WIFT-T: About WIFT-T

WIFT-T Board of Directors

Wendy MacKeigan, Chair
Vice President, SK Films Inc.,
Wendy MacKeigan has worked in the Canadian film and television industry for over 20 years. In her most recent role as the Chair and President of Astral Media's The Harold Greenberg Fund, Wendy cemented her excellent creative and business reputation–her strategic vision and commitment to and passion for the industry–with the country's leading and emerging writers, producers, and directors. She began her career by taking on increasingly senior positions in the Ontario government, including Management Board of Cabinet and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation. Her Ontario government service culminated in her role as a founding senior executive of the Ontario Film Development Corporation, for which, in her eight year tenure, she originated and developed a number of groundbreaking and significant funding programs and industry studies. Prior to her decade at the helm of the Harold Greenberg Fund, she worked for Nelvana and co-ordinated the specialty TV animation license application for Cinar, Rogers, and Nelvana. Wendy has served on numerous industry Boards of Directors. She lives in the Beach community with her husband, Jonathan Barker, and is the proud mother of four children.

Kirstine Layfield, Vice Chair
Executive Director, Network Programming, CBC Television
Kirstine Layfield joins CBC Television as Executive Director, Network Programming. Layfield is responsible for the overall programming strategy for CBC Television. Layfield brings almost 20 years of combined experience in the broadcasting and television industries, most recently as Senior Vice-President, Lifestyle Content at Alliance Atlantis. She also sits as the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors of Women in Film and Television – Toronto. In her role at Alliance Atlantis, Layfield had overall programming responsibilities for the company’s eight lifestyle channels, including the Life network, BBC Canada, National Geographic Canada, and Home and Garden Television. Prior to this, she was Senior Vice-President, Programming at Hallmark Entertainment, where she oversaw the programming of 17 international cable and satellite broadcast channels distributed to more than 50 million viewers around the globe. While there, she was responsible for turning around their drama strategy worldwide—closing studio deals on series such as Law and Order and Judging Amy, which were introduced into markets for the first time. Earlier in her career, Layfield had a connection to CBC as General Manager and Vice-President, Programming for Trio/Newsworld International, a CBC/Power Corporation joint venture. Prior to this, Layfield spent more than 10 years in international program distribution, culminating in the role of Senior Vice-President of Paragon Entertainment’s distribution division. With experience in Canada, the United States and internationally, Layfield brings first-hand knowledge of audience trends and preferences, and works closely with CBC’s in-house creative and production as well as with independent producers in realizing CBC Television’s mission as Canada’s national public television broadcaster.

Jane Tattersall, Secretary
President, Tattersall Sound and Picture
Jane Tattersall is a sound designer and sound editor, a business owner, and an entrepreneur. Having worked in the Canadian film and television business since the mid-1980s, Jane's sound editing has garnered her numerous Genies, Geminis, and Golden Reel awards and nominations. In addition to her extensive Canadian and international experience in the world of sound, in 1992 Jane started and grew her first sound editing company Tattersall Sound. In 2000, she sold Tattersall Sound to Alliance Atlantis and merged with AACI's post facility to form Tattersall Casablanca. She ran the very successful merged businesses for three years, but felt a desire for independence and a need to feed her creative spirit. To this end, in 2003 she established a new venture, Tattersall Sound and Picture, which provides picture editing, sound editing, and mixing facilities for large and small film and television projects. Through this company, Jane continues her tradition of supporting independent filmmakers in the Canadian market. Currently, Jane is enjoying her return to the creative expression of sound editing as she concentrates on creating sound for feature films and a variety of television projects.

Margaret O'Brien, Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Barna-Alper Productions Inc.
As COO of one of Canada's leading independent production companies, Margaret O'Brien is responsible for overall corporate operations and plays a key role in strategic planning and all expansion initiatives. As CFO, she drives the company's financial growth and stability, including structuring partnerships, production financing, budgeting and cost control. Margaret is supervising executive on all of Barna-Alper's productions, both drama and documentary. Prior to joining Barna-Alper Productions, Margaret was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the YMCA of Greater Toronto. In addition, she was treasurer to their Board of Directors and a senior member of the strategic leadership team. Margaret obtained her chartered accountancy designation at KPMG.

