2026 Speakers & Industry Guests

Coming Soon.

Andra Sheffer is the former CEO of private Funds supporting the Canadian digital media, television and film industries: the Independent Production Fund (1991-2019) which invests in scripted drama series created for digital platforms; the COGECO Program Development Fund for the development and production of television drama and was the Executive Director of the Bell Fund (1997-2014) which supports interactive digital media projects associated with Canadian television programs.

Previously, she was the founding Executive Director of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television producing the annual Genie and Gemini Awards (now the Canadian Screen Awards). She lectures on the business of television and new media and is the editor of publications about the business of tv and digital media production: New Media, New Business: The Producer’s guide (2001), Create a Winning Proposal – the Handbook for New Media Producers (1999) and the co-editor of MAKING IT: The business of film and television production in Canada (1986 & 1995). She also served as Managing Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, and with the federal government as a Certification Officer setting up the original CAVCO office (and Canadian content “point” system), and at the Film Festivals Bureau promoting Canadian films internationally.

She was awarded the 2013 Digital Media Trail Blazer award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the 2014 Champion of Digital Innovation Tribute at Merging Media 5, the Award of Achievement at the 2014 Digi Awards and was inducted as the 2014-15 Industry Builder in Playback’s Hall of Fame. The Youth Media Alliance established a scholarship in her name in 2016 for senior level students pursuing careers in children’s media. She is on the Board of Directors of WebSeries Canada and the Telus Fund.

Co-founded by Carolyn Mauricette and Keda Edwards Pierre, the Access Threshold Foundation Initiative (AXTFI) is dedicated to expanding industry access, opportunity and sustainable career pathways for creatives who are People of the Global Majority & Intersectionality (PoGMI), with a particular focus on creators 35+.

Following a soft launch in 2025 and its official launch in 2026, AXTFI has quickly built a growing ecosystem of programs, partnerships and industry opportunities. In that time, AXTFI has forged partnerships with organizations like Canadian Film Fest, supported 21 talented filmmakers through its Roots to Reels Accelerator Program, and launched The AXT Exchange, a groundbreaking industry event that brings industry leaders into the same room with phenomenal PoGMI creatives.
Its monthly AXT: Behind the Screen screenings have featured work by trailblazing Canadian storytellers including Jennifer Holness, Sharon Lewis and V.T. Nayani, while their festival/market program: R2R: Market Forward brought a delegation of 10 filmmakers to the inaugural TIFF: The Market in 2026.

Across it all, AXTFI is committed to Authentic Narratives, Industry Access, and Safe, Supportive & Sustainable careers in Arts & Entertainment. It’s about more than access to the industry, AXTFI’s building pathways for PoGMI creatives to enter it, thrive in it and help shape its future.

Catherine Moreau brings over 15 years of experience in the audiovisual and media sector, with a track record spanning scripted, documentary, variety, and youth television, both in production and content development. In 2021, she joined the Independent Production Fund (IPF) as Deputy Director of the Montreal office, where she manages the French-language programs and champions the interests of emerging talent nationwide. Her work at the IPF has deepened her expertise in project analysis and audiovisual financing, while sharpening her strategic perspective on the challenges and opportunities of an industry undergoing significant transformation.

Charlie is a Canadian Screen Award nominated producer and former board member of WebSeries Canada. He has been selected as the Canadian Filmmaker in Focus by the Kashish Film Festival in Mumbai, India, an invited guest of the Canadian embassy in South Africa to share his documentary on HIV+ youth, executive produced Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride, a global look at pride celebrations, and winner of multiple awards including, the HBO Best Doc award at the Miami International LGBT Film Festival. 

Charlie is the President and a producer at Border2Border Entertainment and previously owned CTM International, a talent agency based in Vancouver managing union and non-union contracting, payments, and negotiations for a roster of over 300 clients.

Connie Wang is an award winning actress with four Canadian Screen Award nominations in performance categories. She is a comedian, and producer with over 20 film and TV credits and has received 12 screen nominations. Some of her film/tv credits include Amazon’s The Boys, Tokens, CBC’s One More Time, and Netflix’ Ripple. Connie also creates courses teaching actors how to make acting a full-time income.

