Donna Cagnoli

Panelist
Bell Fibe TV1 is on Fire

Donna Cagnoli is a producer and content distributor with over three years of experience in the entertainment industry. As a producer for Bell Fibe TV1, she oversees the development and production of original content across broadcast, video-on-demand, and digital platforms. She specializes in managing production workflows, coordinating content delivery, and ensuring seamless distribution.

Passionate about storytelling, Donna blends her creative vision with a deep understanding of audience behavior, drawing from her master’s degree in marketing and diploma in screenwriting and film producing from Concordia University in Montreal.

Paul Gardner

Panelist
Bell Fibe TV1 is on Fire

Paul Gardner is an award-winning producer with over 25 years experience
developing creative content in the media industry. In his current position as
Senior Producer for Bell Fibe TV1, Paul has overseen the development and
production of an ambitious slate of hundreds of original titles for Fibe TV1’s
broadcast Channel, VOD, APP and Mobile content.
Previous to his work with Bell, Paul spent a decade working in Children
and Youth programming as a Senior Producer for TVO Kids and Kids
CBC, as well as establishing a freelance career on a wide range of
projects from doc series to music videos, commercials and animation.
Paul is a graduate of Niagara College’s Broadcasting program where he
majored in film studies.
Fibe TV1 is your source for local programming, made right in your
backyard, by your community. TV1 is a group of community channels
operated by Bell Canada’s Fibe TV and Fibre OP TV.

Amy Mielke

Instructor
SAUCY: Unlocking the Secret Recipe of Post-Production

Amy Mielke is an award-winning filmmaker and editor based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with over ten years of experience shaping stories across diverse formats, including feature films, shorts, documentaries, and commercials. Internationally recognized for her precision and creativity, Amy co-founded A+B Roll Films with Brittney Gavin to produce thought-provoking documentaries that inspire societal change. Her thoughtful approach to storytelling—whether in the editing suite or behind the camera—continues to distinguish her as a leader in the film industry.

Britney Gavin

Instructor
SAUCY: Unlocking the Secret Recipe of Post-Production

Brittney Gavin is a Nova Scotian filmmaker living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Brittney has experience working on documentaries, narrative films, corporate videos and commercials. Prior to entering the film industry, Brittney worked as a Health Promotion Facilitator throughout Nova Scotia and Alberta. Her previous role focused on addressing the root causes of health inequities and improving population health outcomes. Brittney hopes to bring her passion for enacting social change to all her projects. Brittney began in the film industry as an editor, but has since branched out to produce and direct her own films.

Angela Moore

Instructor
Leading Role: Become the CEO of Your Acting Career

Angela Moore has been a professional actress for over 25 years in film, TV and theatre. Notable performances include guest starring in the Netflix’ A Series of Unfortunate Events, principal roles in Amazon’s The Stand and Netflix’ Maid, supporting lead in Lifetime’s The Christmas Aunt and recurring on ABC’s The Good Doctor and A Million Little Things, and as Darlene Fowler in the CW’s Nancy Drew. In 2016, Angela was nominated for a Leo in the Best Supporting Actress category for the web series, CODED. She is currently a series regular as Bakta on the MGM+ series, FROM, currently scheduled for filming its 4^th season this summer.

As a proud mother and devout Buddhist, Angela is continually inspired to create value in her life and in the lives of others. Angela recently completed 2 terms as an Executive Board Director at UBCP/ACTRA, past Chair of the BIPOC Committee, and past co-chair of the Women’s Committee.

Sasha Leigh Henry

Keynote Speaker
Breaking Barriers: A Keynote Conversation with Sasha Leigh Henry

Named one to watch by Variety (‘22) and The Hollywood Reporter (‘24), Sasha Leigh Henry is a writer, director, producer, and lover of all things hilarious. Her work includes the award-winning comedy Bria Mack Gets A Life and Vimeo Staff Pick Sinking Ship. 4x TIFF alumni and 2x Canadian Screen Award winner, Sasha is currently producing her debut feature, Dinner With Friends.

