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Home , 6teen, Angela Santomero, BBC Kids, Jennifer Pertsch, My Dad the Rock Star, Really Me

Sponsors The Children, Youth & Media Conference is made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors:

PRESTIGE

EXCELLENCE Special Thanks Youth Media Alliance would like to warmly thank its 2011 Children, Youth & Media advisory committee:

Matt Hornburg, marblemedia J.J. Johnson, Sinking Ship Entertainment John Leitch and Michelle Melanson Cuperus, Radical Sheep Productions Jamie Piekarz, Corus ,

Many thanks to all our volunteers.

Table of Contents

About us 2

Word from YMA’s Chair 3

Word from YMA’s Executive Director 4

Schedule and Venue 5

Panels 6

Exclusive Lunch with a Broadcaster 9

Workshop with Maya Goetz 10

Speaker’s Bios 11 About us YMA Board — Executive Committee Chair Vice-Chair Peter Moss Michèle Fortin Independent Producer Chief Executive, Télé-Québec Secretary Treasurer Michèle Paris Vince Commisso Senior Manager, Children’s Programming President and CEO and BBC Kids 9 Story Entertainment

YMA Board — Directors Guillaume Aniorté Madeleine Lévesque Cofounder and Co-CEO Development Tribal Nova Sardine Productions Carole Bonneau Ira Levy Vice-President, Programming Executive Producer & Partner Breakthrough Entertainment Michael Goldsmith Alexandra Raffé Director, Original Programming Head of Production Astral Television Networks Thunderbird Films Jocelyn Hamilton Clive Vanderburgh Vice-President, Original Programming Kids, Comedy, Drama Professor Emeritus Corus Television, Corus Entertainment J.J. Johnson Kim Wilson Partner Creative Head Children’s & Youth Programming Sinking Ship Entertainment CBC Television

YMA Offi ce Team Chantal Bowen Lyne Côté Executive Director Special Events and Communications Coordinator

Youth Media Alliance (YMA) seeks to enrich the lives of Canadian children and teens by helping improve the quality of the content created for them on all screen-based media. YMA pursues its mission of encouraging high-quality content by presenting annual awards of excellence to the best productions targeting young Canadians. It offers ongoing training tailored to the special needs of youth production professionals through workshops, seminars, and special events such as the Children, Youth & Media and Média-Jeunes conferences. It also conducts original research investigating the impact of screen-based media on young people. Finally, YMA lobbies governments to generate interest in all matters concerning screen-based content for young Canadians.

2 Word from YMA’s Chair

Once again on behalf of the Board of Directors, I’d like to welcome you to the 2011 Children, Youth & Media Conference.

Since our last conference in 2009, the climate for the Canadian television industry has continued to be demanding, particularly for programs directed toward young audiences. Changes in ownership, rule changes at the CRTC and the pervasive fi nancial uncertainty make the climate extremely challenging.

During this period, Youth Media Alliance has been vocal in its support of the kids’ sector, making representations to the CRTC on its behalf on several occasions. All of this activity can only be undertaken with the strength of collective insights and with the help and support of our membership. In challenging times, there is strength in associations.

Our overall themes for this year’s conference are “humour” and “trans-media production” – both issues that should help us navigate through these perilous times.

I hope you’re energized and motivated by the conference sessions, that you fi nd inspiration and companionship with your confrérie, and if you aren’t currently a member of Youth Media Alliance, I urge you to join.

Peter Moss

3 Word from YMA’s Executive Director

Welcome to the 2011 Children, Youth & Media Conference!

YMA is proud and excited to be presenting outstanding guest speakers and to have added 2 extra days to this year’s program. This unique event in showcases creative executives from the local and international scene. With our lineup of talented experts, we’re assembled here these next few days to reaffi rm our dedication to creating high-quality educational entertainment for children and youth.

To begin the Day 1 program, we’re ecstatic to welcome Hedda Sharapan, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives at The Company, and Angela Santomero, Cofounder of Out of the Blue and Executive Producer of the new preschool Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, as keynote speakers.

This year’s themes blend traditional and digital TV content; but after 37 years, YMA’s focus is still on how best to serve Canadian youth. In today’s ever-changing world, these panels will provide insights and responses to shifts in the media landscape brought about by the Internet and other technological advances.

The session on Day 2 and 3 will be led by German expert Maya Goetz, PhD, head of the Prix Jeunesse Foundation in Munich, with an eye to tackling one of our greatest challenges: relating to our young audiences. To help us in this endeavour, she created an extensive workshop entitled “How to make a TV hero(ine) the favourite TV character of a kid.”

