Adjoa Andoh MBE is an actor, writer, director, with a career spanning 4 decades.

As an actor she is currently best known for playing Lady Danbury in Bridgerton and in its prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton story, for which she is a 4-time nominee at the NAACP Awards.

Adjoa starred as Lady Heather Nancarrow in the thriller 6-part TV drama The Red King, which aired in the spring (2024) for ALIBI/ITV. Other more recent TV roles include DI Nina Rosen in BBC1’s Silent Witness and Nenneke in the Netflix blockbuster fantasy drama, The Witcher. Her many other television appearances include series regulars in Dr Who, Casualty, Law & Order UK and Eastenders.

In a career of almost 40 years, Adjoa has had lead roles at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court Theatre, Young Vic, The Kiln, and in 2019, she conceived, co-directed and played the lead in Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in the UK’s first all women-of-colour production.  2023 saw Adjoa direct, co- produce and play the lead in a new theatre production of William Shakespeare’s Richard lll for Liverpool Playhouse and The Rose Theatre Kingston – also now a film.  

Adjoa made her Hollywood debut in 2009, starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon in Clint Eastwood’s Nelson Mandela biographical film Invictus. She played Dr Isaacs in the Netflix psychological thriller Fractured; and other films include Adulthood, Brotherhood, I Is A Long Memoried Woman, A Prayer Before Birth and What My Mother Told Me.

Adjoa has worked for RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) as an audition panel member and director for over 20 years. She has also taught and directed at Rose Bruford Drama School.

She is an award-winning audiobook narrator with over 250 titles to her credit and has worked as an actor/writer/mentor in BBC radio drama since the 1980’s.

Adjoa has been a 2023 Booker Prize judge, Bafta and Venice Biennale jurist, is an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and holds honorary degrees from Rose Bruford College and Bournemouth and Brighton Universities. She was the Cameron Mackintosh visiting Professor of Contemporary Drama 22/23 at Oxford University, where she is currently Professor Emeritus at St Catherine’s College. Adjoa is an associate artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and an honorary fellow of the Shakespeare Association of America and the British Shakespeare Association. 

She is co-director of production company SwingingTheLens. Adjoa is a proud ambassador for the International Rescue Committee, and a Patron for Tree Aid and HACSA – The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa.

Kai Bowe has been a creative force in TV and film for over 35 years. At just 16, she interned on Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, and continued climbing the production ranks to Assistant Director. After graduating from UCLA and Howard University School of Law, Kai returned to her filmmaking roots. She honed her screenwriting skills as the WGA Trainee for The X-Files and had the honor of having a character named after her. Kai bridged into the unscripted television genre near its inception, casting NBC’s Emmy- winning Starting Over and producing for some of the most successful franchises, including America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway. Kai was Supervising Producer for the Emmy-nominated LA Burning and Emmy-winning Red Table Talk, and Co-EP of the Emmy-winning Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. She was EP/Showrunner of Resist (a documentary series that successfully thwarted LA County’s plan to fund two new jails), the Emmy-nominated, Peabody-winning We Have to Talk About Cosby, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Fight the Power and the award-winning Ferguson Rises. Currently, Kai serves as the Director of Current Programming, Unscripted for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network where she has shepherded multiple series, including Ready to Love, the NAACP-nominated The Hair Tales, Justice, USA, Breaking New Ground, and Time of Essence, a star-studded, five-part documentary series celebrating 50 years of Essence magazine.

Kaio Grizzelle is a Digital Commissioning Editor at Channel 4, where he commissions original, unscripted entertainment programmes for the broadcaster’s youth-focused, award-winning digital brand Channel 4.0. He has been working with digital talent and creators to build channels and create premium entertainment on YouTube since 2017. Kaio was recognised as a Broadcast Hotshot in 2023 for commissioning and is part of the TV Collective’s 2025 Breakthrough Leaders cohort.

Juleyka Lantigua is the Founder of LWC Studios, an award-winning digital media studio whose original work reaches rising audiences with programming that has a social-justice vein. She created and executive produces 70 Million, the first open-source solutions journalism podcast chronicling how locals are tackling jail reform around the country. In 2020, LWC Studios received a Peabody Award nomination, earned silver in the audio documentary category at the New York International Radio Festival, and won “The Director’s Prize,” their first Third Coast award, also known as “The  Oscars of Audio.” In 2021, “Driving the Green Book,” which she edited and the company produced for Macmillan Podcasts, earned the inaugural Ambie for Best History Podcast. A Fulbright Scholar, Tory Burch Fellow, and Latino Business Action Network alumna (Stanford University), Juleyka holds a BA from Skidmore College, a Master’s in Journalism from Boston University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She has served on the board of governors of The Podcast Academy and Latino Media Network. And currently serves on the Tory Burch Foundation President’s Advisory Council and the board of directors of TechBridge Girls.

Nikki Love is Senior Vice President of Development and Production, Scripted, for WE tv and ALLBLK, AMC Networks’ premier streaming service for Black television and film. In this role, she serves as the primary liaison between the networks and content partners across all phases of scripted development, production, and post-production, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, premium programming. She also acts as the on-set executive for all scripted original series.

ALLBLK’s expanding slate of scripted originals under Love’s leadership includes the highly successful series G.R.I.T.S., Double Cross, and A La Carte, as well as the Daytime Emmy-nominated series A House Divided. Most recently, the network’s hit series Wicked City received a GLAAD Award nomination.

Beyond her programming responsibilities, Love is the co-chair of VIBE, an AMC Networks Employee Resource Group, and a founding member of the DEI Future of Film Committee. The committee was recognized by Cablefax in 2025 as a leading employee-led initiative (spearheaded by Nikki). Through the Future of Film initiative, Love has helped establish partnerships with film festivals nationwide, providing sponsorship opportunities, mentorship programs, pitch panel participation, and facilitating the acquisition of curated short-film collections for AMC+ heritage month programming.

Love’s work as a production executive has been widely recognized. Her honors include the 2021 NAMIC Luminary Award, the 2022 Top Women in Film & Television Award (Production Pacesetter), the 2022 Wonder Women Award, and the 2025 Cynopsis MVP Award. She remains a dedicated advocate for underserved filmmakers and storytellers across film and television.

Cédric Pierre-Louis, has successfully launched and run several linear TV channels in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and Rwanda. In Nigeria, Cedric was appointed Vice President of Linear TV at Iroko, formerly dubbed the Netflix of Africa, where he created an entirely new business unit aimed at developing television channels broadcast in Africa and beyond. He harbours a deep passion for constructing bridges, particularly those that facilitate connections between the Continent and its diaspora.

