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. Writing was and still is a passion and forte... but enrolling in the Radio and Television Arts undergraduate program at Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University opened up a wider world of multi-media storytelling to me.

 

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 reflects a shift 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).

 

My overarching research areas are media literacy/digital literacies, children's/youth (media) cultures, and feminist-informed, participatory, and arts-based research and practice. 

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My research has included 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. As a first-generation Canadian woman with roots in Greece/Western Asia and Poland (and first in my extended family to complete post-graduate studies), I have more recently also been reflecting on the understated responsibility, power, and privilege of media storytellers and the importance of understanding what drives our creation process and perspectives; I engaged in my own self-reflection as part of my dissertation. 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 been traditionally 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 future collaborations, whether industry, community/non-profit, or academia-driven, 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 the future of media storytelling.