About
We cannot become what we cannot imagine
Leadership
Pragmatic, passionate and principled.
Professional Background
CHIEF EXECUTIVE BACKGROUND
2000-2018 CEO & KEY CREATIVE Marni Fullerton Features, Kingsmere Films. Created, developed, produced, licenced, funded ($360M) and marketed 260+ hours of documentary programming broadcast on networks around the world including: NBC, Discovery, CBC,Doordarshan, Canal Plus, ITV, History, ESPN, TSN, CTV, NatGeo, ABC, and various specialty channels. Productions sold in 78 markets. Managed 160 staff on a per project basis, hundreds of unique marketing campaigns as well as 12 in-office professionals. Worked in public policy for the industry designing the structures for the Federal Tax Credit advanced co-productions revenue in licensing and reduced independent producers costs in insurance. Won the Bell New Media Award and various others in best programming and for being the first to extend broadcast content across platform and online.
2009-2012 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - FSS Inc.- (Fingerprint Security Software) Executed the competitive positioning, corporate planning and investment attraction to develop new Fintech software focused on reducing IP theft in the entertainment and life science sectors. Attracted $286M in capital investment for the start up. Rolled out and quickly adopted in the US.
SENIOR ADVISORY APPOINTMENTS - See front pieces completed work in advisory section -
DIRECTOR, OECD 2024 - May 2025
Provided expertise and trusted advisory services to advance new financial strategies and partnerships to more effectively address rising public challenges in Canada and democracies around the world. This enveloped long standing work as a journalist and comprehensive engagements leading change in social affairs.
2023 - 2024 DIRECTOR, HOCKEY CANADA Nationally appointed to the transitional board following Justice Cromwells report in December 2023 to improve Hockey Canada’s practices in governance, accountability, transparency and financial management. This connected into prior experience working as Co-Chair of the Ottawa Senators.
2022-2023 SENIOR ADVISOR, ECDEV Society, Shuswap, B.C.
Reframed the district’s core economic drivers in agriculture, energy, and tourism with new innovations in climate science. This stems from earlier work leading policy in this realm for the government of B.C.
2022 MEDICAL TRAUMA KITS UKRAINE Experienced with geopolitics as well as navigating complex environments as a former journalism and supply chains during Covid, following outreach on LinkedIN from online emergency workers led a community based initiative in Ottawa to purchase and transport medical trauma kits to first responders in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
2021 DIRECTOR,"Ethical AI", The UN
Led Canada's contributions to the UN's working framework governing AI called "Ethical AI"
2020-2021 DIRECTOR, ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY - United Way -
Created and structured a unique multi-million dollar pilot project to better address rising food insecurity in Canada at local levels utilizing geothermal greenhouses, field gardens and key partnerships. Constructed all of the above in addition to executing the grant application, budgets, designs and structures for the next phase of sustainable integrated community based food centres.
2018 - 2021 DIRECTOR, BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE Divide Created/led an integrated series of programs from the ground up to address the gap in science education and the digital divide faced by Indigenous children attending reserve based schools following the TRC's Calls to Action. Engaged 24 world-class partnerships in leading in fields of STEM like MILA, the Canadian Space Agency as well as engaging Noble laureates like Art Macdonald to create qualitative qualitative curriculum. Successfully recruited 400 international post secondary students to help deliver the classroom based program for students from K-12 in 4 provinces. Reached 200,000 students. Engaged and worked with every school and community to delivered thousands of new resources and set up maker labs. Improved reporting structures with hard data and film to document students and educators in active learning. Online as COVID arrived created an additional online series in the Life Sciences called BACKYARD SCIENCE that interwove Indigenous and Western Science utilized by educators and families across Canada and as far away as Japan. Hosted 12 province wide events with leading Indigenous scientists, and professionals like Douglas Cardinal. Raised $28M in support thereof with funds given to Indigenous regional organization.
2020 DIRECTOR, COVID Reserve Based Emergency Medical Supplies While running the Digital Science program above managed to import/deliver emergency medical supplies to all reserve based Health Centers in the Maritimes and those out West battling outbreaks of COVID following certification from Health Canada given vulnerabilities.
2017 SENIOR ADVISOR CANADIAN RED CROSS Updated their training materials, research and communications for “Walking the Prevention Circle” aimed at reducing violence on Indigenous reserves and isolated rural communities.
2013 SENIOR ADVISOR, GLOBAL FOOD CENTRE Executed various strategic planning documents, communication strategies and connectivity to help launch and distinguish the Global Food Centre for the University of Saskatchewan as it was being established.
2012 DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PROGRAM Led a successful multifaceted export driven program for a non-profit agricultural organization in Saskatchewan focused on cracking new international markets for SME's. Successfully this program attracted 150 key Chief Executives from around the world to meet with Canadian ag innovators and producers signing $160M in new sales. Led all external communications, reporting and strategic planning and marketing. Worked with Global Affairs offices around the world and the EDC in contracting.