YMA is privileged to provide a sneak preview of the second phase of a research project on Canadian youth and children. Led by André H. Caron, EdD, and a team of researchers from the Université de Montréal Communications Department’s Centre for Youth and Media Studies (CYMS/GRJM), this Canada-wide study offers observations on how children and their parents embrace media content.

We anticipate an exciting few days, and I’ll remind you that YMA’s website features our calendar of events for you to consult throughout the year.

But for now, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors, the conference advisory committee and CBC/Radio-Canada for their unfaltering support, and above all, our sponsors for their incredibly generous fi nancial contributions in helping us make this event a huge success.

I hope you enjoy the conference!

Chantal Bowen

4 Schedule and Venue

General conference St. Andrew’s Club & Conference Centre 150 King Street West Day 1 — Thursday, November 17 27th Floor 8–8:30 a.m. Registration, Coffee and Croissants Toronto, ON M5H 1J9 8:30–8:45 a.m. Welcome remarks by YMA’s Chair and Executive Director 8:45–9:30 a.m. Opening keynote: Hedda Sharapan (The Fred Rogers Company) and Angela Santomero (Out of the Blue) 9:30–9:40 a.m. Coffee Break 9:40–11:10 a.m. Bring on the Funny! (Insert Fart Joke Here) 11:10–11:20 a.m. Coffee Break 11:20 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Rich and Substantial: That is the Question! 12:15–1:15 p.m. General Lunch and Exclusive Lunch With a Broadcaster 1:15–1:45 p.m. YMA’s Annual General Meeting 1:55–3:25 p.m. iPads and Tablets: The New El Dorado? 3:25–3:35 p.m. Coffee Break 3:35-4:50 p.m. Case Study: Three Canadian Web Series Success Stories 4:50–5:20 p.m. Is Today’s Television Still Relevant in the Family Environment? 5:20 p.m. CYM Closing Cocktail Reception

Maya Goetz’s workshop How to make a TV hero(ine) the favourite TV character of a kid

Day 2 — Friday, November 18 CBC’s Canadian Broadcasting Centre 8:30–9 a.m. Registration, Coffee & Croissants 25 John Street 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Blocks 1 and 2 Room 3C304 12:15–1 p.m. Lunch Toronto, ON M5V 3G5 1–5 p.m. Blocks 3, 4 and 5

Day 3 — Saturday, November 19 TVO 2180 Yonge Street 8:30–8:45 a.m. Registration, Coffee & Croissants 4th Floor 8:45 a.m.–12 p.m. Blocks 1 and 2 Toronto, ON M4S 2B9 12–12:30 p.m. Lunch 12:30–4 p.m. Blocks 3, 4 and 5

5 Panels

PRESENTED BY Opening Keynote 9 STORY ENTERTAINMENT Hedda Sharapan, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, The Fred Rogers Company Angela Santomero, Cofounder of Out of the Blue and Executive Producer of the new preschool animated series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

Hedda Sharapan will be presenting the past, present and future of The Fred Rogers Company, whose founder, Fred Rogers, dedicated his life to serving children. She will give an overview of the original Neighborhood series that revolutionized children’s media – how it was designed, the impact it had, and how it evolved over time. Angela Santomero, a leading producer of US children’s television and creator of Blue’s Clues & Super Why!, will talk about the pressure of re-imagining this beloved Neighborhood series for today’s audiences. She will demonstrate how the original principles have endured even while the contemporary screen aesthetic has changed. The presentation will include previously unseen of the new four-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of the original Daniel Tiger, and his preschool friends. The new show, for which 9 Story Entertainment is doing the animation, will be launched in fall 2012 on CBC and PBS KIDS, together with a content-rich website, including interactive games for kids as well as online resources for parents and teachers.

Bring on the Funny! (Insert Fart Joke Here)

What’s the key to making a great kids’ comedy series? What’s the difference between making a four-year-old and a 10-year-old laugh? What are the important ingredients in comedies for kids? What are the differences and similarities between preschool, sitcom, animated and reality humour? It’s never too early to laugh – so let’s start the day with a panel of hilarious folks who create funny shows for kids.

