{"id":638,"date":"2026-05-26T15:37:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638"},"modified":"2026-05-26T15:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:37:51","slug":"the-most-powerful-women-in-canadian-entertainment-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638","title":{"rendered":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n
\n

\n\tThere was a time, not long ago, when Canada was known mostly for its Mounties, maple syrup and moose. These days, though, what\u2019s grabbing attention is its screen industry: TV shows, films, actors, producers, financiers and filmmakers with a growing grip on the global business. Any country that can turn gay hockey players, Indigenous Arctic comedy and a genial police procedural about a St. John\u2019s detective and his German shepherd into global streaming hits is clearly doing something right.<\/p>\n

Read more Albert Wolsky, Oscar-Winning Costume Designer for \u2018All That Jazz\u2019 and \u2018Bugsy,\u2019 Dies at 95<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tBehind all that success is a network of women making the money move, the cameras roll and the deals travel: studio executives, public funders, union negotiators, festival chiefs, producers, directors, actors and below-the-line power players who help decide what gets made, who gets backed and how far Canadian stories can go.<\/p>\n

\nThe Hollywood Reporter<\/em>\u2018s 2026 Women in Entertainment Canada Power List spotlights the executives and creatives shaping the industry north of the border \u2014 and, increasingly, everywhere else.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tFrancesca Accinelli\t<\/h2>\n

\nChief Program Officer, Telefilm Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAccinelli has spent nearly two decades helping Canadian stories travel. A Telefilm veteran since 2006, she has worked across indie film, television, interactive digital media, promotions and communications in both English- and French-language markets. As chief program officer, Accinelli is one of the people shaping how Telefilm finances and promotes Canadian creators \u2014 from backing talent at home to promoting their work at festivals and markets abroad. Her remit covers much of the machinery that gets Canadian film from development to the marketplace.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tNeishaw Ali\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and executive producer, SPINVFX<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tHollywood comes to Canada for the tax credits. Ali helps keep them there through postproduction. The Toronto-based president and executive producer has led SPINVFX for more than three decades, building the company into a cross-border visual effects player with offices in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Its credits include The Umbrella Academy<\/em> and School Spirit<\/em>s, the kind of genre-heavy series where visual effects aren\u2019t a polish pass \u2014 they\u2019re part of the storytelling.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMichele Austin\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and managing director, MPA Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAustin took over MPA Canada in January, just as Hollywood\u2019s relationship with Ottawa was getting more complicated. As the Canadian representative for the major U.S. studios, she leads government relations, policy and advocacy north of the border \u2014 work that now includes pushing back on Canadian legislation aimed at making foreign streamers and digital platforms contribute more production cash, as a percentage of their Canadian revenue, into local indie production. Austin arrived with deep policy credentials: Before joining the MPA, she was vp public affairs at BCE, Canada\u2019s telecom and media giant, and served as director of public policy for the U.S. and Canada at X, formerly Twitter. <\/p>\n

\n\t\tMaxine Bailey\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive director, Canadian Film Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tBailey runs the Toronto film school Norman Jewison built \u2014 and has been expanding its reach beyond film. Since joining the Canadian Film Centre as executive director in 2021, Bailey has overseen training and promotion for emerging Canadian storytellers working across film, television, digital media and newer platforms. Before the CFC, Bailey was vp advancement at TIFF, where she helped fundraise to support year-round programs, giving her a rare r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that runs through two of Canada\u2019s most important talent-building institutions.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tNicole Bell\t<\/h2>\n

