Katie Uhlmann is best known as the creator, producer, co-writer and director of two seasons of her award-winning digital comedy series My Roommate’s An Escort; in addition to six years of her own talk show Katie Chats, where she interviewed over 3000 professionals in the film and television industry.

Katie is also heavily involved in the Women’s Committee at ACTRA, where she has lobbied politicians on behalf of artists, and child performers. With 14 years experience in the industry, Katie has worked with thousands of entertainment professionals across Canada and the U.S., and is one of the most well-connected and well-respected producer/writer/director/actors working in the business today.

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.

Jim Sternberg brings more than 30 years of Financing and Production experience to the projects he engages with.

He started Complete Production Solutions in 2009 to address a need of structured post production accounting in the Canadian film and television industry. The company has grown to be a trusted accounting source for numerous Canadian production companies along with US studios including Netflix, Amazon and Blumhouse.

Jim works independent of Complete PS as president of Sideroad 18 Productions where he has been a co-producer on the feature film American Hangman, executive producer on the treaty co-production Charlotte and executive produced Katie Boland’s feature film We’re All In This Together.

Prior to starting Complete he was president of Film Finances Canada. During 18 years as a completion guarantor he was involved in guaranteeing more than 300 productions with budgets ranging from under a million dollars to over $75 million.

Over the past 30 years he has developed excellent relationships with banks, financiers, distributors and broadcasters. These relationships have been built on Jim’s ability to be proactive and creative in a crisis. He enjoys rolling up his sleeves to help solve any issues and likes nothing more than finding an innovative solution to a financing or production quandary.

Jim’s experience as a Guarantor honed his problem solving skills but he also brings technical skills to the table. Prior to becoming a Guarantor Jim was a freelance production accountant. From 1983 to 1996 he was the Controller at Primedia Productions and Production Controller at Atlantis Films along with working on numerous film and television projects as a production accountant.

This experience contributes to his goal of providing solutions. Whether it is working through complicated financing issues or finding the right production personnel, clients can rely on Jim and his team to get their project done in the best, most professional way.

Zach Feldberg is a Toronto-based, International Emmy-winning producer and media executive with a range of experience across TV, digital media, radio, publishing, and music, and is co-president of Cut & Paste Pictures, with Damian Abraham. Previously, Zach held a number of roles at CBC, including Head of Scripted Gem Originals and Director of Current Production, Comedy, overseeing the teams responsible for delivering a slate of acclaimed comedy, drama, and documentary series.

Prior to his time at CBC, he launched Shaw Media’s first-ever original digital programming slate with such titles as The Second City Project (Global TV) and Super Snack Bros. (Food Network), and held positions at Alliance Atlantis and Canwest, where he produced original content for hit series Trailer Park Boys, Vikings, and Big Brother Canada. Feldberg came up through music, running an indie record label, ‘zine and radio show under the name Ductape in the ‘90s/early 2000s.

Suzette is an executive producer, executive director, writer, speaker and entrepreneur, renowned within the dynamic realm of the TV and Film industry.

Davin Lengyel is a multi-award-winning digital series producer. He has produced over 20 seasons of digital series content that has collectively garnered more than 30 million views. Davin’s work includes four seasons of the Canadian Screen Award and Canadian Comedy Award-winning digital series Space Janitors, Topline and Macy Murdoch for Gem, and The D
Cut for Crave.

In all, his productions have been nominated for over 100 awards, with the
latest season of Space Janitors winning TO WebFest’s Best Sci-Fi, adding to its 40+ total award nominations (and counting). He currently manages Shaftesbury’s KindaTV YouTube channel and is developing digital content expanding the IP of Netflix’s popular Code 8 movie series. He also has two w
series shooting this winter, both releasing in 2025. Davin is a sought-after speaker on the topic of series marketing and production.

His speaking and teaching engagements include panels at SXSW, PAX East, TO WebFest, Banff World Media Festival, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Ontario Creates Futures Forward program and the UK’s Power to the Pixel Forum. Davin holds the record for the largest movie crowdfunding campaign in Canadian history and has raised over $4 million for Canadian films through crowdfunding. He is the owner/operator of Space Mop, a company dedicated to web series production since 2011.

Lakshmi Nair holds a PhD in Physics and brings a robust background in business development, financial strategy, and business affairs, with a particular focus on the media, entertainment, and television sectors. She has worked with prominent companies such as Shaftesbury and Nelvana, both in Canada and internationally, where she gained extensive experience managing international co-productions and developing financial strategies.