Danielle Hébert has worked with the Industry Development team at Ontario Creates since 2018, specifically delivering the Interactive Digital Media Fund. As a Program Consultant, she leads the Video Content (Linear) stream of the IDM Fund Concept Definition and Production programs, manages the Futures Forward initiatives and works with Film and Interactive organizations through the Industry Development Program. She is a graduate of Brock University (Dramatic Arts) and a public servant since 2008. The cultural media industries are her passion and she is proud to combine that with her public servant experience to support Ontario companies and help them grow.

Donna Cagnoli-Broda is a Producer at Bell Fibe TV1, where she greenlights original scripted and unscripted content and shapes the programming strategy for Ontario and the Maritimes on TV1’s VOD platform and app. She works closely with creators from pitch through production, post, and promotion, drawing on a background in business and marketing to balance creative potential with audience engagement. She’s passionate about championing diverse voices and telling Canadian stories that resonate with growing audiences.

Eve Krogman is a podcast producer, editor, and digital media specialist with 10 years of experience working at the intersection of video podcasting, social media, and the creator economy. Throughout her career, she has launched, produced, and grown shows from idea to distribution. Recently, she has focused on helping creators transform audio-only podcasts into video-first brands that expand audience reach and engagement.

Eve has produced and edited more than 200 podcast episodes and helped generate over 50 million views and streams across podcasting, video, and social platforms. She has worked with creators and brands including Not Alone with Valeria Lipovetsky, NerdWallet’s Smart Money and Smart Travel, Please Relate To This, and The Aunties Dandelion. Her expertise spans creative development, production, video editing, audience growth, content strategy, and adapting long-form conversations into high-performing digital content.

Eve holds a Bachelor of Film and Television from Sheridan College and is also an award-winning filmmaker and writer.

Greg founded Syndicado in 2009, one of the first VOD/digital distribution companies in the industry. Since then, the company has grown to become an all rights distributor, focused primarily on English language markets and programming. Today the company provides gap funding for producers on new projects while monetizing their back catalogs across Syndicado’s extensive base of the top global VOD platforms. He’s been a speaker at local universities and colleges talking about the new world of distribution and has spoken at TIFF, IDFA, Sheffield, DocNYC and the Banff World Media Festival on distribution.

In 2016 he founded the boutique world sales agency,  Verità Films (formerly Syndicado Film Sales), which now boasts a slate of documentaries that have been featured in festivals such as Sundance, TIFF, Tribeca, Locarno, HotDocs, and Karlovy Vary.

James is Toronto-based Producer with 5+ years of experience across film, digital, and vertical content. Collaborated with Emmy Award Nominated Directors and Canadian Screen Award winners, and partnered with the Canadian Film Centre on multiple productions. Helped to develop and test the first ACTRA Independent Production Agreement for micro-dramas. Over the past two years, he has managed multiple vertical micro-drama productions across multiple genres. His work has been distributed globally on platforms including JoyReels and ReelShorts, reaching over 1 million combined views.

Jane Loughman founded Toronto-based production company Monkeys & Parrots was founded to create film, TV and digital content with a sense of humour, passion and purpose.

The Swearing Jar world premiered at TIFF: this acclaimed female-led romantic musical stars Adelaide Clemens, Kathleen Turner and Patrick J. Adams. Jane’s first feature A Dog’s Breakfast was distributed by MGM. Her sci-fi horror, Debug, starred Jason Momoa. Jane also produced queer anti-rom-com All About Who You Know, plus short films The Trial of Ben Barry and Do Us Part. Their latest production is the digital series Sweet as Sugar which debuts on OUTtv in September 2026.
As lead producer at Monkeys & Parrots, Jane Loughman focuses on female-led and female targeted projects: providing training, mentorship & career advancement opportunities for female, non-binary or culturally underrepresented creatives; and promoting sustainable practices across all productions. She is a proud Ontario Green Screen Ambassador, member of Producing for the Planet, and serves on the CMPA Climate Action and Sustainability committee.

