Steven Billinger

Executive Director Business Development, CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Steve has experience at the executive level in both traditional and new media, and extensive media experience in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Steve oversees the growth and development of the CBC's digital programming and services, while fostering business development opportunities on all CBC platforms. He is also responsible for the strategic planning, production and delivery of all CBC’s online presence, as well as managing digital partnerships and the international sales of all programming and archival material. Steve has worked with such leading corporations as Microsoft, Bell Expressvu and News Corp International (BSkyB). He has also provided strategic planning consultation to BCE, PBS, CBC, the BBC and Channel 4 in the United Kingdom. Steve has launched and run content services on every current digital platform, including digital specialty networks, enhanced television, VBI text services, gaming, CD-ROM, broadband, SMS, wireless, narrowband and walled garden “virtual channel” services. Most recently, Steve was senior vice president of Cookie Jar Broadcast, where he was responsible for developing and launching new edutainment “channels” for all platform distribution. He has also won a number of awards, both for his work as a director, producer and writer of television series, and as an innovator in animated production for television. In addition, Steve has provided master classes on digital production to the American Film Institute, PBS, the BBC and the Director’s Guild of Canada. He also wrote a regular column on the future of television for New Media Age in the United Kingdom and Variety, as well as features on technology for children for Today’s Parent magazine.

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Bill Brioux

Columnist, The Canadian Press

“Brioux On The Box,” the weekly television commentary distributed nationally by The Canadian Press, is the latest platform for popular TV columnist Bill Brioux. His blog, tvfeedsmyfamily.blogspot.com, has quickly become an industry must read.

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Tassie Cameron

Freelance Screenwriter

Tassie Cameron is a Gemini Award-winning screenwriter, who has written for television series, MOWs, mini-series, and feature films. Her credits include The Robber Bride, Would Be Kings, The Eleventh Hour, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Tom Stone, Fast Food High, and the romantic comedy, Cake. She is currently the Co-Executive Producer on the CTV/CBS smash hit Flashpoint, and has recently written a pilot for TNT, with Steven Bochco producing. Tassie has a Masters in Film from NYU, and is a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre.

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Tom Chehak

Executive Producer, The Listener

Tom Chehak began his career as story editor for the hugely popular series WKRP In Cincinnati, and has since produced, directed and written for a wide variety of television productions. Most recently, Chehak was head writer and executive producer on four seasons of the internationally successful science investigation series, ReGenesis. Among Chehak’s many writing credits are multiple episodes of Diagnosis Murder, Hunter, Scarecrow And Mrs. King, Alien Nation, The Adventures Of Brisco County, Key West, and The White Shadow, as well as numerous television series, pilots and feature length movies. Chehak currently serves as an executive producer on Shaftesbury Films’ The Listener, which will be broadcast in 2009 on CTV in Canada, NBC in the U.S. and internationally in 175 countries on Fox International. A native of Iowa, Tom Chehak divides his time, with his wife, novelist Susan Taylor Chehak, between his home in Los Angeles and mountains of Colorado.

