York Sunbury Historical Society, Board of Directors, 2026
(Author Photo)
The Fredericton Region Museum was founded in 1932 by the York-Sunbury Historical Society. The Society was formed in 1932 and now has members from all over North America, however, most are from central New Brunswick. In 1959, the Museum found permanent headquarters in the Officers’ Quarters (571 Queen Street) in the heart of downtown Fredericton.
The York-Sunbury Historical Society and Museum remain a nonprofit enterprise with a small paid staff and numerous volunteers. They work tirelessly to create informative exhibits, organize programs and events as well as publish a local history periodical The Officers’ Quarters.
The Fredericton Region Museum is a gateway into the exciting history and diverse heritage of central New Brunswick. Because central New Brunswick is where the provincial capital is located, and because it served as a meeting place for Aboriginals, Loyalists, Acadian, and other European settlers, the Fredericton Region Museum is an excellent place to start. With over 4,000 square feet of exhibit space and a collection of over 30,000 artefacts the museum is a fun and exciting way to look into our past.
The Objective of the York-Sunbury Historical Society, Ltd.
To collect, preserve and interpret historical data, records and objects relating to the history of the Province of New Brunswick, and in particular that of York and Sunbury Counties.
The idea of the York Sunbury Historical Society was sparked in January 1932 by Martha J. Harvey, at the height of the Great Depression, when a letter was sent out to the people of Fredericton suggesting a historical society be organized. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Within two weeks a society was formed, and by the end of 1932 there were 132 members.
The first meetings of the York Sunbury Historical Society were held on the second floor of the Post Office on Queen Street, and shortly after the society received the first of many donations of its historical artefacts.
The Society was incorporated on February 10, 1934. Its structure and purpose are set out in the bylaws accompanying that incorporation. Its purpose was to discover and preserve the history and heritage of York and Sunbury counties in New Brunswick (Canada). Its structure provided for a Board of Directors elected by the members at the annual meeting and for committees to deal with different aspects of the Society’s mission. Today, the society still has some 150 members, each one committed to the original mission of the York Sunbury Historical Society. The York Sunbury Historical Society operates the museum in Officers’ Square.
Board & Committee Members – Fredericton Region Museum
President: Gary Waite, Master of Arts (MA) History, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Waterloo, Early Modern European History, Professor Emeritus at University of New Brunswick.
Gary Waite (PhD, Waterloo, 1987) is Professor Emeritus at the University of New Brunswick and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He took on the presidency of the YSHS in 2024. A popular instructor, Waite was also History Department chair for nine years, and on the UNB Senate and Board of Governors for six. His research has focused on the religion and culture of the early-modern Netherlands. His first book on the Dutch Anabaptist David Joris (c.1501-1556) is now in a second edition (2026). He has also published on demonology and the witch-hunts; on Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the seventeenth century; and on Dutch drama in the sixteenth century. He is currently working on the radical religious roots of the early Enlightenment (https://amsterdamnified.com/project/). With Lisa M. Todd, he is co-editor of European Racism: A History in Documents (2024). He lives in Fredericton with his spouse Kate Hayward.
Past President: Major (Retired) Harold Skaarup, CD3, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), NSCAD, Master of Arts (MA) War Studies, RMC. Former Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel for 3 Intelligence Company.
Major (Ret’d) Harold Aage Skaarup, CD, BFA (NSCAD 1974), MA (RMC 1997), served as a Canadian Forces Army Intelligence Officer for more than 40 years, retiring in Aug 2011. On 1 Feb 2015 he was appointed HLCol for 3 Intelligence Company in Halifax for a three year term and was back in uniform until 1 Feb 2018. He serves as a Board member of the Friends of the New Brunswick Military History Museum (FNBMHM), and also with the York Sunbury Historical Society (YSHS) in Fredericton. On behalf of the Stanton Friedman family he curates the UFO exhibit in the museum and has participated in numerous presentations as well as radio and television interviews on the subject. He is an Associate RCAF Historian as well as a member of the Canadian Aerospace Artists Association (CAAA). He is the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association (CPVA) historian, and in Nov 2024 laid a wreath on their behalf in Cyprus. He currently serves as the webmaster for the Balkans35 commemoration project. He has five grandchildren, and if he is not on the water in his canoe, he may be found in the garden with his wife Faye.
Vice President: Cynthia Wallace-Casey, BA, MA, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), UNB, Education Studies, Heritage Education Research Consultant.
2nd Vice President: Patrick Proctor, Bachelor of Arts (BA), History and English, UNB, Research Assistant at Gregg Centre for War and Society at UNB.
Treasurer: Evelyn Fidler, Associate of Arts, Master of Arts (MA) in History, UNB, and a post graduate diploma in Material History. Kings Landing Heritage Resource Manager.
