Our Team

Photo by: Nadya Kwandibens / Artist: Celeste Pedri-Spade & Evan Ducharme Studio

Indigenous Fashion Arts embodies the values of respect, collaboration and reciprocity. We rely on the skills and expertise of our leadership and team to operate IFA and our programming.

Staff

Sage Paul

Executive & Artistic Director

Sage Paul is an urban Denesuliné woman based in Toronto and a member of English River First Nation. Her ethos centres family, sovereignty and resistance for balance. Sage is the Executive & Artistic Director of Indigenous Fashion Arts, which she also co-founded. She has been instrumental in establishing and leading projects for Indigenous artists working in fashion, craft and textiles through several projects with Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto, Inland, Ikea Canada, the International Fashion Showcase during London Fashion Week, Setsuné…
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Amye Annett-Werner

Program Manager

Amye Annett-Werner is a member of the Cayuga Nation, Wolf Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario. Amye is a graduate of Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology’s Film and Television Production Program. She has worked in production for the Indspire Awards / Red Cloud Studios and Big Soul Productions. Amye worked as the Guest Services + Programming Coordinator for the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival and Secretariat for the Indspire Awards. Over the last…
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Kristy-Anne Inglese

Industry Manager

Kristy Inglese is Moose Cree from Moose Factory First Nation. She has worked with Indigenous Fashion Arts (IFWTO at the time) since 2020 as the Festival Assistant and then as Industry Coordinator. She is now the Industry Manager for Indigenous Fashion Arts. Kristy enjoys working in events and festival settings and hopes to one day start her own event planning company. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book (or five) and has been told to slow down…
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Daniel St. Germaine

Account Director, A&C

Daniel is a communications professional with more than 12 years’ experience in public relations management. A trained actor and a long-time lover of culture, Daniel brings an appreciation for the arts, a diverse range of experience, and a love of the original to all his work in public relations. Daniel has a wealth of diverse experience that he brings to all his public relations work. He has a keen sense for what makes a good story and brings an energetic,…
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Kat Daly

Account Manager, A&C

Kat comes to the IFA team with experience creating international arts communication campaigns from agencies in London (UK) and Canada. Kat specializes in cultural and visual arts communications, having worked with clients like Ai WeiWei, Shirin Neshat and Central St Martins University. A passionate storyteller, Kat loves to create headline grabbing campaigns for her clients, securing coverage in publications like The New York Times, Forbes, BBC and CBC.
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Ryan MacKenzie

Corporate Partnership & Brand Sponsorship Account Executive, A&C

Ryan MacKenzie is a brand & corporate partnerships professional based in Toronto, Ontario. From his sports background, Ryan continues to bring all the aspects of athletics to his partnership’s role, stickhandling and managing a wide portfolio of partnerships day to day, ensuring defined success for each and every one. As a part of the A&C team, Ryan has been developing, managing and executing on the Indigenous Fashion Arts sponsorship strategy since early 2022, and continues to ensure that all components…
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Savanna Chiblow

Digital Strategy Advisor

Savanna Chiblow is a 2Spirit Anishinaabe from Mississaugi First Nation with settler roots on her father’s side. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Journalism degree from Humber College and has close to ten years of experience working as a digital communications storyteller and community builder. Savanna is currently the Social Media and Digital Communications Manager at the Indigenous Screen Office and casually works on digital and web contracts. She currently sits on the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto board of…
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Robin Fisher

Marketing Coordinator

Robin is thrilled to return as Marketing Coordinator for Indigenous Fashion Arts after fulfilling the role for the 2022 Festival. She was also the Runway Set Designer for the 2020 Festival. Robin’s extensive award-winning career as a set and costume designer for theatre, dance, and film has fostered her enthusiasm for creative collaboration and storytelling. She looks forward to this opportunity to be part of the IFA team once again.
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Nicole Whyte

Executive Assistant

Nicole is an experienced administrator, focused on operational efficiencies, strategy & project management fused with change management techniques to ensure a people-centric approach towards organizational effectiveness. She also loves giving back to her community and has volunteered extensively in understanding social issues and hopefully making an impact.
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Board of Directors

Jason Ryle

Chair / Interim Treasurer

Jason Ryle is a producer, curator, story editor, and independent arts consultant based in Toronto. He is Anishinaabe from Lake St. Martin, Manitoba. From July 2010 to June 2020, Jason was the Executive Director of imagineNATIVE, an Indigenous-run organization mandated to support Indigenous filmmakers and media artists. In this capacity, Jason oversaw all operational and artistic activities of the annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, the world’s largest showcase of Indigenous screen content. He also oversaw the organization’s year-round…
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Jean Marshall

