Bernie Cook
President
Bernie has been a photography enthusiast since 1974, when he received his first SLR camera. Over the years, he has gained experience in outdoor and landscape photography, which he has successfully combined with his love of the outdoors, including pursuits such as mountain biking, hiking, alpine touring, snow shoeing, and backpacking. Most at home in the mountains of the Canadian Rockies, Bernie loves to travel, and has been fortunate enough to use these opportunities to photograph on several continents.
Bill Smith
Co-Founder and Past President
Long time Oakville resident Bill Smith is a life long photography enthusiast and co-founder of the Oakville Camera Club with Kieley Hickey.
When not taking pictures, Bill is a marketing communications consultant, digital strategist, blogger, writer, sometime traveler and jazz fan.
Lesley Taylor
Treasurer
Lesley has always appreciated photography and decided to get serious about it when she got her first DSLR in 2013. After taking some photography courses at Sheridan, she joined OCC in 2014 to meet other photographers and be in an environment that promotes continuous improvement and fun! While still a beginner, Lesley has already learned a lot and sees positives changes in her pictures. Retired after a long career with Shell Canada, Lesley loves to travel and take pictures of the places she visits. She loves capturing street scenes and people.
Joan Lee
Secretary
I am retired after a long career in the Direct Selling industry – first in the corporate world and then for a non-profit trade Association.
I have always had an interest in and appreciation for photography. Over the years I served as back-up photographer when my husband Ken shot weddings, anniversary celebrations and portraits. I spent many hours cutting film and mounting slides for client presentations of their upcoming promotional material and for a number of years was the “official photographer” at a number of events for my previous employer.
I joined OCC to volunteer and to help find motivation to become a more serious photographer and not be afraid to put my images out there.
Juan Gil Niehorster
Analytics Director
Industry Experience: A seasoned industrial engineer with wide-ranging experience planning and leading operations involving different sized environments
OCC Volunteer Experience: As an OCC volunteer, Juan represented the Club at the Greater Toronto Council of Camera Clubs (GTCCC) Meetings where he had the chance to confirm that only ‘active participation’ is the key for success.
Photography Experience: Joined OCC in 2010. Always searching for travel business opportunities to expand his vision of the World through Photography. Juan has been fortunate to capture people, places, landscapes, and wildlife on four continents. Honourable Mention - Portrait Category, Capture Oakville 2017.
Jared Fein
Challenges Director
Photography has become more than just a hobby for me. I look at it as a passion which allows me to combine my strong technical, scientific and environmental skills and interests while opening up a creative side of me that has always been hidden away in my work life. While my photography interests are broad, my focus is in landscape, nature and wildlife, and travel photography. I bring to the Challenges position strong technical, analytical, communications, leadership and computer skills and enthusiasm to share what I have learned in photography with others.
Rafal Kiermacz
Website Director
For Rafal, Photography is a passion a job and a hobby. It inspires him to discover and to learn. Rafal is a web developer by day and a photographer the rest of the time. Rafal graduated from the Sheridan College Digital Photography Certificate program.
Wojtek Zlobicki
Director of Ambasadors
I have been active in OCC since 2010. I got my first Digital SLR in 2005 and have been a loyal Canon shooter since then. In my time with the club I have had the opportunity to interact with many of our members and ambassadors. I have enjoyed mentoring many members within the club and enjoy answering questions, and technical exchanges. During my few years with the club I have had my images win both club challenges and had images place in Capture Oakville. I enjoy both landscape and portrait photography, and I love to travel.
Thomas Podruchny
Membership Director
A retired high school teacher & devoted marathon runner, Thomas has been involved in both amateur & professional photography for 40 years. His business was in portraiture & weddings. He brings a polish to OCC memberships with his assertive organizational skills.
Stephanie Naccarato
Director Communication and Member Engagement
Stephanie has always had an interest in photography but it was only recently that she decided to formally work on improving her skills. In 2015 Stephanie enrolled in the Sheridan College continuing education Digital Photography course. In that same year she also joined the Oakville Camera Club to meet other photographers in an effort to learn and share in new ideas and experiences. Stephanie enjoys various styles of photography and looks forward to her continued improvement. She is excited to be on the Board and is looking forward to being able to contribute to the club in this role.
Marcel Painchaud
Outings Director
Club member since 2013?
I have been shooting since 1957
Photography Specialty: Nikon shooter. Ambient light photography. Lightroom along with B&W conversion plugins.
Robin King
Education Director
Robin has been a photographer since 1968. First as a professional photographer at the University of Waterloo and then as a lecturer and coordinator of the Sheridan College Applied Photography Program during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Best known for his development of Sheridan’s Computer Animation Program in the 1990’s, he has spent the last 20 years as an independent international consultant in creativity and animation primarily in China and the Far East.
Kieley Hickey
Co-Founder and Past-President
An entrepreneur and passionate photographer from St. John's, Newfoundland, Kieley specializes in wedding and portrait photography. Her love of the photographic industry and her journey to Ontario led to co-founding the Oakville Camera Club and Capture Oakville, Oakville's annual photography competition.