Who We Are

Barrie Adleberg is a mixed-media artist, educator and founder of Split Ends Media, an immersive design studio located in New York City. Split Ends specializes in museum curation and interactive documentary with the goal to bridge social and cultural divides and connect communities through non-linear storytelling. Barrie has diverse experience in research and educational technology with expertise in children's media. She has produced and evaluated content for entertainment studios, publishers and nonprofits. Her research has received funding from the National Science Foundation and is published in the ACM Digital Library and Kidscreen Magazine. Barrie is currently an associate and interaction designer with the Digital Storytelling Lab at Columbia University.

Her website is barrieadleberg.com/

Passionate about crafting and sharing good stories, Shannon Emerson works with brands and organizations to clarify and amplify their stories online. She’s created content strategies, brand stories and content marketing campaigns for brands like Electronic Arts, London Drugs, Science World, CPA Canada, and Grupo Bimbo, uncovering authentic stories that resonate with target audiences, and that foster trust and connection. Shannon is the President of Forge & Spark Media and the Director of Content Strategy for ECHO Storytelling Agency.

Her website is https://forgeandspark.ca/

Adrian Jones built his first website 25 years ago. Despite a nine-year detour into environmental science, he’s always been a computer geek at heart. However, unlike most computer geeks he is also good at communicating, which makes him highly sought after by friends and colleagues alike for unofficial tech support!

Adrian also enjoys contributing to open source software and avidly follows the latest web and app development tools and frameworks. He is a partner and lead developer with Visual Science and loves the challenge of building visualization tools for environmental data, from the database to the front-end. When he is not at his desk, Adrian has a passion for the outdoors, and can be found running, mountain biking, rock climbing, kiteboarding, or skiing.

His website is https://visualscience.ca/

Johnny Kalangis, Digital Creative Executive, is an internationally-acclaimed feature film writer/director, who develops digital media and interactive content from games to web series to viral videos. The last two decades have seen Johnny as V.P. Creative Director, Digital at marblemedia where he led the company to multiple award nominations and nods as well as increasing audience digital engagements by the millions. Before that, Johnny was Executive in Charge of Digital and Interactive Entertainment at CBC working with A-list properties such as Opening Night, Being Erica and The Rick Mercer Report.

Annelise Larson comes from a background as an independent film producer, with training at such prestigious institutions as the Canadian Film Centre (Producer’s Lab) and Banff Centre for the Arts (Electronic and Film Media). She has been working in the field of online marketing since 1995 and has always been an avid gamer and consumer of digital content. She works extensively with funders, educational institutions, creative industry associations and production companies in the film, television and interactive industries in North America and Europe. Her focus is helping content creators and storytellers use the digital opportunity to define, find, attract and engage their audiences and work toward strategic and sustainable business models.

Currently, Annelise is excited to be working on launching a suite of online webinars to teach how to think and work like an entrepreneurial storyteller or “storypreneur” and to bring the filmmaker crowdfunding and VOD platform Seed&Spark to Canada.

Her websites are: https://www.storypreneursunite.com/ & http://www.veria.ca/

Teresa Lee has over 15 years of professional experience encompassing interactive, video gaming and technical project management and development. In her spare time, she's also a contributing writer and photographer to various lifestyle and tourism websites.

David Lin is a lifelong student of personal growth and an avid tech enthusiast. His expertise lies in matching the right technical systems with high performing teams to provide ideal solutions for his clients. Currently, he works closely with tech start-ups in the areas of AI, e-commerce, and blockchain.

His previous experience includes 13 years with large tech companies including Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, project-managing their AAA game franchises and sports entertainment apps. He is excited to share his experiences and to hear new perspectives through the Digital Ladders program.

His website is https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlinvancity/

Steve Mackey is an internationally recognized interactive designer and developer who has developed award winning digital properties for a wide range of Canadian design agencies, the CBC and National Film Board of Canada. His skill sets include responsive web design, front-end development, HTML5/CSS3/Javascript, WordPress, touchscreen desktop and mobile application development and interactive video.

He teaches user interface and user experience design at North Island College in Courtenay, BC and is a managing partner at Denman Digital where he oversees design and technology.

His website is https://denman.digital/

Ash Mishra is an experienced new-media technologist with a focus on mobile computing. He worked on the BBC's online offerings, CBC’s first mobile apps, and currently defines technology and strategy at the National Film Board of Canada.

His website is https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashmishra/

Jen Moss has spent nearly 20 years as a storyteller. Starting in theatre, she moved into print journalism, radio, and eventually became a new media writer and digital interactive producer. Her writing revolves primarily around arts, local issues, and character-driven stories. She has a strong track record of working closely with Indigenous creators.

