COHORT 1 PARTICIPANT

Melanie Windle is a media strategist and entrepreneur. When she was in grade four, she started an 'art school’ at lunch that was shut down by the teacher after a parent complained about ‘giving her daughter a dime for daily art classes’. Melanie was left holding a bag full of dimes, her entrepreneurial instincts intact.

An award-winning producer, arts-educator, and conversation starter, she has led numerous exploits in the arts and culture, and media sectors. She is currently Manager of Programming at the Canadian Academy, where her portfolio includes the Directors Program for Women, and the Members Lounge; the five-day professional development conference during Canadian Screen Week. She brings her astute and well-informed industry perspective to the Academy, championing talent, innovation, and excellence while prioritizing inclusion, representation, and diversity. Prior to that, she was a creative producer at Shaftesbury for four years, leading the charge on many successful digital IPS and branded projects, including Carmilla, an often sighted case-study for audience development, self-servicing funding model, and successful community building.

Melanie Windle and Steph Ouaknine's professional journeys intersected at Shaftesbury in 2014, and there was immediate synergy. They have since developed and produced numerous projects, mostly under the Shaftesbury shingle, and now they have expanded to the freelance development of a selection of targeted television projects. However, ever the pragmatists, they have decided to join forces in a bespoke consultancy firm offering some of what they do best to other creators and producers; audience development, fan engagement, and platform strategy.