PANELLISTS • Dan Signer, Creator and Executive Producer – Mr. Young and A.N.T. Farm • Tom McGillis, President and Cofounder, Fresh TV – My Babysitter’s a Vampire and ! • Richard Elliott, Screenwriter and Executive Producer – Spliced • Susan Hart, Voice Director, Casting Director, Session Producer and Voice Instructor • Matt Kippen, Writer and Show Creator – Splatalot

MODERATOR • Michelle Melanson Cuperus, VP Production and Development, Radical Sheep Productions

6 Rich and Substantial, That is the Question! PRESENTED BY CANADA MEDIA FUND A representative from the Canada Media Fund will lead a discussion and Q&A session with attendees on CMF guidelines, especially on the meaning of “rich and substantial” as it applies to digital media. She’ll be joined by two digital media experts from the broadcast industry, who will talk about rich media and the challenges it presents.

PANELLISTS • Nathalie Clermont, Director of Program Management, Canada Media Fund • Jennifer Burkitt, Executive in Charge of Interactive Production for Children’s & Youth Programming, CBC • Barbara Bailie, Director of Interactive, Astral Television Networks

MODERATOR • Mary Bredin, Vice-President, Development & Acquisitions, Guru Studio iPads and Tablets: The New El Dorado?

The iPad is rapidly becoming a must in homes with kids of all ages and is making its way into classrooms as well. Why are tablets so popular with kids? Will they replace the computer, the TV and become the primary source for children’s media content or not? What opportunities are there for content producers to create or extend brands using the unique characteristics of the tablet experience? How do you create compelling interactive content for a tablet? How big is the market and can you really make money? Get answers to these questions and many others from a panel of key players who have produced and marketed some of the bestselling kids’ apps in the world.

PANELLISTS • Ben Grimley, Senior Director, PBS Game and App Publishing, PBS Kids • Caitlin O’Donovan, Director of Interactive, Corus Entertainment • Miles Ludwig, Managing Director, Content Innovation Lab, Sesame Workshop • Martha Hadley, PhD, Managing Director, Michael Cohen Group, and Co-PI, Ready to Learn Evaluation (RTL), funded by the US Dept. of Education, Offi ce of Innovation and Improvement

MODERATOR • Pierre Le Lann, Cofounder and Co-CEO, Tribal Nova

7 PRESENTED BY Case Study: Three Canadian Web Series INDEPENDENT Success Stories PRODUCTION FUND

Let’s meet the latest member of the broadcasting family: the web series. What are the biggest challenges when creating web-exclusive productions? How do you handle content and interactive support? How do you obtain fi nancing? How do you gauge the success of web series compared to traditional TV programs? And now . . . what’s the next step?

PANELLISTS • Anthony Leo, Executive Producer, Aircraft Pictures – What’s Up Warthogs! • Jason Leaver, Producer/Director/Writer – Out With Dad • Michel Zgarka, Producer – Gummibar & Friends

MODERATOR • Matt Hornburg, Executive Producer/Partner, marblemedia

PRESENTED BY Is Today’s Television Still Relevant in the Family Environment?

Dr. André H. Caron, communications professor and director of the Centre for Youth and Media Studies at Université de Montréal, will be giving a sneak preview of issues that have emerged from preliminary fi ndings in his two-year Canada-wide study examining parents’ and children’s perceptions of kids’ TV programs. From Newfoundland to the West Coast, he met hundreds of parents and children in their homes and in focus groups to discuss the state of TV today. The discussion will be led by Peter Moss, YMA Chair.

PRESENTED BY CYM Closing Cocktail Reception FRESH TV

Come celebrate with the delegates and the new YMA team. We would be delighted to meet and hear from you!

8 Exclusive Lunch With a Broadcaster

Here’s your chance to sit down with a decision-maker for an exclusive lunch! As part of this activity, a group of Canadian and American broadcasters will present vital information to small groups of seven people per table about their mandate, specifi cs and objectives, their broadcast schedules and target audiences, their needs, the kind of projects they’re looking for and the most effective way to pitch them. Plus, they’ll answer any questions you may have.

Cartoon Network Rick Clodfelter, Director, Content Acquisitions and Co-Productions

CBC Television Kim Wilson, Creative Head of Children’s Programming

Family Channel and Disney Michael Goldsmith, Director, Original Programming, Astral Television Networks

Knowledge Network and BBC Kids Michèle Paris, Senior Manager, Children’s Programming

PBS Linda Simensky, Vice-President, Children’s Programming

TELETOON Canada Carole Bonneau, Vice-President, Programming

Treehouse Jamie Piekarz, Director of Original Programming, Corus Television, Corus Entertainment

TVO Patricia Ellingson, Creative Head of Children’s Programming

YTV Leah Wolfson, Production Executive, Original Programming, Corus Television, Corus Entertainment

9 Workshop with Maya Goetz How to make a TV hero(ine) the favourite TV character of a kid

Children’s TV serves up more than 1,000 main characters a week. Nevertheless, only very few become “favourite characters” and really important for the child’s identity work.

Based on reception studies with children and research results from around the world, this workshop provides the unique opportunity to delve into humanistic psychology and the meaning of TV characters for kids.

Get inspiration for your own work by understanding the meaning and success of formats such as Hannah Montana, SpongeBob or The Last Airbender, and learn how children interpret high-quality shows like The Little Boy and the Beast. Test your own knowledge of the target audience by playing “guessing games” where you have to guess how children from 30 countries react or understand certain scenes.

Introduction The TV Heroes of Your Own Childhood – creative part, short analysis

Block 1 Children – Identity – TV Characters Results of qualitative studies on how children use TV characters in their everyday life and their identity work. – presentation and questions, guessing game

Block 2 Preschool Children and What Fascinates Them (and Older Kids) in SpongeBob Results from three different studies. – presentation and questions, screening, analysis and guessing game

Block 3 Understanding Girls and What Makes Hannah Montana So Successful Results of a fan study with 6- to 13-year-olds. – presentation and questions, screening, analysis and guessing game

Block 4 Understanding Boys, From to The Last Airbender – presentation and questions, discussion and guessing game

Block 5 A Little Boy and a Mother Turning Into a Beast – Highest Quality Under the Magnifying Glass – screening, presentation and questions, analysis and guessing game

Conclusion What Quality Means and How to Produce It

10 Speaker’s Bios

Barbara Bailie Director of Interactive, Astral Television Networks Barbara Bailie oversees the strategic direction and production of interactive properties for nine television networks – Family, Disney Junior, Disney XD, The Movie Network, HBO Canada, Mpix, Viewers Choice, Super Écran and Cinépop. These networks serve a range of audiences, from children to adults, in the English- and French-language markets. Under Bailie’s direction, the Astral Television Networks websites enjoy strong consumer engagement (Family.ca frequently ranks as the #1 kids’ entertainment site in Canada based on comScore data), with many sites having received prestigious awards across a variety of categories.

Carole Bonneau Vice-President, Programming, TELETOON Canada Carole Bonneau oversees program schedules, acquisitions and original production for four nationwide television networks: TELETOON, TÉLÉTOON, and TÉLÉTOON Rétro. Bonneau has worked in the television industry since 1981 and joined TELETOON in 1996 as Director of Programming. She became Vice-President of Programming in December 2001. Bonneau has been instrumental in fostering Canadian talent at TELETOON. Each year, under her leadership, 47% of TELETOON’s annual revenue is allocated to the acquisition or development of animated series by Canadian producers, such as , and the franchise.

Mary Bredin Vice-President, Development and Acquisitions, Guru Studio Mary is the VP of Guru Studio as well as the co-executive producer of Justin Time – Guru’s fi rst original series, now in its second season. Guru is busy developing new shows and digital media. The company also distributes Justin Time, Pop It! and Ben + Hairy worldwide. Prior to Guru, Mary spent 10 years in London working at Viasat and Disney, where she focused on the international Disney Channels, programming and acquisitions, as well as the launch of channels in various markets including Japan. Mary has also worked in Paris at an animation studio and for Canal+. Mary is on the Board of Directors of WIFT-T and is a qualifi ed lawyer.

Jennifer Burkitt Executive in Charge of Interactive Production for Children’s and Youth Programming, CBC At CBC, Jennifer Burkitt provides strategic development and oversees interactive production for the preschool, school age and parents’ sites. With a strong belief in using research to ensure that programming is both educational and entertaining, Jennifer has developed test sites for the Interactive team to work with, including the McMaster University Children’s Centre, and involves her whole team in evaluating the Kids’ CBC digital work. Jennifer has been developing award-winning children’s digital content for well over a decade, including content for PBS Kids, The Learning Company and Cinar, and worked at TVO as Manager of TVOKids.com. Jennifer has a Media Arts degree (Ryerson Polytechnic University) and a Psychology degree (University of Guelph).

