Heritage Winnipeg is pleased to welcome three new members to our Board of Directors – Kenneth Ingram, Matthew Jacobi and Roland Sawatzky! With diverse backgrounds, experiences and specialties, they bring a wealth of knowledge to our organization. We are also excited for the fresh insights, energy and enthusiasm from our new board members, helping us better pursue our goal of advocating for and celebrating Winnipeg’s built heritage. Learn more about our new board members through their biographies below!

Kenneth Ingram, born and raised in the suburbs of northwest Winnipeg, has a deep passion for the history of his community. He has dedicated thousands of hours to researching and sharing the area’s stories through historical walking tours for events like Jane’s Walk and Doors Open Winnipeg, his blog Stories of Scotia, and the Seven Oaks Historical Society, which he founded in 2024. The society meets monthly at the Bleak House Centre to record, preserve, and promote the history of northwest Winnipeg.

Matthew Jacobi is a passionate heritage advocate with a deep commitment to preserving the unique history and culture of Winnipeg. Having lived in the area since 2019, Matthew has been involved in numerous local projects that celebrate and protect our built heritage. As a board member of Heritage Winnipeg, he leverages his background in historical research and his love for our built heritage to engage the community and highlight the significance of preserving the past. Matthew’s dedication to ensuring future generations can appreciate the rich history of the area has been a driving force behind his work.

Outside his role with Heritage Winnipeg, Matthew has extensive experience in Project Management and Conservation/Preservation and ensures that preservation efforts are sustainable and aligned with the needs of the community. He works closely with local contractors, artisans, and fellow historians to create inclusive and educational initiatives that raise awareness about the city’s historical assets. Matthew’s ability to bridge the past and present makes him an invaluable leader in preserving the spirit of Winnipeg.

In his leisure time, Matthew enjoys playing the piano, hosting Edwardian Era themed tea parties, spending time with his 4 lb Chihuahua, China.

Roland Sawatzky received his PhD in Archaeology from Simon Fraser University in 2005 and joined the Manitoba Museum in 2011 after spending some years as Curator at the Mennonite Heritage Village. He has also taught Anthropology courses at the University of Winnipeg and Canadian Mennonite University, and has conducted archaeological excavations in West Africa and Manitoba. His research interests include the social meaning of material culture, domestic architecture, Mennonite history and historical archaeology.

At the Manitoba Museum, Sawatzky is responsible for historical research and publications, artifact acquisitions, and exhibitions related to the settlement period and recent history in Manitoba, including the development of Winnipeg. He has curated dozens of exhibitions, including the 2016 travelling exhibitNice Women Don’t Want the Vote, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the right to vote for women in Manitoba; Legacies of Confederation: A New Look at Manitoba’s History as a response to the 150thanniversary of Confederation; and Strike 1919: Divided City. Roland was lead curator on the new permanent Winnipeg Gallery (2019), and was co-curator of the new permanent Prairies Gallery (2021). He is currently finishing a multi-year refurbishment of the 1920 Winnipeg Cityscape gallery, a favourite of Museum visitors, and he is in the early stages of research for a renewed Arctic/Subarctic Gallery.