TZ Leadership

Dan Speerin

Manager & Strategic Advisor, TZ

For over a decade, Dan Speerin has been at the heart of technology and storytelling in Canada. As a producer, filmmaker, host and one of the first YouTube partners in Canada, he has been asked to create work for social networks, television and radio. Alongside his production partner Vince Kesavamoorthy, he has co-created and produced three multi platform television series, a CBC radio digital special and one of the first multi-platform election specials in the social networking era. The duo were also the first and only Canadian series on YouTube’s largest news network, “The Young Turks Network”.

Dan has been a tireless advocate for a healthier and more fair digital creator culture. In 2015, he joined the board of the Independent Web Creators of Canada, eventually taking on the role of Vice President and Chair, where he mentored, advocated and promoted Canadian entrepreneurs and storytellers. His views about digital culture and emerging technologies have been featured in stories by the CBC, Washington Post among others, while he’s been a featured speaker at events like JFL42 and Canadian Music Week. He looks forward to continuing his work of mentoring new artists and helping to carve a new path for the Canadian industry to fully embrace an original, entrepreneurial spirit in Canadian storytelling.

Jessie Lee

Startup Experience Coordinator, TZ

Email: jessie.lee@torontomu.ca

Jessie is a media professional with a background in end-to-end production, corporate branding, performance and digital technologies. Her passion for storytelling and experience/human-centered design stems from my educational background in New Media and Psychology. The engagement of the user or audience is the backbone of all her creative projects and it is vital in the development of groundbreaking experiences. Jessie’s extensive experience in storytelling and entertainment has led her to work in a variety of departments in the film, web, and television industries.

Jessie’s creative journey has seen her in various roles within the entertainment industry, most recently performing the role of a junior producer for studios creating branded content, working in art and special effects departments for feature films, and working as a freelance graphic designer. In her previous stint working at the Innovation Studio, Jessie was a leader on the creative team that saw us be nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Interactive Production.

With every project she’s involved in, Jessie continues to support and collaborate with fellow artists from varying disciplines to create experiences that explore new possibilities of existing and emerging platforms while promoting diverse voices and ensuring high-standard quality.