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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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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Artistic
Production
Marketing
Industry
Programming
Video Collection