Jennie Bovard

Panelist
Low Vision, High Ambition: A Case Study of Pretty Blind

Jennie Bovard is the lead actor in and associate producer on the scripted comedy series Pretty Blind. Pretty Blind is the first show of its kind in Canada about life with blindness that features an actor who is blind and has albinism. Jennie is also the creator and host of Low Vision Moments, a podcast that is part lived-experience storytelling, part comedy, and part awareness. She is also a seasoned broadcaster, columnist, reporter, and speaker. She graduated from Toronto Film School in 2007. Jennie is a devoted community volunteer and advocate, serving as communications director and tandem bike program coordinator with Blind Sports Nova Scotia for over a decade. Jennie is a competitive goalball athlete with Team Nova Scotia, which has earned national and regional titles. She works as an Education Support Specialist Mentor, empowering children and young people who are blind and have low vision. Born and raised in New Brunswick, she now calls Nova Scotia home with her loving husband, spoiled dog, and an affinity for running.

Aisling Chin-Yee

Panelist
The Pink Pill screening at Carbon Arc
Desire and Denial: A Case Study of The Pink Pill

Aisling Chin-Yee is an award-winning filmmaker based between Montreal and Los Angeles whose work spans documentary and narrative film as well as television. Known for emotionally precise, character-driven storytelling, she creates films that challenge dominant narratives while centring voices often pushed to the margins. Her acclaimed documentary No Ordinary Man—which she co-directed, co-wrote, and edited—premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was named to TIFF’s Top Ten. The film was hailed by The New Yorker as “a genre unto itself” and one of the Best Movies of 2021. It won multiple international awards, and Aisling received the Directors Guild of Canada Award for Best Documentary Editing.

Her narrative feature directorial debut, The Rest of Us, starring Heather Graham, Sophie Nélisse, and Jodi Balfour, premiered at TIFF in 2019. In television, she directed three episodes of the limited series Plan B, starring Patrick Adams, Karine Vanasse, and François Arnaud for CBC, earning her the 2023 Directors Guild of Canada Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Mini-Series, and she serves as an executive producer on its second season. Aisling has been recognized as one of DOCNYC and HBO Documentary’s 40 Under 40 and one of Canada’s Rising Film Stars by NOW Magazine. In 2024, she received the Trailblazer Award from the Reelworld Film Festival.

Aisling’s most recent feature documentary, The Pink Pill, won the audience award at DOCNYC and was released on Paramount+ ahead of International Women’s Day in 2026. Mentored by the late filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, Aisling approaches storytelling with discipline, musicality, and an unwavering commitment to emotional truth. She hails from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and misses the Atlantic Ocean every day.

Robin D. Cook

Speaker
Where’s My Star?!: Name casting with Robin D. Cook

Robin D. Cook is the president of RDC & Associates, a casting agency based in Toronto. She has cast many major films including Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein, Nightmare Alley, and The Shape of Water; Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World; the Academy Award-winning Room, the cult Canadian horror film Ginger Snaps, and the original Mean Girls. A seven-time Emmy nominee, her television projects include the Nova Scotia-shot We Were Liars and From, The Strain, Sort Of, Umbrella Academy, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

Andrea Dorfman

Host
DIY By Design: How Sook-Yin Lee took Paying For It on the road

Over the past 30 years, Halifax-based filmmaker, animator and artist Andrea Dorfman has written and directed shorts, documentaries, features, and animated films. Her video collaboration with PEI poet-musician, Tanya Davis, How to Be Alone (2010) became a viral YouTube hit and then an illustrated book published with Harper Collins and illustrated by Dorfman. Their follow-up collaboration, How To Be at Home, went on to be screened worldwide at festivals, winning numerous awards. Dorfman’s  Emmy-nominated NFB animation, Flawed, was adapted into a graphic novel and her latest award-winning NFB animation, Hairy Legs (2024), was screened at festivals worldwide and qualified to be considered for the 2026 Oscars. Currently Dorfman divides her art practice between creating commissioned animations for documentaries and non-profits, teaching and mentoring, and creating animated films rooted in memory and memoir.

Terry Greenlaw

Host
Where’s My Star?!: Name casting with Robin D. Cook

One of the first female independent producers in Atlantic Canada, Terry Greenlaw has been a partner in Nova Scotia-based production company Picture Plant since 1986. Over the course of her forty-year career, Terry has produced feature films, feature documentaries, television series, and TV movies and specials. Her award-winning films have screened in festivals in Canada and around the world, including Berlin and TIFF, and have been celebrated in retrospectives in Melbourne, Paris and Canada. Terry is on the producing team of two feature films currently in post-production. She is prepping a green-lit international co-production with her partner in Wales and developing several feature projects including a slate of debut films being written and directed by Nova Scotia women. Her recently produced, award-winning Monica’s News is currently playing in theatres across Canada. Terry received a WIFT-AT Wave Award in recognition of her mentorship, was twice nominated for the CMPA Experienced Producer Award, and was presented with Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of her cultural contribution to Nova Scotia: “Terry is a powerful advocate for promoting stories from this region. Her efforts enrich the cultural life of the province while growing our economy through a robust film industry.”