Juanita Peters

Host
Breaking Barriers: A Keynote Conversation with Sasha Leigh Henry

Juanita Peters is known by many people, as many things. She is an actor, film and stage director, playwright and founding member of both Women in Film and Television Atlantic and Canada’s newest multicultural festival Nova MultiFest. As a film writer and director she has given us: I Made a Vow, Hannah’s Story, Africville; Can’t Stop Now, and 8:37 Rebirth, which has won multiple awards in Canada, New York, London and Paris. Juanita Peters directed two seasons of the Film Nova Scotia Award winning dramatic series “Studio Black” and the multi-award winning television series DIGGSTOWN. As a playwright she has given us: The San Family, The Mother Club, I M Possible and The Green Book.

Juanita is a member of Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, Canadian Actors Equity, Actra and the Directors Guild of Canada. Board member of The Robert Pope Foundation, Matchstick Theatre and Women In The Directors Chair National. She was named the 2023 Portia White Prize Winner by Creative Arts NS and the 2022 Woman of the Year by the union representing 28,000 professional actors across the country, ACTRA. In addition to this Juanita Peters is the Executive Director of the Africville Museum. More than a memorial, the Africville Museum and its exhibits invite the visitor to experience life “out home” in Africville, and recognize the courage that transcends racism and hatred to begin the journey to reconciliation. 

Amy Trefry

Panelist
Comedy and Catharsis: A Good Grief Case Study

Amy Trefry is an award-winning, queer, non-binary creator dedicated to crafting bold, authentic stories that amplify marginalized voices. Originally from Alberta, their unique upbringing on a peregrine falcon breeding facility sparked a lifelong passion for distinctive narratives, further shaped by their early career in environmental research. Amy recently wrapped filming their first feature, a queer mumblecore drama, and is currently in development for their first feature documentary about the Indigenous transgender Embera women in Colombia.Amy’s storytelling expertise spans writing, directing, and producing, with highlights including Good Grief, an original queer comedy entering its third season with OUTtv and the recipient of the C21 International Drama Award for Newform Series. An alumnus of programs such as the Norman Jewison Producers Lab and TIFF Writers Lab, Amy blends their creative vision with a passion for development, creating globally resonant stories rooted in Canadian identity and the transformative power of representation.

Katerina Bakolias

Panelist
Comedy and Catharsis: A Good Grief Case Study

Katerina Bakolias is an award-winning producer, writer, and creator whose work spans television, theatre, and literature. As co-creator and producer of the digital series Good Grief, winner of the 2024 C21 International Drama Award for Best Newform Drama Series, she has established herself as a rising force in the East Coast film and television industry. Her debut novel Luscious Love was published by James Lorimer & Company Ltd., while her play ’Til Death Do Us Part recently opened The Ships Company Theatre’s 40th Summer season, and her feature film screenplay Salvage was selected as a quarterfinalist for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. A recipient of multiple Canada Council for the Arts grants and the RBC Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award, Bakolias continues to champion female and genderqueer-driven narratives through her production company Pumpkin Patch Productions Inc.

Gil Anderson

Host
Comedy and Catharsis: A Good Grief Case Study

Gil Anderson is an actor, improviser, and filmmaker with a career rooted in Atlantic Canada’s film and television industry. Currently, she can be seen in a recurring role on Crave TV’s hit comedy The Trades. Gil has appeared in multiple Bell Fibe series, including Roll With It, Everybody’s Meg, and Zero to Sixty. Behind the scenes, she has worked extensively in various production roles, most recently producing the Bell Fibe series Nature’s Cool. Now in her fourth term as ACTRA council secretary, Gil continues to champion opportunities for performers and creators in the region. As a returning WIFT-AT panel moderator, she brings humour, insight, and a deep appreciation for the craft and business of screen storytelling.