\nHead of Canada, YouTube<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tBell is suddenly hard to ignore. In January, YouTube promoted the 10-year company veteran to head of Canada, putting her in charge of the Google-owned platform\u2019s content and creator operations north of the border. That is no small perch at a moment when YouTube has become a dominant force in Canadian media (like everywhere else!), shaping what gets watched, shared and monetized. Bell was part of the team that launched Toronto\u2019s YouTube Space, the company\u2019s former Canadian creator studio, in 2016, and has led Canadian creator programs, including YouTube FanFests and UpNext.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMarie-Philippe Bouchard\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and CEO, CBC\/Radio-Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tBouchard took over CBC\/Radio-Canada in January 2025, stepping into one of the trickiest jobs in Canadian media: running the country\u2019s public broadcaster as linear television shrinks, budgets tighten and the politics around national identity get louder. The CBC might no longer have the footprint it once did, but it remains one of the country\u2019s biggest backers of homegrown television and a rare media institution with a coast-to-coast mandate. Bouchard came to the job from TV5 Qu\u00e9bec Canada, the French-language broadcaster, where she served as president and CEO.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tSally Catto\t<\/h2>\n

\nGeneral manager of entertainment, factual and sports, CBC<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tCatto is one of CBC\u2019s key tastemakers, with a track record that includes helping shepherd Canadian series from local public-broadcast fare to global conversation pieces. As GM of entertainment, factual and sports, she oversees a wide slate at the country\u2019s public broadcaster, from scripted hits like Schitt\u2019s Creek<\/em>, Sort Of<\/em> and Workin\u2019 Moms<\/em> to Bones of Crows<\/em>, The Porter<\/em>, The Great Canadian Baking Show<\/em>, Canada\u2019s Ultimate Challenge<\/em> and Push<\/em>. Her job is not just greenlighting Canadian TV but finding shows that can travel \u2014 sometimes with help from partners like Netflix, which is working with CBC on North of North<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tAisling Chin-Yee\t<\/h2>\n

\nDirector<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tChin-Yee is building a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to get her beyond the Canadian festival circuit. Her 2019 feature debut, The Rest of Us<\/em>, starred Heather Graham, Sophie N\u00e9lisse and Jodi Balfour; a year later, she co-directed No Ordinary Man<\/em>, a documentary about trans jazz musician Billy Tipton. Her latest documentary, The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control<\/em>, premiered at DOC NYC in 2025 and landed on Paramount+ in 2026. The film follows Cindy Eckert\u2019s fight to get a female libido drug approved by the FDA and onto the market.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tErin Creasey\t<\/h2>\n

\nIndustry development director, Ontario Creates<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tCreasey works the funding side of Ontario\u2019s production boom. At Ontario Creates, she oversees investment programs for film, television, publishing and interactive digital media, including the IP Fund, Futures Forward and the Enterprise Fund \u2014 all aimed at helping local creators and companies develop projects, grow their businesses and work internationally. Before Ontario Creates, Creasey was director of sales and marketing at ECW Press and president of the Association of Canadian\u00a0Publishers.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tValerie Creighton\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and CEO, Canada Media Fund<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tWhen she\u2019s not running a horse ranch in rural Saskatchewan, Creighton runs the Canada Media Fund, the country\u2019s biggest investment fund for Canadian television. That puts her near the front of the line for producers trying to turn homegrown series into international business. The CMF backed Heated Rivalry<\/em>, one of the biggest Canadian television breakouts since Schitt\u2019s Creek<\/em>, along with earlier exports including Rookie Blue<\/em> and Orphan\u00a0Black<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tSamantha De France\t<\/h2>\n

\nHead of production and post-production, international originals, Canada, Amazon MGM Studios<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tDe France has a very tangible piece of Amazon MGM\u2019s Canadian business: 160,000 square feet of soundstages, workshops and office space at Pinewood Toronto Studios, which the studio uses as its Canadian production hub. From Toronto, she oversees production and postproduction for Prime Video\u2019s Canadian originals as well as other Amazon shows that shoot in the province, including Reacher<\/em> and The Boys<\/em>. Other projects under her watch include Federer: Twelve Final Days<\/em>, FACEOFF: Inside the NHL<\/em> and The Tragically Hip: No Dress\u00a0Rehearsal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tTamara Deverell\t<\/h2>\n