2011 ACTING VP, TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Executed a new economic and cultural framework to advance tourism development in the province for the regional economic development commission in Regina.
2009 DIRECTOR, National Water Policy Conference Engaged 3200 top scientists and policy makers to come to Canada and ignite new policy discussions on how Canada can best protect and manage our freshwater resources as the challenges of a changing climate increases. Canada is the repository of the largest freshwater in the world.
2009 - 2010 DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ADVISOR, INNOVATION BC Led the development of a new economic development policy to competitively position and advance SME's and advanced research in applied areas of climate science focused on energy, water, housing and agriculture. Managed and trained a staff of 12 end-to-end. Led federal, corporate, private sector and government-wide meetings to achieve broader policy objectives and drive coordinated efforts.
2008-2011 CULTURAL ADVISOR: ALBERTA & MANITOBA For Alberta I executed led a comprehensive strategic plan to better position the provinces cultural industries and attract greater philanthropic support and investment. For the government of Manitoba laid out a new blueprint and strategic planning documents to connect local communities, working artists, corporations and industry leaders to expand participation and activate greater support for the arts. For the government of Saskatchewan executed a new strategic plan with identified sources of philanthropic and private sector funding to increase arts touring in the province. i
2007-2008 DIRECTOR, “THE SLATE FUND” BC FILM Led, managed and adjudicated a distinctive public investment program with a budget of $150M focused on expanding the province’s domestically owned film, gaming and entertainment industry. Led the creative, corporate and financial due diligence on all applicants delivering final recommendations to the province and Board Chair.
2008, SENIOR ADVISOR, UNESCO
Engaged to restructure/improve outreach efforts and local communication strategies focused on educating and informing communities of climate change and challenges in areas that will directly affecting them including areas of water shortages, drought, energy, food insecurity and resource depletion in coastal communities. In addition to connecting the dots for NGO's and science non-profits working in key areas of assistance, relief and innovative solutions.
2006 SENIOR ADVISOR, APTN - ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK Mentored senior staff in contract law and production. Launched the networks first feature film “SKINS’ starring Graham Greene and other leading Indigenous actors. Completed the strategic planning, marketing and communication strategies for international distribution of the channels programs .This advisory work followed earlier work I had undertaken building the business case to secure APTN’s initial Federal broadcast license.
ADDITIONAL MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS WORK
EVENT MANAGEMENT, Nicolas Hoare Bookstores Led high profile book launches in the nations capital for Canada's largest independent bookstore (Nicolas Hoare) featuring prime ministers (Paul Martin), Cabinet Ministers like Llloyd Axworthy, leading journalists like Jay Ingram and Victor Malarek and international thought leaders.
CREATIVE CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR, FUJI, PANASONIC, TOURISM CANADA Led the key creative for a series of 30 second commercials featuring FUJI's Quicksnap cameras and internationally for Panasonic featuring various broadcast camera's like the fingercam now well utilized in the Olympics, nature photography etc. For the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) executed their original campaign of adventure tourism highlighting Canada's unique culture, geography and natural wonder coast-to-coast.
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING DIRECTOR International Space Station Launch. Following outreach from the great icons Carl Sagan led a distinctive collaborative program to engaging top researchers, space agencies leading scientists, astronauts and aerospace corporations around the world to create the scientific research structures and celebrate the launch of the International Space Station. Produced in 7 languages it involved every medium, the production of a 26 part documentary series with Discovery that also aired on IMAX. With brilliant Canadian innovators created the first online platform allowing scientists to work collaboratively online that subsequently became utilized by companies like ZOOM. Astronaut Julie Payette replaced Chris Hatfield in the documentary featuring Canada as he was at the time in Cape Canaveral. In 2019 and 2020 was fortunate enough to work with Jeremy Hanson and David St. Jacque in science education.
JOURNALISM
CBC Reporter & Producer, CBC Television. Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto
Alberta Bureau Chief, Calgary
CBC Radio News, Ontario Regional Producer, Toronto
ADJUDICATIONS
Alberta Literary Awards The Slate Fund BC The Canadian Screen Awards Gemini's CMHC Innovation
EDUCATION
MA, Journalism, University of Western Ontario
MA Political Science Graduate Work, University of Calgary
Cross-Cultural Education Degree, University of Alberta
BA, Honors English/ Philosophy, Acadia University
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
2023 Hockey Canada
2014 Community Liaison, NAIG Games, Regina
2015 Journalism Roster, Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, BC 2013 International Relations, The University of Saskatchewan
2012 The Canadian Nigerian Foundation
2009-2012 President Women in Film & Television
2009 Vancouver Board of Trade, Olympic Planning Committee,
2002 Co-Chair, Ottawa Senators Community Coalition
2002 Chair, Chelsea Evergreen
2000- 1999 Chair, Chelsea Elementary
1999-2000 English Co-Chair, Western Quebec School Board
2000 Co-Chair York Street School