2025-2026 Staff
Festival Producer
Anne Hamels is an emerging theatre artist established in Ottawa. They recently graduated from the University of Ottawa’s acting Conservatory (2022) and have been working bilingually as an actor, director and creator since. Anne has a particular interest in installation and sensory based theatre. In their practice, they wish to create an artistic space that promotes interaction and collaboration between creators and audiences. Outside of theatre, Anne loves going on walks with friends, sitting down at Dows Lake to look at the water and overall being a silly guy. Anne is thrilled to join the YIF crew this year!
Festival Producer
Ivy Janes (she/her) is an author, playwright, editor, and general meddler with the written word based in Ottawa. She adores partaking in all things literary & performance arts, especially getting to bring original stories to life, and is so excited to be joining YIF starting this 2025-2026 season! Ivy created The Stars Diverged Journal, a literary magazine uplifting neurodivergent voices, and has done volunteering with theatre groups like A Company of Fools, Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet, and Ottawa Fringe. She is especially passionate about books in the Fantasy/Heisting subgenre, most musicals she’s encountered, and forcing others to also enjoy her interests.
General Manager
Jacob (Jake) Nevins (he/him) is an artist, administrator and one-time haunted house ghoul lucky enough to call Ottawa home. Prior to joining the staff at YIF, Jake was a participant in several iterations of the festival, where he’s met folks who continue to inspire him artistically and beyond. As GM, he is thrilled to be able to support this year's staff and participants as they create a great festival of new works for you to enjoy. When not YIF-ing he’s a theatre jake-of-all-trades, year-round cyclist, and devoted caretaker to a hedgehog who could care less about him.
Board of Directors
Rebecca Bennett (Chair)
Luke McCaskill (Treasurer)
Natasha Habib (Secretary)
Matt Venner (Member at Large)
Rebecca Hirsch Garcia (Member at Large)
Victoria Ricciardelli (Member at Large)