Cedric has gained extensive experience in the audiovisual industry, collaborated with various industry players, and contributed to various projects, publications, and initiatives such as the digital television migration process in Rwanda. Passionate about storytelling, he has also contributed as a writer / producer to various local TV shows. He is now Director of Programming of the African Fiction Channels at Canal+ International, where he has been supervising a portfolio of 6 TV channels since 2019.

Jean-Yves Roux made his debut in the music industry as a hip-hop artist manager in the
middle 90’s. In the beginning of 2000’s he started producing music videos, then in 2004
produced his first TV show for MAtv (community TV station owned by Quebecor). It’s in 2008
that Jean-Yves finally decided to get its first CRTC license to launch an urban music channel
named Clovys TV but never got on-air. Ten years later Jean-Yves finally comes back with
another TV project dedicated to multicultural diversity: Natyf TV, launched in June 2018.
Since this independent media has a reach of over 2.3 million TV subscribers in Canada
with an average weekly rating of 410 000 viewers.

Nataly Kudiabor started her career at Medienruppe RTL. Soon followed positions at RTL II, ARD Degeto, Ziegler Film and Grundy UFA. As Head of Development and producer, she headed the Berlin office of ndf, neue deutsche Filmgesellschaft, for eleven years. From 2015 until 2018 Kudiabor was Managing Director of the production company “good friends” and led the company to success within a few years. The most notable developments were the award-winning comedy noir series “Arthur’s Law” and the German adaptation to the Swedish series “Bonus Family”. Since May 2019 Kudiabor has been working as Executive Producer for UFA Fiction and was appointed to the management in June 2022. The series „All you need“ (ARD Mediathek) and „The Mopes“ (TNT) were very well received, both by critics and audience. The director of “All you need” – Season 1 was nominated for Bunte New Faces Award 2021. “The Mopes” was honoured with Audience Award of Grimme Award 2022. In 2022 her romantic comedy “Die Liebeskümmerer” (The Heartbreak Agency) (Netflix) was completed and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film 2024 by National Film Awards. Nataly Kudiabor is one of the Executive Producers of the recent produced first German language series of Apple TV+ “Where’s Wanda?”. Season 2 is currently in production. Her latest projects are the neighbourhood series “Marzahn Mon Amour” (ARD Mediathek), the film adaptation of Katja Osskamp’s bestseller, and the TV-movie “Fabian und die mörderische Hochzeit” (Amazon) with Bastian Pastewka, She is a member of European Film Academy and International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Nataly Kudiabor is committed to promote diverse narrative perspectives in front of and behind the camera.

Damon is a veteran producer responsible for bringing to screen some of Canada’s most critically and commercially successful films and television (BROTHER, RUDE, THE GRIZZLIES, THE BOOK OF NEGROES and WILDHOOD). His latest film, STEAL AWAY, had its world premiere at TIFF in 2025. In 2022, BROTHER world premiered at TIFF to strong critical acclaim and played BFI London, Busan and Sao Paulo. It won 2 NAACP Awards for Best International Film and Best Independent Film, as well as 12 Canadian Screen Awards. Damon’s miniseries adaptation of THE BOOK OF NEGROES, the best-selling novel by Lawrence Hill, won 12 Canadian Screen Awards, earned two nominations for U.S. Critic’s Choice Television Awards, an NAACP Image Award and was a finalist for the prestigious 2016 Peabody Award. A recent member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Damon is the Chair Emeritus of the Canadian Media Producers Association. He was the inaugural winner of TIFF’s Amplify Voices BIPOC & Canadian Trailblazer Award in 2023.

Jen Holness writes, produces, and directs. She recently produced RT Thorne’s thriller, 40 Acres, which was nominated for five NAACP Awards, including Outstanding Independent Motion Picture and Outstanding International Picture. The film is currently streaming and reached the #1 spot on Hulu. 

Her doc feature, #WhileBlack that she co-wrote and co-directed, will premiere at the SXSW this year and her doc, Subject of Desire was a TIFF Top Ten film. Over decades Jen’s films and TV shows have screened and sold globally, earning prizes from major film festivals, along with multiple industry awards. A CMPA Indiescreen Producer of the Year, Jen also received WIFT’s Creative Excellence Award and The Hollywood Reporter profiled her as one of the 40 Most Influential Women in International Film.

Lea Marin is the Director of Development, Drama, for the CBC, and is responsible for driving and overseeing the quality and diversity of the drama development slate including recent productions, Saint-Pierre, Wild Cards and Allegiance.

A graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Producers’ Lab, prior to joining the CBC, Lea was a Senior Producer with the National Film Board of Canada where she developed and produced several documentaries and interactive projects. Some of her credits include Ever Deadly co-created by Tanya Tagaq & Chelsea McMullan, and Charles Officer’s Unarmed Verses.

Lana Maclin is a Creative Producer at award-winning comedy studio New Metric Media (Letterkenny/Hulu & Crave, Shoresy/Hulu & Crave, Children Ruin Everything/CW & CTV, Bria Mack Gets A Life/Roku & Crave), overseeing a diverse slate of comedic television series in various stages of development. She was the Creative Executive overseeing seasons 3 and 4 of Children Ruin Everything and producer of Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story, a six-episode limited series with GameTV and Paramount+ in Canada. Lana previously worked as a freelance producer/director in film, television and commercial production. 

Lana graduated from TMU’s (formerly Ryerson University) Radio & Television Arts program and has received a certificate in Advanced Media Management from UCLA. Through the Director’s Guild of Canada, she has also previously worked as an assistant director on various film and television productions, including True Dating Stories, Backstage and Baroness Von Sketch Show.

Marsha John-Greenwood is an international transformation leader specializing in organizational culture, leadership capability, and modern people practices. With more than 25 years of global experience across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, she partners with executive teams to transform how organizations operate by aligning people’s strategy with business outcomes. 

Marsha is known for leading large-scale HR and culture transformations that enable organizations to evolve their operating models, adopt new ways of working, and strengthen leadership effectiveness. 

Throughout her career she has delivered complete transformation programs including end-to-end implementation of HR shared services, enterprise people practices, and diversity strategies that improve representation, accountability, and employee experience. Her leadership has helped organizations modernize their people infrastructure while strengthening culture and trust across large and complex workforces. 

Marsha currently serves as Vice President, People & Culture at the Toronto International Film Festival  (TIFF) where she leads the People & Culture function and oversees the organization’s diversity portfolio, shaping  the employee experience and inclusive culture for one of the world’s leading arts and cultural institutions. A  dynamic business leader with a strong commitment to Diversity, Marsha brings strategic oversight to an  organization-wide portfolio of programming designed to foster access, representation, and meaningful  engagement.  