11 Speaker’s Bios

André H. Caron Professor at and former chair of the Université de Montréal communications department André H. Caron is a graduate of Université de Montréal (BA), Boston University (MSc in Communication Research) and Harvard University (EdD in Human Development – Mass Media). He is the Bell Chair in Interdisciplinary Research on Emerging Technologies, director of its Centre, and founding director of the Centre for Youth and Media Studies. He has also served as chair of the Réseau Éducation-Médias board and vice-chair of the NFB. His research interests include the political and cultural appropriations of media, programming strategies, the infl uences of new technologies on young people, and immersive, interactive technologies. His most recent work looks at various forms of mobile technology appropriation.

Nathalie Clermont Director of Program Management, Canada Media Fund Nathalie Clermont has worked for more than twenty years in the fi lm and television industry, with extensive experience in fi nancing. She acts as a key adviser on CMF policies and programs, ensures consistency in service standards and the application process, and ensures that fi le analysis is accurate, fair, and consistent, in accordance with CMF guidelines. Previously, Ms. Clermont was team leader of the Business Affairs Unit at the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC) for 15 years. Ms. Clermont holds a BA in fi lm, communications, and public relations from Université de Montréal.

Rick Clodfelter Director of Content Acquisitions and Co-productions, and Boomerang Rick Clodfelter is responsible for acquiring pre-produced series, specials, short-form product and series co- productions that fi t the Cartoon Network and Boomerang brands for exposure on all platforms. He represents the US networks at all major programming markets, including MIPTV, MIPCOM, KidScreen and NATPE. Previously, Clodfelter was manager of programming and scheduling for the Discovery Kids Channel. In this position, he developed program scheduling strategies that supported current and long-term programming plans for the Discovery Kids Channel, Ready Set Learn on TLC and Discovery Kids on NBC. Clodfelter earned a bachelor’s of science degree in elementary education and a bachelor’s of arts degree in music from Culver Stockton College, as well as a master’s of arts in teaching from Webster University.

12 Speaker’s Bios

Michelle Melanson Cuperus VP Production and Development, Radical Sheep Productions Michelle Melanson Cuperus brings 19 years of experience in children’s and youth programming to the table at Radical Sheep, including producing , Wayside and . Michelle oversees development on Radical Sheep’s diverse slate of animation and live-action properties, including the 6-11 animated comedies Bagel’s Lucky Hat and Nossferty, and the 3D preschool show Yub Yubs. She’s also the supervising producer on the current award-winning hit Stella and Sam. Michelle is currently in production on pilots for Imagine That – a live-action/animation preschool property for Disney Junior Canada.

Patricia Ellingson Creative Head, Children’s Media Content and Programming, TVO Patricia Ellingson has been the Creative Head of Children’s Programming for TVO since 1998. She has a particular passion for presenting programming that makes a difference in the lives of kids and parents. She has been instrumental in building the trusted TVOKids educational brand, overseeing multiplatform productions developed for every kind of young learner and covering virtually all areas of the JK-5 curriculum. The TVOKids internally produced series includes Gisele’s Big Backyard, The Space, Reading Rangers, Super Citizens and Tumbletown Tales. Patricia was responsible for the convergence of TVO children’s television and new media teams and rebuilding the .com website, which has become one of the most popular kids’ online destinations and one that continues to push the envelope on multiple platforms.

Richard Elliott Screenwriter / Executive Producer Richard Elliott has worked extensively writing, developing and producing fi lm and television for clients such as Disney, Warner Brothers, Discovery Channel, , Cartoon Network, The Jim Henson Company, Passion Pictures and . Recently, he has written for Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans, story-edited Nickelodeon’s Mr. Meaty, developed Discovery Channel’s Grossology and Disney’s Get Ed, written on Teletoon’s and Disney’s My Babysitter’s a Vampire, created and show-run the animated series Spliced for Teletoon, and written the feature fi lm Scarygirl for Passion Pictures.

13 Speaker’s Bios

Maya Goetz, PhD Head of the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI) at the Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting Corp.), Munich, , and of the PRIX JEUNESSE Foundation Maya Goetz graduated from the Pädagogische Hochschule in Kiel, Germany, with the state examination, as well as an MA in education. She acquired a PhD at the University of Kassel, Germany, in 1998. The topic of her thesis was “Girls and Television.” Her main fi eld of work is research in the area of “children/youth and television” and gender-specifi c reception research. She has conducted such empirical studies as “What’s Funny in TV?”, “TV in the Everyday Life of 0.5- to 5-Year-Olds”, “What Makes a TV Character Meaningful for Kids?”, “Children’s Television Worldwide”, “Boys and Girls and Television,” as well as over 50 formative studies to foster quality in current TV programs.

