TORONTO and MONTREAL — The Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced today the appointment of five new directors to its management team as the organization continues its restructuring plan to build a more inclusive screen-based industry in Canada.
“Alongside the executive team, the five directors will help to implement our new content-centric, platform-agnostic funding model to better invest in authentic stories from across Canada, realize our Equity & Inclusion strategy, and strengthen our communications with the public, the industry, and government,” reads a press release announcing the new appointments.
“I’m delighted to welcome this group of dedicated professionals to our team,” says Valerie Creighton, president and CEO of the CMF, in the release. “Thanks to their combined skillset and experience, the CMF is better equipped to support the industry and all of Canada’s content creators through this time of great change — change that is long overdue. Restructuring the CMF’s leadership is one of the fundamental ways we can ensure we are future ready, as an organization and a sector.”
Jessica Lea Fleming (above, second from left) is joining the CMF as director of growth and inclusion. Of Métis/Scottish-Settler heritage, Fleming is “an experienced arts leader, artist, and multilingual innovator originally from Penetanguishene, Ontario,” the release says.
“Working closely with Tamara Dawit, VP of Growth & Inclusion, Jessica will evaluate, develop, and help execute the CMF’s inclusion initiatives within the context of the organization’s Growth Strategy, and Equity and Inclusion Strategy,” the release explains.
Based in Toronto, Fleming has previously collaborated with many Canadian media, arts, culture and advocacy focused organizations, including 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 with imagineNATIVE, where she was associate director until February 2022, according to the release.
“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,” the release adds.
Marcia Douglas (second from right) joins the CMF as director of English content, international and export.
“Reporting to Rod Butler, VP of Content & Regulatory, Marcia will help develop CMF policy and analyze regulatory issues that impact the CMF and the industry,” the release explains.
Douglas is “a proud bi-racial Pilipina Canadian with more than 20 years of experience in the development and production of Canadian screen-based content,” according to the release.
Before joining the CMF, she worked at the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), Bell Fund, 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 provided strategic advice and services to CMPA members and staff related to sustainability, equity, and inclusion.”
Mireille Darveau (right) is joining the CMF as director of French content. Also reporting to Butler, Darveau “will help develop policy, streamline and improve internal processes, and better position the CMF to adapt to further legislative and industrial changes,” the release says.
Darveau has more than 25 years of experience in the screen industry, including almost 15 years at Telefilm Canada as deputy director for the CMF’s Program Administrator. Before 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) in Montreal.
Kyle O’Byrne (centre) joins the CMF as director of public affairs. “Reporting to Mathieu Chantelois, EVP of Marketing & Public Affairs, Kyle will develop the CMF’s national public affairs strategy and work closely with federal and provincial governments and other key players in the sector,” the release explains.
Before joining the CMF, O’Byrne worked as the director of policy at the CMPA, where he “was responsible for monitoring and reporting on emerging policies relating to the Canadian independent production sector, including overseeing Profile, the CMPA’s annual economic report, and other research activities.”
In his previous role as the CMPA’s manager of media relations and communications, O’Byrne “was a lead organizer for their annual conference Prime Time and contributing editor of the CMPA’s flagship Indiescreen magazine,” according to the release.
Jared Morrow (left) is joining the CMF as director of communications. He will also report to Chantelois and “will oversee the CMF’s internal and external communications strategy,” the release says.
Morrow has “expertise in writing & research, crisis management, media relations, and shaping an organization’s voice and leadership profiles,” according to the release.
“Previously, he worked at BGC Canada (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada), the country’s largest child and youth serving nonprofit, where he last held the role of Director, Editorial & Content.”
“After long searches and many conversations with talented people who want to make a lasting contribution to our industry, we found these five experts in their fields who I know will bring renewed energy to our organization,” Creighton said.
“New ideas, new visions. This is what we need to position the CMF for the future and better embrace Canada’s stories — stories that audiences are craving at home and across the globe. We are living in a time of unprecedented content creation, and with this team on board, I am excited to build an even stronger Canada Media Fund that will continue to champion Canadian talent,” Creighton added.
The CMF will announce the organization’s new executive vice-president of finance and analytics in the coming weeks, according to the press release.
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Photos provided by the Canada Media Fund.