\nProduction designer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tDeverell has become one of Guillermo del Toro\u2019s essential world-builders. After earning an Oscar nomination for Nightmare Alley<\/em>, she spent two years designing Frankenstein<\/em>, including the film\u2019s elaborate laboratory sets \u2014 the sort of detail-heavy, handmade environments that have become her signature. The work earned her the Oscar for best production design at the 98th Academy Awards, capping a long creative partnership with del Toro that stretches back more than two decades. In a Canadian industry often defined by financing and infrastructure, Deverell\u2019s power is right there onscreen: She builds the worlds filmmakers dream up.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMichela Di Mondo\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive vp international, Fremantle Canada<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tDi Mondo started as an MGM intern sorting through old press kits for classics like Dr. No<\/em>. Now she runs Fremantle\u2019s Canadian operations, where broadcasters come looking for proven shows they can remake for Canadian audiences. Her slate includes Canada\u2019s Got Talent<\/em> and Family Feud Canada<\/em>, along with scripted fare like Little Bird<\/em>. She also is behind the Canadian adaptation of Deadliest Catch<\/em> for Discovery Canada \u2014 proof that even crab boats can be franchised.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tSarah Fowlie\t<\/h2>\n

\nHead of Production, Original Programming, Bell Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tFowlie began her career at the Comedy Network, the Canadian specialty channel now known as CTV Comedy Channel, in 1997, and since has moved through acquisitions, original development and in-house production on her way to overseeing original production across Bell Media\u2019s English-language platforms, including CTV, CTV Specialty and Crave. Recent Bell originals include Shoresy<\/em>, Little Bird<\/em>, The Traitors Canada<\/em> and a little hockey-themed dramedy you may have heard of called Heated Rivalry<\/em>. She has also helped push Bell into more international business, from Hollywood partnerships to the company\u2019s stake in U.K.-based distributor Sphere Abacus.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tRachel Goldstein-Couto\t<\/h2>\n

\nHead of Development, Bell Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tGoldstein-Couto is one of Bell Media\u2019s key gatekeepers for original series. As head of development, she helps decide what gets built for CTV and Crave, Bell\u2019s Canadian streaming service, before projects move into production. The best current example is Heated Rivalry<\/em>, the Rachel Reid adaptation that broke out on HBO Max and internationally. Goldstein-Couto and her team have also developed Bell originals including Sullivan\u2019s Crossing<\/em>, Mafia: Most Wanted<\/em> and The Billionaire Murders<\/em> \u2014 the type of homegrown shows that give Canada\u2019s biggest private broadcaster something to sell beyond acquired U.S. hits.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tPrem Gill\t<\/h2>\n

\nCEO, Creative BC<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tGill\u2019s job is to make sure Hollywood keeps crossing the border. As CEO of Creative BC, she promotes the province as a production destination for foreign \u2014 mostly American \u2014 film and TV shoots while also supporting local filmmakers and homegrown talent. Vancouver\u2019s proximity to Los Angeles long has made it one of Canada\u2019s busiest production hubs, and the province recently made the pitch easier by raising its foreign film tax credit to keep U.S. producers coming north.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tSuzanne Gu\u00e8vremont\t<\/h2>\n

