APTN’s Karyn Pugliese joining Ryerson School of Journalism

APTN’s Karyn Pugliese joining Ryerson School of Journalism

On behalf of FCAD Dean Charles Falzon, I am delighted to announce that two distinguished journalists will be joining us as tenure-stream faculty. Sonya Fatah will join us as of July 1, 2019 and Karyn Pugliese will arrive in January 2020.

SONYA FATAH

For the last two years as a Limited Term Faculty appointment, Sonya Fatah has had a major role leading the digital and broadcast platforms of the School’s two prestigious masthead publications: the 70-year old Ryersonian and the 35-year-old Ryerson Review of Journalism (RRJ). Sonya has reshaped the RRJ’s online platform to give it more immediacy and engaged students producing a weekly podcast, Pull Quotes, extending the RRJ brand. At the ’Sonian, she has increased the professionalism of the TV and audio broadcasts.

Sonya is the Editor-in-Chief of J-Source.ca, the popular, influential, decade-old news website producing stories about the Canadian journalism profession and industry for educators, scholars and professionals. She oversees the production of dozens of online news stories and features and a weekly newsletter. Sonya has had a global career as a journalist and a journalism educator, working in China, Pakistan, India, South Africa and the United States. She holds a Master of Science in Journalism and a Master of International Affairs in Human Rights, both from Columbia University. Her work in newsrooms in Canada, Pakistan, India and South Africa, as well as her ongoing freelance work, brings value and currency to the School of Journalism. Her interest in exploring issues among Indigenous Peoples led to her to research and write “Canada’s Toughest Border Crossing” for The Walrus, on the challenges of crossing the U.S./Canada, Ontario/Quebec borders by Mohawks living in Akwesasne. Sonya is also exploring live journalism, a kind of live documentary form of journalism, turning a magazine article into a performance for the stage. Her first project, Stitched! was part of a multi-disciplinary “supercourse” performed in March at Ryerson.

KARYN PUGLIESE

Karyn Pugliese is an award-winning journalist and a transformative newsroom leader. As the Executive Director of News and Current Affairs at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) for the last seven years, Karyn has won an impressive collection of awards: she has just received the Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism for her “defence of the rights of journalists and advanced training, visibility, participation and leadership role.” APTN has been a leader in breaking hard-hitting investigative stories on everything from issues of cultural appropriation to the coerced sterilization of Indigenous women in Saskatchewan. Under Karyn’s leadership, the broadcaster has collected numerous awards for exceptional journalism, including a Canadian Screen Award to honour Karyn’s career achievements.

Karyn, who is a member of the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation in Ontario, is currently the president of the Canadian Association of Journalists, has served on the board of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression and done training as a volunteer with Canadian Journalists for Human Rights. She worked previously at ichannel, Vision TV and CBC, and has also served as a communication director for the Assembly of First Nations.

Karyn has led a news organization that has had to adapt to rapidly evolving digital reality. She has expanded APTN’s presence on multimedia platforms and aggressively explored new business models. A graduate of Carleton University in journalism, Karyn also earned her master’s in history there. She plans to explore the role of journalism and new forms of storytelling in the reconciliation process.

Prof. Janice Neil (she/her/hers)
Chair, School of Journalism
Ryerson University
janice.neil@ryerson.ca
416-433-9333 cell

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