Amy Hobby

Panelist
Disrupting Distribution: Direct Paths To Your Audiences

Amy Hobby (Producer, Co-Founder Distribution Advocates) is an Academy Award-nominated, Emmy, and Peabody Award-winning producer with credits on 30+ films in distribution. She is perhaps most known for producing exceptional films about artists and the creative process. Her films on singer Nina Simone (What Happened, Miss Simone?), actor/writer Sam Shepard (Shepard & Dark), songwriter/activist Ani DiFranco (1-800-ON-HER-OWN), singer/songwriter Dory Previn (Dory Previn: On My Way to Where), writer/actor Spalding Grey (And Everything is Going Fine), artist Nam June Paik (Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV) and actress Marilyn Monroe (Love, Marilyn) excel at emotional storytelling and top-level archival work.  

Other work includes the scripted films Hamlet (Ethan Hawke), Secretary (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Lucky Them (Toni Collette, Johnny Depp).Hobby has worked on projects with Netflix, Apple+, Hulu, MSNBC Films, PBS, Sony, and has premiered her titles at top festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, and Tribeca.

Hobby is the former Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Institute and current co-founder of Distribution Advocates. With Distribution Advocates, she oversees the newly launched FilmADE Fund promoting innovation in marketing and audience building for independent cinema.

Carolyn Taylor

Special Guest
A Conversation with Carolyn Taylor

Carolyn Taylor is an award-winning comedian, actor, writer and showrunner. She is one of the creators, executive producers and stars of the hit comedy Baroness von Sketch Show (CBC, IFC). Most recently Carolyn created and starred in the hit quixotic figure-skating docu-comedy I Have Nothing (Crave, 2023), for which she received a 2024 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Lead Performer in a Comedy. 

Carolyn honed her skills in improvisation and social satire at The Second City in Toronto, starring in 5 original mainstage revues. Recent on-screen credits include Workin’ Moms (CBC/Netflix, 2022), Detention Adventure (HBO Max, 2022), hit CBS comedy Ghosts (2023), and Children Ruin Everything (Bell/Crave, 2025). Upcoming projects include Mae Martin’s thriller series Wayward (Netflix, 2025), Plan B (CBC, 2025), and a full-length experimental queer pop album The Untitled Carolyn Taylor Project (2025).

Jackie Torrens

Host
A Conversation with Carolyn Taylor

Jackie Torrens (she/they) is an award-winning non-binary actor, writer & film director based in
Halifax. Their documentary films for CBC, the Documentary Channel, Vision and Bravofactual
include Edge of East, My Week on Welfare, Small Town Show Biz, Free Reins, the feature
Radical Age and the feature Bernie Langille Wants to Know Who Killed Bernie Langille. Torrens
has twice been the recipient of Women In Television & Film Atlantic’s Best Director award.
Along with producer Jessica Brown, Torrens is co-owner of Peep Media, a Halifax-based
production company. Their next project is one in which Torrens will most certainly face many
fears: Baby, a 1980’s coming of age dark comedy about death, dysfunction and roller skates.
The project has been green-lit by Telefilm for production in summer of 2025 and will be Torrens’
directorial debut for scripted feature.

Shailene Garnett

Panelist
Cast, Crew, & Care: Who’s Looking After The Industry

Shailene Garnett is a wife, and mother of her 2 year old son, and 10 year old step-daughter. 

She is a Canadian actress, living in Los Angeles. She’s known for playing the lead in the Psychological Thriller film, ‘Welcome’, she is a series regular on the Halifax-based legal drama, Diggstown, and is known for her role in Murdoch Mysteries. 

In addition to acting, Shailene is mentor and career strategist for up-and-coming actors. She is an executive partner for the film industry training initiative, ‘Black Above the Line’, which is a program that fast-tracks emerging filmmakers towards a career in their respective fields. Shailene created and teaches the acting program.

Mayko Nguyen

Panelist
Cast, Crew, & Care: Who’s Looking After The Industry

Although best known for her characters of ‘Goth Girl’ in RENT-A-GOALIE and  ‘Mayko Tran’ in REGENESIS, for which she received Gemini and Actra Award  nominations, Mayko Nguyen’s numerous television credits include: recurring roles  on ABC’s ROOKIE BLUE; NBC’s THE FIRM; and CBC’s CRACKED; as well as guest  spots on shows such as CBC’s BEING ERICA; Syfy’s CONTINUUM; CTV’s MOTIVE,  NBC’s WORKING THE ENGELS; SuperChannel’s SLASHER, Global’s PRIVATE EYES,  and TRANSPLANT for NBC.  