With a focus on embedding inclusive practices across the business, she works cross-functionally to ensure TIFF reflects diverse voices and creates equitable opportunities for creators, partners, and audiences alike. Her  leadership bridges strategy and delivery—aligning organizational priorities with impactful, community-driven  initiatives. 

A key component of her work includes launching the Black Excellence Brunch (BEB)in 2022, an initiative that  brings Black creatives from across the wider ecosystem together to connect, collaborate, and elevate their work.  Through curated programming, partnerships, and community engagement, BEB serves as a platform to  strengthen networks, amplify underrepresented voices, and support sustainable pathways for Black talent within  the industry. 

Prior to TIFF, she served as Interim Chief People Officer at the City of Toronto, leading the Service Hub  implementation that supports HR services for more than 35,000 employees. Earlier in her career, Marsha worked  in the financial sector before becoming a leader in diversity and corporate responsibility initiatives in the UK. She  helped launch the first Cultural Diversity Network at Barclays Bank and led research that informed the housing  sector’s first supplier diversity framework. 

Marsha holds a Master’s in Strategic Human Resources and professional designations as CHRL (Canada) and  MCIPD (UK). She is also committed to mentorship and community leadership, and is currently on the Advisory  Committee of Access Threshold, an agency designed to provide support, access and resources  to PoGMI creators in Film, TV and New Media and to the clients who seek them. In the past was a Mentor  supporting newcomers to Canada through the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). She  previously served as a Trustee of community based charities including Stella’s Place in Toronto for young people  supporting their Mental Health and was a former trustee to the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal, which  successfully raised funds to erect the first statue in the UK honoring a named Black woman, unveiled in London in  2016.

Nicole Mendes, VP Scripted at Lark Productions, oversees strategy and development for the scripted arm of the company. Nicole executive produces Allegiance, an original police procedural for CBC and Universal International Studios, which has sold to over 100 countries around the world. 

Prior to Lark, Nicole spent over a decade at the CBC, overseeing shows including the hit Canadian drama Murdoch Mysteries, the critically acclaimed Anne with an “E” and the Peabody nominated adaptation of The Book of Negroes.   

Nicole has served on multiple juries and sat on various industry panels for organizations such as TIFF, WGC, DGC, and WIFT. She also served on committees for POV and BIPOC TV & Film, organizations that aim to increase inclusion and representation in the industry.  

Alison Duke is a Canadian Screen Award-winning director, writer, and producer with over two decades of experience in the film and television industry. A co-founder of OYA Media Group, Alison is known for her documentary and dramatic storytelling work. She began her career producing music videos for top Canadian urban artists before gaining recognition with her cult classic documentary Raisin Kane: A Rapumentary, which won several festival awards, including the HBO Award at the Urbanworld Film Festival. She went on to direct Cool Black North, a documentary special for Citytv that screened at over a dozen U.S. film festivals and is now available on Rogers On Demand and Apple TV. Alison’s work has often focused on social issues, as seen in her acclaimed documentary Mr. Jane and Finch, which won two Canadian Screen Awards in 2020, including Best Social-Political Documentary. Promise Me, earned multiple awards for her dramatic debut, including two Golden Sheafs for Best Direction and Best Scripted Fiction at the 2021 Yorkton Film Festival.

In 2021, Alison made history as the first Black woman to direct a Heritage Minute for Historica Canada. Alison also executive produced Evil By Design: Surviving Nygard, a 3-part docu-series for CBC Docs, which earned a 2023 Canadian Screen Award nomination and produced and directed Black Community Mixtapes, a series with Ngardy Conteh George that received several Canadian Screen Awards. Her recent work includes directing the CSA-winning Paid In Full, a documentary series on music industry injustices for Idris Elba’s Green Door Pictures, and Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story, a feature music documentary for CRAVE, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Alison is also dedicated to giving back to her community, having founded the OYA Emerging Filmmakers Program in 2018 to support Black youth entering the Canadian film industry. In 2021, she co-founded the OYA Black Arts Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating training and mentorship opportunities for emerging Black filmmakers. Alison’s leadership and mentorship have been recognized with numerous awards, including the WIFT-Toronto Crystal Award and the Hot Docs Don Haig Award. Due to her recent works, Alison is gaining notoriety as the #queenofmusicdocs.

VP of Content and Development of Sphere Media’s Kids and Family, is responsible for the growth and execution of Sphere’s exciting scripted, unscripted, and animation slate for the global marketplace. She leads the development strategy, builds strategic partnerships domestically and internationally and utilizes her deep knowledge of the media investment landscape to help finance series across multiple genres and demos – from preschool to school-age to adult. She champions underrepresented, emerging talent and regularly leads workshops, speaks on industry panels, offers keynotes, fireside chats, serves on juries, sponsors, and mentors. Andrea created and led BIPOC TV & Film x Bell Media’s Show Runners’ Producers Lab in 2023 (now in its third year) to address the large industry gap in racialized talent at the show runner level in unscripted/reality television.

Kim joined Super Channel in 2012 and currently serves as the company’s EVP, Content & Communications. In this role, Kim leads the programming strategy for the company’s suite of four channels (Fuse, Heart & Home, Vault, Quest) including pre-licensing of Canadian productions and acquisition of foreign content. Her portfolio also includes oversight of media relations, programming publicity, corporate communications and industry outreach. 

Prior to joining Super Channel, Kim was Director of Marketing, Publicity & Promotion at 20th Century Fox / Incendo Television Distribution for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McMaster University and a post-grad certificate in PR from Humber College. She is also a graduate of the WIFT-T Media Leadership Program and Chair of the Foundation for WIFT-T Board.

Floyd Kane started his career as an entertainment lawyer working on productions such as the long running satirical news program “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” and the Oscar winning documentary,  “Bowling For Columbine”. He transitioned into writing with his creation of the half hour CBC drama  “North/South”. Since that time, Floyd has written for a range of series including “Continuum”, “Slasher”  and “Backstage” as well as producing several feature films including the award-winning, “Across the Line”  (for which he also wrote the screenplay), “Shake Hands with the Devil” and “The Incredible 25th Year of  Mitzi Bearclaw”. Floyd is the creator, showrunner and executive producer for the CBC drama  DIGGSTOWN, currently in development on its third season. Earlier this year, he was the recipient of the  Sandi Ross award from ACTRA Toronto which recognizes the efforts of individuals striving to create a  more inclusive media industry.

