Meet Our Team

Linda Poole

Founder, Creative Director
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Linda Poole is the Founder and Creative Director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Seventeen years ago she brought a new idea from Japan to our city and has grown it to be the beloved intra-community arts and culture celebration that it is today. She is a passionate community-builder and combined with her love of sharing the beauty of the cherry blossom with everyone is unfailing. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is and will remain a labour of love for her always.

Her career has largely been in Vancouver’s arts community with the Arts Club Theatre and young people’s theatre with Carousel Theatre as well as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Linda also represented Canada in Chicago and the Mid-West as Canada’s Cultural Attaché producing a wide range of large-scale cultural initiatives to showcase Canada’s top artists and arts organizations. She studied theater at UBC and Arts Management at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The cherry blossom brings so much joy to everyone that Linda believes “the world needs more cherry blossoms”! Her favorite saying from Issa’s haiku is well known ~ “there is no stranger under the cherry tree”

Andrea Arnot

Executive Director
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Andrea brings over 20 years of experience in non-profit leadership roles with a focus on creating opportunities and events that spark community engagement and create positive social change; often using arts-based methods to create connection, dialogue and understanding.

Whether she is producing large-scale events like the annual Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival, conferences, awards ceremonies, neighbourhood block parties or even a Unicorn Ball, she brings a wealth of event planning expertise and her own unique brand of creativity that ensures attendees experience moments of awe and wonder.

In her volunteer life, Andrea has contributed her skills and experience to two different organizations as a board member – Lumiere YVR and Fierte Canada Pride. Since 2014, she has also produced annual events for the Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society (the local Burning Man community).

Kat Aquino

Communications Specialist
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Kat brings a wealth of communications and marketing experience with a special interest in sharing impactful narratives. Known for a compassionate approach, she aims to crafting and delivering compelling stories that resonate and drive meaningful connections.

Vixn Przybysz

Event Coordinator
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Amila Li

Program Coordinator
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Amila Li (she/her) is the Program Coordinator at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. She brings a diverse professional background including hospitality, event and community coordination, research, and teaching to bear on her role. Across her varied experiences, Amila’s work and action continue to be driven by her love of people and commitment to facilitating non-hierarchical dialogue. Amila is excited to meet you under the cherry tree!

Drew “G-Luve” Archer 

Partnerships
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Visual Artist/DJ, G –Luve first stole the show being born at a house party in Hamilton, Ontario. G-Luve also supports the community, continually lending his talents to philanthropic organizations. G-Luve previously worked with the Vancouver Mural Festival as the Partnerships Manager and currently is a consultant for various Non Profit Arts org.

Carina Thanabadeepathara

Grant Writer, Bookkeeper

James Ong

Event Producer, Production Manager
EventLab

Eduardo Ottoni

Event Producer, Production Manager, Consulting
EventLab

Blossom Blog: Jessica Tremblay, Wendy Cutler

Team Sakura: Douglas Justice, Wendy Cutler, Green Club, Lisa Lennie, Anne Eng, Egan Davis

Blossom Reporting: Wendy Cutler (Cherry Scout Coordinator), Cherry Scouts

Join Our Team

See open positions below.