Gigi Boyd

Currently the VP of Industrial Relations for the Canadian Media Production Association– BC Branch, Gigi brings 25 years experience in the film and television industry to her role as the contract negotiator for BC Members. A Gemini and Leo award winning Producer (“Elijah”) Gigi’s background includes producing, production managing, production accounting, budget estimating and production finance. Gigi took a leave of absence from the CMPA in 2014 to produce the award winning 13 x 60min drama series “Strange Empire” for the CBC. Additional producer credits include “Cold Squad” Season I-VII, “Godiva’s” Season I-II, “Exes & Ohs” Season I-II and “The Guard” Season I. Gigi was the Manager of Business Affairs and Director of the Television Unit for the Western office of Telefilm Canada from 1989 through 1996, is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre Producer Program and a co-winner of the Banff Next Media TV 360 Team Award. Gigi has been Vice-Chair of the Shaw Rocket Fund for the past twelve years.

Carolle Brabant

Since her appointment as Executive Director of Telefilm Canada in March 2010, Carolle Brabant has distinguished herself through her leadership role in promoting Canadian talent and content both at home and internationally. A chartered accountant, Ms. Brabant has been with Telefilm since 1990. Before her nomination as Executive Director, she served as Director of Finance and Administration. An outstanding administrator of public and private funds, Carolle Brabant contributed significantly to the successful partnership between Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Television Fund, now the Canada Media Fund (CMF). Telefilm continues to administer the funding programs of the CMF.

Corrie Coe

Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production for Bell Media’s English-language properties, overseeing development and independent production. She is responsible for the overall development and execution of creative content for all genres from independent producers for Bell Media’s two conventional networks and for its English specialty and pay channels.

Coe currently sits on the Board of Governors of the ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society, and the Board of Directors for the Canadian Film Centre and the Harold Greenberg Fund.

Heather Conway

Heather Conway, Executive Vice-President of English Services, is responsible for all of CBC/Radio-Canada’s English-language services, including CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2, CBC Television, CBC News Network, CBC.ca, documentary and digital operations. Prior to joining CBC/Radio-Canada, Ms. Conway was Chief Business Officer at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Ms. Conway spent six years as Executive Vice-President at Alliance Atlantis Communications where she oversaw strategic marketing, publicity and on-air creative for 13 Canadian cable specialty channels, transformed the business model for channel distribution and increased subscription revenue.

Valerie Creighton

President and CEO of the Canada Media Fund, Valerie Creighton is an industry leader in arts, culture and media, recognized for re-energizing some of the some of the country’s most important organizations in the sector over the last 30 years. An expert in organizational change, Valerie has been recognized as a visionary in promoting Canada’s cultural wealth. At the Canada Media Fund, Valerie positions Canadian programming at the forefront in world markets advocating successful, innovative Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms.

Prem Gill

With over 20 years of experience in creative industries including film, TV, media, communications and digital technology, Prem Gill is a passionate leader with a proven track record of fiscal responsibility, strategic thinking, and inspired employees. Prem’s commitment to the creative economy in BC can be seen through her work as Director of Production & Original Programming with TELUS and previous experience in the broadcast industry with CityTV and CHUM. Prem is Vice-Chair of the board of directors for the National Screen Institute, holds a board of director position with the Vancouver International Film Festival and an advisory position with Women in View.

With many accolades to her name, Prem was named one of The Globe and Mail’s 10 Women Who Matter in Film and TV. Prem believes whole-heartedly in the advocacy and advancement of the BC creative industries to position BC as a global leader in innovation and creativity.

Christina Jennings

One of the industry’s most accomplished producers, Christina Jennings founded Shaftesbury in 1987. As a diversified, multi-platform company with offices in Toronto and Los Angeles, spanning the production of drama, kids, factual entertainment and digital content sold worldwide. Shaftesbury is known for its innovative international co-production, financing and distribution partnerships as well as award-winning storytelling. With a view to evolving media consumption habits and the impact of technology on traditional media, Jennings acquired groundbreaking digital studio Smokebomb Entertainment in 2008, which produces convergent experiences for television and original projects including branded entertainment.

J.J. Johnson

J.J. Johnson is a founding partner and the creative visionary of Sinking Ship Entertainment. Since the company’s inception in 2004, he has created 12 series including international hits This is Daniel Cook, Dino Dan, Are we there yet? World Adventure, Roll Play, and the upcoming Annedroids. J.J. has directed over 100 hours of children’s programming and filmed in over 30 countries. He is also an Emmy-nominated writer with over 500 episode credits. The Toronto Star and enRoute magazine recognized J.J. as one of Canada’s top children’s television producers and Playback listed him as one of their Top 10 to Watch. J.J. is co-chair of the Youth Media Alliance. Sinking Ship is partnering with Women in View on a pilot initiative to accelerate the advancement of women directors in scripted television.

Claude Joli-Coeur

Government Film Commissioner and Chairperson, National Film Board of Canada, Claude Joli-Coeur has been an influential figure in the film and audiovisual industry for over 30 years. As Assistant Commissioner (2007 to 2014), he headed Government Relations and Strategic Planning as well as Business Affairs and Legal Services. Until recently, he served as Acting Commissioner, a position he had previously held in 2007. An entertainment law specialist in the private sector before joining the NFB, Mr. Joli-Coeur worked for Astral Entertainment Group, as Director of Business Affairs and subsequently as Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs. From 2000 to 2002, he served as Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs, and Secretary at TVA International Inc., as well as Vice President, Business Affairs, at Zone 3 Inc.