Jane is also an alumna of the TransAtlantic Partners Program; she participated in the Producer’s Lab and International Finance Forums at TIFF and Cannes’ Marché du Film Producer’s Network. She has represented the Canadian film & television industry on trade missions to Australia, New Zealand & Scotland. Jane holds an MA (Hons) in Film & English and a Certificate in Entertainment Law; she teaches Film Financing and Producing & Production Management at Toronto Film School.

Jenn Kuzmyk is a leading force shaping the future of Canada’s screen industry as Executive
Director of the renowned Banff World Media Festival and Publisher of Playback, the country’s
premier business publication covering film, television, online and streaming media. In these
roles, she oversees one of the most influential international media gatherings, bringing together
global creators, executives, and dealmakers, while also guiding the editorial voice that informs
and connects Canada’s production community.

A champion of inclusion and industry development, together with her team, Jenn created and
leads the sector’s most impactful EDI initiatives, including the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices
Initiative, the BANFF and Paramount+ Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media,
and the Indigenous Screen Summit. Collectively, these programs have supported more than
1,000 professionals from underrepresented communities, expanding access, mentorship, and
career pathways across the global media landscape.

Jenn has long been a passionate advocate for advancing women and emerging talent in the
industry. She served as Chair of the Women in Film and Television Toronto Foundation (WIFT+)
Board of Directors from 2020 to 2024 and is a founding member of the Future of Film Showcase
Advisory Board, which champions the next generation of Canadian filmmakers. She also spent
five years as an adjunct professor in York University’s Film Studies department, mentoring
aspiring industry professionals.

Prior to Banff and Playback, Jenn held senior roles across production, development, and
international distribution. As Vice President of Development at Cream Productions, she co-
created and co-executive produced series for major global broadcasters, including the Emmy-
nominated Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan and the international format hit Know-It-All.
Earlier, as Director of International Distribution at Proper Television, she led global sales and
development initiatives across Europe, Canada and the Middle East, helping independent
producers secure financing, co-production partnerships, and greenlights for new projects. Jenn
also spent a decade with leading UK trade publisher C21Media as Canadian Bureau Chief and
an Editor, covering the evolving global screen industry.

I’ve been a PM, Line Producer, Producer for 20 years and I’ve incorporated sustainable practices into my productions, was a Sustainability Consultant at Green Spark Group, Production Managed the Sustainable Production Forum for 3 years, and I’ve also produced a couple web-series myself “Hey Lady” for CBC (starring Jayne Eastwood and directed by Sarah Polley) and “Nesting” for Crave, their first original short form series. Now I am the Production Consultant running the Ontario Green Screen program

Jill brings over 20 years of Film and Television Industry experience to her role as Deputy Director – Portfolio Management for the CMF fund at Telefilm Canada. 

Jill joined Telefilm in 2008 and leads a national team of business analysts and jury members for several  highly competitive funding initiatives including POV Documentary, Program for Black and Racialized  Communities as well as the Digital Creator Program which included Podcasting. In addition, Jill  collaborates with the CMF Industry team to fund Sector development support for Non-profits.

Jon Taylor is a media executive based in Toronto, Canada. As CEO of the Independent Production Fund, Jon helps to provide financial support for the development and production of TV series in Canada. Prior to joining the IPF Jon was Executive Director of the Global Online Video Association, the first industry-wide association for companies building businesses on social video platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat. A former Bell executive, Jon led Bell Media’s digital business transformation including the launch of Canada’s premiere streaming service, Crave. Prior to executive leadership roles, Jon had an extensive career as a television producer, including working with Discovery, ESPN, MTV, the United Nations, the Academy Awards and the Olympic Games. Jon is frequently invited to speak at industry events regarding film and tv financing, career growth, and digital transformation.

Julie Nolke is a CSA award winning actor, writer, filmmaker and the creator of her self-titled comedy YouTube channel (~1 million subscribers). She’s been nominated for two Streamy Awards, won three Webby Awards, and in both 2019 and 2023 won Excellence in Writing for her short films at Toronto’s prestigious Buffer Festival. Julie is best known for her viral online series Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self (~65 million views).

Additionally, Julie acts in film and broadcast TV. Recent credits include: her leading role in The Wedding Rule (W Network), series recurring and CSA nominated in three seasons of Run the ‘Burbs (CBC/Hulu), Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), What We Do in the Shadows (FX), Coroner (CBC/Apple TV), Odd Squad (PBS), TallBoyz (CBC), and the Emmy Award winning Workin’ Moms (CBC/Netflix). She is also fresh off a Canadian tour of her sold out one woman sketch show: Dying on the Outside.

Julie is a Deputy Director at Telefilm’s Toronto office and has worked on the CMF Program Administration team for over 15 years. Currently Julie manages the Drama, Children’s and Variety portfolio.Previously Julie was a Business Affairs Manager at Entertainment One in television production, and has held many business affairs positions throughout her career, including with Barna-Alper Productions, and filmmaker Bruce McDonald.

Kate Fenton is currently the Production Executive at Vortex.  A Canadian Producer, actor, writer, and director passionate about storytelling and uplifting female voices. As a producer, Kate is determined to keep pushing the needle for Women in leadership roles in the entertainment industry. She holds a Master of Fine Art in Acting from York University, a diploma in Comedy Writing and Performance from Humber College, a CORUS Management Accelerator certificate from the Ryerson Chang School of Business.

Kate completed the National Screen Institute Business of Producers Program, under the mentorship of Tara Woodbury where she developed a Television series Filmores with Executive Producer Jennifer Podemski and Co-Producer Eva Thomas. The team was awarded pre-development funding through CMF, ISO and Bell.

She successfully ran The Quickening Theatre, an award-winning independent company for over a decade. In 2013, Kate joined The Journey, a large-scale musical production about living in Regent Park as co-writer and director. The show has raised over $4M to date.

Kate has Line Produced and Production Managed several independent feature films and television series for Vortex, Cream Productions, Hawkeye Pictures, Barn 12 and Hero Entertainment.

As an independent producer Kate managed a slate of projects ranging from short-form comedy to feature length drama.  Successfully securing financing through, grants, and government funding to ensure meticulous financial compliance, created sales materials, and oversaw production on various projects.

She has been instrumental in achieving remarkable milestones, and accolades including DORA, ACTRA, CAFCA and Canadian Screen Awards. Among her most notable, her ACTRA nominated and CSA award-winning original digital series Band Ladies on Highball.TV, a short film Rainbow Baby, Winner of the Toronto ACTRA Women’s Committee (TAWC) film Lab broadcast on CBC Canadian Reflections since January 2024, and her short film Greta’s Eddy recently received an honorable mention from the LA Experimental Forum.

Kate Ziegler was elected President of ACTRA Toronto on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, for
a two-year term. Kate joined ACTRA in 2011, channelling her passion for storytelling
into a dynamic career in film, television, theatre and voiceover. Over the past decade,
Kate has shifted her focus to become a leading voice talent, lending her skills to
thousands of commercials and has served as the brand voice for major national
campaigns, including Rogers, Ford and Lotto 6/49. A dedicated advocate for voice
artists, Kate champions the protection and integrity of performers across all genres. Her
previous on-screen credits include roles in Flashpoint, God & Country, Man Vs. and The
Divide.

Kate is dedicated to fostering cross-union solidarity and strengthening union power.
Through her work, she strives to ensure ACTRA members’ voices across all
performance categories are not only heard but valued, advancing unity and collective
strength within the industry.

Kattie Laur is a Canadian Podcasts Specialist and Producer and the voice behind Pod the North, the community resource and newsletter for Canadian podcasts. She is widely recognized as a leading expert on the Canadian podcast industry. With over a decade of hands-on experience creating, producing, and growing podcasts in Canada, she brings a unique perspective on industry trends, challenges, and standout creators. Kattie’s varied experience has led her down a path of advocacy for the Canadian podcasting ecosystem, and she is keenly interested in making the industry sustainable, equitable, well-connected, and world-renowned. She most recently joined CBC Podcasts as a producer.