Wanda Bradley
Director of Sales/Operations, NBC Universal
Wanda Bradley is Manager, Sales Operations for NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information. In this role, Wanda serves as a key contact for NBC Universal Television Canada Distribution regarding sales objectives, oversees publicity and marketing support for all series airing in Canada, and manages product availability and distribution rights. Wanda is also responsible for the annual cultural spending budget as part of the company’s five-year commitment to Heritage Canada. Additionally, she negotiates sponsorship packages to include advertising and branding opportunities in the cultural industry including film festivals, education institutions and film associations. Prior to joining NBC Universal in 1998, Wanda held a variety of positions at Enbridge, a leader in energy transportation and distribution in North America and internationally.

Karen King
Production Executive, Original Programming, Drama, CanWest MediaWorks
Karen King is commissioning, developing and supervising drama and comedy series for CanWest MediaWorks. Formerly Toronto 1’s founding executive director of the New Voices Fund and the Priority Program Fund, Karen was also the producer of several critically acclaimed dramatic and documentary films reflecting Canada's Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Jewish, Latin American and Black realities. Some career highlights are a world premiere at Cannes; being the only producer to win the Gemini's prestigious Canada Award twice; winning an International Rockie Award; and becoming the first black woman to produce a theatrically released dramatic feature film. Karen was formerly a producer at the National Film Board of Canada on the NFB's Special Mandate Team for Cultural Diversity creating the Reel Diversity Competition and the NFB Reel World Prize. She is an alumna of the Canadian Film Centre and Simon Fraser University, and on the Ontario Panel of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

Leesa Levinson
Actress and Disabilities Advocate
Leesa Levinson is Executive Director of Lights, Camera, Access! She is a working actor and is involved in numerous film and television projects, commercials, voice work, as well as live theatre. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 16, Leesa continued to pursue acting and academics (Fanshawe College and Ryerson University, Radio and Television Broadcasting Programs). Leesa’s commitment to her acting career includes making changes in Toronto’s entertainment industry. An active member of ACTRA Toronto for over 10 years, she has finished her second two-year term on the Diversity Committee of ACTRA Toronto as an Advocate for Performers with Disabilities, where she focused on promoting the inclusion of talent with disabilities as mainstream in our media. Currently, Leesa is also a board member of WIFT-T, the Abilities Arts Festival, and is a public adjudicator with the CBSC (Canadian Broadcast Standards Council). She has made a long-term commitment to advocacy through her numerous volunteer, board/committee and professional activities related to her field. She has also been involved in several coalitions working towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the arts/media (including MAP, Projections - Toronto’s first International Film Festival, and Access 2 Entertainment National Advisory Group). She has consulted for the CRTC, CAB, ACTRA Toronto, ACTRA Fraternal, and the BBC, as well as the Media Access Office Hollywood, California, and the U.S. Screen Actors’ Guild Disabilities Committee. Leesa is also Spokesperson and Director of Public Relations of the Scarborough Multiple Sclerosis Society. She speaks regularly at industry events internationally and continues to actively aspire to learn, advocate and promote change in the Canadian entertainment industry.

Michelle Marion
Director, Canadian Independent Production, Astral Television Networks
Michelle Marion is the Director, Canadian Independent Production for the pay-TV networks The Movie Network and Mpix. She manages the networks’ Canadian Content budgets and oversees all Canadian Content expenditures including pre-buying and making equity investments in Canadian feature films and the commissioning of original drama series and documentaries. Michelle created the Original Programming Strategy for The Movie Network and commissioned series including Slings & Arrows, ReGenesis, and Terminal City. Upcoming series include Durham County, ZOS, ReGenesis III and a series based on the Giller Prize-winning book Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures. Previously, Michelle was in Astral’s Strategic Planning Department where she was Strategist – Network Licences and was responsible for business strategy and regulatory portfolios including the licence renewals for the pay networks and Astral’s bid for the network Cinefest. Prior to this, she held several positions in Astral’s Communications Department: Writer/Editor, Publicist and Manager of Communications. Concurrently, she pursued a “freelance” career of script analysis and story editing for various Canadian production companies. She sits on the selection committee for the Canadian Film Centre’s Feature Film Project, is a member of ACCT, CWC, and WIFT-T, and has sat on the jury for Canada’s Top Ten.

