TORONTO, June 27,
2024 /CNW/ - The Canadian Journalism
Foundation (CJF) is pleased to announce four new members
to its Board of Directors. They are: Toronto Star Queen's
Park Bureau Chief Robert
Benzie; BNN Bloomberg anchor and reporter
Amber Kanwar; Erin Millar, CEO & Co-Founder, Indiegraf
and Terrie Tweddle, Chief
Brand and Communications Officer, Rogers Communications. Meanwhile,
the Foundation's directors appointed Maureen Shaughnessy Kitts, president and
principal of Shaughnessy Kitts Communications, as its executive
vice-chair. Angela Pacienza,
executive editor at The Globe and Mail and Jeff Elgie, CEO of Village Media, were named
joint vice-chairs.
"It is a great pleasure to welcome these four distinguished new
members to the board," says Andrew
Willis, chair of CJF's Governance and Nominating Committee.
"Each brings substantial experience and a deep understanding to
advancing the Foundation's mission of promoting excellence in
Canadian journalism. Collectively, they offer significant
leadership to address the ever-evolving challenges within the
Canadian media landscape."
Robert Benzie is
responsible for coordinating the provincial political coverage for
Canada's largest circulation
newspaper. Before joining the Star in 2003, he covered
Queen's Park and Toronto City Hall
for the National Post, a paper he helped launch as its
Deputy Toronto Editor in 1998. Prior to that, he worked for the
Toronto Sun and the
Ottawa Sun.
Amber Kanwar appears on
BNN Bloomberg's The Open and The Disruptors. Amber is a homegrown
product of the BNN Bloomberg newsroom, working her way up from
intern to segment producer and now to anchor. Her Master of
Journalism's thesis at Toronto
Metropolitan University was an investigative story into the
fertility industry that broke a national scandal and appeared on
the front page of The Globe and Mail. She specializes in
equity markets and is constantly seeking out stocks flying under
the radar and making accessible emerging trends.
Erin Millar, is a
journalist and entrepreneur who founded The Discourse, where she
lead an award-winning journalism team and developed a successful
business model for in-depth local news. She also contributed to
founding the Independent Media Association of Canada and C4C Canada, a charity dedicated to amplifying
underrepresented voices.
A former CJF Board Member returning after a 4-year hiatus,
Terrie Tweddle is responsible
for advancing the Rogers brand and reputation with key
stakeholders, internally and externally. Prior to Rogers, she led
communications and corporate social responsibility functions at
Visa International, Sun Life Financial and the Ontario Teachers'
Pension Plan.
Newly appointed Executive Vice-Chair Maureen Shaughnessy-Kitts has served on the
CJF Board of Directors since 2000, most recently as vice chair and
Awards Ceremony committee chair. She is joined on the CJF's
Executive Committee by newly appointed vice-chairs Jeff Elgie and Angela Pacienza.
"Maureen has been a stalwart, inspiring member of the CJF Board
for many years. Throughout my involvement with the
Foundation, she has provided steady guidance and mentorship to me
and so many others," says CJF Board Chair Kathy English. "I am delighted that Maureen will
continue to share her wisdom and experience with our Board.
"With the addition of Angela
Pacienza and Jeff Elgie to
our Executive Committee, I believe the CJF is well positioned to
take on the challenges facing Canadian media and advance our
mission, including fostering greater public understanding of the
importance of journalism in these challenging times."
The Canadian Journalism Foundation
Founded in 1990,
The Canadian Journalism Foundation promotes, celebrates and
facilitates excellence in journalism. The foundation runs a
prestigious awards and fellowships program featuring an industry
gala where news leaders, journalists and corporate
Canada gather to celebrate
outstanding journalistic achievement and the value of professional
journalism. Through monthly J-Talks, a public speakers' series, the
CJF facilitates dialogue among journalists, business people,
academics and students about the role of the media in Canadian
society and the ongoing challenges for media in the digital era.
The foundation also fosters opportunities for journalism education,
training and research.
SOURCE The Canadian Journalism Foundation