\nGovernment film commissioner and chairperson, National Film Board of Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tGu\u00e8vremont runs one of Canada\u2019s most storied film institutions: the National Film Board, the publicly funded producer behind generations of Canadian documentaries, animation and shorts. The NFB has earned 78 Oscar nominations and 12 wins, plus an honorary Academy Award in 1988 for overall excellence in cinema. Its latest Oscar came in 2026, when Montreal filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski won best animated short for the stop-motion fable The Girl Who Cried Pearls<\/em>, extending a relationship with the NFB that dates back to their 2008 nominated short, Madame Tutli-Putli<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tEmily Harris\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive vp business and legal affairs and operations, Lionsgate Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tHarris is the legal and operations muscle behind Lionsgate Canada. Over the course of the past year, she helped plan the company\u2019s new Toronto headquarters, secured acquisitions and rights extensions for its content library and orchestrated a nearly $30 million lending facility to support growth. She also oversaw the 2024 integration of eOne Canada after Lionsgate\u2019s acquisition of the company \u2014 folding its personnel, content library and Canadian operations into Lionsgate \u2014 and helped lead the eOne Canada rebrand under the Lionsgate banner.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tJocelyn Hamilton\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident of television, Lionsgate Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tHamilton oversees Lionsgate Canada\u2019s television slate, with a strong recent run that includes Mistletoe Murders<\/em>, the Hallmark series recently renewed for a third season, and Private Eyes West Coast<\/em>, picked up by Global for season two. She also is working with Lionsgate\u2019s U.S. team on The Inheritance Games<\/em>, a television adaptation of Jennifer Lynn Barnes\u2019 best-selling YA book series from Twilight<\/em> producer Temple Hill. Newer titles include Ripple<\/em> for Netflix and the unscripted Amazon series Trailer Trash<\/em>. Under Hamilton, Lionsgate Canada\u2019s TV division has earned 180 Canadian Screen Award nominations and nearly 50 wins.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tVictoria Harding\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive director, DGC Ontario<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tHarding represents the behind-the-camera talent that keeps Ontario\u2019s production sector running. As executive director of DGC Ontario, she oversees the guild\u2019s operations and business affairs and will serve as lead negotiator on its next standard agreement with Canadian independent producers. She first joined the Directors Guild of Canada\u2019s Ontario branch in 1989 while working as a location manager and production manager, giving her deep roots in the exact workforce she now represents. That includes editors, production designers, location managers and other key crew working on Canadian productions and U.S. shoots in Ontario.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tJoan Jenkinson\t<\/h2>\n

\nCEO, Black Screen Office<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tJenkinson\u2019s job is to turn industry promises about inclusion into actual access. As head of the Black Screen Office, she advocates for Black Canadian filmmakers and pushes for equity in a funding system where government support has historically been denied to producers from underrepresented communities. Her mandate is especially urgent as parts of the U.S. industry retreat from DEI efforts. Before leading the BSO, Jenkinson worked at Women in Film & Television Toronto, where she focused on moving BIPOC creators beyond short-term job hunts and into longer-term career development through mentorship and training programs.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tChristina Jennings\t<\/h2>\n

\nChairman and president, Shaftesbury<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tJennings is the sister of late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, but she built her own Canadian TV institution. Since 1987, she has run Shaftesbury, the producer behind export hits including Murdoch Mysteries<\/em> and Hudson & Rex<\/em>, with titles sold in more than 120 countries. She also helped open a door to U.S. primetime in 2008, when NBC picked up Shaftesbury\u2019s The Listener <\/em>during the writers strike, showing American networks that Canadian series could help fill the schedule. More recent titles include Departure<\/em> on Netflix, Irish Blood<\/em>, with Alicia Silverstone, and The Borderline<\/em>, starring Stephen Amell and Minnie Driver.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tNaomi Johnson\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive director, imagineNATIVE Film Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tJohnson took over imagineNATIVE in 2020, just as Indigenous storytelling was gaining long-overdue institutional support in Canada\u2019s screen sector. The Toronto event is billed as the world\u2019s largest Indigenous film and media arts festival, giving Johnson a rare platform: part festival chief, part industry advocate, part gate-opener for filmmakers and media artists who have historically been pushed to the margins.<\/p>\n

Read more \u2018The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle\u2019 May Be Even Crazier Than \u2018The Curious Case of Natalia Grace\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\tMarie Kelly\t<\/h2>\n

\nNational executive director and chief negotiator, ACTRA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tKelly represents more than 30,000 Canadian performers at a moment when labor talks increasingly include not just wages and working conditions but digital doubles, voice replication and AI-generated actors. As ACTRA\u2019s national executive director and chief negotiator, she helped secure AI protections in the union\u2019s 2025-27 Independent Production Agreement, including guardrails around performance-capture and synthetic performers. Those fights are not theoretical: \u201cThere is no place in our industry \u2014 or humanity of art \u2014 for replacing performers with synthetics,\u201d Kelly told THR<\/em> in 2025. Next up: another round of bargaining with Canadian producers and the Hollywood studios shooting in Canada.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tCarlyn Klebuc\t<\/h2>\n