Co-founded by Carolyn Mauricette and Keda Edwards Pierre, the Access Threshold Foundation Initiative (AXTFI) is dedicated to expanding industry access, opportunity and sustainable career pathways for creatives who are People of the Global Majority & Intersectionality (PoGMI), with a particular focus on creators 35+.

Following a soft launch in 2025 and its official launch in 2026, AXTFI has quickly built a growing ecosystem of programs, partnerships and industry opportunities. In that time, AXTFI has forged partnerships with organizations like Canadian Film Fest, supported 21 talented filmmakers through its Roots to Reels Accelerator Program, and launched The AXT Exchange, a groundbreaking industry event that brings industry leaders into the same room with phenomenal PoGMI creatives.
Its monthly AXT: Behind the Screen screenings have featured work by trailblazing Canadian storytellers including Jennifer Holness, Sharon Lewis and V.T. Nayani, while their festival/market program: R2R: Market Forward brought a delegation of 10 filmmakers to the inaugural TIFF: The Market in 2026.

Across it all, AXTFI is committed to Authentic Narratives, Industry Access, and Safe, Supportive & Sustainable careers in Arts & Entertainment. It’s about more than access to the industry, AXTFI’s building pathways for PoGMI creatives to enter it, thrive in it and help shape its future.

Kelly Michael Stewart is the Founder and Festival Director of Toronto’s Blood in the Snow Film Festival (BITS), where they champion independent Canadian genre cinema across horror, sci-fi, thriller, and action. A former genre film writer whose work has appeared in Fangoria, Toronto Film Scene, Planet Fury, and KISS Monster Magazine, Stewart founded BITS in 2012 and launched its BITS and BYTES web series program in 2018. The festival also oversees the BITS Horror Development Lab and Deadly Exposure Industry Conference, supporting emerging Canadian creators and projects from development through to audiences.

Kevin Wright is a dynamic speaker with thirty years’ experience
in screen-based media. He has commissioned over sixty
television series and heard thousands of pitches. Presenter,
workshop leader, pitch coach: Kevin helps people convey their
ideas in a concise and persuasive manner by providing tips and
secrets from the Decision Maker’s Perspective.

Kingsley Lin is a Toronto-based producer, director, cinematographer, and founder of Starvault Pictures. His work spans feature documentaries, narrative films, and vertical drama production. His feature documentary Before the Road Splits, filmed in the Canadian Arctic, explores the changing communities of Canada’s North and is currently on its international festival journey.

In the rapidly growing vertical storytelling space, Kingsley has developed extensive production experience through collaborations with major platforms including ReelShort, DramaBox, and TikTok. His recent vertical drama credits include Love on Ice, His Heat, His Touch, His Hunger, and The Billionaire and the Baby Trap.

Through Starvault Pictures, he continues to produce independent screen projects while building professional production and theatrical exhibition opportunities for emerging filmmakers in Canada.

Kirk Cooper is the Festival Manager at Raven Banner Entertainment, where he oversees the company’s festival strategy and at times assists in acquisitions, ensuring the slate connects with audiences worldwide. With over 5 years at Raven Banner, he has successfully worked with over 45 festivals worldwide including Fantasia, Locarno International Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Strasburg Fantastic Fest, Sitges and BIFAN in South Korea.

Before joining Raven Banner in 2020, Kirk founded Film Market Access, a consulting and PR initiative that has supported more than 200 filmmakers in achieving market readiness for markets such as Marche du Film, EFM, Frontiers and TIFFthe Market. He has produced both narrative and non-fiction projects and continues to serve as a programmer and committee member at the Black Screen Office, providing a vital voice for independent cinema in Canada and abroad.

Lauren Corber is a two-time International Emmy-nominated producer, a recovering
entertainment lawyer and the founder/president of Toronto based production company LoCo
Motion Pictures. One of Canada’s leading digital content producers, Lauren has produced several
award-winning comedy series including How to Buy a Baby, which has since been formatted into
Swedish (HBO Max) and French series, My Dead Mom, which won a Rockie Award, three
Canadian Screen Awards and was nominated for an International Emmy, and queer comedy I
Hate People, People Hate Me which premiered at Tribeca and is available on CBC and WOW
Presents Plus.

