Board Member Feature: Matthew Sobocan

Matthew Sobocan parents both immigrated into Canada from the country of Slovenia, becoming active members within the Slovenian community of Manitoba.

Matthew first participated in the Folklorama Festival as a young dancer for the Slovenija Pavilion and later performed with the adult dance group, Triglav.

In addition to performing, he has held various positions within the Slovenija Pavilion ranging from president of the sponsoring organization, Pavilion Coordinator, as well as chairing various departments including finance and bar.  He has been an active member of the Canadian Slovenian Cultural Society, serving both as a director and treasurer previously.

Matthew joined the Folklorama Board in 2019 and has served on the Licensing Committee for four years, chaired the Scholarship Committee in 2018, and has chaired the Review Committee for the 2020 – 2022 term.

While Matthew’s professional career has been in the retail food business for over 30 years working primarily with the Northwest Company and Sobeys Inc. in operational and category management roles, Matthew’s passion for his culture has remained strong.