As VP, Content Platforms, Barbara Escoto is responsible for guiding Bell Media’s technology and customer experience strategies for all platforms, including English and French entertainment, sports, news, and audio products, and overseeing discoverability and engagement optimization across all platforms. Under her leadership, Escoto and her team identify and pursue opportunities to enhance Bell Media’s direct to consumer offerings and partnerships by leveraging data to deliver the most relevant content to viewers across Canada.

Formerly Vice-President, Digital Products, Escoto oversaw all aspects of Bell Media’s multi-platform audience experience, while maximizing engagement opportunities in the ever-evolving media landscape to find creative ways to connect audiences with content they love and trust.

Jennifer Chen is VP of Content at Channel Zero Studios managing development and original production. She works with Canadian talent in feature-length and episodic content. Jennifer was formerly the VP of Programming for the suite of Channel Zero networks. She began her film and television career in international sales at the CFC and later at Ouat Media.

Jennifer was formerly the Chair of the Board at the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival. She has a passion for bringing people together and fostering an environment for mentorship. She holds an international MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern and Schulich School at York and a BA in film from the University of Waterloo.

Sundra Sefa is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA) who is committed to growing her voice in championing women through various community work. As an accountant, a creative and an entrepreneur, she's worked in various roles in finance/accounting, written for online platforms, wardrobe styled individuals and media productions, started two companies in and outside of the country, as well as sits on boards as Treasurer and Executive Council member. As a left and right brained individual, she intends on growing and merging her creative work with empowering others in achieving financial and operational objectives.

Sundra feels privileged to join the WIFT organization as Treasurer and Board member and looks forward to contributing to the social and financial success of the organization.

Sara Chan is a media and entertainment lawyer with Corus Entertainment. She started her career in television production, working on productions like Canadian Idol and MTV Live, and, following a brief stint on Bay Street, happily returned to the media world as in-house counsel at Corus. She has acted as a key legal and strategic advisor across many areas of the business, including original programming, content acquisition and distribution, technology, operations, and media rights management.

She is also an active voice in promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry, serving as a member of Corus’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, as well as a Steering Committee member of Corus’ Asian employee resource group.

Judy Adam is an accomplished senior finance executive with over 25 years of public company experience in Media & Entertainment, Consumer Products, and Cannabis Retail sectors. She’s currently the CFO of Boat Rocker Media (TSX: BRMI), an independent, global entertainment company.

Her expertise lies in M&A, capital markets, investor relations, strategic planning, financial reporting, and risk management. She enjoys building high performance teams and working with organizations to scale their businesses in high growth, complex environments.

Judy is a CPA, CA, and has served on nonprofit boards over the last 15 years.

Tracy Alves is the Director, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement for William F. White International Inc. (WFW). She has enjoyed a 24-year career at the company where, over the years, she has directly supported and led the marketing department, planned and executed multiple events, and cultivated long lasting industry relationships and partnerships.

In her current role as Director, Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, Tracy strives to find opportunities and resources to support film and television creatives in their careers by bringing like-minded people and groups together to contribute to the overall industry. She ensures WFW is constantly expanding its outreach to various communities across Canada.

Visionary media leader. Founder, entrepreneur, and angel investor. Her latest venture, Catalyst, is dedicated to women creators and investing in their ideas. Catalyst has produced several series including I Have Nothing with Carolyn Taylor and the recently launched Catalyst+Knix Docs for Change Initiative.

In 2013, Julie launched Bristow Global Media producing content for global audiences. Prior to starting, building, and, successfully exiting her first company, Julie was the Executive Director of Studio & Unscripted Content at CBC.

Julie has served on the boards of the Canadian Academy of Cinema and Television, William F. White International, and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.

After earning her BA in journalism in the U.S., Nicole moved to Toronto eager to create content. The journey included a successful career at Sony Music Canada promoting superstars like P!nk and Usher and five years as the Director, TV Marketing at Entertainment One (eOne) spearheading campaigns for The Walking Dead, Designated Survivor, Rookie Blue, Saving Hope, The Book of Negroes, Mary Kills People, and more.