Michael Goldsmith Director, Original Programming, Astral Television Networks Michael oversees the slate of shows and movies for the network while continuing to develop television productions to air across all platforms. Since joining Family Channel, Michael has been involved with the development of such series as Really Me, What’s Up, Warthogs!, Debra!, Wingin’ It and Stella and Sam. Michael has over 10 years’ experience in the television production industry. Before joining Family Channel, Michael was Director of Original Content at TELETOON, where he helped develop and , among other series. He has also worked at Corus Entertainment as Director of Broadcast Sales and Promotion for Nelvana. Additionally at Corus, he was involved in the brand management of animated series, including 6teen, Wayside and Grossology.

Ben Grimley Senior Director, PBS Game and App Publishing, PBS Kids Ben founded and leads the PBS Game and App Publishing team. His current portfolio includes web and native apps for desktops, tablets and mobile devices in the kids, education and game genres. In 2009, Ben’s team established the PBS presence on iOS, garnering a Parents’ Choice Gold, among other awards. In 2008, the team launched PBS KIDS PLAY!, an educational gaming program that has won multiple awards, including Teachers’ Choice, Parents’ Choice, AEP, iParenting, and honours such as a Wired.com “Site of the Decade.” Ben has spent the past decade publishing online games. He holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

14 Speaker’s Bios

Martha Hadley, PhD Managing Director, Michael Cohen Group, and Co-PI, Ready to Learn Evaluation (RTL), funded by the US Dept. of Education, Offi ce of Innovation and Improvement For the past fi ve years, Martha Hadley has managed a research team directing numerous formative studies supporting the development of educational media properties, as well as summative RCT studies to assess the educational effi cacy of these properties. Prior to her work at MCG, Martha worked in management positions and in research teams at the Center for Children and Technology, and at KRC Research and Consulting. Martha began her research career at the Lab for Comparative Human Cognition and Rockefeller University. She received her doctorate in Developmental and Comparative Psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and has completed postdoctoral training at New York University.

Susan Hart Voice Director, Casting Director, Session Producer and Voice Instructor Susan Hart began her career as an actress/singer, performing for both the stage and TV/fi lm. She then went on to become a talent agent, and opened her fi rst acting studio where she taught kids and teens. This led to her involvement in producing and distributing features, followed by a decade-long career as a casting director for fi lm and television. Susan has been working in animation for the past 12 years. Many of the animated productions she directed have been nominated for Emmys and Geminis for best voice performance and numerous best children’s programming awards. She’s currently working on The Cat in the Hat, The 99, Play Date, Ella, The Sunburns, Zen and multi-award-winning Stella and Sam.

Matt Hornburg Partner / Executive Producer, marblemedia Matt Hornburg’s recent executive producer credits include Splatalot, a hilarious medieval-themed physical game show geared to the tween audience for YTV (Canada), BBC (UK), and ABC (Australia); and , a Gemini Award–winning cross-platform comedy series for adults on . Other credits include This Is Daniel Cook, Taste Buds and Skatoony. Matt is an active member of Interactive Ontario, Youth Media Alliance and the Academy of Canadian Cinema. He has been recognized as Producer of the Year by the Canadian New Media Awards and also won the Lions Gate / Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award.

15 Speaker’s Bios

Matt Kippen Writer / Show Creator Matt’s writing credits include co-creating and co-writing the series House Party for The Comedy Network, writing on season one of the YTV teen show Splatalot, story-editing on season two of the CBC comedy InSecurity, writing for CBC’s youth program Spelling Night in Canada, and writing on Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet Special Jay’s Last Show. Matt is a 2010 winner of the Global Writers Program. He lives in a fi ctitious mansion in Forest Hill.

Jason Leaver Producer/Director/Writer Jason Leaver studied fi lm at Ryerson Polytechnic University. By day, he’s a corporate video producer – always putting a fun/creative spin on things. By night, he’s a fi lmmaker. Throughout the years, he’s produced a number of award-winning short fi lms. His video installation project Mobius appeared in Toronto’s 2009 Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. Out With Dad marks Jason’s fi rst foray into web series production – and has been his most satisfying creative endeavour to date. Since its launch, this labour-of-love project has been viewed over two million times, and has been nominated and won many awards for writing, directing, acting and music, including a Webby nomination for Best Drama.

