Staff

Back (L-R): Amy Rouillard, Jessica Lea Fleming, Violet Chum, Jason Ryle, Meghan Meisters, Ashae Annett, Sage Paul

Front (L-R): Daniel Northway-Frank, Rolla Tahir, Isidra Cruz

Jason Ryle
Executive Director

Jason Ryle is the Executive Director at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. Jason oversees all aspects of the organization including programming, operations, finance, and the annual Festival. He sits on the Board of Directors for Vtape, an independent video distributor, and is a script reader for The Harold Greenberg Fund, which provides financial aid to Canadian filmmakers. As an award-winning writer, Jason has written for the Smithsonian Institution and numerous publications throughout North America. He made his first short film 2005 and has been programming alongside imagineNATIVE's Programming Team since 2002.



Sage Paul
Events + Communications Director

Sage Paul is the Events + Communications Director at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, where she has worked since 2004. She oversees the Festival's campaigning and branding; outreach, marketing and publicity strategies; online and digital initiatives; and event programming and production. Sage is also a fashion designer and has worked in wardrobe for filmmakers Danis Goulet, Shane Belcourt, and Kent Monkman. She produced her first wearable-art show for the Harbourfront Centre's Planet IndigenUs festival in summer 2012. Sage sits on the board for Native Women in the Arts. Sage is from Toronto and is a member of the English River First Nation.



Jessica Lea Fleming
Development Manager

Jessica Lea Fleming is the Development Manager at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. Jessica works with imagineNATIVE's sponsors and partners to grow the Festival and to align funders' goals with the amazing programs and events imagineNATIVE produces. In this role she also handles the FestivalÕs fundraising campaigns and events, as well as advertising sales and tourism initiatives. Jessica is a published writer, producer and a Second City graduate. She sits on the Marketing Committee for the Theatre Centre and acts as a consultant to various arts organizations and local artists. Jessica is a proud MŽtis woman from the shores of Georgian Bay and loves good food and travel.



Daniel Northway-Frank
Programming + Industry Manager

Daniel Northway-Frank is the Programming + Industry Manager at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, where he oversees submissions, programming management, industry panels and networking activities, and jury management. Daniel has worked at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, most recently as Conference Coordinator in 2010. Daniel previously worked in the Canadian Initiatives department at the Toronto International Film Festival for two years, and as Senior Production Coordinator for commercials at Technicolor Creative Services for 5 years. Daniel completed his BFA in Film Studies at Ryerson University in 2002. Daniel loves many things, including Star Trek, the Olympics and his little dog, Gretel.


Violet Chum
Office Manager

Violet Chum is the Office Manager at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. She assists all of her co-workers with various projects and daily administrative activities in preparation for the Festival. Violet is a Moose Cree First Nation member from Moose Factory Island in northern Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Ontario College of Art & Design University and a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Learning from Lakehead University. She has volunteered her time and worked part-time at imagineNATIVE prior to becoming a full-time employee. Violet is also a visual artist and has created a number of works in figurative, portraiture and landscape painting and drawing, of which her works were exhibited at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Ontario College of Art & Design UniversityÕs Professional Gallery and Graduate Exhibition, Gallery CC, and at the Mercedes Benz exhibition in October 2011



Isidra Cruz
Guest Services Coordinator

Isidra Cruz is a Mexican, Cree, African American, and French Arts Administrator and Costume Designer. She is a graduate of Ryerson UniversityÕs Theatre Production program where she received a BFA with Honours, specializing in theatre administration and costume design/construction. Currently she is working on a comedic video series about urban cycling and working at imagineNATIVE Film + Media Festival as the Guest Services Coordinator.