Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announces new board

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (ACCT) has announced its new board of directors, effective immediately.

With producer Martin Katz of Prospero Pictures as the new ACCT chair, the new board members cover all areas of the film, television and digital media industries.

They are Barry Avrich (president, Endeavour Marketing), Celia Chassels (partner, The Gary Goddard Agency), Jonas Diamond (executive producer, Smiley Guy Studios), Anne Fitzgerald (chief legal officer, Cineplex Entertainment), Bryan Gliserman (co-president, eOne Films), Robin Mirsky (executive director, Rogers Group of Funds), Gabriel (Gabe) Nachman (retired partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers), Mary Powers (president, M. Powers Communications), Mark Slone (SVP, marketing and publicity, Alliance Films), Kevin Wright (senior vice president, Astral Television Networks) and John Young (managing director, Temple Street Productions).

“The composition of this active new industry board presents a real opportunity to reinvigorate the Academy,” said Katz. “Now we can better connect our current members with our corporate partners and reach out to some 400,000 professionals working in the Canadian media industry today.”

ACCT Quebec chair Charles Ohayon said: “We begin a new chapter in the history of the Academy with this new board of directors which has taken on the responsibility of the organization as we move into the future.”

Ohayon, who spearheaded the strategic changes, thanked the industry players who were on an ACCT interim advisory council.

ACCT will soon create a National Advisory Council made up of representatives from across Canada to ensure major regions are represented.

Following the 26^th Gemini Awards, ACCT will also create a new awards governance committee composed of representatives from Canada’s unions, guilds and associations to review the rules and regulations governing the Gemini and Genie awards.

Established in 1979, ACCT is a national, non-profit, professional association dedicated to the promotion, recognition and celebration of exceptional achievements in Canadian film, television and digital media.