Marlene Kendall, CPA, CA (Chair, Treasurer)

Marlene provides assurance and consulting services to improve the effectiveness of risk management, internal controls and corporate governance.

Extensive experience in operational audits, resulting in millions of dollars saved and enhanced customer service. She also trains and mentors executives and boards on financial risk management and eliminating deficits.

Brad Pelman (Vice-Chair)

The Fremantle Corporation | CEO

Brad is a senior content distribution specialist with over 23 years experience in Canada.

Following the sale of Maple Pictures, which he co-founded and served as co-president in 2011, Brad has consulted for myriad companies, both traditional and new media oriented, lending his expertise to others and sharing in many successful campaigns and new business opportunities.

Melanie Nepinak Hadley

WarnerMedia | Program Director, Global Access Programs

Melanie is a First Nations woman from the Ojibway Nation. Growing up in an underrepresented community, she has the unique life experience to give her the drive, ambition and perseverance to explore the power of change through storytelling.

Melanie is part of a team at WarnerMedia focused on building relationships with and opportunities for creators of all genders, abilities and identities from Canada’s underrepresented communities, including members of Indigenous, Black, and other racialized groups, creators with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ2+ and Francophone communities.

Prior to her role at WarnerMedia, she was executive in charge of production for CBC Drama overseeing projects in development and production including Heartland, Pure, The Secret Path and When Calls the Heart. Before that she was the manager of programming for Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) where she managed development and first- and second-window licencing for television and digital media projects commissioned from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

Melanie got her start in the industry through the NSI Aboriginal Youth Pilot Project (now CBC New Indigenous Voices).

Vera Houle

Aboriginal Peoples Television Network | Director of Community Relations

As director of community relations, Vera continues to strengthen APTN’s relationship with its viewers and audiences through direct communication with communities at a grassroots level.

Vera started out as a wordsmith of sorts. She graduated from Red River College with a journalism diploma and has nearly 25 years of experience in broadcasting.

She’s worn many hats at CTV and APTN as well as at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. Previously Vera was the executive producer of APTN National News and director of news and current affairs.

Vera’s a proud member of Manitoba’s Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation and speaks Ojibway fluently.

Michael A. Levine

Generic Productions Inc. | President
Westwood Creative Artists | Chairman

Michael A. Levine is chairman of Westwood Creative Artists Ltd., a retired partner of Goodmans LLP, executive producer of various fiction and non-fiction films and television properties, and chairman of Bravo!FACT and Bravo!FACTUAL.

Carissa McCart

Director | TELUS Studios

As director of TELUS Studios, Carissa leads a diverse team of talented filmmakers, designers, photographers and digital developers who expertly represent the TELUS brand and tell stories about Canadian communities.

Prior to joining TELUS in 2006, Carissa worked in marketing for the Knowledge Network and the Open Learning Agency for 10 years, inspiring in her a lifelong love of community-based programming and continuous learning.

Carissa started out as a writer, but now channels her creative passion into supporting local artists, and finding and elevating new voices in storytelling.

Virginia Thompson

Vérité Films | Partner, President, Executive Producer

Virginia is an executive producer, producer and TV show creator best known for her work on the smash hit series Corner Gas as well as other award-winning series including InSecurity, renegadepress.com and Incredible Story Studio. She is president of Vérité Films, a boutique production company committed to championing exceptional creative talent.

Vérité has won or been nominated for 114 national and international awards including an international Emmy, several Geminis and The Prix Jeunesse.