Introducing the Edmonton Community Advisory Board 2024-2026

Hi there STORYHIVE community! It’s Emily once more, writing from the TELUS Local Content team. Earlier this week on the blog, I showcased the wonderful community members taking part in the Community Advisory Boards program in Calgary. For my last post in this series, we’re heading north and saying hello to our Edmonton board members.

Let’s discover seven board members who support the growth and evolution of STORYHIVE and TELUS originals programs through their locally-informed insights, feedback and amplification. 

Meet our Community Advisory Board members from Edmonton:

Leslie Cortés hails from Colombia and moved to Quebec in 2000 with her family. Her journey into artist management began with her participation in the Passeport program, an incubator for artists and managers, in Winnipeg in February 2017. She remains engaged with the market to advance her artist's career and is exploring opportunities to work with additional artists in the near future. She is now the Executive Director of CAVA - Centre d'arts visuel de l'Alberta, a francophone non-profit Arts Center and Gallery. Former employee of the Regroupement artistique francophone de l'Alberta (RAFA), where she has been responsible for promotion, communication, and market development since 2018. RAFA is the official voice of French-language arts and culture in Alberta. Leslie's unique perspective on the challenges faced by artists and businesses in minority settings enriches her work, blending her roles as an organizational employee with her expertise in sales, marketing and market development.

“I am thrilled to join the TELUS Community Advisory Board and am eager to contribute to the development and success of this exceptional initiative.” - Leslie Cortés

Michelle Brewer is passionate about the intersection of film and social justice. She was the founder and producer of the Edmonton International Women's Film Festival between 2016-2019 that used movies to spark conversations about the situation of women and girls in Edmonton. In addition to that, she brings her commitment to social justice to her work as a counselling therapist with specialties in disordered eating and in psychedelic-assisted therapy, as graduate student in social theory, and as the former executive director of Women's March Canada. 

Michelle loves travelling, having visited over 40 countries and living in Québec City, Dublin, Sydney and Berlin. She is an avid walker of the Edmonton trail system and its various ravines. She recently combined both of these by walking the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago. Michelle love movies in the cinema, poetry, Indian food and her tabby, Finn. 

“What you seek is seeking you.” - Rumi

Perry Boldt’s passion for storytelling is grounded in more than 20 years of public service experience in communications, media relations, partnership development and community engagement. He has helped navigate a range of complex federal communications issues surrounding Indigenous economic development, Canadian arts, culture and identity, and most recently, the COVID-19 global pandemic. Prior to moving to Edmonton in 2022, Perry’s past volunteer activities have included serving on the Vancouver chapter Board of Directors for the Canadian Public Relations Society,  fundraising for Qmunity and the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation An honours graduate of Carleton University’s School of Journalism. He is currently the Western Region Director of Communications for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

“Why I love locally reflective storytelling: Years ago, over dinner with my grandmother, she asked me to give the eulogy at her funeral. I agreed and changed the subject. Then a month later, she died. I panicked, not knowing how to capture the enormous essence of a life lived mostly before mine ever began. My great-aunt gave me incredible advice: “A beautiful tapestry doesn’t need all the thread in the world—just sew with what you know.” She was right. Authentic stories carry us beyond the limits of our own experience, so we can connect, understand and even heal. They keep legacies alive.” - Perry Boldt

Rahma Rodaah is an award-winning Canadian author championing diversity in children's literature. Inspired by her immigrant experience, she creates stories featuring Black and Muslim characters, addressing the representation gap in children's books. Rahma's works include self-published titles "Muhiima's Quest" and "Little Brother For Sale," as well as traditionally published books like "Dear Black Child," celebrating Black joy. Her latest release, "Dear Muslim Child" (2024), continues her mission to provide young readers with stories that reflect their identities and experiences. Rahma believes that children need to be able to identify themselves in the book they read to enhance their self-confidence.

"I love locally-reflective storytelling because it has the power to validate, celebrate, and transform our community's diverse experiences. It gives voice to the unheard, celebrates our shared experiences, and paints a vivid, authentic picture of our diverse community. Through these stories, we not only see ourselves more clearly but also envision the inclusive, vibrant future we can create together.” - Rahma Rodaah

About Samuel Koplowicz: “In 1969, after graduating the University of Alberta with a BA in English literature, I enrolled in the MFA program at UCLA and studied film history, direction and production, and subsequently joined an award-winning collective of young film-makers in Edmonton called Filmwest Associates Ltd. In the 1970s I also ran eclectic film society-like programs of international films at Cinematheque 16 in the Edmonton Art Gallery. From 1979-1982 I worked out of the old Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium, writing, directing and producing audio-visual programs for various City of Edmonton departments.

In 1982 I was offered a job supervising audio-visual programs in Victoria for the BC Government, culminating in several centerpieces for exhibits at the 1986 World Expo in Vancouver. In January 1988 I began working at San Jose State University in what eventually came to be known as the Academic Technology Department, writing, directing and producing audio-visual programs for both academic and administrative departments. My career there lasted for twenty years, the last ten of which involved digital video, multimedia productions and online university courses.

I took early retirement in 2007 and returned to Edmonton to look after my elderly Mom after my Dad’s passing. For about the past 15 years I have been the Chair of the annual Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, held in May each year, and also president of the Edmonton Jewish Seniors Centre since 2019. I am in my second term as a member of the TELUS Community Advisory Board for Edmonton, and very much look forward to engaging in the activities of the Board, as I got so much enjoyment from it the first time around, and learned more than I can easily express.”

“Although I am most appreciative of the support TELUS has provided for emerging documentary and reality filmmakers, I am really excited about the support of fictional narrative work as well in the STORYHIVE Scripted Edition. All forms of storytelling are important and valuable, but my preference has always been for the creative impulse to create drama, interpret history and to explore interpersonal relations and the myths of our existence through plays of intellect and emotion.” - Samuel Koplowicz

Thurga Kanagasekarampillai is Deaf and is a multi-talented artist and actor. She was born and raised in Toronto, ON then in 2022, moved to Edmonton to get involved in the Deaf arts community and theatre community. She worked many positions as Deaf Theatre interpreter, Deaf & Accessibility Consultant, ASL teacher, director, writer and more. 

Yvette Timtim-Ramirez is a dynamic educator and artist, bringing forward a rich blend of creativity and expertise. With a passion for amplifying diverse voices, she is committed to fostering spaces where creativity, expression, and growth thrive. Yvette actively champions risk-taking and open dialogue, believing in the power of sharing stories to inspire. Her extensive experience includes volunteering on focus groups, committees, boards and councils, where she has contributed her knowledge, taught, provided feedback and engaged in deep, transformative conversations.

“I’m excited about continuing to create inclusive spaces where creative expression thrives. With my background in both the arts and education, I’m eager to see how we can innovate and expand opportunities for people to share their voices. I envision a future where creativity, technology, and diverse voices come together to reshape the way we tell and receive stories.” - Yvette Timtim-Ramirez

Thank you to our Edmonton board members. Here’s to our ongoing collaboration and our opportunity to continuously enhance Local Content programs for our communities together. 

And that’s a wrap! Come back to the STORYHIVE Blog soon for more stories on community members creating impact with Local Content.