Lauren’s other productions include two seasons of My 90-Year-Old Roommate, three seasons of
Kidscreen Award-winning tween action-adventure series Detention Adventure and Web Series
World Cup Winner The Communist’s Daughter.

Coming soon.

Laurie Few is a journalist with 35 years' experience producing news and current affairs, digital
video content and podcasts.

Laurie is currently the Executive Producer, Digital at TVO. Prior to joining TVO Laurie was the
Managing Editor at Canada’s National Observer and before that she held the title of Director of
Digital and Creative Content at CPAC, Canada’s Cable Public Affairs Channel focusing on federal
political news.

Laurie started her journalism career at CTV, first as the producer of the investigative segment
airing on CTV national news for 10 years and then as an investigative producer for CTV’s long
running news and current affairs show, W5, for nine years. In 2009 Laurie left W5 to become
the Executive Producer of the Global News investigative and current affairs show, 16×9.
Laurie is a board member of the Canadian Association of Journalists board. And she is a
volunteer and board member of the Ontario Concerts in Care. She was a lawyer prior to
becoming a journalist.

Liv Berkowitz is a Development Manager at New Metric Media. Originally from Vancouver by way of Montreal, she started her production career in DIY filmmaking and live comedy. Now happily retired from standup and improv, Liv enjoys developing projects with big swings, unusual characters, and a million jokes per minute. When she’s not hunting for her next TV project, you can find her riding her bike, or losing her mind at a Blue Jays game.

Louie La Vella (Producer, Co-Founder FOUND TV): Louie La Vella is a film producer from Ontario, Canada, known for horror films such as Invited, The Woodmen, and the producer/director of upcoming horror movie A Possession in Lincoln County (2026). Louie is also the Co-Founder and CEO of the global horror streaming platform FOUND TV dedicated to found footage films.

FOUND info:
FOUND TV is a global streaming service dedicated exclusively to found footage, analog horror, mockumentary, and screenlife films and series. The platform curates and produces genre-defining titles that celebrate the raw, immersive storytelling style that redefined modern horror.

Marcia Douglas is Executive Director of the Bell Fund, a Canadian non-profit supporting the creation of innovative, high-quality Canadian content across all platforms, from broadcast to short-form and digital. With more than 25 years in the Canadian screen industry, Marcia previously held senior roles at the Canada Media Fund and the Canadian Media Producers Association. She champions policies advancing effective and impactful production financing, and a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable media production sector.

Coming soon.

Peter is a Business & Rights Manager for the CBC, English Services. Here he works with the
production teams for unscripted documentary and factual production to negotiate
commissioning, coproduction and format agreements with Canadian and international
production partners.

Prior to this, he was the Vice-President, Business & Legal Affairs, for Cineflix Productions, where he advised on the full spectrum of production activities, structured, negotiated and drafted a
wide variety of agreements including network licenses, commissions, co-productions, first-look
deals, writer deals, and on-camera and key-creative talent agreements, and provided counsel to
Cineflix’s distribution division.

Peter is also Adjunct Faculty at the Schulich School of Business, York University, where he
teaches graduate students in the Arts, Media & Entertainment Management Program within
the MBA Program.

Prior to joining Cineflix, Peter worked as a Business & Rights Manager at the CBC in its scripted
division and advised Nelvana and Corus on the exploitation potential of key creative properties.
He’s also managed the business affairs group for CineNova Productions, and spent several years
with Gowling WLG in its corporate commercial group.

Peter has a BFA from the University of British Columbia, an MBA from the Schulich School of
Business, York University, and a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.

Coming soon. 

Samuel Larson is an award winning director, writer and director of photography. Best known for his work directing sketch comedy on the YouTube channel “Julie Nolke” which has amassed over 1 million subscribers, a CSA award, 3 Webby Awards and 1 Streamy nomination. Sam also created and directed the T.O Webfest award winning documentary series “Forage” available on CBC Gem and Apple TV. Sam’s most recent short, Serious Buyers Only was recognized at more than 10 film festivals winning several awards along the way.