Lakshmi has structured partnerships across animation, live action, and documentary projects, showcasing her expertise in tax credit and funding applications within the Canadian media landscape. She has also advised clients on intellectual property rights, contract negotiations, and international agreements. Her professional credentials include a certification in Entertainment Law and a certificate in Television and Film Business, underscoring her ability to navigate the legal and financial complexities of the entertainment industry.

As a juror with the Independent Production Fund (IPF), Lakshmi has further broadened her industry perspective. Her strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, honed through her academic and professional journey, enable her to assess risks, forecast trends, and devise practical solutions in dynamic environments.

pful team member bio would go. Lots and lots of exciting information about their education, accomplishments, etc.

Daniel is an accomplished producer, writer, and director with over a decade of experience in the Canadian entertainment industry, creating engaging, humorous, and touching works. His projects span scripted and unscripted programming across major platforms like CBC, A+E Networks, FYI, HGTV, MTV, Much Music, and AMI. He co-created, co-wrote, produced, and directed the CBC Gem comedy series The Ninth and was a producer and the director of the award-winning comedy series Cam_Girlfriend. Currently, he is an executive producer and director of Cam_Girlfriend Season 2, now in post-production. Most recently, Daniel is the co-creator, co-writer, executive producer, and director of the TVO commissioned half-hour documentary series Stress Test, set to begin production in early 2025.

Daniel is the president and co-founder of The Artcraft Zoo Ltd, a boutique production company based in Toronto that produces television, short-form series, music videos, and commercials. Founded in 2013 with a focus on acclaimed music videos, The Artcraft Zoo now centers on television and short-form development and production, with an eye toward feature films.

In addition to his creative work, Daniel is a board member of WebSeries Canada, an active contributor to the entertainment industry, and a graduate of Concordia University’s Communication Studies program.

Brigitte has almost 25 years experience in the TV and Film production industry.

Prior to founding Bee Video, a digital media production company specializing in corporate video, whose branded projects include the CBC, PWC, Kids Help Phone, CAMH, Sobeys, Cooperators and various ad agencies, Brigitte was the Director of Business Affairs at RTR Media, where she oversaw all aspects of Business Affairs for TV projects such as Income Property and Lost and Sold. She is an experienced media business analyst, having worked at various funding agencies including the CMF and NFB as well as Aver Media (now BMO), a boutique film and TV financing company.

Her long term goals include producing short form commissioned content and she recently achieved a milestone in that goal by selling Bee Video’s first series to TVO. Season 1 of The Nature of Design premiered Oct 2024 on the main channel and on digital. They are currently in development on a number of similar web series including season 2 of Nature of Design. Brigitte’s volunteer work revolves around poverty alleviation and at-risk youth, especially in the media sector.

Jess Blackwell is a queer British-Canadian actor, writer, and filmmaker operating out of Hamilton and Toronto, ON. As the founder of Lumida Productions, she is passionate about bringing to life women-led narratives that are as thought-provoking as they are engaging.

Thematically, Jess loves to examine the core of what it means to be human. With a background in philosophy, Jess continues to find themes such as identity, communication, interpersonal (dis)connection, and the creation of meaning and purpose especially compelling. As a director, she loves to combine grounded, nuanced performances with supernatural elements and more than a dash of humor.

Jess has won several awards for her on-screen performances, while the films she has produced and written have also received accolades, including best film nominations and wins. Her debut series, 2Bed + Jen, will premiere in spring 2027 on Bell Fibe TV1.

For almost a decade, Jess has also enjoyed a career as a freelance writer, copy editor, and communications/marketing consultant, serving clients across sectors, including the screen industry. To date, she has edited over 2 million words of content, including features, series, pitch decks, grant applications, creative materials, short stories, novels, marketing materials, and personal content.

Jess leads a low-waste, vegan lifestyle and is an avid environmentalist. When she isn’t working on her films, you can find her cooking, scrapbooking, and covering local events as a freelance journalist.

Jezabel Bamberg is a Brazilian-Canadian screenwriter known for bold, character-driven comedies that explore womanhood, identity, and the immigrant experience. She is a resident of the inaugural CFC Comedy Lab, sponsored by Bell Media and Blink49, where she is developing new comedic work alongside emerging Canadian creators. Jezabel also contributed to the Bell Fibe TV1 series I’m Also Here, working in the writers’ room and supporting the production process. Her storytelling blends humour, heart, and a touch of chaos to create vibrant, culturally rich worlds.