Pierre Le Lann Co-CEO, Tribal Nova Pierre le Lann is Co-CEO of Tribal Nova, a company that specializes in developing and operating educational gaming services and games for kids, online and on touch devices, in partnership with major media such as PBS, CBC and Bayard. He’s also a cofounder and shareholder of Woozworld Inc., a spinoff from Tribal Nova that operates a virtual world for tweens. At Tribal Nova, Pierre has produced many games for all ages from preschoolers to tweens, totalling millions of dollars in production budget and featuring renowned TV characters. These games have been played by millions of kids around the world and garnered many awards, the dearest to him being “most awesome game ever” for Spliced, awarded by the Teletoon.com kids online players. Pierre Le Lann holds a master’s degree in marketing from Texas A&M University.

16 Speaker’s Bios

Anthony Leo Executive Producer, Aircraft Pictures Anthony Leo was recently honoured by Playback Magazine as one of their “2011 Ten to Watch” artists. He co-founded Aircraft Pictures with Andrew Rosen in 2005 to create independent fi lm, television and digital media productions. Anthony is currently producing several television series, including the second season of the Gemini Award–winning supernatural comedy Todd & The Book of Pure Evil for Space/Fearnet and the second season of the tween sitcom What’s Up, Warthogs! for Family Channel. In addition, he recently wrapped production on two feature fi lms, Hiding and Love Me, shot back-to-back in , Alberta.

Miles Ludwig Managing Director, Content Innovation Lab, Sesame Workshop Miles Ludwig oversees creative production for interactive and digital initiatives. He has led the design and development of interactive educational experiences and educational software titles for every signifi cant technology-based platform of the last 15 years, including product lines for Mattel, V-Tech, Hasbro, Electronic Arts, Jakks Pacifi c, Scholastic, Nintendo and Sony. Miles heads a team that has been awarded Emmys, Webbys and a Peabody Award for ’s broadband website.

Tom McGillis President and Cofounder, Fresh TV A world leader in creating and producing family entertainment, Fresh TV fi nances, develops and produces television content that powerfully connects to tween and teen audiences around the world. Along with creative partner , McGillis created the world-renowned animated series 6teen, the Total Drama franchise and Stoked, all of which are seen in the US and around the world. He and Pertsch also created and developed Fresh TV’s new live-action series My Babysitter’s a Vampire (TELETOON) and Really Me (Family Channel).

17 Speaker’s Bios

Caitlin O’Donovan Director of Interactive, Corus Entertainment Caitlin O’Donovan runs Corus Entertainment’s Interactive TV division and WMTV (a Corus Entertainment company). She leads the strategic direction and operation of mobile and online initiatives for 13 TV networks, as well as the development and international distribution of Nelvana games, websites, and apps for brands such as Babar, Franklin, and Max & Ruby. Previous to this role, she oversaw Corus’ massively multiplayer games and kids’ gaming portal. Before joining Corus, Caitlin produced multiplayer games for science centres and museums around the world with Immersion Studios, supervised new media production at the CFC Media Lab, oversaw the incubation of new media companies as producer of the Interactive Project Lab, and led the design of the TELUSInnovation Fund.

Michèle Paris Senior Manager, Children’s Programming, Knowledge Network and BBC Kids As head of Children’s Programming, Michèle oversees acquisitions and scheduling for Knowledge Network, a regional public broadcaster, and BBC Kids, a national digital pay TV service operated by Knowledge Network as a joint venture with BBC Worldwide. She also works with independent producers on original content and oversees the development of the branding for Knowledge Kids, one of BBC’s top-rated preschool blocks. She has worked previously in documentary programming and managing in-house productions. Michèle has a BA from the University of and a journalism degree from Carleton University, .

Jamie Piekarz Director of Original Programming, Corus Television, Corus Entertainment Jamie Piekarz has played an integral role in creating, developing and producing a variety of programs at Corus, including Mike the Knight, Babar and the Adventures of Badou, My Friend Rabbit, 4 Square, Ask Me, and Treehouse interstitials. Some of her production executive credits include Mr. Young, , Max and Ruby, The Cat in the Hat Knows About That! and Franklin. As a graduate of the master’s program in educational technology at Concordia University, Piekarz has a strong knowledge of how to reach young people effectively. Piekarz sits on the board for the CORPUS dance company and is co-chair of the Juno Award’s “Best Children’s Album” steering committee.