Nguyen currently stars in CityTV’s HUDSON & REX, which shoots in St. John’s  Newfoundland, where the series is set. Nguyen plays series regular, ‘Dr. Sarah  Truong’, the head of forensics, on the popular procedural. 

Nguyen had the lead role of ‘Ming’ in the TMN mini-series BLOODLETTING AND  MIRACULOUS CURES, co-starring Shawn Ashmore, and based on the book by  writer/doctor, Vincent Lam. Additionally, she recurred in the cult-favourite,  comedic webseries from CBC, BUT I’M CHRIS JERICO!; and recurred on the Syfy  hit series, KILLJOYS.  

On the stage, Nguyen received her first Dora Award nomination in 2016 for her  emotional portrayal of ‘Mary Snow’ in Ravi-Jain’s SALT-WATER MOON. She has  also been seen in Nina Lee Aquino’s CARRIED AWAY ON THE CREST OF A WAVE;  

Pablo Felices-Luna’s DANNY KING OF THE BASEMENT and Rochelle Douris’s TURKS  AND INFIDELS, to name just a few. This past spring, Nguyen starred in Factory  Theatre’s unique staging of BEAUTIFUL MAN, for director Andrea Donaldson.  

On the big screen, Nguyen was recently seen in: the highly anticipated FAHRENHEIT 451, with Michael Shannon and Michael B. Jordan; April Mullen’s  festival darling BELOW HER MOUTH; RUPTURE, also starring Noomi Rapace and Kerry Bishé; the horror film BUCKOUT ROAD with Henry Czerny; and the sci-fi thriller ANON, with Clive Owen. Most recently, she was seen in THE RIGHTEOUS, from  director Mark O’Brien; and in HELLO STRANGER, opposite Sam Worthington.

Siobhan Kennedy-Cameron

Panelist
Cast, Crew, & Care: Who’s Looking After The Industry

Siobhan Kennedy-Cameron, is an Associate Producer/Production Manager with This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Siobhan has been with the show since 1999 and working in the television and film industry in Halifax Nova Scotia since 1994. She has Produced the Screen Nova Scotia Awards for 10 years and is Chair of DGC Maritimes with 6 years of Board Experience. Originally from the UK Siobhan achieved a degree in Film & Media Studies at The University of Stirling in Scotland. She emigrated to Halifax in 1992 trusting someone she knew that there could be a career in Nova Scotia’s fledgling film industry. He is now her husband and co-parent of their 3 best productions aged 22, 20 and 16.

Amy Matysio

Host
Cast, Crew, & Care: Who’s Looking After The Industry

Amy Matysio is an award-winning actor, writer, host and creative producer who has captivated audiences for over two decades. She has earned acclaim on stage with renowned companies such as the National Arts Centre, Northern Light Theatre, and Young People’s Theatre (Dora Award), with standout performances in The Syringa Tree (Globe Theatre) and the recent world premiere of The Bidding War (Crows Theatre). Matysio’s screen credits include genre hits WolfCop and its sequel, CSA-nominated performances in Save Me and Runnng with Violet, and appearances in Sort Of, Hudson and Rex and the feature film Die Alone. Named one of Playback’s Ten to Watch and CBC’s Future 40, in 2020 she was honored with the University of Regina’s Distinguished Alumni Award (Media, Art & Performance). A passionate advocate for creative workers, Matysio serves as a Vice President of ACTRA Toronto, and is the project manager for Balancing Act’s screen-based media expansion of Level UP!. She’s also a proud mama to her son Jagger.

