CANADA MEDIA FUND - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Senior Executive
Alain Cousineau is a seasoned senior executive with over 30 years of board experience. Mr. Cousineau formerly held positions as President and CEO of Loto-Québec and Groupe Secor. He is also a former Chair of Tourisme Montreal and Société des alcools du Québec. Prior to that he had a distinguished career in the academic field, primarily at the Université de Sherbrooke where he ended his tenure as Dean of the School of Business. Mr. Cousineau has also held board positions in a diverse range of industries including the healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, aeronautics and electronic business solutions. Mr. Cousineau has extensive consulting experience in marketing and communications and corporate planning and strategy.
Ms. Clayton is an independent television and film consultant with multiple Gemini Award credits. Highlights from her career include serving as General Manager of the Biography Channel, Vice President of Programming for The Movie Network, Moviepix, and The Family Channel, and Senior Film Policy Advisor for the former Federal Department of Communications.
She has served on the Ottawa Art Gallery Art Auction Committee and the boards of the Rogers Documentary Fund, the Alliance for Children and Television, and the Canadian Television Fund.
As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Barry Chapman has over 30 years' experience in the telecommunications industry at the executive level, extensive knowledge in regulatory affairs, mergers and acquisitions, as well as strategic and financial planning.
He held the role of Vice President, Regulatory Affairs at Bell Canada between 1989 and 2017. He brings extensive corporate governance experience, having sat on numerous boards.
A lawyer by training, Chantale Coulombe practiced intellectual property for nearly 20 years at the national firm Norton Rose Fullbright, where she was a partner. Subsequently, she held the position of Vice-President, Corporate and Legal Affairs of the ComediHa! Group, a major creator of audiovisual content in Québec. Ms. Coulombe is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of the College of Corporate Directors at Laval University. She chaired the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Québec, was one of the founding members of the Center de la Francophonie des Amériques and sat on the Board of Directors of the Table de concertation de l'Industrie cinématographique et télévisuelle de Québec. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Arsenal Media and of the Ethics and Governance Committee of the Office du tourisme de Québec. Ms. Coulombe is a Chartered Director (C.Dir.).
Based in Calgary, Gary Pizante has since 1988 held positions with increasing responsibility in the Canadian telecommunications, cable, and satellite business.
He brings extensive experience in financial and economic analysis. Mr. Pizante was previously Vice President, Pricing and Analytics at Shaw Communications. He has a Master's Degree in Economics from Michigan State University and a Master's Degree in Communications from the University of Denver.
Mr. Fournier is an author, playwright, story editor, film producer, and screenwriter, with more than 300 television dramas to his credit. He was a founding member and President of the Institut québécois du cinéma and served as National Vice President of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and President of the Academy's Quebec chapter.
He has served on the boards of Oxyx-Films Inc., SMA Inc. Télé-4, Les Productions du Verseau Inc., Télévision Quatre-Saisons, Télé-Québec, and CBC/Radio-Canada. He currently serves on the Board of Le Thé tre du Rideau Vert and is a founding Board member of La Fondation Jeanne-Mance. He is a member of the Order of Canada.
An experienced communicator with an academic background, Jared brings to the table expertise in writing, research, crisis management, media relations, and shaping an organization's voice and leadership profiles. He joins the CMF from BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada), the country's largest child- and youth-serving nonprofit, where he honed his communications skills across several positions during his tenure. Jared holds an Honours BA in English Literature from the University of Toronto and an MA in English Literature from the University of British Columbia.
Job Titles:
- Director, Inclusion & Growth
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.
Based in Ottawa, Kyle is responsible for developing and implementing the CMF's national public affairs strategy. Prior to joining the CMF, Kyle worked at the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA). In his role as Director of Policy, Kyle was responsible for monitoring and reporting on emerging policies relating to the Canadian independent production sector, communications to government, regulatory agencies, production funding bodies, media, and CMPA members. He oversaw production of Profile, the CMPA's annual economic report, and other research activities. He also previously worked in the CMPA's communications department as Manager of Media Relations and Communications, where he was a lead organizer for their annual conference Prime Time and contributing editor of the CMPA's flagship Indiescreen magazine.
Job Titles:
- Director, English Content, International and Export
A proud biracial Pilipina Canadian, Marcia has more than 20 years of experience in the development and production of Canadian screen-based content for traditional and digital platforms and audiences. Prior to joining the CMF, she held roles at the Canadian Media Producers Association, the Bell Fund, the Cogeco Fund, and the Independent Production Fund, where she worked to establish policies and opportunities to foster and promote the Canadian media production sector and led files related to advancing sustainability, equity, and inclusion. She has also worked as a producer, production manager, and assistant director.
Job Titles:
- EVP, Marketing & Public Affairs
Mathieu's grandfather was a head technician at the CBC and his father was the HR director at the National Film Board, so you might say it was written in the stars that Mathieu finds himself working in Canada's screen-based industry. Born and raised in Montreal, he's an award-winning communicator and marketer. In his younger years he published over one hundred stories in La Presse before moving to Toronto to be a participant in Canada's first reality TV show U8TV: The Lofters. An accomplished journalist, Mathieu frequently appears on Radio-Canada, covering a wide range of social, cultural, and political affairs, and he has published over a thousand stories in French and English entertainment magazines.
Mathieu spent over a decade working as an executive at Famous Player and Cineplex Media, and as a volunteer, he has raised substantial funds for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, The 519 Community Centre, Cinéfranco, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto.