As Executive in Charge of Development for CBC Comedy, Sarah leads the creation of bold, high-impact original scripted series for the network’s slate. She has overseen the development of Small Achievable Goals, One More Time, and just announced Committed (co-produced with BBC NI). Prior to CBC, she served as the Creative Executive at Northwood Entertainment (Anne with an E, The Grizzlies), where she developed North of North (CBC/Netflix) and curated a diverse slate of television and feature film projects across development and production. Sarah began her career as a coordinator in independent film and digital series (How to Buy a Baby, Detention Adventure). She is also an active member of the creative community, co-facilitating AccessCBC, an initiative supporting creators with disabilities, as well as serving as a Mentor for the Academy Executive Residency Program. She serves on the board for CANCOM, the Foundation for Canadian Comedy. As an award-winning producer and creative executive, Sarah is dedicated to discovering and nurturing underrepresented voices with fresh perspectives and producing work that changes culture and explores stories that have yet to be told.

Shereen Simon is the founder of Perspective Studio Productions, a creative production and strategy hub based in Downtown Whitby. With more than 20 years of experience across the corporate digital space, she brings a rare mix of creative storytelling, product thinking, and business strategy to the world of content creation. Her background in marketing, merchandising, eCommerce, and product management allows her to help entrepreneurs, businesses, and creators build content that is not only visually strong, but also aligned with business goals, audience growth, and revenue potential. Through Perspective Studio Productions, Shereen helps clients turn podcasts, video, and branded content into meaningful business assets that drive visibility, impact, and long-term results.

Coming soon. 

As head of strategic partnerships for entertainment, sports, and news companies at YouTube Canada, Stephanie Wilson Chapin helps the country’s top media organizations navigate the evolving streaming landscape. She specializes in creating YouTube strategies that complement overall business objectives and to meet audience and revenue goals. A frequent speaker at industry events, Stephanie shares expert insights on platform innovations and best practices. Previously, she was the Senior Director of digital product at Bell Media, overseeing brands like CTV, TSN, and Crave, following roles at The Globe and Mail and Sympatico/MSN.

Sue Baldaro has worked in public relations for over 25 years, alongside hundreds of authors,
actors, directors and writers from Canada, the U.S. and Britain.

After completing her degree in Radio & Television at TMU (formerly Ryerson), Sue began her
public relations career in the publishing field. She spent over 10 years in publishing working for
Bantam Books, Macmillan of Canada and at Key Porter Books where she was the Director of
Publicity, Promotion and Advertising. During her time in publishing, she arranged hundreds of
book launches, cross-country author tours and in-store book signings, for bestselling authors
Robertson Davies, Judith Krantz, Shirley MacLaine, Margaret Atwood, Margaret Trudeau and
Marsha Mason, among others.

Since 1998, she has worked as a Unit Publicist on numerous U.S. and Canadian TV series and
movies. Her clients include Amazon, Bell Media, Breakthrough Ent, Eagle Vision,
eOne/Lionsgate Canada, Hulu, ICF Films, Lambur Productions, MGM Television,
NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount +, Shaftesbury, Showtime, ViacomCBS and WildBrain.
In 2003, Sue joined Shaftesbury, one of Canada’s most prominent television production
companies, where she was the Communications Director for eight years and elevated the
company to the forefront of the international trade media’s attention. While there, she developed
and implemented dozens of media strategies for all formats, including one-hour dramas, kids’
series and TV movies and mini-series.

Sue has had the privilege of working with Shawn Ashmore, Billy Baldwin, Samantha Bee, Sara
Canning, Wendy Crewson, Kim Coates, Max Irons, Kristin Kreuk, Hugh Laurie, Juliette Lewis,
Rob Lowe, Josh Lucas, Peter Mooney, Elliot Page, Mary-Louise Parker, Molly Parker, Jeremy
Renner, Kathleen Robertson, Jonathan Torrens and Academy Award-winners Diane Keaton,
Shirley MacLaine, Christopher Plummer and Dianne Wiest.

