What We Do
The Castle Society's charitable mission is to protect, restore, and preserve the Castle, while bringing its stories to life. Visitors who have returned to the Castle over the years will appreciate how far we've come in preserving and restoring its rooms as well as the grounds. There is always a long list of important work to be done, and we also have some very exciting projects on the horizon. We invite you to be a part of the Castle's future.
Our Current Staff
John Hughes
Executive Director
John joined the Society in 2008. He has over 30 years of business management experience and as executive director; works closely with the Board of Directors to ensure that the policies set forth by the Board are implemented effectively. This position is responsible for the design, development and implementation of strategic plans for the organization and is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization. This includes managing committees and staff as well as developing business plans in collaboration with the board.
Andre Garneau
Operations and Development Manager
Andre comes to Craigdarroch Castle with a deep background in the hospitality industry, in guest services and membership management. He has worked in many locations throughout the province of British Columbia and in the United States and is focused on helping further the Museum Society’s business development initiatives.
Frank Tosczak
Restoration and Maintenance Manager
Frank has over 30 years of service to the Society and is responsible for managing all restoration projects affecting the Castles’ structure, both inside and out. The building is our primary artifact and Frank is required to coordinate the duties of department staff and external contractors in order to complete projects with minimal impact to visitors.
Bruce Davies
Curator
Bruce is the longest serving staff member having joined the organization in 1975. Now, as the museums’ curator, he is responsible for the room displays and interpretation of the Castles’ stories. He works closely with the registrar to collect, maintain and preserve over 7000 artifacts and is responsible for overseeing the cataloguing and tracking of items in our collections. Other responsibilities associated with this position are researching the museum’s stories, artifacts and the building as well as maintaining the Societies historical records.
Catriona Wilson
Gift Shop Manager
Catriona brings a strong commercial background with extensive experience in the competitive retail environments both here and in the UK. She has managed shops in the giftware, clothing, and lifestyle sectors, attracting a mix of tourists and local customers. She has also worked in advertising as a media planner/buyer and uses these skills to help develop new retail opportunities at Craigdarroch.
The Board
The Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors: Directors are elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting and serve for a term of 3 years at a time, to a maximum of two terms. The Board of Directors is fiscally responsible for The Castle Society and makes policy decisions.
Current Board Members
Karen Aitken
Board Member
Karen Aitken is currently the Director of the Parliamentary Education Office at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia where she has led this department since its inception in 2001. She leads a team of twelve permanent educators, guides, and researchers as well as mentoring twelve legislative interns each year and supporting 16 summer student staff.
Karen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Carleton University, an Early Childhood Education diploma from Algonquin College, a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from Royal Roads University. She is the past President of the Parliamentary Visitor Services Association, a national groups of parliamentary educators in Canada. She was the board chair for 7 years at Fairfield United Church as well as a Board Chair of Castleview Child Care Society. She has volunteered with Equal Voice, Victoria Chapter and Dancing Backwards educational organization.
Karen is married to the love of her life (36 years),raised two amazing adult children, Fiona & Alistair, and is thrilled to be elected to the board at Craigdarroch
Moira Dann
Board Member
Moira Dann is a journalist by trade (stints with both CBC and the Globe and Mail) and a history enthusiast by inclination (to earn an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from King’s in 2016, she wrote a book about the Mothers of Confederation).
She currently works as Communications Manager at the James Bay Community Project and has written a book about Craigdarroch to be published by Touchwood Editions in 2021.
Moira served six years previously on the Craigdarroch board 2013–19.
Amy Hinrichs
Board Member
Amy Hinrichs is the Senior Development Manager at Victoria Symphony. After a robust career managing organizational growth, in 2003 she centered her career on philanthropy and since then has managed portfolios ranging from fundraising and donor relations to strategy and systems implementation.
Raised in Victoria, she lived abroad before returning to the city in 2014. Amy previously served on the board of Craigdarroch Castle from 2015 to 2021 and as vice-president in her second term. “I am endlessly curious about the world and my work has always been driven by both passion and purpose. I love creating opportunities for people to connect, learn and collaborate.”