Jen has worked extensively in radio production for both CBC and Roundhouse Radio. She has created dozens of audio documentaries for CBC, on topics ranging from Downtown Eastside gentrification to the merits of PNE lawn parking. Her 2016 audio documentary for CBC’s Ideas, The Dream of Brother XII, details the strange life of a cult leader who lived near Nanaimo in the 1920s. She was story editor and/or interactive story producer on numerous award-winning interactive projects, including Bear 71 (NFB), Seven Digital Deadly Sins (The Guardian), Hyperlocal (CBC), Life on Hold (Al Jazeera), and The Last Hunt (NFB).

A graduate of the UBC Creative Writing program, Jen Moss teaches Creative Writing for New Media, and Creative Writing for Podcasting. She is interested in cross-genre and cross-departmental collaboration, and in continually exploring how emerging technologies open new doorways for writers.

Robert Ouimet is the president of Bigsnit Media Consulting in Vancouver. Robert is an award winning journalist. He joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the 80s, where he created and produced half a dozen network shows for CBC Radio in Winnipeg, Toronto and Vancouver. His Vancouver team created some of the CBC’s first digital projects, and under his leadership, its websites and radio programs won over 30 international awards, including the Prix Italia, New York Festival, and multiple Webby awards. Since 2003, Robert has worked as an independent media consultant, working with clients like Microsoft, the National Film Board of Canada, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, Metro Vancouver, Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Ecole Chocolat, the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association, the First Nations Financial Management Board and others.

Robert sails a vintage Catalina 22 called Madsu.

His website is https://bigsnit.com

Steve Peters is the Founder and Chief Interactive Officer of No Mimes Media. An Emmy-winning experience designer, Steve has worked on some of the world’s biggest and most innovative interactive experiences, including design and consulting work for Disney Imagineering R&D, Google, Microsoft, PBS, Legendary Television and Niantic Labs. His work has spanned games, interactive entertainment and education, live events and puzzles, with some of his latest appearing in a Super Bowl commercial.

In addition to founding No Mimes Media, Steve was VP of Experience Design at Fourth Wall Studios, overseeing a wide range of new media, VR/AR and transmedia projects, including the interactive series “Dirty Work” and “6 Minutes to Midnight” experience for the feature film “Watchmen.”

Previously, Steve was an Experience Designer at 42 Entertainment where he worked on numerous projects including the ARGs “Why So Serious” for the feature film “The Dark Knight,” and “Year Zero,” for Nine Inch Nails. Steve founded the Alternate Reality Gaming Network, the first online community for ARG enthusiasts. He has lectured at schools including USC, the Royal College of Art, Georgia Tech and Cal Arts, and spoken at media conferences around the world. Projects he's worked on have won multiple awards including an Emmy®, Cannes Lions Grand Prix, SXSW Web, One Show Entertainment and Webby Awards.

His website is www.stevepeters.org

Lisa Purdy is an experienced media executive and leader who has worked in creative development, funding, production, broadcast, digital product development, business development, brand, marketing and content distribution. She has played a leadership role in her 30 years in media in Canada.

Lisa is an expert in broadcast programming and distribution, having led two kids television channels and brands in Canada: Knowledge Kids (preschool) and national subscription channel and joint venture BBC Kids (ages 2-17). During her leadership, Knowledge Kids achieved #1 viewership ratings in market and launched successful digital products Knowledge Kids Go (Best New App, App Store, Canada) and Knowledge Kids online as well as branded IP products.

Lisa founded Notio Media in 2017 to produce digital content and provide strategic consulting for media partners, working on a range of research projects and content-specific digital initiatives. Prior corporate experience includes work for public broadcaster CBC Television and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. See more at Notio Media.

As a former Red Bull Rampage competitor and backcountry ski guide, Joe Schwartz knows his way around the outdoor sports industry. Combining that experience with a Marketing Communications education, he provides a unique perspective on projects and strategy for all of Vacuum’s clients. Joe has worked as Brand Manager for Ryders Eyewear, and developed marketing initiatives for fledgling start-up Velofix.

On the agency side, Joe interned with TAXI in accounts and strategy, working closely with major client Telus, and on new business development. Joe has also worked as a marketing consultant for the adventure tourism and not-for-profit sectors.

Joe has managed projects for Vacuum clients Fitbit, SRAM, Arc’teryx, Forsake, G3, Anthill Films and others. Working closely with key stakeholders, Joe ensures that projects stay on time, on budget, and on brand.