Ally Fiola

Panelist
The Sound of Storytelling: A Composer’s Perspective

Ally Fiola is a Nova Scotian film composer and saxophonist. Collaboration and storytelling provides Ally a creative framework that she values immensely, having worked on films across North America and Europe. She is an active board member for the Screen Composers Guild of Canada & member of the Alliance for Women Film Composers, received her Masters in Film Composition in London, England, and was nominated for the prestigious 2022 Marvin Hamlisch International Music Awards. In 2023, Ally was selected for the La Napoule Canadian Artist Residency in France where she composed a Canada Council funded orchestral piece exploring the effects of climate change on coastal communities, and is part of the Canadian Academy’s ‘Women in Post’ 2024-2025 cohort.

Rose Hastreiter

Panelist
The Sound of Storytelling: A Composer’s Perspective

Rose Hastreiter is a Leo-nominated composer, songwriter, and music producer, known for her scores in sci-fi, her favorite genre. As co-founder of Leonty Music Group (LMG Creative Canada), she leads a New Brunswick-based team specializing in music & pro-audio production for screen, education, and storytelling, operating two studio suites in southwest New Brunswick.

Her notable works include Alien: Ore (Leo Award Nominee – Best Score), CC (CBC Gem, Cannes Tout Court, Berlin Sci-Fi Fest), and The Mary Alice Brandon File (Twilight Storytellers International Winning Film).

A professional vocalist (aka Leonty) featured on over a dozen albums, she continues expanding her creative credits while advocating for women in film composition and technology. A certified PMP, she fosters a collaborative, concept-to-post-production approach in creative projects.

Member of SCGC, CAPS, PMI, AWFC

Siobhan Martin

Panelist
The Sound of Storytelling: A Composer’s Perspective

Siobhan Martin is a musician, composer, and instructor from Dartmouth. She is an in-demand, versatile, and commanding pianist working as a full-time freelance musician. A founding member of The Brood, Siobhan’s current roster includes supporting Nicole Ariana, Leanne Hoffman, and Rankin and the Broken Reeds, in the Grateful Dead cover band Wharf Rats, and with the 1980s party outfit Maximum Overdrive.

She’s played with artists as disparate as David Myles, Zamani, and Pillow Fite and on new albums from Mo Kenney, Eric Stephen Martin, and Callum Gaudet. Her work also appears on songs by Beauts, Leanne Hoffman, Owen Meany’s Batting Stance, and Loveland.Siobhan has scored for the feature film Compulsus, and her work on the acclaimed feature film Lakeview was awarded Best Original Score at the Atlantic International Film Festival in 2024. Siobhan serves as a board member of Music Nova Scotia and is a member of SCGC.

Erica Procunier

Host
The Sound of Storytelling: A Composer’s Perspective

Erica Procunier is an Emmy-nominated, two-time Canadian Screen Award-winning composer specializing in film, television, and other media. Her scores blend whimsy, mischievousness, and eccentricity, with a keen sense of dramatic and comedic timing. Erica’s recent work includes scoring Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go (winning a CSA), the Apple TV+ series Ghostwriter (for which she earned a Daytime Emmy nomination), Don’t Talk to Irene, Mariner, Little Dog, Detention Adventure, and the CBC documentary The COVID Cruise. Additionally, Erica composed multiple short segments for Sesame Street and worked with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to score DAM! The Story of Kit the Beaverfor Canada’s 150th celebration. An alumna of the Canadian Film Centre, Erica teaches Scoring Techniques at Humber College and serves as Vice President of the Screen Composers Guild of Canada.

Katelyn McCulloch

Host
CBC Pitch This! Competition

Katelyn McCulloch is a writer, director, producer and actor. Katelyn co-created, co-
wrote, show-ran and directed the comedy TV series Everybody’s Meg for Bell Fibe TV1, based on her short film Meg Writes a Reference Letter, a CBC Short Film Face Off finalist.

One of the most watched shows on Bell Fibe TV1, Everybody’s Meg has been renewed for a second season and has been nominated for four Canadian Screen awards, including Best Direction and Writing for Katelyn. Most recently
Katelyn directed the fourth season of Doggy DNA (Clearisy) and is in development for a new series with Fiasco Global Media.