Nancy Dubuisson, a graduate of ETS University (École de Technologies Supérieures) and having worked for more than 20 years in the telecom industry, made the leap into the world of media by joining the founding team of Natyf TV, the first French speaking TV channel dedicated to cultural diversity, which now has more than 2.3 million TV subscribers. Highly respected by her business partners as a programming director, with her reputation well established and great sense of leadership, Natyf has triggered within the last two years more than $21 million of fundings for various films and TV projects for BIPOC producers in Quebec.

Adam is a Development Executive at Bell Media, where he works with independent production partners, writers, and creatives to develop new scripted projects for CTV and Crave. Most recently, he worked on the development and production of HEATED RIVALRY, Crave’s #1 original series debut on record. Previously, Adam was a Development Executive at Incendo Media, overseeing the creation of scripted television series and movies. He also worked at marblemedia across kids’, factual, and scripted programming. His broadcasting experience includes roles at Shaw Media in Original Drama Content and at CBC as an Executive in Charge of Drama Development. Adam began his career as a Network Programmer at Canwest, working across E! and Global Television. A champion of diverse creative voices, Adam has served as an industry mentor with the Canadian Film Centre, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the Banff World Media Festival, and the Reelworld Film Festival.

Mackenzie Donaldson is Vice President, Scripted Television at Blink49 Studios, bringing a strong background in producing critically acclaimed, award-winning content. Her credits include the highly anticipated upcoming drama YAGA (Crave) as well as producing on Orphan Black, the Emmy, Peabody, and CSA Award–winning series, and the Emmy-nominated Snowpiercer (TNT/Netflix).

As President of The Donaldson Company, Donaldson has produced numerous award-winning short films, series, feature films and documentaries, including Citizen Bio (Showtime) and The Abnormal Beauty Company (Crave). Her directorial work includes the feature films The Definites and All the Lost Ones, the latter of which premiered theatrically before its December 2024 release on Paramount+ in Canada, with a U.S. release via Epic Pictures slated for Spring 2025.

Paige Murray is the Director of Development at The Walt Disney Company, where she oversees the slate of Canadian original content for Disney+. In this role, she leads local content strategy, championing stories that reflect the breadth and diversity of the Canadian experience. Previously, Paige spent more than 14 years at CBC, Canada’s national public broadcaster, where she contributed to the success of beloved series such as Heartland and oversaw the development of acclaimed primetime titles including Allegiance, Saint Pierre, and the SXSW Episodic Jury Award–winning series Something Undone. Throughout her career, Paige has also played a key role in talent development initiatives, including AccessCBC, ISO’s CBC/APTN Early-Stage Development Program, and the Academy Executive Residency Program. She is passionate about supporting bold storytellers and is excited to bring distinctive Canadian voices to audiences at home and around the world.

Anthony is a BAFTA-winning, Emmy-nominated writer/producer who has worked internationally for over 20 years. Anthony created the comedies Hate the Player, These Triggas, Shelved, Overlord and the Underwoods, and Secret Life of Boys. Anthony was the executive producer/showrunner on Run the Burbs, The Parker Andersons, and Amelia Parker. Additional writing credits include: The Office, The Thundermans, Little Mosque. Directing credits include: Son of a Critch, Overlord and the Underwoods, The Parker Andersons, Amelia Parker. Anthony prides himself as a mentor for numerous programs designed to uplift marginalized voices.

Mark Montefiore is the Founder and CEO of award-winning independent entertainment studio New Metric Media. Montefiore has evolved the company from a pure-play content producer to a leading global comedy entertainment studio. He is also an award-winning executive producer, with New Metric’s original half-hour comedies Letterkenny (Crave/Hulu), Bria Mack Gets A Life (Crave) and Children Ruin Everything (CTV/Crave) all taking home the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series between 2018 and 2025. He is currently executive producing innovative comedic miniseries Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story for a 2026 debut (GameTV, Paramount+ in Canada) and hit Letterkenny spinoff, Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), now in its fifth season. Along with its core content development and production arm, Montefiore is responsible for leading New Metric’s diversification across global distribution, live events, e-commerce, consumer products, gaming, podcasts and direct-to-consumer channels. He is now focused on the company’s next phase of growth, which includes continued expansion in New Metric’s current and new lines of business and undertaking strategic investments in complementary enterprises. 

Montefiore has recently been appointed to the board of Destination Ontario and is a Co-Founder of the Montefiore Foundation. Named one of the Most Influential People in Canadian Television in 2023, he has also appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Generation Under 35 and Playback’s Top Ten to Watch lists. Montefiore is a graduate of the CFC’s Producers Lab, the Berlinale Talent Campus, and the Media Leadership Program through WIFT and the Schulich School of Business.

Ben Johnson continues his vigorous and proven personal training program at the York University – Track & Field Centre in Toronto. Ben to this day maintains an excellent physique. Ben draws on his wealth of knowledge and expertise to provide personal training and consulting services for both individual athletes and sporting teams – to assist them in their pursuit of athletic excellence and excel in their chosen field of sport. Ben, through his determination and strong work ethic has been instrumental in providing young athletes whom he has worked with, the skills necessary and athletic ability to achieve scholarships at various US universities. While many others have been recruited by and secured lucrative contracts with professional sporting organizations/teams around the world. Ben Johnson frequently devotes his time to volunteering and charity work. In particular, he derives immense pleasure and satisfaction when the work is dedicated toward children.

Shamier Anderson is a multi-hyphenate artist making bold moves both in front of and behind the camera. His film work spans major studio fare and acclaimed independents. Most notably in John Wick: Chapter 4 opposite Keanu Reeves as ‘Tracker.’ The film dominated the global box office upon release, opening to a franchise-record $137.5 million worldwide, shattering the series’ previous opening weekend record, and ultimately grossing $447 million globally, earning rave reviews and becoming the most successful installment of the franchise. Other film credits also include a leading role in Bruiser, directed by Miles Warren, which debuted at TIFF, holds a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, and was distributed by Hulu; Bruised for Netflix alongside director and star Halle Berry; Stowaway for Netflix opposite Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette (playing the title role); Tin Soldier and City Of Lies, both directed by Brad Furman, opposite Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro, and Johnny Depp respectively and most recently in IFC’s The Luckiest Man In America, which premiered at TIFF, opposite Paul Walter Hauser and now streaming on multiple platforms. On television, Anderson starred in Prime Video’s Goliath alongside Billy Bob Thornton and can most recently be seen as the lead in the acclaimed ensemble of Apple TV’s expansive series, Invasion, created by Simon Kinberg. Next, Anderson headlines and executive produced the bold limited series Hate The Player: The Ben Johnson Story under his Bay Mills Studios banner, with New Metric Media. A satirical reimagining of the rise and fall of disgraced, world-record-breaking Canadian Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson, the series is told through an exaggerated, comedic, and absurdist lens and will premiere on GameTV and Paramount+ for Canada this March. A Toronto International Film Festival darling, Anderson has had multiple films featured at TIFF, was named a TIFF Rising Star, and serves as an Official TIFF Ambassador. He is the co-founder of The Black Academy, launched to celebrate Black talent in Canada and co-created The Legacy Awards on CBC—the multi Canadian Screen Award nominated and winning ceremony was the first nationally broadcast awards show honoring Black Canadians—which recently evolved into The Legacy Lounge, an in-depth, conversation series spotlighting honorees and the legacies they are building. The four-part series premiered all episodes on CBC Gem on January 30th, followed by its CBC’s YouTube channel weekly roll-out beginning Monday, February 2nd; and then on CBC TV beginning February 27th. Anderson has been inducted into Canada’s Scarborough Walk of Fame, honored with the Key to the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles for championing underrepresented talent and communities and most recently was honored with the Career Achievement Award at the Toronto Black Film Festival. Anderson splits his time between Toronto and Los Angeles.