18 Speaker’s Bios

Angela C. Santomero Founder and Executive Producer, Out of the Blue Angela Santomero is a founding partner of Out of the Blue Enterprises LLC, and the creator, executive producer and head writer of the Emmy-nominated and #1 ranked, interactive literacy show, Super Why. Angela was also the co-creator, executive producer and head writer for Nick Jr.’s landmark preschool show, Blue’s Clues. Angela’s newest venture, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, is a pro-social, animated series for preschoolers, based on the legacy of Fred Rogers. Through her profi le (@AngelasClues) and personal blog (AngelasClues.com), Angela approaches parenting from her unique vantage point as a children’s media creator. Angela earned an MA in child developmental psychology from Teachers College, , and a BA from Catholic University.

Hedda Sharapan Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, The Fred Rogers Compagny Hedda Sharapan recently began her 45th year with Fred Rogers and his company. She is nationally recognized as an outstanding speaker, helping professionals and families continue to learn from Fred Rogers’ timeless wisdom through treasured videos and stories. Hedda holds an MSc in child development from the University of Pittsburgh, and since 1966 has worked closely with Fred Rogers on his television program, books for children and parents, and professional development materials for early childhood educators. Still on staff of the small non-profi t company he founded, she is responsible for communicating about Fred Rogers’ approach to professionals and families in multiple ways: she writes a monthly e-newsletter for early childhood professionals and works on a wide variety of web materials, articles and brochures for families and professionals.

Dan Signer Creator / Producer / Writer Dan Signer is the creator and executive producer of the hit YTV series Mr. Young, as well as the upcoming series, A.N.T. Farm. Previously Signer completed fi ve seasons as a writer/producer on the worldwide tween hit The Suite Life on Deck (formerly The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Dan was born and raised in Toronto, where he attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and then graduated from University College at the University of Toronto. Shortly after graduation, Dan moved to Los Angeles where he has written and produced television shows for every broadcast network, as well as Showtime, MTV, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. His book, Lunch Lines: Silly Riddles for Lunchtime Giggles was recently released by Chronicle Books. Dan currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.

19 Speaker’s Bios

Linda Simensky Vice-President, Children’s Programming, PBS As VP of Children’s Programming for PBS, Linda Simensky collaborates with producers, co-production partners and distributors throughout development, production and broadcast for existing and new series, including Curious George, Dinosaur Train, Super Why, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Martha Speaks and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood for PBS KIDS, and WordGirl, Wild Kratts and The Electric Company for PBS KIDS GO!. Prior to joining PBS, Simensky was Senior VP of Original Animation for Cartoon Network, where she oversaw the development and production of series like The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. Simensky began her career at Nickelodeon, where she helped build the animation department and launch such popular series as Rugrats, Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show.

Kim Wilson Creative Head of Children’s Programming, CBC Television Ms. Wilson has dedicated her life to children’s programming, beginning with a degree in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson University in Toronto, coupled with her longstanding passion and commitment to , including many roles at TVOntario and for the past 10 years, at the CBC. As Creative Head, she has successfully brought her leadership skills, passion and enthusiasm to Canada’s public broadcaster, together with her extensive experience in children’s television and her personal love of children. Ms. Wilson intends to extend CBC’s legacy in children’s programming through continued strength in programming with integrated outreach and interactive strategies.

Leah Wolfson Production Executive, Original Programming, Corus Television, Corus Entertainment As a Production Executive in Original Programming, Leah Wolfson is responsible for overseeing the creative development and production of the original programming slate for Corus Entertainment’s YTV and Treehouse networks. Working in partnership with producers, Wolfson has contributed to the success of several popular and award-winning YTV and Treehouse series, including , In Real Life, Splatalot, That’s So Weird, Sidekick, Scaredy Squirrel and Franklin & Friends. Wolfson is a graduate of the Radio and Television Arts Program at Ryerson University and joined Corus in 2007. She is a member of Canadian Women in Communications and Women in Film & Television.

Michel Zgarka Producer, Gummibar & Friends Michel Zgarka has been a senior executive in numerous sound, fi lm and television production and distribution companies over the past 30 years. He’s a graduate of McGill University (education degree) and Sir George Williams University (BA), and has done postgraduate studies in international communications in . He has produced, directed and distributed numerous fi lm and television productions. In 2009, he was co-chair of the jury for the Rocky Awards at the Banff TV Festival. He also recently created a full program for a -based career college about technical and creative jobs in production. Michel Zgarka’s latest project is executive-producing the follow-up Christmas special and TV series of the 1.4-billion-view YouTube hit property Gummibar & Friends.

20 Upcoming Event

The 2012 French-Language Awards of Excellence Gala May 31, 2012 Youth Media Alliance 1400 René-Lévesque Blvd East, Suite 106, , QC H2L 2M2 | 514-597-6809 | www.ymamj.org