Last week marked the final days of Brett Lougheed’s term as Director of the Oral History Centre. Please join us in thanking him for all he contributed to the Centre in this role. Brett’s leadership and guidance have resulted in the growth of our community of practitioners, and in establishing a solid foundation for the OHC Archives that will ensure the stories held within will be available to future generations.

As Director, Brett fostered an environment of collaboration, innovation, and empathy, always balancing the needs of the Centre with the wellbeing of its staff. Brett ushered the OHC into the fold of the University of Winnipeg Library team, and worked endlessly toward securing the resources an oral history centre needs to be successful—from online infrastructure to studio improvements, to recording equipment, to chairs. The OHC has benefitted tremendously from his advocacy and his relationship building with University of Winnipeg staff, faculty, and a broader community of archivists, librarians, and oral history practitioners.

While we will certainly miss Brett’s leadership and vision, we will also miss his willingness to jump in and help us do the work. Brett has truly been part of our team, doing far more than required of him as Director. Over these years he’s participated in presentations, meetings and consultations, wrote reports, applied for grants, and replied to a lot of emails. (So. Many. Emails.) During his tenure he was eager to learn about oral history, its ethics and legalities, the administrative work it entails, and all the technologies involved in recording and sharing interviews. He even threw a 10th birthday party for the Centre. Brett was so much part of the team that—in true oral history fashion—he worked for a whole sixth year on a five-year project, staying an entire year longer than his term required.

Mostly, we will miss the oh.doughunts he brought to staff meetings. 

Kidding.

We will miss having a great Director, and a knowledgeable, kind, funny person as part of our core team. We wish Brett a restorative time-out, followed by a happy retreat to his office in the University of Winnipeg Archives. We are looking forward to working with you as a colleague going forward.

See you upstairs, 
Kim & Kent