Marcia Martin
Senior Vice President and Executive Producer, CTV Inc.
Marcia Martin oversees all of the extensive in-house productions across CTV Television’s 33 local and national specialty channels, providing overall strategic direction and guidance in the development and production of the unique, widely popular, culturally diverse programming that CTV is known for, domestically and internationally. Previously, she was Vice President and General Manager of FashionTelevisionChannel, SexTV: The Channel and Star!. Marcia was the creative force behind some of CHUM’s most acclaimed programs including: FT-FashionTelevision, MT-MovieTelevision, CityLine, Star! Daily, Startv and Sextv. She was also responsible for the 1997 launch of SPACE, one of the most successful specialty channel debuts in Canadian television history. In 2006, Marcia reprised her role as Executive Producer of the Genie Awards for a third consecutive year. An active and respected member of the Canadian entertainment industry, Marcia sits on the Board of Directors for WIFT-T, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Television Board, and is a National Branch Director for the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. She is also a program advisor for the Toronto International Film Festival’s New Talent Lab and is on the advisory committee for the Brian Linehan Endowment benefiting young Canadian filmmakers.

Gabriella Martinelli
President and CEO, Capri Films
With more than 20 years experience in the entertainment industry, Gabriella Martinelli is the strategic and creative drive behind Toronto-based Capri Films Inc., a vertically integrated production and distribution company that she founded in 2000. As President and CEO, she directs the company’s broad range of quality filmed and live entertainment, and in 2004 expanded the company’s operations with a distribution arm, Capri Releasing. Gabriella’s producing credits include Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet starring Leonardo Di Caprio and Clare Danes; David Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch, starring Peter Weller, Judy Davis and Ian Holm; M. Butterfly, starring Jeremy Irons and John Lone; Clive Barker’s Nightbreed; Between Strangers, starring Sophia Loren and Pete Postlethwaite; and the documentary Journey to Enlightenment, based on the life of Dilgo Khyente Rinposhce, a revered teacher of the Dalai Lama, with narration by Richard Gere and music supervision by Philip Glass. Gabriella most recently produced Terry Gilliam’s Tideland with Jeremy Thomas and The Recorded Picture Company, a Canada/UK co-production starring Jeff Bridges, Janet McTeer, Jennifer Tilly, Brendan Fletcher and introducing Jodelle Ferland. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Martinelli also produced the documentary on Terry Gilliam, Getting Gilliam, by director Vincenzo Natali (CUBE). For Capri’s television division, Gabriella produced the highly successful two-part, four-hour mini-series Lives of the Saints, a Capri Films, CTV, RTI co-production starring Sophia Lorne and Kris Kristofferson.Through Capri’s live theatre arm, Gabriella produced, with Mirvish Productions, Scaramouche Jones, Pete Postlethwaite’s award-winning one-man show, for a soldout run at the Elgin Theatre.

