Toronto, ON — April 29, 2026 — Women in Film & Television Toronto (WIFT+ Toronto) and the Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto are proud to announce their 2026–2027 Board of Directors, following the organizations’ Annual General Meeting held on April 28 at Corus Entertainment.
WIFT+ Toronto welcomes two newly elected members to the Board:
- Karla Bobadilla – Barrister & Solicitor, Karla B Media Law
- Vanessa Case – Media Consultant / Senior Media Executive
WIFT+ Toronto also celebrates the continued leadership of returning Board Members re-elected for another term:
- Jennifer Chen (Chair) – Head of Studios and VP of Content at Channel Zero Inc.
- Karthiga Ratnasabapathy (Vice-Chair) – Vice President, Sales and Distribution, NBCUniversal
- Victoria Valius (Vice-Chair) – VP, Marketing & Co-Country Manager, Sony Pictures Entertainment Canada
- Sara Chan (Secretary) – VP & Associate General Counsel, Corus Entertainment
- Judy Adam (Treasurer) – Former Chief Financial Officer, Boat Rocker Media
- Tracy Alves – Freelance
- Julie Bristow – Founder and CEO, Catalyst
- Nicole Chrysostom-Murray – Founder, Screenwriter, Filmmaker, BrooklynBrown/Do.Dope.Shit. Productions
- Laura Heath Potter – Head of Communications, Canada, Paramount Streaming
- Julie Johnston – SVP, Marketing & Content Distribution for Anthem Sports and Entertainment
- Sara McLaren – Director, Communications & Partnerships, Bell Media
- Skye R. Regan – Writer/Producer, Play All Day Productions
- Stephanie Wilson Chapin – Strategic Partner Lead, TV & Film, News & Sports, YouTube
WIFT+ Toronto extends its sincere thanks to Barbara Escoto, Former, VP of Content Platforms at Bell Media, as she steps down as Chair and retires from the WIFT+ Toronto Board. Jennifer Chen has been elected to Chair and Victoria Valius elected to Co-Vice-Chair alongside Karthiga Ratnasabapathy. The organization also recognizes Anne Schneerer, Associate Vice President at National Bank of Canada, who will be retiring from the board.
At the AGM, the Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto also announced the appointment of a new Board Member:
- Lisa Sepp-Wilson – VFX Producer-Supervisor, Producer
Re-elected members of the Foundation Board include:
- Kimberley Ball (Chair) – Chief Content & Communications Officer, Super Channel
- Tamara Shannon (Vice-Chair) – Senior Vice President, Media, NBC Universal
- Asis Sethi (Secretary) – CEO & Founder, Fly Away Films
- Michelle Plaskon (Treasurer) – VP, Finance and Administration, Brunico Communications
- Rhonda Britton – Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, Cineplex
- Laura Clunie – Senior Vice President, Spin Master
- Sue Haas – Chief Growth Officer, Numeris and NLogic.
The Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto thanks outgoing board member Laura Mingail, Founder, Archetypes & Effects for her dedicated service.
“We’re excited to welcome Karla Bobadilla and Vanessa Case to the WIFT+ Board, and Lisa Sepp-Wilson to the Foundation Board, and to continue working alongside our returning members. Their expertise further strengthens underrepresented areas of the industry across our Board, and will play a crucial role in advancing our mission. We also extend our sincere gratitude to our outgoing board members for their commitment and leadership in shaping our organization.”
— Karen Bruce, Executive Director, WIFT+ Toronto
Women in Film and Television – Toronto (WIFT+ Toronto) is a member-based, not-for-profit organization made up of passionate individuals who are dedicated to the education, engagement, and empowerment of all individuals at every stage of their careers in the screen-based media industry. It is WIFT+ Toronto’s mission to build and advance the careers of its members by providing professional development, peer support, and mentorship in collaboration with industry partners.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR WIFT+ TORONTO
The Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto raises funds to enable the organization to carry out its mission of building and advancing the careers of WIFT+ Toronto members by providing professional development scholarships, membership bursaries, festival scholarships & financial aid, mentorship and networking opportunities, peer support, and cash awards presented at our annual Showcase. We are proud to be a leader in building an equitable, inclusive, and accessible space where individuals can safely learn and grow their careers. Please consider making a donation.
For more information, please contact:
Sora Chung
Communications & Social Media Coordinator
WIFT+ Toronto
647-895-3351