But Nicole’s creative calling kept tugging on her heart. Her comedy script, Rhythm & Brew, placed in the Austin Film Festival, with unanimous acclaim from the judges, and she was accepted into the Top 25 Cohort for the Netflix/Banff Diversity of Voices Initiative. Her short, Boxed In, has been screened at schools across the Greater Toronto Area and was selected for the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television’s ‘Where to Watch’ Initiative sponsored by Telefilm Canada.

With over 20 years of experience, Umber Hamid is an award-winning leader in the field of music and sound production. As the CEO and Co-Founder of BoomBox Sound, one of North America’s top music and sound production companies, her team has secured the industry’s most preeminent clients including SNAP, Jam3, Procter & Gamble, Toyota,Kellogg’s, Bayer, Bombardier Recreational Products and others.

For several years running, BoomBox's work has won some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, including One Show (2020) Canadian Screen Award (2020) Cannes Lions (2017), The Marketing Awards (2016), and the London International Awards(2016), among others.

Umber is an enthusiastic mentor, constantly striving to share her knowledge with emerging women in the industry.

Laura Heath Potter is Head of Communications, Canada, Paramount Streaming as well as an emerging Independent Producer currently cultivating and working with emerging writers and directors developing and writing both scripted and factual original content. In her role at Paramount she oversees the Paramount+ and Pluto TV communications strategy and execution.

With more than twenty years of film and television communications experience, Heath Potter was previously the Director of Communications for Bell Media’s CTV Networks. Overseeing publicity for CTV’s acquired, in-house and original Canadian programs, Social PR and talent relations. Previously, Heath Potter worked for Odeon Films, Corus Entertainment and The Toronto International Film Festival.

Julie Kumaria is the SVP, Marketing & Content Distribution at Hollywood Suite. She oversees the following areas: marketing, creative, social media, partnerships, advertising, affiliate relations and on-air promotions. Julie was Supervising Producer on the documentary Ferris’s Room, and Executive Producer of Hollywood Suite’s original series, A Year in Film and A to Z.

Julie served as the President of CTAM Canada (2018-2020) and has been on the Advisory Board for The Ted Rogers Hot Docs Cinema since 2014. As an advocate for women’s advancement, Julie won the Women in Communications (WCT) award for Mentor of the Year in 2016. In 2017, Julie was awarded the CTAM U Fellowship Award to attend CTAM U at Harvard Business School.

Julie led Hollywood Suite’s WIFT Toronto campaign to raise money and awareness for women in the screen-based industry for 3 years and the WIFT Indigenous Writers Program for 2 years. Julie has served two years on the WIFT Toronto Foundation Board and is the current Co-Chair of the Engagement Committee for the WIFT Toronto Board.

Karthiga is a highly distinguished professional with over two decades of experience in the film and television industry. She has held pivotal roles leading top distribution companies while mastering all aspects of the industry.

Currently, she is Vice President of Sales and Distribution at NBC Universal where she is responsible for leading sales strategies, driving revenue growth and managing distribution channels. Previously she was the Head of Video at Apple TV in Canada, Vice President of Sales at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Vice President of Acquisitions and Sales at Tricon Films and Television.

Karthiga held the role of chair at the Reel Asian Film Festival for four years. Karthiga's reputation as an industry leader in Canadian and global markets, backed by her MBA from the Richard Ivey School, has made her a highly respected and accomplished leader with an impressive track record of delivering exceptional results.

Skye R. Regan is a screenwriter on shows for Peacock, Prime, Apple TV+, PBS, TVO, Knowledge, and CBC and is an emerging producer with Play All Day Productions, which is focused on foregrounding underrepresented voices in media and entertainment.

As a Harvard undergraduate alum and recent Quantic MBA graduate, Skye is honored to also be an alumnus of the BANFF Spark Accelerator, Harvardwood Writing Program, WildBrain Writing Program, BIPOC TV & Film, and the Women in Animation mentorship circle.

In addition to this work, Skye also plays a strategic role, serving as the Toronto Director for Harvardwood, ANHW, and Harvard W3D, and is the founder of Roaming Writers.

Anne Schneerer has over 25 years of experience in banking. She joined the Creative Industries Group at The National Bank of Canada in 2002 as an Account Manager.

In 2017, Anne was promoted to Associate Vice President for the Creative Industries Group in Ontario and Western Canada, heading the teams outside of Quebec.  Anne has been involved in over $300 million in financings throughout her career at The National Bank. 