Secretary: Drew Steeves. Former Chief of Client Services at Correctional Service of Canada.
expertise, leadership, and forward-thinking curiosity to the board in his new role as Secretary. With over 30 years of experience spanning government and transportation sectors, Drew built his career on solving complex problems, supporting critical systems, and leading teams in high-stakes environments – including more than two decades with Correctional Service Canada, where he rose to Desktop Support Supervisor. Beyond his technical work, Drew has been a dedicated advocate for people, serving in key union leadership roles at both regional and national levels. His ability to navigate policy, represent diverse voices, and build consensus adds an important dimension to his contributions. Today, Drew is deeply engaged in the future – exploring renewable energy, electrification, regenerative agriculture, and military technology. His combination of experience, curiosity, and commitment to service makes him a valuable addition to the board, and we’re excited to have his insight and steady leadership guiding our work.
Richard Yeomans, Master of Arts (MA) Canadian History, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) History, UNB, Editor of The Oar, the official periodical of the Fredericton Region Museum.
Richard Yeomans is a historian of Atlantic Canada, particularly New Brunswick, Loyalist culture, science and statecraft. He holds a PhD in History from Dalhousie University (2025). Richard’s most recent scholarly works include a critical history of the University of New Brunswick (Acadiensis, 2024) and forthcoming articles on the politics of quarantine in the Maritimes before 1850 (Scientia Canadensis) and the regulation of the Grand Manan herring fishery in the early nineteenth century (PiCHE, 2026). Richard is the creator of Atlantic Digital Scholarship, a digital history initiative that promotes research and public scholarship related to Atlantic Canada and currently serves as lead editor of The Oar, the annual publication of the Fredericton Region Museum. He is now with Library and Archives Canada, where he works to improve access to Canada’s documentary heritage online.
Leah Grandy, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) History, UNB, Library Assistant at University of New Brunswick.
Elder Ramona Moon, Nekutkuk First Nation, Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Native Studies and Anthropology, Master of Arts (MA) in Archaeology, UNB.
Agnieszka Aggie Sliwka, Master of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta, UNB Librarian, Historical Studies, Leadership Studies, Political Science, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy.
Nicole O’Byrne, Master of Laws (LLM) Legal History, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Law, Associate Professor at UNB Law, Co-host, Witness to Yesterday, the Podcast of the Champlain Society, President of the Canadian Law and Society Association, University of New Brunswick Faculty-at-Large Senator.
Nicole O’Byrne brings a powerful blend of academic insight, public engagement, and leadership to the board. An Associate Professor of Law at the University of New Brunswick, Nicole’s work explores the foundations of Canadian federalism, Indigenous–state relations, and the evolution of public policy, with a particular focus on healthcare and education law. Her research – spanning topics from Medicare’s history to reproductive rights in the Maritimes – reflects a deep commitment to understanding how legal frameworks shape people’s lives. A respected voice beyond the classroom, Nicole is a frequent contributor to national and regional
media, and serves as an interviewer for Witness to Yesterday, the Champlain Society’s podcast. She is also President of the Canadian Law and Society Association, and an active leader in advancing reconciliation and community engagement through her roles with the Law Society of New Brunswick and the Nature Trust of New Brunswick. With a career that bridges scholarship, policy, and public dialogue, Nicole brings thoughtful perspective and a strong sense of purpose to her role on the board. We’re delighted to welcome
her expertise and leadership.
Karen Daigle, City of Fredericton representative, Senior Programming & Operations Lead.
Executive Director: Alena Kraznikova, Bachelor of Arts (BA) Art History, Master of Arts (MA) Art History.
Museum Intern: Connor Fraser, Bachelor of Arts (BA), in French, UNB.
Former Board Members and current Advisors:
Fred White, Maxine Campbell, Ruth Murgatroyd, Melynda Jarratt, Gary Campbell, Doug Hall, Ian MacEachern, Jennifer Dow, Glenn Leonard, Anqi Fang.
Annie van Deventer-Radford, University Exeter Certificate, British Pre-History, Professional Project Management Certificate, Project Specialist, Archaeology and Heritage Branch, Fredericton.
Museum Intern: Caroline Bulgarelli, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Mount Allison University, Fleming College, Post Graduate Certificate, Museum Management and Curatorship.
The Oar
Since 1985, when it began as a quarterly newsletter for the Fredericton Region Museum, The Officer’s Quarters has been an important part of the work of the York-Sunbury Historical Society in documenting the history of Fredericton and surrounding area. After 40 years of publication, the Society will be retiring The Officer’s Quarters as its annual publication and launching a new periodical with an expanded mandate and fresh design.
The Oar, New Brunswick’s popular history magazine, will launch in Summer 2026 as the new official annual periodical of the York-Sunbury Historical Society and the Fredericton Region Museum. To better encapsulate the storied pasts of this place and the peoples who live here, the mandate of The Oar will include histories and narratives not fixed within the Fredericton region or Wolastoq [Saint John] River Valley. In the spirit of propelling forward the telling of these shared stories and pasts, this new publication invites submissions from contributors interested in writing pieces for popular or wide audiences.