I have been a storyteller for as long as I can remember.

 

I began this life-long adventure in storytelling at an early age: crafting imaginative tales by putting pen to paper in grade school and beyond. Writing was and still is a passion and forte... and completing the Radio and Television Arts undergraduate program at Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University opened up a world of multi-media storytelling.

 

For over two decades, I have used digital media to communicate both factual and fictional stories for audiences of all ages and I have contributed my creative producing, directing, and writing talents to programming for over 30 different media broadcasters and production companies both in Canada and internationally. Through this work, I have featured communities ranging from family-run farms in Ontario to elite athlete training facilities in Florida. I've journeyed from the beaches of Rio to the tundra of Nunavut. And I've had the opportunity to meet incredible humans that range from children striving for athletic success to adults united by a desire to broaden the definition of beauty.

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This current chapter of my life reflects an evolution towards education and research about media and supporting the next generation of media storytellers in educational contexts, both formal (including as an Assistant Professor at the RTA School of Media/The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University) and informal (extracurricular media education opportunities for tweens and teens). I continue to reflect on the power and privilege that media storytellers possess and the importance of understanding what informs each creator's creative process and product. As a first-generation Canadian woman with roots in Greece/Western Asia and Poland, this has included reflecting on my own path, perspectives, positionality, and (media) practice/production in my dissertation.

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My research intersects media, education, and children/youth. My overarching research areas are media literacy/digital literacies; children's/youth (media) cultures; and feminist, participatory, and arts-based research and practice. This includes includes investigating new directions for media literacy education curriculum through video production in the middle-school classroom and extracurricular media production and storytelling experiences with/for/by marginalized girls.  I hope to continue to advocate for media content and research that includes the participation and perspectives of children -- girls in particular -- and other societal groups that have historically been excluded.

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The thread that binds my media storytelling and education/research experiences and goals is a commitment to supporting inspirational, meaningful, and inclusive stories and storytellers. 

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I look forward to continuing to collaborate across industry and academia and I am particularly eager to work in interdisciplinary, collaborative, and hybrid spaces. If any of this resonates with you, please get in touch and let's discuss how we can shape a more meaningful media storytelling landscape.