Jamie Hammond

Host
Art Plus Intention: When movies become movements

Jamie is the Senior Marketing Advisor for Impact and Audience Engagement at the National Film Board of Canada, where she’s responsible for leading marketing strategies for impact documentaries. Prior to the NFB, she worked as Festival Manager for Halifax Pop Explosion, and as a marketing consultant for clients like Nova Scotia Community College, Canadian Cancer Society, and others. She produced the award-winning short horror-comedy Gaslit, which had its world premiere at the 2024 Atlantic International Film Festival.

Koumbie

Host
From the Rehearsal Hall to the Writers’ Room: A conversation with
Hannah Moscovtich

Koumbie (she/they) is an actor, director, writer and producer based in Kjipuktuk, Nova Scotia. In front of the camera she has appeared in a number of local productions with reoccurring roles on shows including; Mr. D, Studio Black, Diggstown, Moonshine and most recently The Trades. Since going behind the camera, Koumbie has directed a number of award winning short films, including the Short Film Face-Off winner Hustle & Heart, and the Bluenose Ability Best Short winner Horizontal Concavity. Her 2022 debut feature film Bystanders premiered at AIFF where it took home the Best Atlantic Script Award. In 2023 Bystanders had a successful theatrical release, opening in multiple major cities across Canada. Koumbie’s passion for equity, safety and inclusion led them to become one of the first Intimacy Coordinators in Atlantic Canada.

Sook-Yin Lee

Special Guest
DIY By Design: How Sook-Yin Lee took Paying For It on the road

Sook-Yin Lee is a Canadian filmmaker, musician, actor, multimedia artist, and award-winning radio and TV broadcaster (CBC Radio & TV, BBC, MuchMusic). After starring in John Cameron Mitchell’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ movie Shortbus, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival, Lee made her feature film writer and directorial debut at TIFF with Year of the Carnivore, starring Cristin Milioti. In 2014, Sook-Yin won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by a Lead Dramatic Actress for her role as Olivia Chow in Jack, and went on to write and star in Unsafe at Canadian Stage, which examined questions of censorship and artistic freedom. Her work has been presented by Ottawa Art Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto Dance Theatre, and Festival of New Dance.

Octavio is Dead!—a supernatural ghost story written and directed by Lee, starring Sarah Gadon and Rosanna Arquette—won her Best Director and Best Picture at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival in 2018. The lockdown movie Death and Sickness, made with Dylan Gamble, premiered on CBC Gem. Her most recent film, Paying For It, world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024 and has been touring the world since.

Lauren MacKinlay

Pitch coach
CBC Pitch This! Competition

As a Development Executive for Bell Media, Lauren works with independent production partners, writers, and creatives on the development of new scripted projects for Bell Media’s Original Programming slate. Prior to joining Bell Media, Lauren’s career as an award-winning producer included tenures at Neshama Entertainment and Sphere Media, with producing credits on The Way Home (Hallmark), Transplant (CTV/NBC), Bad Blood (Netflix), 19-2 (CTV/Acorn), and more. She was a co-founder of the non-profit organization, Women On Screen, and in September 2022, she was named one of ten women on the Canadian Power List of Women in Film.

Jenna MacMillan

Panelist
Low Vision, High Ambition: A Case Study of Pretty Blind

Jenna is the founder of Club Red Productions, Prince Edward Island’s leading independent production company. Her feature directorial debut, The Snake, premiered at South by Southwest in March—the first Atlantic Canadian feature to have its world premiere at the festival. Jenna was named one of Playback’s 10 to Watch in 2025. She produced the internationally sold thriller A Small Fortune, the hit comedy Who’s Yer Father? (Paramount+), and the groundbreaking AMI series Pretty Blind. Jenna is on the board of the CMPA, executive director of Anchorfest, and a TMU alumna. Her work has earned a Canadian Screen Award, two Canadian Comedy Awards, and a digital Emmy.

Dr. Ashley Margeson

Speaker
Burnout to Balance: Navigating the screen industry lifestyle

Dr. Ashley Margeson, ND, is a naturopathic doctor, speaker, and podcast host whose work helps people understand burnout, hormonal change, and what it takes to stay well in high-demand seasons of life. Known for her grounded, practical style, Dr. Ashley translates complex topics like nervous system overload, capacity, and hormonal transition into insights that are clear, relatable, and easy to apply. She brings a rare blend of clinical expertise, leadership experience, and real-life perspective as co-owner and COO of Cornerstone Naturopathic. Dr. Ashley has spoken to educators, health care professionals, leadership teams, and organizations seeking healthier, more sustainable ways to live and work. She is also the host of The Superwoman Code podcast.

Katelyn McCulloch

Panelist
Art Plus Intention: When movies become movements

Katelyn McCulloch is an award-winning director, writer, actor, and producer. Katelyn is dedicated to funny, feel-good and female-driven content and founded her company Hey Old Friend to support her evolving slate and passion for creation while also offering mentorship opportunities and accountability workshops to budding filmmakers. After producing four award-winning short films Katelyn went on to write, showrun and direct the TV series Everybody’s Meg for BellFibe TV1, based on her award-winning short film Meg Writes a Reference Letter, a finalist for CBC Short Film Face-off As an actor her recent credits include: Law and Order Toronto (City TV), Meet the Killer Parents (Tubi), Hudson & Rex (CityTV), Avocado Toast (OutTV), and Pretty Hard Cases (CBC). She is repped by Meridian Artists and 3 Arts Entertainment.