Hao Chen is a Los Angeles–based Executive Producer and one of the leading creative forces behind the global rise of vertical drama. Specializing in serialized storytelling designed for mobile audiences, Hao has overseen the production of more than 100 scripted series across international markets.

As Executive Producer and Head of Studio for English-language productions at GoodShort, Hao supervises shows produced in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Ukraine. Under his leadership, GoodShort generated approximately $220 million in revenue in 2025, becoming the third-highest-grossing vertical drama platform worldwide.

Known for combining high-volume production strategy with emotionally driven storytelling, Hao has helped shape a scalable creative model that delivers cinematic narratives in short-form format. His work reflects a deep understanding of modern viewing habits and the evolving economics of digital entertainment. Through his leadership, vertical storytelling has moved from niche experiment to global mainstream.

Karen Robinson is a multi-award-winning Canadian performer with a career spanning over three decades. Robinson captivates audiences with her exceptional talent and versatility on both screen and stage.

Robinson is perhaps best known for her series regular role and portrayal of the character “Ronnie Lee” in the record-breaking, multi-award-winning series SCHITT’S CREEK for CBC and Netflix. Other notable series regular credits include David E. Kelley’s THE CALLING for Peacock, the smash hit limited series ECHOES for Netflix opposite Michelle Monaghan and Matt Bomer, and the buddy cop comedy PRETTY HARD CASES for CBC, which garnered Robinson a 2023 CSA Nomination. Select recent recurring roles include WATSON (CBS), BRILLIANT MINDS (NBC), CROSS (Amazon), A MILLION LITTLE THINGS (ABC), STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (CBS), and much more. Next up Karen plays opposite Shamier Anderson as the mother of controversial Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson, in multi award-winning studio New Metric Media’s limited series HATE THE PLAYER for Paramount+.  Karen can currently be seen as “Inspector Vivienne Holness” in the smash hit series LAW & ORDER TORONTO: CRIMINAL INTENT for which Karen was nominated for a 2025 Canadian Screen Award.  The series won the 2025 Canadian Screen Award for Best Drama and 2025 ACTRA Award for Best Ensemble. 

In film, Robinson has delivered exceptional performances in projects such as Rose Troche’s MY FAKE BOYFRIEND for Lionsgate, director Brad Turner’s TRIGGER POINT, and the film spinoff of the popular Canadian series David Storey’s CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE. She also plays one of the starring roles in director Christopher Browne’s GHETT’ A LIFE, which earned her the 2012 Salento International Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Robinson also appears in director Craig Gillespie’s LARS AND THE REAL GIRL alongside Ryan Gosling. Her ability to bring depth and authenticity to her characters has garnered critical acclaim. 

Lanette is a London Academy graduate with a Bachelors of Art in Drama, has studied Cinematic Language at The Toronto Film School, is a licensed Red Cross Instructor, published writer, and certified basic Spanish teacher. Born and raised on Manhattan’s Upper East sSide, she was hired for her first commercial at age three, began studying piano at age six and violin at age thirteen. She is currently in development with co-producer Brain Power Studio on her original YA drama series SURVIVING GRACE, Yowza and Tangent Animation on her multicultural preschool series HONEYCAKE and in production on the full length feature: DIXON: PLAY. PAUSE. REWIND, a documentary about a 2SLGBTQ+ Muslim singer. Although a music major at The High School of Music and Art, NY, it was during her drama courses at Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY and London, England, that she would discover her passion for writing, classical literature and theatre. Lanette has studied Image Consulting at The Fashion Institute of Technology, NY and received her earliest training in music theory, writing and directing from the Fiorello High School of Performing Arts and Diller Quaile Music School, NY.  In 2017, Lanette launched her production company and earned a Certificate of Entrepreneurship from MaRS where she learned to build and measure progress while isolating problems that serve audiences, thereby identifying, serving and validating customer service business models. Her life goal remains to help change narratives that shed light on marginalized communities who rarely see accurate depictions of themselves represented on screen.

Jordan Pinto, based out of Toronto, is the North American editor for C21 Media, reporting on all aspects of the US and Canadian television sector. Prior to joining C21, he spent more than six years with Canadian trade publication Playback, most recently as associate editor, covering Canada’s film and television industry.

With a career spanning nearly two decades and decorated with several awards, nominations  and music certifications to her name, multi-platinum recording artist Fefe Dobson is a true  renaissance woman within the entertainment industry. Emerging as a pop / rock artist in the  early 2000’s, Fefe stood out among her contemporaries as an edgy black female outlier in an  otherwise male dominated genre. 

Her Platinum Certified (Gold in America) eponymous debut album (2003) was released to  critical acclaim, earning the 18 year old new girl on the music scene 4 consecutive top 10 radio  singles including ‘Bye Bye Boyfriend,’ ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘Don’t Go (Girls & Boys)’. The single  ‘Everything’ was a fan favourite that was featured on the soundtrack for Paramount Pictures hit  teen comedy ‘The Perfect Score’ (2004). The album received multiple award nominations  including 2 JUNO Award nominations and catapulted the young pop / rock artist into  international stardom as the album officially debuted at #1 on the Billboard HeatSeekers album  charts and landed her an opening slot of Justin Timberlake’s 2004 Justified Tour across Europe.  Upon returning to North America, Fefe dove into the acting world, appearing as one of her  biggest influences, the iconic Tina Turner on the hit NBC series American Dreams.