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Chris Coelen

CEO, RDF USA

In February of 2006, Chris Coelen joined RDF USA and Pangea Management Group as CEO. At RDF USA, Coelen is charged with growing RDF's US production, infrastructure and ancillary businesses. In his role as CEO of Pangea Management Group, Coelen and his team seek to maximize the intellectual property rights of global scripted and reality formats, and help to guide careers from television to licensing and merchandising. Since joining RDF USA and Pangea, the companies have sold and/or produced series such as Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Fox), Wife Swap (ABC), Secret Millionaire (Fox), How to Look Good Naked (Lifetime), Dance Machine (ABC), Ladette to Lady (MTV), The Two Coreys (A&E), Coolio’s Rules (Oxygen), The Royal Family (special edition of 20/20, ABC), JK Rowling Special (ABC), Shaq’s Big Challenge (ABC), Banzai (G4), Ice-T’s Rap School (VH-1), Mind Control with Derren Brown (Sci-Fi), and Meadowlands (Showtime). In June of 2007, Coelen and Pangea orchestrated a partnership with Bravo Media to oversee the careers of Bravo’s talent and personalities, albeit a judge or contestant on Top Chef or an ordinary person who finds fame in a docudrama like Work Out. Prior to RDF USA and Pangea, Coelen was a partner at United Talent Agency. He joined the agency in 1996 and formed its alternative TV department in 2001. Consisting of nine agents and over 100 clients, Coelen's department helped launch and/or package more than 60 scripted and non-scripted series into network, cable and syndication deals including Wife Swap, Supernanny, Surreal Life and Average Joe. Additionally, he represented some of the biggest players in reality television including Ricochet (Supernanny) and Michael Davies (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) as well as individuals like Denise Cramsey (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) and Rich Bye (Project Runway). Jessica Simpson, Ryan Seacrest and Pamela Anderson were among his talent clients.

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Bob Culbert

Principal, CTVglobemedia

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Claire Freeland

Director of Original Programming, W Network, Corus Entertainment Inc

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Anna Gecan

VP Original Programming HGTV, Canwest

Anna Gecan is Vice-President, Content, for HGTV Canada, part of Canwest Broadcasting's group of Lifestyle networks. She is responsible for overseeing all original production, acquisitions and scheduling. Prior to this, she was the Director of Original Production for HGTV and Food Network. Anna started in Lifestyle television as a Production Executive with the Food Network, nurturing numerous successful Canadian program brands into the network’s top ten. Her wide-ranging television experience before joining Alliance Atlantis (now Canwest Broadcasting) includes managing her own production company in London (UK), which allowed her to direct and produce documentaries for the CBC and international broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4 and National Geographic Europe. She also served as a producer for many years with the CBC’s iconic news magazine,

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Jenny Hacker

Executive in Charge of Development, CBC Comedy, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

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Kathleen Hanley

President, Digital Theory

Kate Hanley, President of Digital Theory Media Consulting, is a lawyer, educator and a leading digital media strategist. Following eighteen years as a senior business development executive in the content industries, Kate founded Digital Theory, a management consulting firm that assists media players exploiting the digital marketplace. Serving clients from broadcasting, producing and all levels of government, Digital Theory works with Canada’s entertainment leaders to extend their brands; develop new business channels and leverage their assets across the digital platforms.

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Joan Jenkinson

Director of Independent Production & Executive Producer, S-Vox

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Derek Luis

Chief Executive Officer, Sun TV

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Ken MacDonald

Vice President, Programming, Discovery Channel Canada

Ken MacDonald, as Vice- President of Programming for Discovery Channel (Canada), is responsible for the strategic programming direction for Discovery Channel, Discovery HD, and three digital specialty channels: Animal Planet, Discovery Civilization Channel and Travel and Escape. In this role, he oversees the Discovery programming team in all aspects of programming and production, ranging from acquisitions and schedules to international co-productions. He is also responsible for Discovery Interactive. Mr. MacDonald joined the Discovery Channel in January 2004 as the Executive Producer of Discovery’s in-house programming, responsible for various specials and Daily Planet, the channel’s flagship daily science magazine program. He moved to his current position in January 2005. Prior to joining Discovery, MacDonald held the position of National Vice President, News at Global Television, where he oversaw the expansion of news and current affairs operations across Canada and the design and launch of the network’s national newscast, Global National . He is also a former national television journalist who covered Parliament Hill for 10 years.

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James Manos, Jr.

