Shelley is the Business Agent for IATSE Local 849 and has been an IATSE member since  1995. After studying Visual Art at York University, Shelley started her industry career as a Props Person in Toronto in 1986. She became an Art Director for Film and TV shortly before moving to Nova Scotia in 1998. She has served on the Board of Screen Nova Scotia since 2017, sits on several of its committees and currently holds the position of Treasurer on Screen Nova Scotia’s Executive. 

Francine Deschepper is the Membership Services and Operations Manager at DGC Maritimes. Francine has worked in the Nova Scotia screen industry for 28 years as a professional performer and is a Past President and National Councillor of ACTRA Maritimes. Francine is the current Membership Services and Operations Manager at DGC Maritimes, where she oversees the Permittee Program, crew development, membership applications, and professional development & training.

Orla Garriques is a multi-faceted professional working at the intersection of film, television, digital media, arts and education. She has delivered collaborative initiatives that promote content and talent at home and abroad for leading media institutions such as the NFB, Canadian Film Centre, TIFF, Hot Docs, and South African Documentary Association. She works with award-winning production companies in development, business affairs, marketing, and audience engagement.

Jake is an experienced coordinator based in K'jipuktuk/Halifax with a background in youth facilitation, filmmaking and other digital media arts. A NSCC’s Screen Arts program graduate, he is now the Operations Manager at IATSE Local 849, a Maritime labour union representing technicians working in the film industry. His personal work centres around lived experiences of being queer, empowering marginalized and underrepresented communities to reclaim their own narratives through digital media.

Katelyn McCulloch (she/her) has written, directed and produced four comedic short films that have won awards including Best Comedy at Portland Comedy Festival, The Female Eye Film Festival, and more. Katelyn’s comedy series ‘Everybody’s Meg’ that she Show-ran/Directed will air on Bell FibeTV1 in 2024. It's a spin off from her award winning comedy short "Meg Writes a Reference Letter," a finalist on CBC Short Film Face Off.

Jan Miller, living in Nova Scotia, is a renowned international consultant and trainer in program design, content development and pitching. Jan was one of the co-founders of the National Screen Institute and is actively working with organizations across Canada and around the world developing and offering training modules. She worked with ScriptEast (an eastern European writer/director training program) for over a decade.

Jenny Reeves is the President of Iatse 849. Jenny began in the film industry in Halifax in 2005, working primarily in the craft service  department and currently works in the Set Construction department. In 2010 Jenny  became involved with IATSE Local 849. Currently Jenny serves as President of IATSE Local  849, sits on the NS Federation of Labour Anti-Racism and Human Rights Committee, and  participates in other committee work on productions and within the industry.

Jennifer Stewart (she/her) is a Halifax based Production Designer with over 20 years of experience working in film and television. She is passionate about using design to enhance story, and has been fortunate to work with Nova Scotia artists and craftspeople whose extraordinary skill translates ideas into reality. She is known for her work on the TV series DIGGSTOWN, PURE, HAVEN and SNAKES & LADDERS, for which she won the DGC award for Production Design.

Heyishi Zhang (she/her) is a Chinese Canadian filmmaker who is interested in telling chaotic and complex stories about subjects beyond the margins. Her most notable project is Gay Mean Girls Seasons 1 and 2, an auto fictional digital series that she created/directed.

Lisa Broadfoot is the Vice President of Industry and Business Affairs at Canadian Media Producers Association. She is responsible for providing strategic advice to CMPA members with respect to industry matters, business affairs, and production financing. As a member of the CMPA’s senior leadership team, Lisa develops and executes strategies and advocacy related to sources of production financing, builds relationships with industry stakeholders, and more.

With a profound respect for artists and storytellers, combined with a strong dedication to justice and liberation, Kadon Douglas finds joy in supporting artists and cultural producers in their career development. Before leading BIPOC TV & FILM as its inaugural Executive Director, Kadon spearheaded dynamic marketing and communication approaches at The Creative School at Ryerson University, as well as at Women in Film & Television-Toronto.

Lisa Haller is the Director of Programming at (AIFF), where she is responsible for overseeing the artistic direction and film curation for the annual festival and its year-round initiatives. Lisa is also a Programmer for Aspen Shortsfest, recognized as one of the premier short film festivals in North America. Lisa has over 10 years of experience in festival programming and strategy, and has served on juries and panels for the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Festival du nouveau cinema, Norwegian Short Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival.

Jenna MacMillan is an award-winning filmmaker and owner of Club Red Productions, the leading independent film and television company on Prince Edward Island. Jenna recently produced the PEI feature thriller, A SMALL FORTUNE (levelFILM) which has been sold around the world and her latest feature film, WHO’S YER FATHER? released theatrically in Canada in 2023, continues to screen across the country and is available on Paramount + in Canada. 