Effie T. Brown is the CEO and majority owner of Gamechanger Films. Her resume includes producing Sundance Film Festival winners like Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People, and Rocket Science. She made her mark in television by appearing on and producing HBO’s Project Greenlight, and executive producing Lee Daniels’ Star on FOX and Disney Channel’s Zombies. 

Other noteworthy projects include Netflix’s Passing,  Amazon’s Run Sweetheart Run and A24’s The Inspection. Gamechanger’s upcoming 2024 lineup features the climate justice documentary Save Yourself!, Sorcerority starring and co-produced by Taraji P. Henson & Gabrielle Union, and Haant, a horror feature rooted in Gullah-Geechee mysticism.

Brown’s commitment to representation is evident in her work and advocacy roles, including serving on the AMPAS Inclusion Advisory Committee and as an honorary trustee of the Academy Museum.

Nichole T. Roberts is Executive Producer, HOORAE Film & TV., overseeing strategy, development, and production for Issa Rae’s unscripted slate, including HBO’s Seen & Heard and the relaunch of HBOmax’s Sweet Life: Los Angeles on OWN. Prior to joining HOORAE, Roberts served as the Director of Non-Fiction Programming for HBOmax Originals where she was responsible for Sweet Life: Los Angele, the first unscripted series to come from HOORAE. She also oversaw the new season of Project Greenlight: A New Generation helmed by Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, and Gina Prince-Bythewood, also serving as an Executive Producer for the corresponding scripted feature film, Gray Matter. Roberts also covered Jason Momoa’s The Climb and International Format Award-winning series Full Bloom, among others. Before joining the streamer in 2020, Roberts served as VP of Development & Current Programming at LOVE Productions, the company behind The Great British Bake Off and The Great American Baking Show in addition to series for Netflix, Amazon, Discovery Channel, OWN, and NatGeo Wild. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Radio/TV/Film program, Roberts started her career with internships at George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures, The Gotham Group, and Comedy Central, leading to a staff position at MTV Networks. There she supported executives across scripted and unscripted series, including Hard Times of RJ Berger, Teen Wolf, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, and the Jackass franchise, among others. After MTV, Roberts moved to field producing formats, including the Emmy, Critics Choice, and Streamy award- winning seasons of CBS’ Undercover Boss, Syfy’s Face Off, and branded digital series, Prank It Forward, respectively. Roberts was honored by Realscreen as a member of their 2025 Factual Under 40 cohort, recognizing the industry’s top executives under 40. She does regular speaking engagements, serving as a panelist and Rockie Awards Grand Jury judge and presenter at the 2024 BANFF World Media Festival. She was also a speaker for Soho House’s Un/Real Speaker Series and AFI’s Lunch and Learn Panel Series in 2025.

Owais Lightwala is a professor, entrepreneur, technologist, and optimist. He is an Assistant Professor in the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, focusing on entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation in creative industries. He is currently working with Canadian Heritage on developing innovative AI-powered solutions for the culture sector. Lightwala is also the founding Director of The Creative School Chrysalis, a new multidisciplinary performance hub at TMU shaping the future of creative experiences. He has designed and led leadership training programs for the National Arts Centre and the Toronto Arts Council Leaders Lab (2023-2025). He began his career as a theatre producer, most notably as the first Managing Director for Why Not Theatre, where he co-led the meteoric growth of the company and transformative projects like RISER and The Mahabharata. He was born in Pakistan, grew up in Dubai, and came to Canada as a teenager, which is why he doesn’t get most pop cultural references from the 90s. His bold strategic voice have been sought out by institutions like National Arts Centre, Canada Council for the Arts, and Canadian Heritage.  He has contributed to boards including TO Live, Mass Culture, AMY Project, and Art Ignite. Recognitions include the Business/Arts Arnold Edinborough Award, Stanford’s Impact Program for Arts Leaders, CivicAction DiverseCity Fellowship, and TAC/Banff Leaders Lab Fellowship. He studied theatre at York University, completed Harvard Business School’s CORe program, and earned an MBA from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Tara Burke is a marketing and communications executive with over a decade of experience in Canada’s film and television industry. She is Senior Manager of Marketing & Publicity at Sony Pictures Entertainment Canada, where she leads marketing and publicity initiatives for television content licensed to major broadcasters across English and French Canada. Her work spans pre-sale and post-sale campaigns for globally recognized series including Doc, Outlander, and The Young and the Restless. Through her work, she has built strong partnerships across Canada’s media landscape, helping connect global content with Canadian audiences. Born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area, Tara holds a Master’s Degree in Communication and Cultural Studies from York University.

Julie Roy has been serving as Executive Director and CEO of Telefilm Canada since April 2023. Under her leadership, Telefilm focuses on feature films that reflect cultural, linguistic, and regional diversity and that reach audiences in Canada and internationally. She notably initiated a strategic review of programs to amplify Telefilm’s cultural, social, and economic impact and to ensure investments are reflected at every stage of a film’s lifecycle. 

Her approach emphasizes better use of data to understand audiences, an innovative way to measure success beyond box office results, and a commitment to simplifying processes and modernizing standards. 

With nearly 30 years of experience, including 20 years as a producer and executive producer at the NFB, her career demonstrates expertise and continuity—essential tools for acting boldly in the industry’s best interest amid current challenges. One of her deepest convictions is that investing in Canadian creation means investing in culture, the creative economy, and Canada’s international influence. 

Recognized nationally and internationally, she is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For two years in a row, The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the 35 Most Powerful Women in International Television in 2024, and Canada’s Top 25 Dealmakers and Decision-Makers in 2025.  

Her leadership is both mobilizing and unifying, capable of innovating while keeping creators at the heart of her vision. Collaboration with the industry and stakeholders guides her approach, and she strives to ensure Canadian and Indigenous cinema remains a vital showcase of Canada’s cultural identity.

Originally from Penetanguishene, Ontario, Jessica (Métis/Scottish-Settler) is an arts leader and creative collaborator with over 15 years experience in Canada’s media, arts, and culture spaces. Based in Tkaronto (Toronto), Jessica’s interests and skills have seen her engage with organizations such as the Independent Media Arts Alliance, the City of Toronto, the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, Luminato, New Harlem Productions, Regent Park Film Festival, Indigenous Fashion Arts, Native Earth Performing Arts and most recently at imagineNATIVE, where she was Associate Director until February of 2022. As a director and producer, Jessica has credits with TV series through TFO and APTN, as well as award wins and nominations for her short films and music videos. A multilingual innovator, Jessica looks forward to applying her experience in strategic planning, programming, skills development, and community engagement toward greater access and growth in Canada’s screen and digital realms. Jessica is an avid gardener with a keen interest in seed exchanges and sustainable harvesting practices.