\nGeneral manager, original programming, Bell Media<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tKlebuc has helped turn Bell Media\u2019s original programming slate into a magnet for Canadian talent with Hollywood reach. As GM of original programming, she oversees development and production of commissioned English-language originals across Bell\u2019s platforms, including CTV, CTV Specialty and Crave. Under her watch, Bell has struck production deals with Seth Rogen and Point Grey Pictures, Elliot Page\u2019s Pageboy Productions and Will Arnett \u2014 Canadians who made it big elsewhere, now feeding projects back into the system.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tKatrina Kowalski\t<\/h2>\n

\nSenior vp content strategy and acquisitions, Pluto TV<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAfter 20 years at Bell Media, Kowalski now leads international content strategy and acquisitions for Pluto TV, Paramount\u2019s free, ad-supported streaming service that launched in Canada in 2022. Her job includes programming Pluto\u2019s channels in the increasingly crowded FAST business \u2014 free streaming channels supported by commercials \u2014 where the challenge is getting viewers to stop scrolling and actually watch. The role could get more complicated as David Ellison\u2019s Paramount makes changes to Pluto while its Warner Bros. Discovery merger moves forward. \u201cI was so busy hiking up the hill, I hadn\u2019t stopped to enjoy the view,\u201d Kowalski says of a year spent building teams and collaborations.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tAnita Lee\t<\/h2>\n

\nChief programming officer, Toronto International Film Festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tLee is helping TIFF move beyond red carpets and premiere slots. The former National Film Board producer, whose credits include Sarah Polley\u2019s Stories We Tell<\/em>, now oversees programming for the September festival and TIFF Lightbox, the organization\u2019s year-round Toronto headquarters. She also helped secure CAD $23 million (about $17 million) in federal funding for TIFF\u2019s new content market, a buying, selling and financing hub for film, television and other screen projects launching alongside the festival in 2026.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tLaurie May\t<\/h2>\n

\nCo-president, Elevation Pictures<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tMay and longtime business partner Noah Segal run Elevation Pictures, one of Canada\u2019s top independent film distributors. The Toronto company has built a strong business releasing a mix of art house titles, awards contenders and more commercial fare, including films from A24 and Neon. Its releases include Moonlight<\/em> and The Imitation Game<\/em>, while Elevation\u2019s production arm backed Jude Law\u2019s The Nest<\/em> and Michelle Pfeiffer\u2019s French Exit<\/em>. Black Bear topper Teddy Schwarzman is a major investor.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tChristina Miller\t<\/h2>\n

\nCEO, Spin Master<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tMiller took over Spin Master after Jennifer Dodge left for Paramount Animation, putting a former WarnerMedia kids TV executive in charge of a toy company that also is a serious screen content player. Spin Master is best known in entertainment for Paw Patrol<\/em>, the preschool juggernaut that has grown from toys and television into films and a global merchandising machine. Miller joined the company\u2019s board as an independent director in 2020 after serving as president of WarnerMedia\u2019s kids, young adults and classics division, where she oversaw Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tRobin Mirsky\t<\/h2>\n

\nExecutive director, Rogers Group of Funds<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tMirsky has helped finance Canadian independent production for more than three decades. She joined Rogers Communications in 1989 and now runs the Rogers Group of Funds, the cable and telecom giant\u2019s funding arm for Canadian film, television and documentary work. That includes the Rogers Telefund, which provides interim financing; the Rogers Cable Network Fund, an equity investment fund for Canadian TV; and the Rogers Documentary Fund, which Mirsky launched in 1996 to support independent documentary filmmakers. Together, the funds have provided more than $500 million to Canadian independent productions.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tNimisha Mukerji\t<\/h2>\n