Katie McKay (she/her) is a documentary producer with Eyesteelfilm in Montreal and is dedicated to using cinematic expression as a catalyst for social change. She is the Co-Producer of YINTAH, the story of the Wet’suwet’en nation’s fight for sovereignty; BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN, chronicling the collective organizing to save Chinatowns in North America; and MIDWIVES, an intimate look at an unconventional duo who provide medical services to the Rohingya.

Nisha Pahuja (she/her) is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated filmmaker. Her latest film, TO KILL A TIGER, had its world premiere at TIFF where it won the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film. Since then, it’s won 27 awards including Best Documentary Feature, Palm Springs International Film Festival and three Canadian Screen awards. The film grew out of a long career of addressing various human rights issues, notably violence against women in India.

Stephen Reynolds is the Business Agent for DGC Maritimes. A veteran of the Canadian film industry, Stephen is a Daytime Emmy, CSA and Gemini Award winning director, producer and 1st assistant director. His directorial contributions include This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Hatching Matching and Dispatching, CODCO, Made in Canada, Haven, Heartland, the PBS kids smash hit Odd Squad, Apple TV’s Ghostwriter and Hulu/CBC’s tween hit Endlings.

Tara Thorne (she/her) is a recovering journalist and practicing artist in Halifax. She spent 19 years on staff at the alt-weekly The Coast, 15 on air at CBC Radio in three Maritime cities, and two hosting Nova Scotia’s award-winning premiere arts and culture podcast, The Tideline. Currently Tara coordinates the Halifax Independent Filmmakers Festival for the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative.

Nicole Close is a Halifax-based First Assistant Director and one of the leading production professionals in the Nova Scotia film industry. Nicole has extensive experience both as a First and Second AD.  This includes television (Moonshine, Diggstown, Mr. D., Trailer Park Boys, Sex & Violence) and feature films (Hailey Rose, Aversion The Lighthouse, Night Blooms, Hobo with a Shotgun). Nicole has also been involved on more than a dozen short films, taught workshops and provided mentorship for various film programs in Nova Scotia.

Christina Fon (she/her) is an award winning creator and producer of content for television. Christina served as Executive Producer on the Crave/APTN Original series, Little Bird, distributed by Fremantle and currently on PBS. With a wealth of experience and a remarkable career spanning over two decades, Christina’s contributions have earned her several accolades, including the esteemed Sundance, Peabody Awards and multiple Canadian Screen Awards.

Jennifer Hawley is a filmmaker based out of St. John’s, NL. In 2017 Jennifer was selected to participate in Telefilm and NIFCO’s Picture Start program, enabling her to produce the short film, Casey. Her short film has screened at both national and international film festivals and was selected as part of Telefilm’s Not Short On Talent program, where it screened during the short film corner at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2018 Jennifer was part of a team selected by The St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival to participate in Telefilm’s Talent To Watch program with the feature film, Little Orphans.

Nikki Martin is a Writer, Speaker, Yoga Teacher and Teacher Trainer. Since 2018 she has released the first two novels in her Sci-fi/fantasy series Awake While Dreaming, premiered her first short film A Walk in the Sun at AIFF, and won the RBC Script Development prize for her first feature film The Space Between. Whether she's teaching, writing, delivering workshops or working in community, Nikki brings her creative voice, enthusiasm for collaboration, and unwavering passion to everything she does.

Erica Meus-Saunders is the acting Executive Director of AFCOOP and is currently in development of her first feature film. She’s made a few short docs and scripted pieces that have played locally and regionally at HIFF, FIN: Atlantic International Film Festival, the Emerging Lens Film Festival, Being Black in Halifax and Devour! The Food Film Festival. Her latest short doc, Music Resistance, premiered at HIFF 2022, SJIWFF, FIN: International Film Festival and is currently airing on CBC Reel East Coast.

Jennifer Podemski (she/her) is an award-winning director, writer, producer, and actor. Notable works under her belt include five seasons of the captivating paranormal television series, The Other Side, the award-winning feature film, Empire of Dirt, dramatic series Rabbit Fall and Unsettled, award winning documentary series Future History and most recently, the award-winning, critically acclaimed limited series Little Bird for Crave and APTN.

Olesya Shyvikova embodies a unique blend of expertise and empathy in her work as both a journalist and a filmmaker. Olesya holds a Master's degree in Political Science, specializing in the Middle East. Transitioning to journalism and filmmaking as her second degree, Olesya seamlessly merges her academic background with her creative talents, crafting powerful works that resonate intellectually and emotionally.

Jackie Torrens (she/they) is an actor, writer & film director. She and producer Jessica Brown own & operate Peep Media, a production company based in Halifax. Their films include Edge of East, My Week on Welfare and Small Town Show Biz. Their latest feature film, Bernie Langille Wants to Know What Happened To Bernie Langille, premiered at Hot Docs and has since won several awards. It is currently available to stream on CBC Gem.