The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) announced an expansion of its board of directors. The appointments come following DOC’s most recent board meeting and were announced today via a release. The documentary advocacy group added four new faces to its board of directors in chairs representing regional branches of the organization as well as four At Large Directors to inject a wider range of representation for the membership.
New to the board are Min Sook Lee as Ontario Rep, Daniela Mujica as Quebec rep, and Don Young as Albert Rep. Ariella Pahlke from the Atlantic Canada branch of DOC is now the Secretary of the Board, while Doreen Manuel and Jay Thomson have been appointed to fill existing At Large Director seats.
Four new At Large Director roles are appointed to Shirley Cheechoo (Ontario), Prajwala Dixit (Newfoundland), Amar Lohana (Ontario), and Nadine Valcine (Ontario). Lohana also joins the Executive team as Treasurer.
“The appointments of these incredibly talented people cement DOC’s commitment to equity and inclusion and are an integral part of the goals laid out in the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan,” said Ina Fichman, Chair of the DOC National Board, in a statement. “Our aim was to have a national board consisting of 50% Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour by May 2023 and I am delighted that we have already hit that goal. I am looking forward to working with our new board members and together building a brighter future for our documentary community.”
“Inclusion is key for longevity and health of any organization, and we are dedicated to fulfilling our role as leaders within the industry,” added Baljit Sangra, Vice-Chair. “These new appointments are just the beginning for DOC and we will continue to prioritize equity to ensure people with disabilities, members outside of urban centres, women, and LGBTQ2IA2S+ people are properly represented. These changes are imperative in order to properly reflect and service our members and for the overall vitality of the work we do.”
At its annual AGM during Hot Docs, DOC voted to cement equity and inclusion within its board of directors to represent the membership, and Canadian industry, more accurately. The organization recently began offering complimentary memberships to documentary professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour to help level the playing field. It has since grown to nearly 1000 members.