Mathieu holds a BA in Communications from l'Université du Québec à Montréal, a Master's Degree in Journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa, and recently completed a Certificate in Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School.
He joined the Canada Media Fund in 2019 and is now back in la belle province with his husband and two children. He's a strong advocate for more inclusion on and behind the screen.
Job Titles:
- President of Digital Extremes
Michael Schmalz is President of Digital Extremes, a top development studio in the interactive entertainment industry. Dr. Schmalz has over 17 years of experience in the digital media industry, focusing his attention on innovation in the gaming sector.
Prior to that, he practiced as a civil engineer. He holds several degrees including a PhD, MA and MESc from Western University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. Dr. Schmalz is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Licensed Professional Engineer and a Chartered Director.
Mireille has over 25 years experience in the screen industry, including nearly 15 years at Telefilm Canada, where she was instrumental in streamlining and improving internal processes in her role as Deputy Director for the CMF's Program Administrator. Prior to that, she worked as a producer in the Francophone film and TV sector, as well as a lecturer at the Institut national de l'image et du son (INIS).
Job Titles:
- EVP, Content Strategy & Business Development
Nathalie Clermont has been working in the film, television and digital media industry for more than twenty-five years, with extensive experience in policy development and financing. Since joining the organization in 2007, she has been a key advisor on CMF policies and programs. She also ensures consistency in service standards and application processes for all CMF programs, with a focus on developing alternative funding partnerships to leverage CMF investments.
Prior to joining the CMF in March 2007 as Director of Program Management, Nathalie spent 15 years at the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), where she was the team leader of the Business Affairs Unit, which was responsible for equity investment programs in cinema and television.
Nathalie holds a B.A. in Film, Communications, and Public Relations from the Université de Montréal.
Job Titles:
- Head
- Head of TV and Digital Measurement Initiatives at the CMF
- VP, Analytics & Strategic Insights
Richard Koo has nearly 20 years of experience in the Canadian media industry. Since 2014, Richard has been the head of TV and digital measurement initiatives at the CMF, and also co-manages the CMF's annual calculations of over $350 million in production and development financing. Previously, he spent five years as the lead Research Officer for CBC Sports, working on major broadcast properties including Hockey Night in Canada and the Olympic Games.
Richard is also a multiple Boston Marathon qualifier, national umpire with Rowing Canada Aviron and an active contributor to the Olympic movement in his role as president of the International Olympic Academy Participants Association based in Athens, Greece. Originally from British Columbia, he holds a B.A. from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto.
As VP, Content & Regulatory at the Canada Media Fund, Rod is responsible for developing CMF policy and analyzing and advising on legal and regulatory issues that impact the CMF.
Prior to joining the CMF, Rod worked at the Writers Guild of Canada and Entertainment One.
A trained lawyer, Rod obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Queen's University and his Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) degree in Media, Information and Technoculture from Western University.
Sanae Takahashi is an experienced strategic planner and marketing professional, now retired, with 20 years of executive experience in the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications industry. She served since 2016 as Senior Vice President, Planning, Insights and Business Models at Shaw Communications after holding various senior leadership roles at Shaw. Prior to that, she held the role of Vice President, Consumer Marketing at Rogers Wireless. Her professional experience has centered on responding to customer needs and expectations in the context of media and telecommunications products and services. She holds a BSc in Molecular Biology from Concordia University.
Job Titles:
- Certified Management Accountant
- Chief Operating Officer
Sandra Collins has over fifteen years of experience in the film and television industry. Since joining the organization in 2007, she has been responsible for finance, legal, human resources, information technology, risk management, administration, as well as research and data. She now contributes to the oversight of all the corporations operations.
Previously, Sandra held various senior positions at Alliance Atlantis Communications, including Senior Vice President, Finance, Entertainment Group, and Vice President, Systems Integration, Corporate Group.
Sandra is a Certified Management Accountant and holds an H.B. Comm from the University of Windsor and a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Director, Finance and Administration
An award-winning Ethiopian-Canadian producer and arts organization leader with extensive experience in project management, policy, and organizational planning, Tamara joined the CMF in 2020. She has since successfully led the implementation of the organization's Equity and Inclusion strategy. Tamara will continue leading the organization's inclusion strategy with a renewed focus on growth.
Trent brings over 30 years of industry and financial experience to the CMF. Before joining us, he spent eight years as VP of Finance and Chief Operating Officer at Portfolio Entertainment, where he was responsible for business growth, development, and strategy, as well as overseeing the finance team and day-to-day operations. Trent was integral in launching Portfolio's animation studio in 2014, and he built a reputation for developing strong partnerships and creating new business opportunities that saw Portfolio's programming land on prominent television networks and digital content providers.
Prior to joining Portfolio, Trent spent 14 years at Teletoon Canada as VP of Business Operations, where his initial responsibility for finance and strategic planning quickly grew to encompass several other portfolios, including Affiliate Relations, Sales Promotions, Traffic, and New Business Development. Trent was responsible for overseeing launch operations of Teletoon Retro, which achieved the highest level of distribution of any digital network in Canada. He has also previously worked in financial roles at the Family Channel and Diverseylever.
Based in Toronto, Trent has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a minor in Economics from Brock University and holds the designation of CMA.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- President
- Industry Leader
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 the last thirty-five years. 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 advocating successful, innovative Canadian content and software applications for current and emerging digital platforms. Valerie has taken part in foreign trade missions 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. Most recently, she received C21's 2020 Content Canada Impact 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.