\nDirector<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tMukerji has become one of Canada\u2019s busiest TV directors, with a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that runs from prestige streaming drama to network procedurals to Sesame Street. She has helmed episodes of Hulu\u2019s Emmy-nominated Under the Bridge<\/em>, starring Lily Gladstone and Riley Keough, Ryan Murphy\u2019s 9-1-1<\/em>, CBS\u2019 Tracker<\/em>, Apple TV\u2019s Life by Ella <\/em>and David E. Kelley\u2019s Big Sky<\/em>. In 2025, she earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination for directing Allegiance<\/em>, the CBC\/NBCUniversal police drama where she also served as executive producer and producing director. Her documentary work includes Jacinta<\/em>, a Hulu original, and 65_RedRoses<\/em>, selected by Oprah Winfrey for her OWN Documentary Club.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tPaige Murray\t<\/h2>\n

\nDirector of development, Disney+ Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tMurray is Disney+\u2019s Canadian development filter, overseeing the streamer\u2019s scripted and unscripted slate for local programming. The job puts her at the point where Canadian pitches meet one of Hollywood\u2019s biggest global platforms, with Murray also working alongside Disney\u2019s licensing and acquisitions teams. Before joining Disney, she spent more than a decade at CBC, including as executive in charge of drama development.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tSophie N\u00e9lisse\t<\/h2>\n

\nActor<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tN\u00e9lisse was still a kid when she broke out in Philippe Falardeau\u2019s Monsieur Lazhar<\/em>, the 2011 Oscar-nominated Quebec drama that won her a Genie Award for best supporting actress. Since then, she has made the tricky child star-to-grown-up-actor jump better than most, with a starring role as young Shauna on Showtime\u2019s Yellowjackets<\/em> and a key turn as Rose Landry on HBO Max\/Crave\u2019s Heated Rivalry<\/em>. Her film work includes The Book Thief<\/em>, opposite Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, and the Holocaust drama Irena\u2019s Vow<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tRachel Nelson\t<\/h2>\n

\nVP original programming and head of Corus Studios, Corus Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tNelson helps decide what Canadian-made shows get onto Corus, the company behind Global TV, W Network, History, Showcase and other Canadian channels. As vp original programming and head of Corus Studios, she works across drama, lifestyle, factual and reality programming, a tougher job as linear audiences shrink and Corus chases viewers across cable and streaming. Recent titles under her watch include Global\u2019s Private Eyes West Coast<\/em>, Family Law<\/em>, Departure<\/em>, Love Club<\/em> and Robyn Hood<\/em>. She also runs Corus Studios, the company\u2019s in-house production arm.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tRoma Roth\t<\/h2>\n

\nCreator, showrunner<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tRoth has built a cross-border TV business out of comfort drama. She is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of Sullivan\u2019s Crossing<\/em>, the CTV\/Fremantle series now heading into its fifth season after expanding across streaming, broadcast and international markets. She also is behind Netflix\u2019s Virgin River<\/em>, another Canadian-shot series that became a global streaming hit. Through Reel World Management, her production and distribution company, Roth develops, finances and packages film and TV projects, giving her a role that stretches well beyond the writers room.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tJulie Roy\t<\/h2>\n

\nCEO and executive director, Telefilm Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tIn Canada\u2019s indie film ecosystem, Roy controls one of the most powerful levers: the money. Since taking over Telefilm Canada in 2023, the former National Film Board executive has run the federal agency that invests roughly $150 million a year in homegrown cinema \u2014 the kind of backing that can help move a project from pitch deck to Cannes premiere to local multiplex. Telefilm also sells Canadian film abroad, complete with its flag-waving Canada Pavilion at festivals and markets. Recent proof of Roy\u2019s reach: Matthew Rankin\u2019s Universal Language<\/em>, a Telefilm-backed surreal comedy that won Cannes\u2019 inaugural Directors\u2019 Fortnight audience award and represented Canada in the Oscar race for best international feature.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tAnn Shin\t<\/h2>\n