Karen Powell

Karen Powell is a Senior Account Manager with the TV & Motion Picture Group of the National Bank of Canada. Karen has extensive industry related experience as a finance and production specialist, and most recently was the Vice President of Perfect Circle Productions. She has over 20 years experience as an executive producer, producer and business affairs executive, and has been involved in multiple treaty co-productions. Prior to this, Karen practiced entertainment law in Vancouver and holds a law degree from the University of Windsor and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria. Karen has lectured and served as a panelist at numerous industry events and educational venues.

Karen is a Women In View Creative Leader 2012. She is also a past member of ACE (ateliers du cinema european) and board member of Vancouver Women In Film and Video and past Program Advisor for the National Screen Institute’s Features First Program.

Frank Siracusa

Founder and executive producer of Whizbang Films , Frank is a producer of high quality, cutting-edge feature films and television series that have entertained Canadian and international audiences. Known for features such as Men with Brooms, Passchendaele, Hobo with a Shotgun and Cottage Country.

In addition to developing and producing Whizbang, Frank has produced over one hundred hours of television series, movies and mini-series for Hollywood’s major networks and studios. Frank won an Emmy Award for Summer’s End and has garnered several Gemini nominations. Frank aggressively pursues relationships with networks and has built strong connections with broadcasters and distributors throughout the industry.

Kari Skogland

Acclaimed writer, director, producer and showrunner, Kari Skogland is one of Canada’s most respected and influential film and television artists. Skogland was named by the Hollywood Reporter as one of its “Ten Directors to Watch.”  Her features include the internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning  Fifty Dead Men Walking and The Stone Angel which she both directed and wrote. Her many Canadian and international credits include the mini series Sons of Liberty,  The Borgias, The Killing, BoardwalkEmpire, Vikings, Fear of the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead, The Americans, Shattered, The Listener, and House of Cards.  Skogland was lead director on the award winning and highly-influential series Traders  and The 11th Hour. She was recently honoured at the BIRKS- TELEFILM 2015 Diamond Tribute to Women in Film.

Warren P. Sonoda

Warren P. Sonoda is one of the Canada’s busiest, in-demand and prolific TV and feature filmmakers having just completed his 10^th feature film while finishing his 34^th episode of television. TV credits include: Trailer Park Boys, Odd Squad, Make It Pop, Backstage, Raising Expectations and Todd & The Book of Pure Evil. Films include: Swearnet: The Movie, The Masked Saint, Coopers’ Christmas, Textuality, 5ive Girls, Unrivaled and Ham & Cheese. He is also considered one of Canada’s most accomplished and influential music video directors with over 160 music videos directed and more than 250 edited.

Tim Southam

President, Directors Guild of Canada, Tim Southam has directed dramas, comedies and documentaries exploring life on the land, life in politics and life in the arts. He has also worked as a director on several of the world’s most-watched series. His films include The Bay of Love and Sorrows , Drowning in Dreams , One Dead Indian, The Tale of Teeka, Trudeau: Maverick in the Making, Danser Perreault, Satie and Suzanne, Love Letters and Brent Carver: Home through the Night . Series include Bates Motel, Bones, House, Flashpoint, Rookie Blue and several pilots . In addition to regular successes with audiences and critics, awards for his work include three best directing Geminis, two best program Geminis, the Banff Rockie and nominations for the Genie, Jutra and Grammy. He is developing his third feature, Hey 45 with writer Morwyn Brebner and producer Anna Stratton.

Mimi Wolch

As the Senior Business Agent at IATSE Local 873, then DGC Ontario and ACTRA Toronto, Mimi Wolch has worked tirelessly to promote Toronto as a world-class filming destination and create work opportunities.  She is a fierce advocate for production in Ontario –not only by bringing foreign production here, but also by helping to grow a stable and independent Canadian film and television industry.  Mimi’s Business Agent and Executive Board experience, along with her roles on the Board of Directors of industry lobbying groups such as FilmOntario and the Toronto Film Board, highlight her expertise and staying power in navigating difficult negotiations and an increasingly complex production environment.  Mimi is presently Interim Managing Director of FilmOntario.

Phyllis Yaffe

Phyllis Yaffe is the Lead Director.  She was the CEO of Alliance Atlantis Communications from 2005 until 2007.  She joined the company in 1993, and was the Chief Operating Officer from 2004 to 2005, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance Atlantis Broadcast Group from 2001 to 2004.  She is the past Chairperson of the Foundation to Underwrite New Drama for Pay Television, was Vice President, Marketing of the Young Naturalists Foundation from 1985-1993, Executive Director of the Association of Canadian Publishers from 1980 to 1985, Executive Director of the Children’s Book Centre from 1977 to 1980, Reference Librarian at Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology from 1973-1976 and Branch Librarian of the Winnipeg Public Library from 1972-1973.  Currently, she is Chair of the board of directors of Cineplex Inc. and is a member of the boards of directors of Lions Gate Entertainment Inc., Blue Ant Media and Baycrest Health Sciences and the board of governors for Ryerson University.  She is also the Chairperson of Women Against Multiple Sclerosis, and a member of the Ryerson University Board of Governors.  She holds a Master of Library Science from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Library Science from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba.