VANCOUVER — The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) announced Monday the appointment of Tracey Friesen as the managing vice-president of its BC Producers Branch.
In this role, Friesen will represent BC-based independent producers, lead efforts to engage with government agencies and industry stakeholders across the province, and oversee CMPA-BC operations.
“Tracey has an extraordinary depth of knowledge of our sector, and also brings a demonstrated capacity for effective advocacy in British Columbia,” said Reynolds Mastin, president and CEO of CMPA, in the news release. “We are thrilled to have her join our team.”
Friesen will leverage more than 25 years of experience in Canada’s cultural and social change sectors in her new role at the CMPA, the release says. She spent more than a decade at the National Film Board, where she earned producer or executive producer credits on nearly 40 projects. She is also the founder of Story Money Impact, a not-for-profit organization that aims to advance research and education around media impact, and to bridge the philanthropic and film communities. In 2013 she was named ‘Woman of the Year’ by Women in Film & TV Vancouver. Friesen most recently served as director of communications and public engagement at the David Suzuki Foundation.
As a member of the CMPA’s senior leadership team, Friesen will report to the CMPA’s chief operating officer, Liz Shorten. In addition to her BC-focused responsibilities, Friesen will provide strategic counsel to the national organization and its members on a number of key files. She will begin her new role on January 27, 2020, and will be based in the CMPA’s Vancouver office.
“Over many years we have witnessed Tracey lead a remarkable array of initiatives aimed at building capacity in the production sector, and have been impressed by her ability to foster strong relationships and bring out the best in others,” added Kim Dent Wilder and Sarah Nathanson, co-chairs of the CMPA-BC Branch Council. “She is going to be a great asset to our organization.”