Nate Smith’s career blossomed at ATTIK San Francisco, where he played an integral part in the successful launch of the SCION brand for Toyota. He also taught graphic design at the Miami Ad School, before moving home to Canada and starting The Vacuum.

He is a multi-talented creative who can see the big picture and the multiple facets of project briefs and the business problems/opportunities behind them. He works in areas like creative strategy, concepting, branding, creative direction & design, directing & cinematography, and even sometimes hucks words down on paper that wind up stickin’.

Nate is proud of his work with Fitbit, the National Film Board, Nike, ESPN, Puma, Toyota, TELUS, Freebord, Sherpas Cinema, G3, Powerade, Kona, Snickers, Warner Bros., Interscope Geffen A&M and many more.

He has been named designer of the year at the CNMA awards, a Merit winner at the One Show, a runner-up at Cannes, and has won an Art Director’s club NY Merit award, amongst many others. He is one of very few in the design industry to have won a Gemini award.

His website is https://www.vacuumsucks.com/

Teri Snelgrove hails from Newfoundland, where she began working in the arts at an early age. Her roots are in the world of interdisciplinary theatre in the dark days before digital technology and the internet. After graduating from film school at Emily Carr University in 1999, she freelanced as a voice director, a theatre director, and a producer/production manager in film before landing at the National Film Board of Canada, where she now hangs her hat full time as an Associate Producer. Over the years, she’s had the privilege of working on many documentaries, animations and interactive projects such as the acclaimed The Road Forward (Marie Clements), Debris (John Bolton), Beauty (Christina Willings), and Bread (Mariette Sluyter). She is proud to have worked on two soon-to-be-released NFB films, Highway to Heaven (Sandra Ignagni), and Because We Are Girls (Baljit Sangra). Teri has also worked on a number of animated projects, including The Mountain of SGaana (Christopher Auchter), Shop Class (Hart Snider) and The Zoo (Julia Kwan). She is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree through the GLS program at SFU, where she has fallen head over heels in love with documentary audio production.

Roland Tanglao is a Firefox for iOS & Android Support Coordinator working with the awesome Mozilla Firefox SUMO community of knowledge base article writers, forum repliers and localizers. He formerly served as Community Support for Mozilla Messaging's products (Thunderbird, etc.), as well as Chief Blogging Officer at Bryght. He has many years of C++ and telecommunications software development experience and a keen interest in blogging — you can find him at VanEats.com, Vancouver's first and best food blog.

His specialities include Drupal, Thunderbird, blog software development and integration of blogging with e-commerce, microcontent and food writing. His other skills include ball-of-mud-coding, cross-country skiing, Drupal, hobby-coding, lindy hop swing dancing, MongoDB, reading, rollerblading, Ruby, and tap dancing.

His website is http://rolandtanglao.com/

Taylor Basso is the communications coordinator at the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture. Taylor is originally from Surrey and now lives in Vancouver. He is a writer, an artist, and a lot of fun at parties. During business hours, you can find him tweeting and Facebooking for the BC Alliance, creating other online content, and hanging in there.

Sue Biely is the program designer and facilitator of Digital Ladders. A trailblazer in Canadian independent media, Sue designs and facilitates innovative initiatives to enable the sector to adapt to and utilize ever-changing forces. With a history in content, policy, business models, conference design, workshop delivery, partnerships and campaigns — Sue continually works to bring a diversity of voices and mediums to storytelling and innovation for the common good.

Brenda Leadlay is the executive director of the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture and a passionate advocate for the arts. Prior to working at the BC Alliance, she spent five years as the artistic executive director of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival in Ottawa. She has been working in professional Canadian theatre for over three decades, mostly in Vancouver. She is very excited to be working in partnership with the Digital Ladders team and hopes to learn how to change the settings on her iPhone.

Robert Ouimet is the co-curriculum designer and faculty lead for Digital Ladders. Robert is an award winning journalist. He joined the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the 80s, where he created and produced half a dozen network shows for CBC Radio in Winnipeg, Toronto and Vancouver. His Vancouver team created some of the CBC’s first digital projects, and under his leadership, its websites and radio programs won over 30 international awards, including the Prix Italia, New York Festival, and multiple Webby awards. Since 2003, Robert has worked as an independent media consultant, working with clients like Microsoft and the National Film Board of Canada.

Joyce Wan is the administrative coordinator at the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, responsible for registrations, logistical wrangling, and answering queries from the public. She primarily uses digital technology to watch videos of other people's pets.