\nDocumentary director\/producer<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tShin has built a documentary career around difficult subjects: war, divided families, technology and physical endurance. She is a director, producer and principal of Fathom Film Group, the company behind My Enemy, My Brother<\/em>, The Defector: Escape From North Korea<\/em>, The Loneliest Race<\/em> and Artificial Immortality<\/em>. Her work has aired on major platforms and networks including HBO, ABC, PBS, Discovery Channel, HGTV and History Channel.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tStephanie Shinkoda\t<\/h2>\n

\nCo-head, Sony Pictures Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAfter a career bouncing between Hollywood studios and Canadian sports, Shinkoda landed at Sony, where she now oversees Canadian distribution for the studio\u2019s film, television and library content. Before Sony, she handled content distribution at Maple Leaf Sports + Entertainment, overseeing digital strategy and rights for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC and Argonauts. She also ran television distribution for Paramount Pictures in Canada, with earlier stops in programming and acquisitions at Shaw Media and television sales at Warner Bros.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tLiz Shorten\t<\/h2>\n

\nCOO, Canadian Media Producers Association<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tShorten helps run the trade group that represents Canada\u2019s independent film, television and digital media producers \u2014 the companies fighting for financing, regulatory support and a seat at the table with broadcasters, streamers and government. She oversees CMPA operations across Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, bringing 25 years of experience in Canada\u2019s screen sector, including senior roles at Ontario Creates, Creative BC and CBC Television. Her industry reach extends to REEL CANADA, the Pacific Screenwriting Program, Women in View and Story Money Impact.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tKerry Swanson\t<\/h2>\n

\nCEO, Indigenous Screen Office<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tA member of the Michipicoten First Nation, Swanson works to get Indigenous-led projects financed in a system that historically has underfunded First Nations, Inuit and M\u00e9tis creators. Her job includes building partnerships with Netflix, Prime Video, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund and other players that can help move Indigenous screen stories from development into production.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tMeg Symsyk\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and CEO, FACTOR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAfter years in the music marketing trenches \u2014 working on campaigns for Beck, Nelly Furtado, Rufus Wainwright and Gwen Stefani at Universal Music, handling artist and tour marketing for Rush and Brody Dalle at SRO\/Anthem, and later overseeing artist and brand marketing at Entertainment One \u2014 Symsyk now helps support the next generation of Canadian artists. At FACTOR, one of Canada\u2019s major music funding organizations, she helps decide which musicians and music companies receive public funding to make records, release them and find an audience.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tElle-M\u00e1ij\u00e1 Tailfeathers\t<\/h2>\n

\nActor\/filmmaker<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tTailfeathers is one of Canada\u2019s most prominent Indigenous screen artists, with major credits as an actor, director, producer and documentarian. She won a 2025 Canadian Screen Award for Sweet Angel Baby<\/em>, then made headlines after returning her Toronto Film Critics Association acting prize when the group allegedly censored a video acceptance speech that included remarks in support of Palestine. Her 2019 debut feature, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open<\/em>, premiered at the Berlinale, won top Canadian feature honors at Toronto and Vancouver and streamed on Netflix. She also won directing honors for Little Bird<\/em>, the 2023 limited series about a woman taken from her family during Canada\u2019s Sixties Scoop, and Hot Docs jury and audience prizes for Kimmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy<\/em>, her 2021 documentary about the opioid crisis in the Kainai First Nation.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tChrista Tazzeo\t<\/h2>\n

\nVP global partnerships\/executive VFX producer, Rocket Science VFX<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tTazzeo helps bring major film and TV work into Ontario\u2019s VFX sector. At Rocket Science VFX, the Toronto visual effects studio, that means contributing to projects including The Boys<\/em>, Wednesday<\/em>, Poker Face <\/em>and The Fall of the House of Usher<\/em>. Tazzeo also worked on major productions including Spotlight<\/em>, Game of Thrones<\/em>, The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em>, The Umbrella Academy<\/em>, Ready or Not<\/em> and Suicide Squad<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tKaren Thorne-Stone\t<\/h2>\n