Valerie Creighton is an industry leader in arts, culture, and media, recognized for reenergizing some of the country’s most important organizations in the sector over a period spanning close to four decades. An expert in organizational change, Valerie has been recognized as a visionary in promoting Canada’s cultural wealth.

Currently serving as President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund, Valerie positions Canadian programming at the forefront in world markets, promoting successful, innovative Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms. Valerie has taken part in foreign trade missions, is a passionate industry advocate, and is regularly called upon to present the CMF model internationally.

Valerie was invested into the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2016 and the Order of Canada in 2019. She was named one of 2016’s 20 most powerful women in global television by The Hollywood Reporter, was recognized in 2017 by Women in Television and Film – Vancouver for her major contribution to promoting gender equality in media, and was bestowed the Honorary Maverick Award at the 2017 Female Eye Film Festival. She was inducted into Playback’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and received C21’s 2020 Content Canada Impact Award.

In 2022, The Hollywood Reporter named her one of the 20 most powerful women in global entertainment, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Regina, and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal by her home province of Saskatchewan. In 2024, she appeared on The Hollywood Reporter (THR) list of the Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment and received the Glass Ceiling Award at the inaugural THR Women in Entertainment Canada Summit. Valerie also received two honours in recognition of her advocacy and support for Indigenous creators and the establishment of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO). The ISO honoured her with a blanket ceremony and Elder Vincent Yellow Old Woman of the Siksika Nation, part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, bestowed upon her his deceased sister’s name, Courageous Woman—a great honour given in recognition of Valerie’s contributions. In 2025, Valerie was the recipient of the Reelworld Foundation’s first-ever Ally Award.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, has served on a variety of regional, national, and international juries and boards and has produced radio dramas for the CBC in Saskatchewan, where she owns and operates the Red Horse Ranch.

Named one to watch by Variety (2022) and The Hollywood Reporter (2024), Sasha Leigh Henry is a writer, director, producer and lover of all things hilarious. Her work includes the award-winning Crave Original comedy Bria Mack Gets A Life and Vimeo Staff Pick Sinking Ship. As a producer, Sasha has helped bring numerous films to screen including Randall Okita’s The Lockpicker, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall’s award-winning Sundance debut Black Bodies, as well as her follow-up feature When Morning Comes. A frequent panelist and speaker, Sasha is also an alumni of POV 3rd Street, Black Women Film!, 2020’s TIFF Filmmaker Lab, and a Netflix Talent Accelerator Fellow. A five time TIFF alumni and two time Canadian Screen Award winner, under her production banner Everyday, People, Sasha is currently releasing her debut feature Dinner With Friends.

Tope Babalola is a Nigerian-Canadian writer, director and content creator having amassed over 2.7 million followers across YouTube and TikTok. He has spearheaded a handful of award-winning film projects, with his latest short, Or Forever Hold Your Peace—a chaotic wedding romantic comedy—premiering at the Miami Film Festival in 2025 and releasing online April 8. He was named one of Playback Magazine’s 10 Filmmakers to Watch in 2022 and is in active development on a coming-of-age young teen mystery series he created called Benjamin Ojo, which was made a finalist at the MIPJunior Pitch Competition in 2022 and the Big Pitch @ TIFF Competition in 2024. He is also developing his debut feature film, which he will write and direct.

Joan Jenkinson is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Black Screen Office, an outspoken advocate who leads efforts to dismantle anti-Black racism and advance Black storytelling in Canada’s screen industries. Under her leadership, the BSO founded the Collaborative Network and was named 2022 Changemaker Organization of the Year by Playback. As Vice President of Independent Production at VisionTV, she commissioned over 140 hours of programming annually and launched the DiverseTV initiative, which helped launch the careers of several Black filmmakers. Her first screen industry role was as Executive Director of WIFT-Toronto, where she introduced mentorship and training programs that shifted the focus from job-seeking to long-term career-building.

Joan has been awarded WIFT+ Toronto’s 2025 Innovation Trailblazer Award. In 2025, she was recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of Canada’s 25 Top Dealmakers and Decision-Makers. That same year, she and the BSO were spotlighted by TIFF as the Impact Support Agency. Her past honours include the Reelworld Visionary Award, the Afroglobal Television Excellence Media Award, and recognition as one of Shifter Magazine’s Outstanding Black Women in Canada.

Ian David Nsenga is a Canadian film producer, writer, and creative entrepreneur based in British Columbia. Born in Nairobi with Rwandan roots, his work is shaped by migration, identity, and the emotional realities of navigating multiple cultures. He is the founder of Visionary Productions Ltd. and Visionary Vertical Productions Inc., where he develops character-driven film, television, and emerging format projects with global reach. Ian’s storytelling explores identity, ambition, memory, power, and personal transformation, often blending grounded realism with heightened emotional stakes. His producing slate spans feature films, television series, documentaries, and vertical drama, and his work has reached audiences through global platforms including Amazon, Paramount+, and Apple TV+. In addition to his creative work, Ian is an experienced producer in financing, budgeting, legal structuring, and international collaboration. He is committed to mentorship, access, and long- term sustainability for Black creators in the screen industry, with a focus on stories that resonate across cultures and leave a lasting emotional and cultural impact.

Chanda Chevannes is the Executive Producer of the National Film Board of Canada’s Central Documentary Unit. For two decades, she worked on a wide range of projects as an independent filmmaker, writer and educator. She produced/directed 14 artful documentaries that sought to amplify women’s voices, including the award-winning features Living Downstream and UNFRACTURED.

In addition to making her own films, Chanda has supported the work of dozens of colleagues in the documentary community, producing or production-managing 25 documentary projects. She has also developed and facilitated creative filmmaking labs for diverse organizations, including the DOC Institute, the Toronto Queer Film Festival and the Toronto Public Library. These labs have guided 60 emerging filmmakers—mostly from marginalized communities—through the process of making their first film, resulting in the creation of dozens of new festival-ready works.

Early in her career, Chanda lived in Uganda and worked for Raising Voices, where she made SASA!, a film that explored the link between violence against women and HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. SASA!’s tangible impact is one of Chanda’s proudest achievements: the film contributed to the passage of new domestic-violence legislation in Uganda and a community-wide decrease in women’s risk of physical violence from their male partners.

When not in the field herself, Chanda has sought to share what she has learned with other filmmakers, through her work as a writer and an educator. She has researched and written 15 documentary-focussed publications to date and has led myriad professional development workshops for documentary filmmakers in Canada and internationally. Altogether, she has developed and facilitated over 1,400 hours of educational experiences and trained more than 800 emerging film professionals.

