Margaret Ecker

Kelsey Lonie

Contributing Historian

Kelsey Lonie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and an MA in History from the University of Regina. After teaching in the classroom for nearly a decade, she broadened her focus, stepping into roles as a speaker, writer, and consultant, working with military museums across the country as Executive Director and Chief Historian of RUSI Regina.

Kelsey sits on the board of directors of the Organization of Military Museums of Canada (OMMC) and acts as editor of its quarterly Bulletin. She received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023 in recognition of her efforts in unveiling a statue in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Kelsey is the author of two books on the Second World War: Vacation for Victory: An Illustrated History of the Women’s Land Army in Canada and Whitey’s Journey: A Four-legged Soldier in the Second World War.

Brianne Machan

StoryMap Developer

Brianne Machan is an undergraduate student at Huron University pursuing an Honours Specialization in History and a Minor in History of the Book. She hopes to become an archivist one day, since she has worked at her local archive since high school, and loves the materiality of books (specifically the artistry of bookbinding and letterpress printing). Brianne is deeply passionate about public history and sharing stories in accessible and engaging formats, which has led her to the role of StoryMap Developer. She is thankful for the opportunity to bring history alive through creative digital formats with the Defining Moments Canada team. When Brianne is not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and working with animals (as she has worked at a rescue farm since 2020). She thanks you for taking the time to learn more about Canadian history!