While working in the entertainment industry, Sue has coordinated, organized, and executed
countless media events, interviews, photo galleries, EPK/BTS shoots, on-set media visits and
photo shoots, red-carpet appearances, press conferences, launch parties and press junkets in
conjunction with distributors, studios, broadcasters, streamers and producers. She also worked
with filmmakers and actors who have been fortunate to have their films entered in the Toronto
International Film Festival (TIFF).

Sue currently runs her own public relations business in Toronto and works as a unit & launch
publicist and social media video and EPK/BTS producer. Sue also consults with television
producers about their communications strategies.

Tieren Hawkins (he/him) is an Atlantic Canadian production executive and filmmaker working with Blink49 Studios as VP, Vertical Content, where he oversees the company’s expansion into mobile-first, short-form programming. He has produced micro-dramas for platforms including ReelShort, Dramawave, and ShortMax, reaching more than 325-million cumulative views. Through his company, Sleepy Bear Productions, he has produced over twenty-five hours of scripted and unscripted programming for Canadian and international broadcasters. He is a four-time Screen Nova Scotia award nominee and an Atlantic Business Magazine Top 30 Under 30 Innovator.

As Senior Director of Digital at Blue Ant Media, Tyler Budd leads the company’s global YouTube strategy, overseeing audience growth, channel development and revenue generation across a portfolio of more than 50 channels in 12 languages.

Tyler leads a 12-person in-house team responsible for programming, optimization, localization, creative strategy and monetization across genres including Natural History, Lifestyle, Paranormal, Crime, Kids and Entertainment. His portfolio includes brands such as Love Nature, SpaceRip, Homeful, HauntTV and more.

Under Tyler’s leadership, Blue Ant Media has significantly scaled its YouTube business through new channel launches, multilingual distribution, 24/7 livestreaming and AI-powered localization, expanding the company’s global reach while creating new audiences and revenue streams.

Coming soon. 

John Leschinski is the founder of the Canadian Podcast Awards and Lead Organizer of PodCamp Toronto, Canada’s longest-running podcasting conference. He has spent the last two decades building community and recognition for Canadian podcasters, drawing on his background in design and web development.

Nicholas established Archipelago Productions in 2017, which creates commercial, documentary and narrative works. Nicholas produced CBC’s three-part documentary series ‘Devout + Out’ and ‘Content Farm’ with Lester Trips Theatre for CBC Gem. Most recently, Nicholas produced ‘Demons’ (dir. Kelly-Fyffe Marshall, TIFF 2025) as a calling card for a full-length streaming series created by Preeti Torul. He is currently in pre-production for his two fully-financed IPF digital series, “Confession Queens” and “Thread”. As an award-winning filmmaker, Nicholas’ work has been featured internationally by Telefilm’s “Not Short on Talent” initiative, and his project ‘Fugly’ is currently streaming on CBC Gem.

Greg Jeffs is an NSI Alumni, has participated in the Telefilm PITCH THIS! Program at TIFF, the 2020 Frontieres program and he won the 2021 Telefilm JETS program. He produced the award-winning feature THE LAST VIDEO STORE which was released worldwide in December 2024. He has directed for CBC (You’re My Hero) and a fellow in the 2026 Disability Belongs Entertainment Lab.  

Greg’s work with Sunbelt Rentals Film & TV combines his knowledge of independent filmmaking with the world of professional filmmaking equipment and support.  He actively develops long-lasting relationships with emerging and established content creators at all stages of their production to guarantee they obtain maximum value by providing mentorship and advisement on all possible funding opportunities.  In working closely with filmmakers, Greg ensures their finished product is the best as it can be.

Carly McGowan is a seasoned media executive with nearly 20 years in Canada’s screen-based
industry. As Program Director of the Independent Production Fund, and formerly with the
Cogeco and Bell Fund, she has evaluated 2,000+ applications and supported over 200 digital
short form series. Carly collaborates with producers, broadcasters, and platforms to champion
innovative content and regularly serves as a juror and panelist for industry organizations,
including the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Canadian Film Centre, and
Women in the Director’s Chair among others.