Previously, Anne worked at CIBC World Markets in both Loan Syndications and Corporate Real Estate. She holds a BA in Art History from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, and an MBA with a specialization in Finance from the University of Toronto. 

In her spare time, Anne loves to ski, cook, visit museums and art galleries, watch sad European films and travel.

Victoria Valius is the Vice President, Marketing and Co-Country Manager of Sony Pictures Television and Home Entertainment Canada. Her role involves overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Canadian office, co- managing the team, and ensuring that the division meets its goals and objectives across three lines of business: television distribution, digital, and physical home entertainment.

With 25 years of experience in distribution, Victoria has worked with international distributors, broadcasters, content publishers, studios, and a global brand. She is an observing board member of Hollywood Suite and serves on the Content Advisory Board of the Banff World Media Festival.

WIFT+ Toronto Staff

Anyone that has met me knows my love for animals. So how did someone from the travel industry that decided to use that degree to go backpacking around the world come home to work at Toronto Hydro in real estate law end up at with a job at WIFT? Great question, and the answer is my love for storytelling.

It started with a position volunteering and ended as a Director supporting our Canadian screen-based industry, which is something I am most proud of to date. 20 years later I am still doing what I can to support, elevate and celebrate Canada's rich, diverse, and amazing storytellers.

That being said, do not offer me a job at an animal sanctuary – I might jump ship to go save as many animals as possible!

Laurie’s 25+ years of in-depth experience in the feature film, television and screen-based industry has prepared her for almost anything, scripted or improvised. Her experience climbing the ranks at respected industry membership organizations saw her creating professional development programming for the full range of creative workers, from entry level to career veterans, in an ever-changing work environment.

As a high school cheerleading champ, she had no idea how much those skills would influence her career – supporting and encouraging the team, planning and leading the charge, occasionally lifting people over her head while executing synchronized footwork and singing exuberantly.

When not at work, Laurie enjoys photographing live bands, shooting portraits, hitting the stage to sing with friends, and watching classic noir, thrillers, and horror movies - LOTS of horror movies!

 

Abby spent the first few years of her life wandering around backstage at various theatres with her dad and playing in the hallways of the old CBC building in Toronto. Many days were “bring your kid to work” days. She was hooked on the arts from day one and can be seen dressed as Miss Piggy in a Halloween episode of Fraggle Rock.

A couple of decades later, Abby found herself working (and playing in the hallways) with Mirvish Productions, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In short, running membership programs is a way that she feels she can contribute to the arts without having to memorize any lines, or stand outside in the freezing rain on a film set.

In her spare time Abby enjoys watching classic films with her family, and horror films with her cat. Abby believes all dresses should come with pockets.

Jody’s an arts administrator who actually avoided event coordination until she realized the only way to see her visions come to life was to build them. She prefers the exciting and unseen action that happens behind the scenes (inspired by “The September Issue” and BET’s “Access Granted”), but occasionally challenges herself to be front and center by moderating film panels, as she did at Regent Park Film Festival, or giving gallery tours, as she does at Robert McLaughlin Gallery.

Her goals are to connect people, produce innovative projects and challenge Canada’s risk-averse media industry. She’s also a Zora Neale Hurston and Nora Ephron fan (multi-talented, cultural thinkers whose storytelling transcended mediums), who watches Pretty Woman every year.

Sora is a multidisciplinary designer and cultural worker with a strong passion for supporting underrepresented communities in the screen industry. Prior to joining WIFT+ Toronto, she was the Coordinator, Social Media at the Regent Park Film Festival and holds a BA in Global Business and Digital Arts from the University of Waterloo. Outside of work, you can almost always find her perusing antique shops for treasures or at a rep screening in one of Toronto's many amazing independent cinemas.

Venessa wanted to be an artist, but learned very early on that she had little to no artistic talent. Instead, she decided to study arts management, and help actual artists live their dreams. WIFT Toronto is the third art-focused, membership-based organization she's worked with since obtaining her degree.

In addition to helping you achieve your professional goals here at WIFT+ Toronto, Venessa is a Canadian Screen Award winning producer, not-yet-published author, and Weezer-enthusiast.