Creator, Dexter

James Manos, Jr. is the winner of the Emmy Award in the Writing for Dramatic Series category for his College episode of The Sopranos. He then completed two seasons as Consulting Producer on The Shield, and most recently created, wrote and produced the pilot episode of Dexter, Showtime’s premiere one-hour drama, now in its third season. He is currently developing a new drama pilot with HBO. Jim successfully produced the award-winning movie The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom, starring Holly Hunter and Beau Bridges, for HBO. The movie was nominated for six Emmys and won three. Additionally, it won the Cable Ace Award for Best Picture of the year. He also produced the critically acclaimed Apollo 11 and The Ditchdigger’s Daughters, which was nominated for 3 Cable Ace awards, including Best Picture.

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Michelle Marion

Director of Canadian Independent Production, The Movie Network

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Scott McEwen

Executive In Charge of Development Drama, CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Scott joined the CBC Drama Unit mid 2006 with 10 years of experience in television, independent production & artist representation, including almost four years as a part of the producing team at Ken Finkleman’s & Peter Meyboom’s independent production company. 100 Percent Film & Television. Highlights included 18 episodes of the The Newsroom (2005 International Emmy, 2004 San Francisco Film Festival award for Best Narrative Short Form, 2005 Banff Rockie Award for Best Comedy, 2005 Gemini for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series,), At The Hotel (2006 Gemini Award to Maury Chaykin for Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role Dramatic Series, 2006 Gemini to Linda Kash for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role Dramatic Series), and The Phoenix Sessions, a two-part 9 indie performance show for the CBC featuring Randy Bachman, Ron Sexsmith, The Constantines, Matt Mays & El Torpedo, and Kyle Riabko. Prior to his work at 100 Percent, McEwen worked within the legal and distribution departments at Nelvana, was a founding partner of the artist management agency Judy Inc., and produced several dozen music videos for independent Canadian recording artists. He studied theatre production and storytelling & children’s literature at Ryerson and the University of Windsor respectively. His role as Executive in Charge of Development, Drama in English Television Arts & Entertainment is to seek out and identify creators, partners & projects for Drama Unit’s development slate.

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Rachel Nelson

Director of Drama Content, Canwest Broadcasting

Rachel Nelson is the Director, Drama Content for Canwest Broadcasting.

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Justin Rebelo

Director of Canadian Programming, Super Channel

Justin has worked as a programmer for The Movie Network, Much Music and currently is Director of Canadian Programming for the newly launched Super Channel. He's also enjoyed stints in the programming department at the Toronto International Film Festival, theatrical marketing for DreamWorks, as a writer/director/producer at TMN/MPix and on multiple independent projects.

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Karen Troubetzkoy

Executive Producer, CFC

In 2000, Karen won an International Emmy for the big budget mini-series, The Magician’s House which she developed and produced for Forefront (Madison) and Kudos Film (Life On Mars, Eastern Promises). This BBC/CTV mini led to a 6-part sequel which Karen also helmed. Karen next became Senior Executive of Drama at CTV working with Canada’s top writers and producers overseeing series and MOWs from inception to premiere. In 2003, Karen left CTV to produce her own 54 episode teen drama, 15/Love, co-created with Derek Schreyer. Winner of Geminis for Best Writing and Best Directing, 15/Love sold to over 75 countries worldwide. Karen recently returned to CTV in 2007 as Acting Director of Drama, helping spearhead CTV’s first pilot initiative which launched The Listener (NBC) and hit series Flashpoint (CBS). In 2008, Karen’s CBC comedy pilot 18 To Life, co-created with Schreyer, was purchased by ABC marking the first major US-Canada network collaboration on a primetime comedy. Currently Karen is working on an additional slate of scripts for 18 To Life, as well as embarking on the development of several new series.

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Robin Veith

Writer

Robin Veith is an Emmy nominated writer on Mad Men. Robin has been working with creator Matthew Weiner since 2000 when he wrote the original pilot script for Mad Men. She has also worked with such luminaries as Norman Lear, Alan Alda, Buck Henry, Donald Sutherland, Carrol O'Connor, George C. Scott, and August Wilson among others. Robin penned Mad Men’s season-one finale episode "The Wheel", for which she was nominated for an Emmy earlier this year.

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