Chanda is a graduate of Sheridan College’s Media Arts Program and is currently earning her MFA in Film Production at York University. She previously served as a board member for the Documentary Organization of Canada and POV Magazine. Chanda is a mother and a queer woman of colour—identities that inform her work.

Since coming to the NFB, Magalie’s achievements include the critical work she led—working closely with internal teams—to highlight the NFB’s film offerings in a diverse array of media, contributing to the undeniable success of the nfb.ca streaming platform. In addition, she developed winning strategies to promote the NFB’s documentaries and animated films at Canadian and international festivals, from the Oscars to Cannes and from the Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM) to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She also developed numerous alliances with key industry partners, leading to initiatives such as {RE}DEFINED, which was created in collaboration with TIFF and is currently ongoing. 

Magalie has more than 25 years of experience in communications. She is deeply committed and has developed many fruitful partnerships between the NFB and other organizations, including the Black Screen Office (BSO), Women in Film & Television (WIFT), OYA Black Art Coalition, Coalition M•É•D•I•A•, the Animation Festival of Halifax (AFX), and acting as chair of Black women film and Media (BWFM). She has also contributed to and supported a number of initiatives aimed at promoting best practices and organizational priorities in the area of EDI at the NFB—including the implementation of the self-declaration form for artists working with the NFB.

Founded in 1998, the Creative Industries Group at National Bank relies on an experienced team of more than 40 experts. The group is an industry leader for Canada that offers made-to-measure financing for productions and financing solutions adapted to the specific needs of the industry.  Carolyn Allain’s experience spans more than two decades as a producer and business affairs specialist for film and television.

ETALK Senior Correspondent and scribe of the immensely popular celebrity gossip blog, LaineyGossip.com, Lui does what she does for one reason – to provide a gossip education to the Canadian public.

The Toronto-born, self-proclaimed gossip maven trailblazed her own way into the gossip game. What started as an email to two friends grew to a website with millions of readers from around the world. As friends told friends about Lui’s non-sycophantic email updates, she received so many requests to get on her mailing list that her server crashed.

More than one million readers and Twitter followers read LaineyGossip.com every month and listen to her two in-house podcasts, making it a leading international celebrity and pop culture source. Recognizing Lui’s talent, she joined the ETALK team in 2006. Lui also co-hosted Canada’s most-watched daytime talk show, THE SOCIAL for 10 seasons. 

In February 2010, Lui reported on entertainment and gossip news for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Leaving little time for sleep, she also penned national columns for The Globe and Mail and Metro newspapers, and appeared daily on Canada’s official Olympic morning show during the Games. The following year, Lui travelled to London, England to cover the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton; she also reported from the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; and she has covered major international  entertainment events from the Oscars to the Golden Globes, the Cannes Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, the Super Bowl, and more.

Alfons Adetuyi is an award-winning director, producer and founder of Inner City Films (ICF), recognized both for navigating the complexities of financing international co-productions and producing successful cross-cultural films and television series. ICF’s productions have been sold in over 60 countries, attracting internationally recognized talent and trusted industry partners. A champion of collaboration, Alfons played a key role in establishing the Canada–South Africa co- productions treaty. Among his productions, three under this treaty, Ekhaya: A Family Chronicle (Molo Fish) the first production under the treaty became South Africa’s top-rated television series, while the award-winning medical drama Jozi H aired on both SABC and CBC. His feature film Love Jacked, starring Amber Stevens-West, Shamier Anderson, Keith David, Mike Epps, and Marla Gibbs, marked his third Canada–South Africa co-production and was released theatrically in the U.S. and Canada, later streaming worldwide on Netflix and now available on various on-demand platforms. In television, Alfons directed Miracle in Motor City, starring Smokey Robinson and Tia Mowry, and A Second Chance at Love, featuring Gloria Reuben and Eriq La Salle, which became the #1 most- watched TV movie of the week on U.S. cable. His earlier feature High Chicago, starring Colin Salmon, screened at major North American festivals and was praised by LA Weekly as “compelling and well- crafted.” Alfons is currently in post-production on the coming-of-age adventure feature Dreams of the Moon, starring Riele Downs, Keith David and Gbenga Akinnagbe. Recognized by IndieWire as one of “Black Filmmakers to Watch” and named among the Top 30 Black Directors of 2018 by blackfilm.com, one of only four international Black directors. Alfons received the 2021 Vision Award from Reelworld and the 2024 AfroGlobal Media Award. A member of the Ontario Creates Screen Industry Advisory Committee, he champions inclusive storytelling and mentors emerging talent, including through the Canadian Film Centre, demonstrating his commitment to shaping the next generation of filmmakers.

Hubert Davis is one of Canada’s leading documentary directors, known for work defined by emotional honesty, visual craft, and cultural depth. His early film Hardwood (Oscar® and Emmy® nominations) put him on the international map, and Hubert’s feature documentary Giants of Africa premiered at TIFF in 2016, following Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri and his mission to empower youth through basketball across Africa. His 2022 feature, Black Ice, premiered at TIFF and won the People’s Choice Documentary Award. Executive produced by LeBron James and Drake, the film examines the history of systemic racism in hockey. Hubert’s impact has been widely recognized: he was named one of the Top 100 Visionary Directors in the world on ADWEEK’s 2022 Creative 100 list. Hubert recently finished two narrative features; The Well with XYZ Films and a remake of the 80s cult classic Youngblood, which premiered at TIFF in 2025.

Before joining the CMF, Joy was CEO of the National Screen Institute (NSI), where she successfully completed a three-year strategic plan before stepping down in April 2024. She originally joined the NSI in 2005 as a Program Manager, then left in 2010 to pursue other opportunities. She returned to the nonprofit in 2016 as Manager of Programs and Development and was named its Acting Executive Director in May 2019, before taking the role of CEO in January 2020. In addition, Joy has worked as a broadcast and festival programmer at WTN (now W Network), CBC, and Gimli Film Festival. Based in Winnipeg, Joy holds a bachelor’s degree in radio and television arts from Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University). She is an active volunteer and a member of several community and nonprofit boards and councils, including The Winnipeg Foundation, Canada's National Ballet School, the Order of Manitoba Advisory, and Manitoba King’s Counsel Advisory. In 2023, Joy was named Playback Changemaker of the Year.

Jill brings 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 Indigenous, POV Documentary, Diverse Languages, French outside of Quebec and the Digital Linear Series program as well as the new Pilot Program for Racialized Communities.  In addition, Jill collaborates with international agencies to finance shared projects through the many new co-development and co-production incentives offered by the Canada Media Fund.