Katelyn is an alumna of the WIFT-AT Mentor Match program (mentor Karen Wentzell), Women in the Director’s Chair, and the Second City Conservatory. She is a Gold Winner for Best Filmmaker by The Coast and holds a Dora and Broadway World Award for her work as an actor. Katelyn is repped by Meridian Artists
(CDN) and 3 Arts Entertainment (US).

Her
acting credits include Law and Order Toronto (City TV), The Trades (Crave), Roll with It (Canadian Content Studios), Meet the Killer Parents (Tubi), Bystanders (Picture Plant), Hudson & Rex (CityTV), Avocado Toast (OutTV), Pretty Hard Cases (CBC) and two seasons with the The Stratford Theatre Festival.

Nancy Kenny

Host
Lights, Camera, Trivia!

A proud Acadian from New Brunswick, Nancy Kenny is a fluently bilingual (French/English) actor, writer, and producer, who makes Kjipuktuk/Halifax her home. Acting credits include From, Mont-Rouge, and the indie feature Skite’kmujuekati’kw (Place of Ghosts). TV writing credits include En résidence and Garde partagée for UnisTV, and L’histoire sans faim for TFO. Her short film, Six Feet Over, recently won the Robert Bertrand Award for Comedic Genius and she is currently adapting her critically acclaimed one-woman show, Roller Derby Saved My Soul, into a series.

Nancy is also the executive producer of On the Fringe, a feature documentary about touring the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit. (Winner: Best Documentary Film, 2023 Screen Nova Scotia Awards). 

Through her company, Broken Turtle Productions, her focus is in multilingual stories that explore the role of women, marginalized genders, and 2SLGBTQ+ people in society. She is particularly in projects that explore our humanity with a darkly comedic bent.

Martina Kelades

Host
WAVE Awards Dinner

Martina Kelades is a versatile and captivating Canadian actress based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In a short time, she has made a strong impact on screen, bringing depth and authenticity to a variety of roles. Her performances include MGM+’s hit series FROM, Hallmark’s Christmas Island, and Bell Fibe’s Trapped, where she earned a nomination for Outstanding Performance at the 2024 Screen Nova Scotia Awards.

In addition to her work in film and television, Martina has appeared in several commercials, including national campaigns for Charm Diamond Centres and regional spots for Atlantic Lottery and Tourism Nova Scotia. Her ability to connect with audiences shines across various platforms, from narrative storytelling to brand representation.

Beyond the screen, she is a passionate mental health and wellness speaker, using her voice to foster courageous conversations and inspire change within communities. Whether on camera or stage, Martina is driven by a deep commitment to storytelling and human connection, making her a dynamic force in the entertainment industry.

Martha Cooley

Q & A Guest
Cineplex Screening: WELIMA’Q & THERE, THERE

Martha Cooley is a filmmaker, writer and cultural worker based in Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Martha is the Executive Director of the Atlantic International Film Festival, a position she’s held since May 2022. Previously she was employed at
the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative, where she served as Executive Director for 10 years.

Martha produced her first feature film, Murmur (2019), with writer/director Heather Young. Murmur premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize for the Discovery Programme, was featured as the Opening Night Gala at the Atlantic International
Film Festival and went on to win the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance and a Canadian Screen Award for Best First Feature. There, There is their second feature.

Tara Taylor

Q & A Host
Cineplex Screening: WELIMA’Q & THERE, THERE

Tara Taylor is an award-winning playwright, director, and multi-disciplinary artist. Tara has worked as CBC Information Morning Cultural Columnist for the Art ‘n Soul Report, and is a member of ACTRA, the Playwrights Guild of Canada, Black Women Film! Canada and Theatre Nova Scotia. Tara is the Festival Director of the Emerging Lens Cultural Film Festival, and a former Co-Chair at WIFT-AT.
Her original staged works, Viola: the Musical, Hood Habits, and Love, Peace and Hairgrease, were nominated for Outstanding Production at the Robert Merritt Awards.