Tamara Dawit
Head of Studies
Tamara is an Ethiopian-Canadian award-winning filmmaker and arts industry executive. She has designed programs and policies to support the screen sector for DW Akademie, UNESCO, Canada Media Fund, Afreximbank, EUNIC and the Ethiopian government.
Tamara is an alumnus of the EAVE, APOST and both the Berlinale and Durban Talents and has been awarded fellowships by Docs in Progress, Logan Nonfiction and TIFF. Her film Finding Sally won the Doc Institute Vanguard Award, Adiaha Award and the Gordon Parks Award, among others. Tamara is a 2023 Chalmer Arts Fellow and is producing a slate of films.
Oyinkansola (Oyin) Bolaji-Idowu
Business Support Manager
Oyinkansola first came to the National Screen Institute as an RBC Career Launch Program associate on secondment in September 2020.
As the business support manager, she supports the organization in the areas of organizational development, human resources, financial management and board governance to ensure smooth and efficient administrative operations.
Oyinkansola holds a BA in psychology and philosophy from the University of Manitoba. She is a strong advocate for members of underrepresented communities and looks to create opportunities for people in spaces where they feel like they don’t belong.
She is also secretary to the National Screen Institute Board of Directors.
Ursula Lawson
Senior Programs Manager
Ursula has been with the National Screen Institute since 2004 and is the senior programs manager.
She is currently working on the Access BIPOC Producers program. She also oversees the mentorship, development and delivery of projects for TELUS STORYHIVE.
In 2013 Ursula was honoured to receive the YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction Circle of Inspiration Award along with colleagues Lisa Meeches and Melissa Kajpust for their contribution to CBC New Indigenous Voices. In 2019, Ursula was nominated for the Winnipeg Arts Council Making a Difference award which celebrates contributions to the growth and development of the arts in Winnipeg.
Instrumental in helping the National Screen Institute develop and deliver culturally sensitive film and television training to emerging Indigenous content creators, Ursula previously managed CBC New Indigenous Voices, NSI IndigiDocs and NSI Aboriginal Journalism. She coordinated NSI Global Marketing, NSI Totally Television, NSI Aboriginal Cultural Trade Initiative and NSI Pitch to Win!
Alumni
- Alicia Petrusa (producer) – Toronto, ON
- Amanda Roy (producer) – Montreal, QC
- Amar Lohana (producer), Habiba Nosheen (writer) – Toronto, ON
- Anam Abbas (producer) – Brampton, ON
- Baljit Sangra (producer) – Vancouver, BC
- Brishkay Ahmed (producer) – Vancouver, BC
- Cole Vandale (producer) – Vancouver, BC
- Diana Dai (producer) – Toronto, ON
- Émilie Martel (producer) – Orleans, ON
- Farhad Pakdel (producer), Leila Khalilzadeh (writer) – Montreal, QC
- Gavin Seal (producer) – Montreal, QC
- Israel Ekanem (producer) – Halifax, NS
- Kathy-Ann Thomas (producer), Diana Roldan (writer) – Montreal, QC)
- Lanette Ware-Bushfield (producer), Kathryn Fasegha (writer) – Aurora, ON
- Laura Friedmann (producer), Kyle Schmalenberg (writer) – Toronto, ON
- Maria Kennedy (producer), Tope Babalola (writer) – Toronto, ON
- Maytham Jbara (producer), Ahmed Yassin Al-Daradji (writer) – Toronto, ON
- Michelle Mama (producer), Julianna Notten (writer) – Toronto, ON
- Nach Dudsdeemaytha (producer), Mayumi Yoshida (writer) – Burnaby, BC
- Patricia Chica (producer), Isabel Dréan (writer) – Montreal, QC
- Sarah Kapoor (producer) – Creston, BC
- Shyam Valera (producer), Kashif Pasta (writer) – Surrey, BC
- Alex Eskandarkhah (producer, AB)
- Anand Ramayya (producer, SK), Agam Darshi, Leena Manro (co-writers, SK)
- Dawn Bird (producer, SK)
- Fonna Seidu (producer, ON), Tristen Sutherland (writer, ON)
- Gentille Menguizani Assih (producer, QC), Emilie Porry (writer, QC)
- Gursimran Datla (producer, ON)
- Heather Hatch (producer, AB)
- Jeanette Kong (producer, ON)
- Jennifer Pun (producer, ON)
- Kulbinder Saran Caldwell (producer, ON)
- Mitra Knight (producer, AB)
- Mylène Augustin (producer, QC)
- Neegan Trudel (producer, QC), Ossie Michelin (writer, QC)
- Ngardy Conteh George (producer, ON)
- Panta Mosleh (producer and writer, BC)
- Paola Arriagada Nuñez (producer, QC), Juan Andres Arango (writer, QC)
- Patricia Scarlett (producer, ON), Diane De La Haye (writer, ON)
- Praneet Akilla (producer, BC)
- Raj Panikkar (producer, ON)
- Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi (producer and writer, AB)
- Rua Wani (producer, ON), Andrew Moir (writer, ON)
- Ryan Singh (producer, ON)
- Saira Rahman (producer, MB), Nilufer Rahman (writer, MB)
- Shayan Bayat (producer, BC)
- Shehrezade Mian (producer, ON)
- Teresa Ho (producer, ON), Muna Deria (writer, ON)