Stephen Lyons
Board Member
Stephen is returning to Craigdarroch Castle having served as director and treasurer of the Society from 2014 to 2020. He currently serves on the boards of directors of the Victoria Heritage Foundation, established by the City of Victoria to administer grants for owners of heritage-designated homes, and Gasket Games Corp., a video game studio in Vancouver.
Stephen is the founder and managing director of Lyons Law Corporation, which opened as a full-service law firm in downtown Victoria in 2018. A software developer for 20 years before he became a lawyer, Stephen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies (Honours) and History and a Master of Arts in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from the University of British Columbia, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Victoria.
Julie Murtha
Board Member
Julie Murtha spent her working career in the media business, holding senior positions at National Post, the Toronto Star and LexisNexis. A graduate of Queen’s University in Kingston with a masters degree in Industrial Relations, Julie began her career in the executive training program of Thomson Newspapers Canada. She took a break from media to launch her own small business, The Boutique Caterer, after graduating from a culinary arts program at George Brown College in Toronto.
After retiring from the Toronto Star, Julie and her husband moved to Victoria, a wonderful basecamp for the hiking and travelling they enjoy. Julie currently volunteers at The Mustard Seed.
Angelica Pass
Board Member
Angie is currently the Collections Manager for BC Archaeology at the Royal BC Museum. She has over 15 years of experience in Victoria's heritage sector, including conservation ad interpretive roles at Craigflower National Historic Site and Ross Bay Villa.
Angie has an MA in Greek and Roman Studies from the University of Victoria where she studied Latin satire. While not financially lucrative, this degree has honed her ability to employ humour in even the most dire of circumstances.
In her spare time, Angie enjoys managing her own extensive collections of vintage kitsch, weaving, kickboxing and showing people pictures of her cats.
Kelly Somogyi
Board Member
Kelly grew up on the family farm in Saskatchewan, then completed architectural training and development in Regina SK. His work there included schools, the Mosaic stadium, museums and theatres. He has gone on to start his own Architectural Design Studio, where a focus of the company engages in restoration that infuses historic buildings with modern functionality while preserving architectural history. For him, historical preservation has profound value. It reminds us of the longer timeline that stands before the present day.
Technically oriented and creatively minded, he is an architectural technologist (SK) who loves getting into the story and history of a building. In Victoria, he has worked with the restoration of the Francis Rattenbury Coach & Boat Houses. Kelly moved from the prairies to the coast with his long-term partner, both having a fascination with buildings, design, and history, together they create spaces designed to inspire and look to be a part of preserving the history of design that defines our region.
Our newest Board member sees Craigdarroch Castle as a landmark with a global audience. He plans to bring awareness locally, provincially, and nationally to our past knowing where we come from and remembering we are part of a larger story.
Will Sorrell
Board Member
Will Sorrell is National Director of The Interior Design Show, Canada's design fair, which takes place annually in Toronto and Vancouver.
For two decades Will has created events, exhibitions and initiatives that support and advocate design and the creative industries. He has led a wide range of projects including the London Design Biennale; the award-winning Designjunction show; Tom Dixon's critically acclaimed MOST event in Milan; and toured exhibitions with the British Council across four continents. He has brought to life over 50 exhibitions across 16 countries.
Will has also delivered a variety of strategic projects, including The Culture Diary for the Mayor of London and the Prime Minister's Office; cultural strategy for new property developers, working with consultancy Futurecity; and joinedup design strategy, led by young people, for 15 youth centres across the UK with the Sorrell Foundation.
Will moved from his hometown of London, UK, to Victoria in 2020.
Support Staff & Volunteers
The Society's department heads are supported by eleven full and part time staff who help maintain the museum’s collection, the building and deliver our extraordinary visitor experience. These individuals are in turn supported by more than eighty generous volunteers who give their time as docents and cashiers, and assist in the gift shop.
It takes a lot of effort and dedication to care for the museum and present the stories associated with the castle and we are thankful to everyone who helps us open the doors every day.