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Sara Moore
Senior Vice President, Marketing and Publicity, Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting
Sara Moore joined Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting in October 2005 as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Publicity, overseeing activity related to Alliance Atlantis’ 13 specialty channels: Showcase Television, Food Network Canada, Home and Garden Television (HGTV), Life Network, History Television, Discovery Health Channel, Fine Living Television, BBC Canada, BBC Kids, Showcase Action, Showcase Diva, IFC and National Geographic Channel. Sara has more than 15 years of marketing and communications experience; possessing strong experience in integrated marketing communications and new media marketing. She is a member of the Canadian Marketing Association’s Integrated Marketing and Customer Experience Council. Prior to joining Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting, she worked for Rogers Wireless where she progressed through a number of increasingly senior positions. Sara oversaw the launch of the company's first youth-based marketing program and also led the creation of Rogers Wireless' first high-value customer marketing program. Prior to joining Rogers Wireless, Sara held marketing positions at Citibank and Loyalty Management Group. She began her career as an Account Executive at V&B Direct. Sara holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Cynthia Reyes
Managing Partner, DiversiPro Inc., Co-Founder, Innoversity
Cynthia Reyes is Vice President of DiversiPro Inc., a management consulting and training company with a strong focus on diversity. She is also known as co-founder of Innoversity, a not-for-profit initiative celebrating innovation, creativity and diversity in the media and cultural industries. Innoversity provides opportunities for both executives and talented professionals from a diversity of backgrounds to meet, learn and do business together. Cynthia has also worked as an executive producer, trainer, manager and organizational development consultant in Canada, South Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and various parts of Europe. In the mid-1990s, she led an initiative to help South Africa's journalists and their leaders make the transition from apartheid to democracy. Cynthia's work has attracted various awards, including a CanWest Global/CWC Award, the CBC President's Award, the WIFT-T Crystal Award, and an African-Canadian Achievement Award. She served as President of the Black Business and Professional Association; Advisory Board Member to the journalism faculty of Ryerson University; Secretary-General of the international public television board, INPUT, and Chair of the INPUT 2000 international conference; Director, the Women in Media Foundation; Member, Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and Warden, St. Thomas’ Anglican Church. In 2000, she helped UNESCO to launch a project designed to showcase and develop the work of film and television professionals in the Caribbean.

Susan Ross
Executive Vice President and General Manager, Lifestyle, Drama and Movies, Corus Entertainment
Susan Ross is Executive Vice President and General Manager, Lifestyle, Drama and Movies for Corus Entertainment. She oversees the operation of specialty channels W Network, CMT, SCREAM and the pay TV channels Movie Central and Encore. Previously, she was Vice President and General Manager, Children's Television for Corus. As General Manager, Treehouse TV, Susan led the launch of North America 's first dedicated preschool channel. She was also an original member of YTV's management team, responsible for brand development, audience marketing and cable distribution in her role as Vice President of Marketing. A graduate of Ryerson Polytechnic University, Susan began her career in Community Television at Rogers Cablesystems working in production. Prior to joining YTV, she was Advertising and Promotions Manager for Roger . Susan also serves on Concerned Children's Advertisers board. She was a board member of the Alliance for Children and Television and Concerned Children's Advertisers and has been a board member of Canadian Cable in the Classroom and the Canadian Television Fund. She has also taught part-time at Ryerson's School of Radio and Television Arts, and is a graduate of the Banff Television Executive Program, as well as the Rotman School of Management's Judy Project Executive Leadership Program for Women. Susan is also the recipient of a Corus Samurai Award for performance excellence, and was honoured with the Canadian Women in Communications' Woman of the Year Award in 2004.

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Dianne Schwalm
Senior Vice President, Theatrical Advertising & Publicity, Warner Bros. Canada Inc.
Dianne Schwalm has spent more than three decades in the Canadian motion picture entertainment industry. In her current position as Senior Vice-President, Warner Bros. Theatrical Advertising and Publicity, she oversees all of the marketing for Theatrical in Canada. Throughout her expanding career, Dianne has always been a passionate supporter of women in Canadian screen-based media. As a result of her efforts, Warner Bros. provided the “seed funding” for WIFT-T to launch its filmmaker mentorship program, assisting talented women to advance their projects. Dianne's involvement reaches out to a number of industry-related and community organizations, including: The Canadian Film Centre, Canada's Walk of Fame, Canadian Women in Communications, Canadian Living Foundation's Breakfast Club, Blue Jays Care Foundation, Gilda's Club, and the Canadian Tourettes Foundation. Most recently, Dianne was honoured with the 2004 WIFT-T Phyllis Switzer Mentorship Award and the 2005 YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Mentorship. She lives in North Toronto with her husband and three children.