indigenous Peoples Day events.

Through culture, storytelling, music, and meaningful conversations, this gathering will honour Indigenous knowledge and strengthen relationships while celebrating the people and places that make rural communities thrive.

📍 Flat Bay, NL

📅 June 20–23, 2026

We’re excited to welcome Daniel Payne to the Shore to Shore Conference! Daniel will be performing during the CRRF/NAF portion of the conference in Corner Brook.

Born in the outport community of Cow Head, Newfoundland, Daniel is a professional actor, musician, and singer-songwriter. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he performs on fiddle, accordion, Uilleann pipes, tin whistle, bodhrán, and vocals, sharing generations of Newfoundland’s rich musical traditions with audiences across Canada.

Join us in June 2026 as Daniel brings the stories, sounds, and spirit of Newfoundland to Shore to Shore.

What gives a place its identity? How do stories, traditions, art, and lived experiences shape the communities we call home? 🌿🎨🏘️

💜 Our fourth and final theme spotlight explores Culture & Sense of Place — celebrating the rich rural and Indigenous knowledge that is shared through storytelling, creativity, language, history, and artistic expression.

At Shore to Shore (S2S), we recognize that culture is deeply connected to place. By honouring local voices, lived experiences, and diverse ways of knowing, we strengthen community connections and celebrate the unique identities that make every region special.

Throughout the CRRF/NAF Conference 2026, these stories and shared experiences will come together through Our Common Threads — a collaborative art project that captures the conversations, ideas, and knowledge shared during the conference and transforms them into a lasting visual representation of our collective journey. 🎨🧵

This concludes our four Theme Spotlights, each highlighting an important conversation that will shape the Shore to Shore experience. We look forward to bringing these themes to life together in Western Newfoundland this June! 🌊

Meet Gwen Devereaux — President of the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (Gateway CERH) and a passionate advocate for stronger, healthier rural communities. 💙🌿

As a founding member of Gateway CERH, Gwen has helped advance rural health through research, education, collaboration, and community partnerships, supporting healthier futures for rural regions across Canada.

We’re excited to welcome Gwen to Shore to Shore 2026, where she’ll share insights on leadership, collaboration, and strengthening rural healthcare. 🌊✨

📍 Western Newfoundland
📅 June 19

Only 9 days remain until Shore to Shore (S2S) 2026 begins in Western Newfoundland. From June 16–23,

Shore to Shore will bring together communities, artists, researchers, organizations, and participants for a week focused on connection, creativity, storytelling, wellness, culture, music, research, and rural collaboration.

As the event draws closer, we are looking forward to welcoming everyone who will be joining us to share knowledge, build relationships, and celebrate the strength and vibrancy of rural communities.

📍 Western Newfoundland 📅 June 16–23, 2026

Learn more and register through the Shore to Shore (S2S) website.

We’re excited to welcome Women in Social Enterprise (WiSE) as one of four research teams featured in the Direction of Travel session at Shore to Shore 2026 in Norris Point, Newfoundland and Labrador 🌊

Representing the team are Casandra Bryant, one of the two research leads, and Ailsa Clark, Project Lead and Research Advisor 🌿

Casandra Bryant is a researcher based in Canada whose work focuses on rural development, social enterprise, and community-led innovation. She explores how social enterprises create social, environmental, and economic value in rural communities, with a strong focus on women’s leadership and inclusive economic development.

Ailsa Clark is the Founder and Executive Director of InspirAlba, a social enterprise based in Scotland’s Highlands and Islands supporting community enterprise and rural development. She led the development of the initial research brief for the WiSE project and has supported the research throughout as a strategic advisor and mentor, with a focus on collaboration and sustainable rural futures.

📅 Direction of Travel Session: June 19

🔗 Learn more about the research: https://ruralsehub.net/project/women-in-social-enterprise-collective-research-launch/