Susan Ross, Chair
Executive Vice President and General Manager, Specialty and Pay Television, Corus Entertainment Inc.
Susan Ross 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.
Madeline Ziniak, Vice-Chair
National Vice President, OMNI Television
Madeline Ziniak, is widely known as the principal driving force behind multilingual/multicultural television in Canada. She has been involved in ethnic media for over 30 years and is currently National Vice President of Rogers OMNI Television. Madeline has received numerous community, government and industry related honours. In addition to herprofessional accomplishments and responsibilities, Madeline is the current Vice‑Chair (Ontario Region) of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council; Chair of The Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) and the former Co‑Chair of the Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television. She is on the Advisory Board of Ryerson University’s School of Radio and Television, a member of the Toronto Press Club and a founding member of the Strategic Alliance of Broadcasters for Aboriginal Reflection (SABAR).
Akhaji Zakiya, Treasurer
Business Manager, Digital Programming & Business Development, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Akhaji is recognized for her knowledge of corporate financial management issues as well as business strategy and policy development in media industries. Akhaji was a Business Analyst with CTVglobemedia and CHUM Television in the areas of content distribution, affiliate sales and marketing. She holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto, a B.Ed. from York University and a M.B.A. in Finance & Strategic Management from the Schulich School of Business.
Kara Russell, Secretary
Kara Russell Law
Kara Russell is a highly experienced entertainment law practitioner. She offers her wealth of experience to clients in all entertainment formats. Prior to opening her own practice, Kara was an associate at Hall Webber LLP Entertainment & New Media Law, and prior to that was Legal Counsel for Telefilm Canada. During that time she was involved in all aspects of film financing, both foreign and domestic, and was responsible for the successful completion of countless feature film financing underwritings. She has a fund of experience in the complexities of financing and contractual issues on an international level. In addition to her professional credentials, Kara’s interest in the industry resulted in her presenting many papers, speeches and seminars relating to the Canadian film industry and its funding requirements.
Wanda Bradley
Director of Sales, NBC Universal Television Distribution
Wanda Bradley is Director of Sales 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.
Mary Bredin
Vice President, Guru Studio
Mary Bredin is the Vice President of Guru Studio. The company is recognized for its work on the animation of The Backyardigans, and provides animation for a number of other shows. Mary worked as a TV executive at Disney in London, England for nearly eight years. While there, she developed expertise in branding/marketing, and channel management and programming. She has worked in television as both a producer and a broadcaster, and sits on the Board of Directors of CASO – the organization that represents the computer animation studios of Ontario. Aside from her experience in the screen-based industry, Mary is a lawyer called to the Bar of Ontario. She first joined WIFT-T in 1992 and has been a member of the Paris and London chapters.
Bonnie Brownlee
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, CTVglobemedia
Named Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications for CTVglobemedia in September 2007, Brownlee is responsible for overseeing the company’s corporate communications profile and strategy. The appointment is the latest in a distinguished career that spans North America in the broadcast, public relations and political sectors. Previously she has been Vice President, Communications for Astral Television Networks, Director of National Media Relations for Bloomingdale’s New York City and for 10 years with the Government of Canada as Executive Assistant to former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mrs. Mulroney. Brownlee has also served as advisor to the Duke & Duchess of York, and John F. Kennedy Jr. amongst others. Immediately prior to joining CTVglobemedia in her current role, Brownlee worked as a consultant with CTV on key strategic planning and partnership initiatives.
Prentiss Fraser
Vice President, Head of Sales, E1 Television International
Prentiss Fraser is the Vice President, Head of Sales for E1 Television International. Fraser oversees all international sales and her personal territories include the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Australia, Eastern Europe and several others. Fraser represents over 3000 hours of third party productions including the upcoming CBS/CTV primetime drama The Bridge, the Teletoon tween comedy series Majority Rules, and the hit titles ReGenesis, Iggy Arbuckle, and Kenny vs Spenny. In addition, Fraser regularly provides consultation on acquisitions, project development and financing to E1’s television production division and other producer clients.
Victoria Ha
Partner & Producer, Stitch Media
Stitch Media partner Victoria Ha has extensive production experience in media with a background that includes coordinating international news events, editing, and production management for a large scale, award winning alternate reality game and several award winning international documentaries. At Stitch Media, Victoria produced “Workout with Sidney Crosby” for Reebok and Sympatico/MSN; a web-series called Saving Penny that educates women to be financially savvy; and a three-part TV series, full length feature documentary, and integrated interactive website called Redress Remix.
Maureen Judge
President, Makin’ Movies
Maureen Judge is the President of Makin’ Movies and a Genie Award-winning documentary producer/director. She is the executive producer/producer of the theatrical documentary FLicKeR (in a co-production with the NFB), that won the 2008 Hot Docs Special Jury Prize, Canadian Feature Documentary. Films Judge produced and directed include: the vérité documentary trilogy exploring the themes of love, betrayal and acceptance in parent/(adult) child relationships: Unveiled; The Mother Daughter Relationship (Genie award winner); In My Parents’ Basement, and the most recent and final film in the trilogy, Mom’s Home, slated to be broadcast on TVO, Knowledge Network and SCN. Her company has also produced, Family Secrets for W Network and two seasons of Heart of a Poet’ for Bravo!
Gaye McDonald
Branded Entertainment Management
Gaye McDonald has over 15 years specializing in broadcast programming and brand partnership and is recognized as one of the country’s leaders in product integration and associative brand marketing. Known for her keen creative sense, McDonald is a sought after media spokesperson regarding sponsorship, broadcast partnership and brand integration.
Samantha McWilliams
Legal Counsel, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Samantha joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as Legal Counsel in 2006. She is part of the transactional team at CBC with a focus on contract negotiation. She works with CBC Sports on both amateur and professional sports rights acquisition and enforcement, and is an officer with an active role in the partnership with documentary. Samantha has also played a central role in the corporation’s procurement process, conducting cross-country training and acting as the legal liaison for the English Network.
Edith Myers
Managing Director, Pinewood Toronto Studios
Edith is Managing Director of Pinewood Toronto Studios, Canada’s largest studio complex providing facilities for film, television and commercial production. Previously, Edith was the Chief Operating Officer for the Scott Group of Companies owned by film directors Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. The Scott Group includes RSA Films (London and Los Angeles), one of the world’s largest television commercial production companies, and Scott Free, a film and television production company responsible for Black Hawk Down and Déjà Vu, as well as the television series Numb3rs and The Good Wife.
Muriel Solomon
Vice President, Marketing Strategy, Specialty, Canwest Broadcasting
As Vice President of Marketing for Canwest’s Specialty Channels, Muriel Solomon oversees marketing and publicity activities across 18 channels, including Showcase, HGTV, Food Network, TVtropolis and History Television. Solomon joined Canwest in January 2008 after seven years in Alliance Atlantis’ marketing department, where she spearheaded some of the company’s most successful show and channel launches. Prior to joining Alliance Atlantis, Solomon was a strategic business consultant for Ecostrat Inc. and spent five years in progressive brand management positions at H.J. Heinz Company of Canada.
Diane Williamson
President, Digital Wizards Inc.
Diane Williamson, currently the Director of Interactive Business Development with marblemedia, has enjoyed a long career in broadcasting and new media. Working for CBC, and Corus Entertainment as well as running interactive media shop Digital Wizards means Williamson’s experience spans both independent production and that of large media entities. Williamson is also active on advisory committees to both the provincial and federal governments as well as media trade associations.