Vice Chair

Jean Marshall is of Anishinaabe/English descent, based in Thunder Bay, Ontario and a band member of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation. An award-winning artist, Jean’s art practice is using Anishnaabeg traditional art forms and is inspired by the land and water. Marshall works with beads, fabric, porcupine quills and leather. She is also the founder of the Anemki Art Collective (2015-2020). Jean has curated several exhibitions including Their Breath in Beads at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery (2019), the Northwestern Ontario…
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Riley Kucheran

Riley Kucheran is an Indigenous fashion researcher who supports a global community of Indigenous makers who are leading design resurgence. His experience in fashion retail, entrepreneurship, and Indigenous theory means he sees fashion as a powerful tool for decolonization: Land-based Indigenous design relies on community relations to collectively make clothing in respectful and reciprocal ways. He is a member of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg (Pic River First Nation) and an Assistant Professor of Design Leadership in Fashion at The Creative School.
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Festival Team

Artistic

Cris Derksen

Composer

Juno nominated Cris Derksen is an Internationally respected Indigenous Cellist and Composer. In a world where almost everything — people,…

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Israel Garcia

Hair Stylist

Israel Garcia hails from Walpole Island (Bkejwanong) First Nation. With Ojibway and Mexican roots, and over 17 years in the…

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LESLEY BEARDY

Curator, Manitoba Spotlight

Lesley is both Anishinaabe and Inninew from the Missipawistic Cree Nation. She is based in Treaty One Territory Winnipeg Manitoba.…

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Melanie Egan

Programming Committee, Runway & Marketplace

Melanie Egan is the Director of Craft & Design at Harbourfront Centre with over 30 years of experience in the…

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MICHELLE RAMSAY

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Michelle is a lighting designer who works with dance, theatre, and opera companies across Canada. Selected designs include: Indigenous Fashion…

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MYRANDA SPENCE

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Myranda Spence is Oji-Cree; her maternal ancestral Cree roots are from northern Ontario James Bay and her paternal Ojibwe roots…

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Sage Paul

Exhibition Co-Curator

Sage Paul is an urban Denesuliné woman based in Toronto and a member of English River First Nation. Her ethos…

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Shane Belcourt

Director Consultant

Shane Belcourt is Tony Belcourt’s son. Or Christi Belcourt’s brother. Or Claire’s Dad. He is also an award-winning Métis director,…

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Production

Candace Scott-Moore

Producer

Candace Scott-Moore (Wilde) [Anishinaabe – Ojibwe Potawatomi] is a graduate from the Centre for Indigenous Theatre and The Banff Centre…

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Dehmin Cleland 

Workshops & Panels Coordinator

Dehmin Cleland is an Objibwe and Odawa artist. Originally from Wikwemikong, she now resides in Toronto as she completes her…

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LESLIE MCCUE 

MARKETPLACE COORDINATOR

Leslie Kachena McCue is a member of the Mississaugas of Curve Lake First Nation, who has fought for Indigenous rights…

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Liam Colbourne

Runway Coordinator

Liam Colbourne is a free-lance production and events consultant specializing in Fashion and The Arts. With many years of experience…

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Pesch Nepoose

Assistant Stage Manager

Pesch Nepoose is a Cree multidisciplinary artist from Edmonton, Alberta. She currently resides in Toronto, Ontario. In May 2019, she…

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Marketing

Damien Nelson

Publicity

Damien Nelson is press agent with 15 years of experience in marketing and communications in the arts sector. As a…

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Emma Petahtegoose

Marketing Assistant

Emma Petahtegoose is Anishinaabe, Onyota’a:ka and Lenape. Emma also goes by her Anishinaabe name, Niigaanii (pronounced nee-gon-nee). Emma was raised…

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Jessica Lea Fleming

Community Access Director

Jessica Lea Fleming is a Métis / Scottish-settler cisgender woman originally from Penetanguishene, Ontario. She is a multi-award-winning artist and…

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Robin Fisher

Marketing Coordinator

Robin is thrilled to return as Marketing Coordinator for Indigenous Fashion Arts after fulfilling the role for the 2022 Festival.…

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Savanna Chiblow

Digital Strategy Director

Savanna Chiblow is a 2Spirit Anishinaabe-kwe from Mississaugi First Nation. She is a digital communications storyteller and community builder. Her…

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Industry

Kristy-Anne Inglese

Industry Manager

Kristy Inglese is Moose Cree from Moose Factory First Nation. She has worked with Indigenous Fashion Arts (IFWTO at the…

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Programming

MYRANDA SPENCE

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Myranda Spence is Oji-Cree; her maternal ancestral Cree roots are from northern Ontario James Bay and her paternal Ojibwe roots…

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Video Collection

Cris Derksen

Composer

Juno nominated Cris Derksen is an Internationally respected Indigenous Cellist and Composer. In a world where almost everything — people,…

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Shane Belcourt

Director Consultant

Shane Belcourt is Tony Belcourt’s son. Or Christi Belcourt’s brother. Or Claire’s Dad. He is also an award-winning Métis director,…

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