Michele-Elise Burnett
Founder | Creative Producer | Experiential & Multidisciplinary Storyteller
Michele-Elise Burnett is a seasoned producer, storyteller, and cultural strategist with more than 35 years of experience in broadcasting, arts programming, and multi-sensory public storytelling. Her career began in her family’s radio business and evolved into producing some of the most celebrated cultural and educational projects in the region—bridging the worlds of sound, performance, land-based learning, and immersive installations.
As founder and creative lead of Kakekalanicks, Michele-Elise works alongside Elders, artists, Knowledge Keepers, and historians to co-create public experiences that are emotionally resonant and historically grounded. Her productions have redefined how audiences engage with place, memory, and truth—from full-scale festivals and exhibitions to sonic trails and theatrical performances.
Michele-Elise is the creative force behind the Strawberry Moon Festival, and has produced numerous site-specific audio installations such as Reawakening: Sounds of the Forest (Ball’s Falls), Rekindling All Our Relations (Niagara Parks), and Her Moccasins Talk (Artpark Trails). She led the creation of the Red Dress Exhibit: If Only These Dresses Could Tell Their Story, a national touring installation, and served as the Indigenous Lead and Audio Director for the Erie Canal Bicentennial Waterway of Change Exhibit, producing 15 layered audio pieces that reframe history through immersive storytelling.
Other curatorial work includes the multimedia installation Mino Bimaadiziwin: An Indigenous Journey Through the Arts, and a series of powerful performances with acclaimed composer-artist Geneviève Gros-Louis. Whether through audio, visual, or live experience, Michele-Elise’s work centers collaboration, integrity, and truth.
She is the President of Landscape of Nations 360°, a national education and tourism initiative, and sits on several boards including the Niagara Parks Foundation and Brock University’s Board of Emeriti. Her expertise is regularly sought by cultural institutions, municipalities, and educational bodies looking to develop impactful, community-engaged programming.
Michele-Elise brings a deep understanding of production, audience connection, and place-based storytelling—transforming public spaces into sites of reflection, learning, and cultural exchange.
meburnett16@gmail.com
Zander Burnett-Metz
Born in Florida and based out of Buffalo and Toronto, Zander chose to study Film Studies at Brock University and Film Production at Weengushk Film Institute. Zander is a writer, director and producer of short films and has worked in the sound department as a boom operator, mixer, and sound utility for many professional feature films, TV productions and commercials. Such productions include: "Trew Calling" (2015), "Two for One" (2016), "MTV: True Life" (2016), and "Johnny Gruesome" (2017). Zander is currently working on a new project due to be released Summer 2017.
Michael Gruyich
Michael Gruyich was born and raised in Niagara Falls. He received his BA from Trinity College, University of Toronto and his MBA from Niagara University, Lewiston, NY. Michael and his family have owned and operated a business in the Niagara area for over 80 years. He is currently President of Niagara Duty Free, an award-winning duty-free store located at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. Michael is very active in the community and was Honorary Capital Campaign Chair for the Bethlehem Housing and Support Services Kenmore Court Building in Niagara Falls which provides permanent housing for men, women and families in Niagara with low to moderate income. Michael is a board member with Landscape of Nations 360° Inc. not for profit organization and until recently a board member with BravoNiagara! Festival of the Arts in the Niagara Region. Michael volunteers his time with the Lifeline Humanitarian Organization, helping to support orphanages, safe houses for children rescued from human trafficking, homes for the elderly, and hospitals in Serbia.