ACM Networking Night

Tiegh Fitzgerald (he/him)

Tiitle: Canadian Improv Games  & Eastbound Comedy

Bio: Originally from Edmonton, AB, Tiegh Fitzgerald has been performing improvised comedy for 16 years. As a Co-Producer with the Canadian Improv Games: Toronto, he has facilitated a high school improv tournament with students from across the GTA for three years. He started as a volunteer with the organization back in 2013. Tiegh is also the Co-Founder of Eastbound Comedy, a theatre comedy with the mission of growing an improv scene in Scarborough. Extra facts, Tiegh is the former coach of the UTSC improv team and a proud graduate of UTSC's arts management program.

Karen Jackson 

Title: Chair, Toronto Animation Arts Festival International additionally: Senior Surfacing Artist, Mainframe Studios

Organization: Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (Taafi)/ Mainframe Studios        

Bio: Karen currently works at Mainframe Studios and has over ten years of experience in the Animation Industry bringing with her a strong background in managing teams, organizing events, building event and organizational pipelines and in running the business. As TAAFI's first female chair, Karen brings with her new ideas and efforts in increasing inclusion and diversity into TAAFI's events. Karen has worked tirelessly for TAAFI for many years and is proud to have the opportunity to continue building TAAFI towards further success. 

Juliana Feng

Title: Digital Strategy and Communications Manager 

Organization: Canadian Stage

Bio: Juliana Feng is the Digital Strategy and Communications Manager at Canadian Stage, managing year-round digital storytelling. 

As a curious arts manager specializing in the Toronto non-profit arts sector, Juliana has been actively involved in various arts disciplines to create tailored marketing plans, build strategic relationships, and manage multiple communication profiles. Previously, she led the marketing department at Dance Umbrella of Ontario and supported professional dance artists thrive in their creative businesses. During her humbling years, Juliana worked on amplifying Asian voices through the lens of cinema at Reel Asian. She represented various ethnic-focused Toronto film festivals to connect with film lovers and their diverse communities. Her beginning years at the University of Toronto Scarborough enabled her to work at ACM Connects (formerly Arts & Events Programming), Gallery 1265, ARTSIDEOUT, and more. 

Juliana holds a B.A. Honours in Arts Management and Studio Major with Distinction at the University of Toronto Scarborough

Emily Jung

Title: Director of Communications at The Theatre Centre

Bio: Emily is an artsworker/artist based in Toronto. She recently started her position as Director of Communications at The Theatre Centre, after 2.5 years as Marketing Manager at Theatre Passe Muraille. Sometimes, she remembers that she is co-working on the conceptual arts service organization and meme page ‘Labour in the Arts’.

Joe Konieczny

Title: Co-Founder / Managing Director

Organization : Isondlo Projects

Joe Konieczny is a Toronto based writer and curator whose practice leans on history and archive to construct affective and sense-immersive exhibitions. Primarily concerned with African artists and their representation internationally, his research focuses on informal and DIY art spaces within marginalized communities in Southern Africa. Joe is the co-founder of South Africa based export company Isondlo Projects, a private label for artists sales and exhibitions abroad currently completing its first seed funding round. Locally, Joe is also a member of curatorial braintrust Serious Curators Against Monotony, a duo exploring intermedia works in the heritage of Fluxus and other experimental groups. Joe holds an MA and Graduate Diploma from York University and has worked on international biennials including Pacific Standard Time 2018 and Rencontres de Bamako 2023. His upcoming exhibitions will be at venues including Scotiabank CONTACT, Goethe Institute, and the Investec Cape Tow

Sean Lee

Title: Director of Programming

Organization: Tangled Art + Disability

Bio: Sean Lee, a male-presenting East-Asian Chinese person smiles at the camera. He wears steampunk glasses that are green with gold frames and has wavy dark brown hair that pools at his shoulders. He wears a white cable knit sweater-dress accentuated with dotted black stripes and a single red knitted cord zigzagging up and down to form a checkered pattern.” 

Photo by Michelle Peek Photography and courtesy of Bodies in Translation: Activist Art, Technology & Access to Life, Re•Vision: The Centre for Art & Social Justice at the University of Guelph. 

Eden Debebe

Title: Reporter + Anchor

Organization : CP24

Bio: Eden Debebe is an anchor, reporter, and weather specialist for CP24, keeping GTA residents up-to-date with the latest headlines unfolding across the region.
 
Debebe joined CP24 in June 2022, and has since contributed to the station’s coverage of CUPE strikes, municipal elections and COVID-19 updates.
 
Prior to joining the CP24 team, Debebe was a digital content producer for OMNI News. During her two years at the organization, she engaged with international audiences while building the station’s digital presence surrounding its daily newscasts delivered in multiple languages. She also made regular contributions to CityNews Toronto. 
 
Previously, she spent two years contributing in a multitude of roles to CityNews 680, including anchor, reporter, and digital editor.
 
Debebe holds an Honours Bachelors of Art in Journalism from the University of Toronto.

Ayşe Barut

Title: Music Worker

Organization: Northside Hip Hop Archive + Wavelength Music + Sidedoor Magazine + Toronto Blues Society + MMF Canada

Bio: Ayşe (eye/sheh) is a music industry worker and a cultural advocate who is currently working at Northside Hip Hop Archive + Sidedoor Magazine (content creation), Wavelength Music (marketing), and Toronto Blues Society (admin + award show/summit planning) while sitting at the Anti-Racism and Equity Committee at Music Managers Forum Canada.    

Graduated from Arts Management + Music and Culture programs at UTSC, Ayşe's experience ranges from education & outreach, music export, publicity, artist relations, artist/studio management, music journalism, research, and event management and includes several organizations such as the Corporation of Massey & Roy Thomson Hall, Hart House, Jackman Humanities Institute, NXNE, Soundstreams, Porchfront Collective, Trade Routes, Afrosonic Innovations Lab, 6ixBuzzTV and Radio FWD. 

Ayşe also co-wrote "#djlife During the Pandemic: Reflections from DJs Rearranging Relations and Improvising Continuity" at IICSI with Dr. Mark V. Campbell and her biggest passion is to help musicians succeed through a communal approach. 

Ziyaad Haniff   
 

Title: Creative Director & Digital Storyteller 

Organization/Business: Storied / Team Ziyaad
 

Bio: Ziyaad Haniff is a Creative Director & Digital Storyteller based in Toronto, Canada. Though he was once forced to attend arts camp as a child, he now champions pursuits of self-expression and entrepreneurship. 

As a multidisciplinary artist, his diverse creative experiences tend to inform and amplify one another: he graduated as a Theatre and New Media major; spent years in music journalism; accidentally became a professional photographer; began creative consulting for startups; and channeled his narrative and visual skills into Directing roles. Through his work as a creative entrepreneur and facilitator, Ziyaad seeks to empower marginalized communities; he aims to put them in positions where their stories can be shared amongst the masses. 

With his companies — Team Ziyaad and Storied — Ziyaad has been a driving force behind visuals for both emerging artists and established businesses. Collaborators looking to work alongside him would join Sony Music, Hasan Minhaj, JFL42, and Warner Music.