About the Panelists
Brodie Fenlon
Brodie Fenlon is the General Manager and Editor In Chief of CBC News, overseeing all news, current affairs and information programming for the English-language service of Canada’s national public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada. In his role, he oversees CBC’s local, national and international journalism on radio, TV, digital and social platforms, as well as CBC’s local service and bureaus. He is also responsible for CBC’s journalistic standards and practices.
Richard Gray
Richard Gray currently serves as Vice-President, CTV News with Bell Media a position he’s held since August 2022. Richard’s broadcast career started in high school as a Radio DJ and over the past 35 years he has worked as a TV News Anchor/Reporter; News Director; Director of News and Information Programming; Manager, Human Resources; Station Manager, Regional General Manager, Local Radio/TV and National Head, CTV2 News. Richard is broadcast journalism program graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and has a degree in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
Sonia Verma
Sonia Verma is editor-in-chief of Global News, where she oversees Global News’ online platform, globalnews.ca.
Verma has received international acclaim for her reporting of the disadvantaged, displaced and persecuted. Her work investigating, producing and presenting a documentary in Afghanistan called Growing Up Guantanamo, about the juvenile prisoners of Guantanamo Bay, was broadcast on Al Jazeera English as part of its flagship Correspondent series.
Most recently, Verma served as a Deputy Humanitarian Representative in the Middle East and North Africa for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). In this role, she worked to advance the organization’s medical humanitarian response in the region through negotiation, communication and dialogue. Prior to joining MSF, Verma worked as a Senior Producer and Director with Al Jazeera English in Doha, Qatar.
Previously in Canada, Verma worked with The Globe and Mail. From 2009 – 2013, she worked as a Global Affairs Writer and was deployed around the world to cover major international stories. In 2013, she made history as the youngest member of the Editorial Board in The Globe and Mail’s 173-year history. Verma has also served as a foreign correspondent for Times of London, New York Newsday, The Toronto Star from 1999 to 2009, and worked as a freelance reporter for Global National, the network’s flagship national newscast. Verma majored in Middle East studies at McGill University and grew up in the Greater Toronto Area.
Jon Whitten
Jon Whitten is the news director at CityNews Toronto. Previously he was executive director of news content, and executive producer of The National at CBC News. He has worked as a reporter in Fredericton and Saskatoon, and a producer in Ottawa and Washington.
A Gemini and CSA award winner for best network and local newscasts, he has produced shows and specials on location across Canada and around the world, and is privileged to have worked with and learned from the very best in the business.
About the Moderator
Nam Kiwanuka is an award winning journalist who has covered sports, entertainment and was a Much VJ/Videographer. Over the last 8 years, she has covered current affairs and multiple provincial elections. She has interviewed Africa’s first female President and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis, Margaret Atwood and has written columns on education, healthcare and housing. She also moderated a provincial leaders debate and is often asked to moderate community events. She came to Canada as a refugee and has volunteered for JHR, War Child Canada and the Red Cross. She’s also written for the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and was a columnist for the BBC’s Focus on Africa Magazine.