Hannah Moscovitch

Special Guest
From the Rehearsal Hall to the Writers’ Room: A conversation with
Hannah Moscovitch

Hannah Moscovitch is one of Canada’s most acclaimed playwrights. Her sixteen plays have been widely produced at home and abroad, and she’s been honoured with numerous awards for her work, including The Governor General’s Award, the Trillium Book Award, the Nova Scotia MasterWorks Arts Award, and the international Windham-Campbell Prize. Hannah’s play, Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, was recently onstage in New York City starring Hugh Jackman and Ella Beatty. In television, Hannah was the co-creator, executive producer and head writer of the limited series Little Bird alongside showrunner Jennifer Podemski. Little Bird garnered a landslide of awards and critical praise, winning thirteen Canadian Screen Awards in 2024, including Best Drama Series. Hannah has worked as a writer and producer on all three seasons of AMC’s hit series Interview With The Vampire, which has been included on many Best TV of the Year Lists such as Vanity Fair, Variety, TV Guide, Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Slate, Collider, Vulture and IndieWire.

Cara Nye

Panelist
Low Vision, High Ambition: A case study of Pretty Blind

Cara Nye is a media executive dedicated to authentic, inclusive storytelling. Since joining AMI-tv in 2012, she has built a strong track record in Canadian broadcasting, developing a range of impactful series including Pretty Blind, We Were Broncos, CripTrip, and Underdog Inc. Cara is responsible for screening pitches, show development, and ensuring that all content meets AMI’s standard-bearing qualities with respect to disability storytelling and inclusivity in all areas of original production—both on camera and behind the scenes. Cara and AMI’s work continuously champions content that challenges norms and reflects the richness of the lived experience of underrepresented voices in the disability community. Cara has over 35 years of production experience, having previously worked at networks such as MuchMusic, Citytv, OMNI, FX Canada, OLN, and Bio. 

Lee-Anne Poole

Host
Desire and Denial: A case study of The Pink Pill

Lee-Anne Poole is a writer and performer. The author of eight produced plays, her first full-length play, Splinters, was adapted into a feature film by Thom Fitzgerald. Splinters premiered at The Toronto International Film Festival and was the Opening Night Gala presentation at The Atlantic International Film Festival. Lee-Anne was featured in Hustling Verse: An Anthology of Sex Workers’ Poetry and attended the Banff Centre for a three-week-long writing residency where she explored adapting her play Talk Sexxxy. Talk Sexxxy ran in January 2025 at the Saint Mary’s University Art Gallery. Upcoming, she is writing a combination of zines and performance projects.

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee

Panelist
Art Plus Intention: When movies become movements

Lucah Rosenberg-Lee is a Canadian filmmaker, most noted as co-director with Michael Mabbott of the 2024 documentary film Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story. The film was awarded the DGC Ontario Special Jury Prize from the Best Canadian Feature Documentary award jury at the Hot Docs and named as a finalist for the Rogers Best Canadian Documentary Award at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards. Rosenberg-Lee previously directed the short documentary film Passing, and was a producer of Luis De Filippis’s short film For Nonna Anna.

Megan Wennberg

Panelist
Art Plus Intention: When movies become movements

Megan Wennberg is an award-winning documentary filmmaker based in Nova Scotia. Her feature documentaries about child drag queens (Drag Kids, 2019), senior synchronized swimmers (Unsyncable, 2023), and vigilante murder (The Killing of Phillip Boudreau, 2020) have screened and won awards at top festivals around the world including Rotterdam, DOC NYC, Hot Docs and BFI Flare. Megan learned how to animate during the pandemic, and the resulting short animated documentary about fibroids (Bloody Mess, 2024) continues to screen around the world after successful showings at Annecy, HollyShorts, and Tampere. Megan has also directed eight hours of television for CBC’s The Nature of Things, POV and Land and Sea series. Megan has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Journalism, and she is a screenwriting alumnus of the Canadian Film Centre. She is currently developing a feature doc about a Lazarus species of bird that was thought to be extinct for over 300 years, as well as a new episode of The Nature of Things about a long misunderstood protagonist—The Uterus. 

Melani Wood

Host
Low Vision, High Ambition: A case study of Pretty Blind

Melani is an award-winning filmmaker and producer who works across narrative film, documentary, and commercial projects. Originally from British Columbia, she now calls Nova Scotia home and has been making films on Canada’s East Coast since 2012. Most recently, she produced The Snake, the directorial debut film from Jenna MacMillan, which world premiered at SXSW in March. Producer credits also include Canadian Screen Award nominated projects Everybody’s Meg (2024) and Bone Cage (2020). Melani is an alum of the Hot Docs Documentary Accelerator Program, and board member of Screen Nova Scotia and Directors Guild of
Canada-Maritimes.