Montreal, March 7, 2012 — The Youth Media Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its board of directors: Vince Commisso, co‐founder and President & CEO, 9 Story Entertainment, will act as Treasurer, and Josée Legault, Brand Manager, YOOPA, will sit as a member. The pair replace, respectively, Claude Joli‐Coeur, Assistant Commissioner and Director, Business Affairs and Legal Services, NFB, and Clive Vanderburgh, Professor Emeritus, Ryerson University, whom the YMA warmly thanks for their involvement in the organization’s activities.

Vince Commisso
Vince Commisso is a co‐founding partner and President & CEO of 9 Story Entertainment. Vince has contributed to the production of 400‐plus animated episodes for audiences of all ages. He began his career at Nelvana Limited, where he worked with the major networks, studios, producers and distributors, both domestically and internationally, garnering one Emmy® and two Gemini® nominations. Vince rose through the ranks at Nelvana, leaving in 1999 after seven years as a  supervising producer. He then assumed the role of President & CEO of Blab Media Inc., a Flash‐based new media company, where he gained valuable experience in management of start‐ups and insight into the various factors that impact a company’s position in a market. He left Blab to create 9 Story Entertainment with a vision to launch a new‐era animation producer that would utilize leading‐edge technologies to develop, produce and deliver compelling animated content for young audiences worldwide. In 2005, Vince earned an Emmy® Award for Best Animated Television Program, as well as a Gemini® Award and a YMA Award as Senior Producer on Peep and the Big Wide World Season I. Vince holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business (1992) and is a Certified General Accountant. He also holds a Bachelor of Administrative Arts from Atkinson College at York University and a BA in Mathematics and Political Science.

Josée Legault
Josée Legault has wide‐ranging experience in brand management and strategic planning. In September 2010, she joined TVA Group as Brand Manager for YOOPA, a multiplatform brand comprising, among other units, a digital TV channel for preschoolers as well as magazine and Web portal for parents. In that capacity, she is responsible for developing the brand’s strategic direction while ensuring editorial integration and consistency for all of its platforms, with an eye to ensuring YOOPA’s long‐term growth. Her previous career experience in brand management includes more than five years spent with Cirque du Soleil, where she oversaw strategic directions, positioning and communications tools for multiple shows (Zumanity, KÀ, Corteo, Delirium, The Beatles LOVE, Kooza and Wintuk). Josée  earned her Bachelor of Business Administration (Marketing) in 1996 from Montreal’s École des Hautes Études Commerciales, where she was also an Ad Hoc Recherche scholarship recipient.

Chris Arrant

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