\nPresident and CEO, Ontario Creates<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tThorne-Stone\u2019s job is to make Ontario hard for Hollywood to quit. A former Toronto film commissioner, she now runs Ontario Creates, the province\u2019s lead media agency, where the mandate runs from backing local feature films to promoting extended reality content. But her biggest power play is selling Ontario to budget-conscious U.S. producers weighing tax credits, currency savings, crews and stages against rival production hubs. That also means making sure Ontario has enough of the crews and stages those productions need once they arrive.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tTonya Williams\t<\/h2>\n

\nFounder, Reelworld<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAfter 19 years as Dr. Olivia Winters on The Young & the Restless<\/em>, Williams left Genoa City and turned her attention back to Canada. In 2000, she founded the Reelworld Film Festival, which has since grown into the Reelworld Screen Institute and Reelworld Foundation, supporting career development for Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian and other people of color in Canada\u2019s screen industries. In 2020, Williams also launched Access Reelworld, a research platform focused on BIPOC creatives.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tTara Woodbury\t<\/h2>\n

\nCreative director, Netflix Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tAt Netflix Canada, Woodbury develops and commissions English- and French-language projects with local talent and indie producers, including North of North<\/em>, the Indigenous comedy-drama made with CBC and APTN, and Wayward<\/em>, the thriller starring Toni Collette and Mae Martin. Before Netflix, she was vp development at Sphere Media, where she executive produced Transplant<\/em>, the Canadian medical drama that crossed over to NBC, and produced Danis Goulet\u2019s Night Raiders<\/em>, with Taika Waititi among its executive producers.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tDanielle Woodrow\t<\/h2>\n

\nCreative director, Netflix Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\tWoodrow moved from Los Angeles to Toronto in 2021 to help build Netflix\u2019s Canadian content team from scratch. Since then, she has worked on North of North<\/em>, the Arctic-set comedy that became Netflix\u2019s first original scripted Canadian commission, and Wayward<\/em>. Before Netflix, Woodrow built Perfect Storm Entertainment\u2019s television arm, developing CBS\u2019 Scorpion<\/em> and S.W.A.T. <\/em>and HBO Max\u2019s Warrior<\/em>. She earlier worked at FX on Justified<\/em>, Damages<\/em>, Sons of Anarchy<\/em> and Archer<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This story appeared in the May 20 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Read more TV Giant Tegna Names Fox Veteran as CEO Amid Nexstar Merger Legal Showdown<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THR salutes the actresses, execs, producers and other powerful females who are shaping Canada\u2019s screen culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2,655],"class_list":["post-638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting","tag-international","tag-women-in-entertainment"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THR salutes the actresses, execs, producers and other powerful females who are shaping Canada\u2019s screen culture.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"US Property Moves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"23 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c\"},\"headline\":\"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638\"},\"wordCount\":4621,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"international\",\"Women in Entertainment\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638\",\"name\":\"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp\",\"width\":1440,\"height\":810},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?p=638#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"US Property Moves\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uspropertymoves.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves","og_description":"THR salutes the actresses, execs, producers and other powerful females who are shaping Canada\u2019s screen culture.","og_url":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638","og_site_name":"US Property Moves","article_published_time":"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"23 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c"},"headline":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638"},"wordCount":4621,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp","keywords":["international","Women in Entertainment"],"articleSection":["Interesting"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638","url":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638","name":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026 - US Property Moves","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:37:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/244f9b6fcfff9748554f430244244dfc.webp","width":1440,"height":810},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?p=638#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Most Powerful Women in Canadian Entertainment, 2026"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/","name":"US Property Moves","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/#\/schema\/person\/f6dcb1ef8e64fe67b72b772b81aa822c","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/uspropertymoves.com"],"url":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=638"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uspropertymoves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}